The Art of Giving- Acariya Dhammapala

Giving gifts or offerings builds a part of most societies. Mostly in connection with birthday, marriage and other special occasions – e.g. Dana to the Sangha on full moon days – people are accustomed to give. But not every giving is equally noble. One might give with a wholly joyful mind, another with great hesitation. One might have chosen the gift very carefully intending to benefit the recipient as much as possible, somebody else gives with the intention to harm.

However – as long as an offering is done without bad intention it is a wholesome act, bringing good results here and now and in future. But to make it a truly noble act, an act leading to Nibbana, one’s intention before, during and after the act of giving must be absolutely pure. Only then Dana can become a parami. The following sections from the Cariyapitaka Atthakatha present the way how one can become a perfect donor.

The perfection of giving is to be practiced by benefitting beings in many ways – by relinquishing one’s happiness, belongings, body and life to others, by dispelling their fear and by instructing them in the Dhamma.

Herein, giving is threefold by way of the object to be given:

Amisadana :- The giving of material things

Abhayadana:- The giving of fearlessness

Dhammadana:- The giving of the Dhamma, the teachings of the Buddha.

Among these the object to be given can be twofold:

External gift: Food, drink, vehicles, clothes, etc.

Internal gift: Service to others and one’s own limbs 

© "Dhamma" (February, 2003) published by Buddha Vachana Trust, The Maha Bodhi Society, 14, Kalidasa Road, Gandhinagar, Bangalore 560 009. Reprinted with permission.

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