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16 EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS

When I started on the path of A couple of decades older, many Holding onto things with a sense
Buddhist practice, I was mainly dimensions of generosity have of scarcity creates more lack, more
interested in meditation. To my opened up for me—not only in unsatisfactoriness, more suffering
novice ears, other teachings the ordinary expressions of giver, (dukkha). And in true generosity,
sounded less relevant or interesting. receiver, and gift, but also while we see that there is no separation
I vaguely remember hearing in meditating and teaching, when between the giver, the receiver, and
a dharma talk that the Buddha dana seems more the expression what is given (anatta).
had emphasized the practice of of a boundaryless free-flow of
generosity for lay folks such as generosity. Dana, I now see, is the I have come to understand dana not
myself. In the trilogy of meritorious foundation of the practice. as a preparatory practice, or one of
deeds (puñña), he first and foremost only merit-making for lay folks, but
taught generosity, or dana, which Generosity is interconnected with, as synonymous with liberation itself
in Pali connotes both the act of and informs, the other parami. in ways I couldn’t have imagined.
giving and what is given. Only after One who embodies generosity It is no mystery why dana occupies
the practitioner appreciated this of spirit has no need to harm, the first, most honored position
teaching did the Buddha proceed steal, lie, and so on, and naturally among the perfections.
to teach ethics (sila) and mental offers the safety of non-harming
The Joy of Generosity
cultivation (bhavana); it was the (sila) and truthfulness (sacca)
latter I was jumping into, head (not to others. Practicing giving
Generosity does not and cannot
heart) first. requires renouncing what is given
come into its full fruition with an
(nekhamma). Through generosity
attitude of grim duty. The attitude of
Being part of the circle of giving we develop insight (pañña) into the
“I should be generous” or “I should
and receiving, we are energetically three marks of existence. Being part
let go” is one of forced expectation,
engaged (virya) and interconnected. of the circle of giving and receiving,
and it works as well as hitting
My first response to dana was we are energetically engaged (virya)
a donkey with a stick. The poor
skepticism. Wouldn’t any leader of a and interconnected. Generosity does
animal will move a few paces, then
monastic order espouse generosity, not come about overnight but is
stop. Offering carrots, in contrast,
if for no other purpose than to cultivated through patience (khanti)
can provide aspiration, where we
sustain the order? Had I dared to and determination (adhitthana).
take on a practice as a training
share my cynicism with anyone When we care for someone (metta),
with curiosity, interest, perhaps
learned in the tradition, they might generosity instinctively flows, and
even zest, giving it our heart. We
have pointed out that while the rules in turn, generosity strengthens
each know this from our own lived
of the early monastic community metta; these two, perhaps, are
experience: when we feel bright
could have been designed to allow really one and the same. Finally,
with inspiration, we want to offer
for the monk’s independence, one who perfects generosity is at
our time, skills, and resources for
they were in fact devised to foster peace with the comings and goings
the benefit of another. Our hearts
interdependence between the lay of things and experiences, which
are uplifted in the celebration of
community and the ordained. is synonymous with the jewel of
release, relishing the goodness
equanimity (upekkha).
cocreated when another being
The vinaya rules forbid monastics
benefits from our goodness.
from handling money, cooking, Generosity supports insight into the
or saving food for the next day— three characteristics of existence:
In the Dana Sutta, the Buddha
the monastics depend upon the Practicing generosity provides
instructed his followers to pay
generosity of the lay community, insight into impermanence (anicca):
attention to the joy of generosity:
to whom, in turn, the monks freely things come, things go. Nothing
“In this world…there are three
offer daily practice and teachings. is for me to keep, to hang on to.
things of value for one who gives.