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18 EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS

Pali word caga (pronounced chaa- good friends, neutral beings, those reciprocity, and so on. I try to have
guh). Caga is the quality of the we have challenges with, and finally, humor and laugh at myself without
mind–heart that is fundamentally all beings. If we experience sharing judgment; primarily, I endeavor
generous, the aspect of freely as the Buddha described it, it may simply to understand those
releasing, relinquishing, and giving not be obvious who is the giver, who beliefs, stories, and expectations
with an open hand—automatically, is the receiver, and what is the gift. with curiosity and loving interest.
as it were. It arises out of the If we do not practice both receiving Shining the light of nonjudgmental,
freedom of a heart that doesn’t and giving, then the practice does loving awareness on the landscape
cling, but shares its gifts with not deepen. of the mind–heart with loving
kindness and friendliness in the awareness—acknowledging
spirit the Buddha suggests to us Notice the offerings you are receiving what’s there, and what may get
above: to withhold from another in this very moment: the air that is in the way—is an integral part of
is to withhold from oneself; to be supporting your life, the seat that is cultivating the practice.
stingy with another is to be stingy supporting your body, the medium
with oneself. by which you are reading these I’ve heard that in Tibetan culture,
words. Each act of graciousness in order to rehearse the act of
The act of giving as we widens the capacity of our heart to letting go, one practices giving a
conventionally conceive of it— feel abundance and, in turn, opens it potato from one hand to the other;
passing along that persimmon at the further to share with others. gradually, one moves from potatoes
airport lounge, for example—can to more precious objects. Such a
serve as a training, as an external Gratitude and generosity form playful yet wise practice. Give it a
scaffold, that supports the inner a circle. When we feel the try with an object around you. What
burgeoning of who (or what) the abundance of our life, our hearts arises in your body, heart, and mind?
Buddha suggests we are in a more feel spacious. Numerous studies
absolute way, guiding us to a sure link gratitude to happiness and There is a wonderful and
heart’s release. Not overnight, well-being. Through gratitude, we provocative teaching in
but with sincerity and constancy, can “train” ourselves to be more the Visuddhimagga, the “Path
many dimensions of generosity can generous. In a study conducted of Purification” commentaries
serve us—all of us—as the roots, at the University of Oregon, written by Buddhaghosa in the
heartwood, and fruits of collective neuroscientist Christina Karns fifth century BCE. In the chapter
liberation. observed the fMRI measurements on metta, ten practices are
of participants who kept a gratitude offered to overcome resentment.
Giving and Receiving journal and found that over time, They include practicing metta,

There is—of course—still more. they derived increasing joy from considering the good qualities of
The heart’s capacity to receive giving. Pragmatically, the research the other person, reflecting on
kindness is not distinct from the suggests that at a minimum, one can how resentment makes the bearer
ability to give it; when we think of proactively choose to practice giving unattractive, contemplating the
generosity, we may overlook the to others in ways that increase one’s law of karma, and so on. If none of
importance of being able to receive own joy. How neat is that? the previous practices effectively
from others and the world, as well dispels resentment, the tenth one
as the ability to offer generosity to Of course, sometimes I—and is deceptively simple: give a gift.
ourselves. When we cultivate metta you, too?—observe an absence of The external act of giving shifts
in ever-widening concentric circles, generosity or mixed intentions in the internal dynamic of the heart
we start with ourselves. Only then giving: wanting to be liked or to be to release the grudge. Try it! Let
do we expand to our benefactors, thought of as generous, wishing for yourself be awed, as I have been.