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TEACHINGS | EASTERN HORIZON 19

However we practice dana, we we give the gift of our presence? that gets liberated: it lets go of
aspire to give with integrity, Can we support someone with clinging—to greed, hatred, and
as the Buddha instructed in our time and resources—with delusion—and releases into peace,
the Sappurisadana Sutta (“A Person kindness, offering safety, patience, into awakening. Awakening is not
of Integrity’s Gifts”): engagement, equanimity— a badge we acquire. It’s a gift, a
generously sharing the dharma as release, a giving away.
These five are a person of an embodied offering?
integrity’s gifts. Which five? A Gandhi was once asked, “Why do you
person of integrity gives a gift with As we mature, we can trust that give so much? Why do you serve all
a sense of conviction. A person of practice becomes our life, and our these people?” He answered, “I don’t
integrity gives a gift attentively. A life becomes our practice. Our give to anyone. I do it all for myself.”
person of integrity gives a gift in practice is no longer limited to I have come to see my own giving as
season. A person of integrity gives an activity on the cushion in the an act of participation in the circle
a gift with an empathetic heart. morning or evening, ending on the of receiving and giving, where my
A person of integrity gives a gift border of our zabuton. unique humanity and particularities
without adversely affecting himself are expressed. At the same time,
or others. Similarly, generosity is not just on an unfathomable level, I am
something we do, a performative participating in a mysterious dance,
The last instruction is noteworthy: act of giving something to the egoless, empty, luminous flow
don’t give too little, but also, don’t someone or a cause. At best, our of goodness endlessly passing from
give too much. Mindful giving ought mind–hearts become infused with hand to hand.
to be supportive of others as well generosity toward ourselves and
as oneself, sustainable both for the others, permeating all aspects of Published with the kind permission
giver and the receiver, nondepleting. our thoughts, speech, and actions— of Dr Nikki Mirghafori. https://
even if we don’t quite understand www.nikkimirghafori.com, and
The gift of dharma is said to be how it works. with gratitude to Lion’s Roar where
the highest gift. Let us not limit the article was earlier published
our conception to only the written The act of giving requires us to on March 15, 2022.https://www.
or oral form of teachings but relinquish our attachment to an lionsroar.com/
instead wonder what other ways object; to release it to another, EH
this “highest gift” may manifest we need to let it go. This is the
for practitioners of all levels. Can same exact movement of a heart