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Dharma Thoughts
62 EASTERN HORIZON | DHARMA THOUGHTS

Vijaya Samarawickrama is an accomplished Dharma educator,
teacher, and author. He retired after 60 years of teaching in
schools, colleges and universities. However, he continues to give
Dharma talks throughout the country, participates in inter-faith
dialogues, speaks at various international seminars, and writes
for Buddhist books and journals.

The Practice of Dana

By Vijaya Samarawickrama

“Of a Truth, Misers do not go to heaven of Buddhist practice because it is the most basic of the
10 Paramis or perfections which the future Buddha
Fools do not praise liberality
practiced as a Bodhisattva. Stories of his previous lives
The wise man however rejoices in giving
relate how the Bodhisattva gave freely of everything
And thereby becomes happy hereafter”
that he possessed – his wealth, his eyes, his time, his
(Dhammapada 177)
family and even his life when the occasion demanded
it. However, the reason he practiced dana was far
Perhaps the best known of all Buddhist practices is the
more noble and spiritually praiseworthy than for mere
devotional act of giving dana which can be translated
material rewards. His ultimate goal was the Supreme
as liberality, generosity or charity. Very early on in the
Perfection of Buddhahood. He practiced dana in order to
history of Buddhism, the practice of giving generously,
realise the Emptiness of such concepts as “I” and “my”.
especially to the Sangha, (the community of monks
and nuns) and to the poor became associated with the
“Sons have I, wealth have I”
teaching on cause and effect, or Karma. Pious devotees
Thus is the fool assured
came to believe that if they gave generously of their
But when Self is not one’s own
possessions they could ensure a prosperous life for
themselves and their departed ones in the next rebirth. Wherefore sons, wherefore wealth?
Even today followers from each of the three divisions (Dhammapada 62)
of Buddhism practice dana at every opportunity. In
Malaysia we can see how generously Buddhists give in The true aim of dana is to end self-ishness and craving
cash and kind to help the poor and needy all over the by realizing that there is no real personality to own
world. They not only support Buddhist causes but are anything as much as there is nothing to be owned. In
equally generous when it comes to giving donations our ignorance of this fact we are consumed by greed
for projects organized by the leaders of non-Buddhist and craving which is the cause of all our suffering.
groups as well.
When we are freed from the belief in the false existence
All this is very praiseworthy and it makes us proud to of an “I”, we are freed from suffering. Dana is the first
call themselves Buddhists. However, there is much more step to step to help us get rid of this delusion regarding
to dana than just ensuring a more comfortable existence our true nature.
in the next life. It is certainly a very important aspect