Page 44 - The Buddha‘s Noble Eightfold Path

Finally, surpassing even the giving of one's own life, there is
what is called in Buddhism the giving of the gift of Dharma: the
gift of Truth itself; the gift of the knowledge, or understanding,

of the way of Enlightenment, Emancipation, Buddhahood, or
Nirvana. The gift of this sort of knowledge surpasses all other

gifts whatsoever.

These are just some of the things which one can give, and

looking at them we can begin to see how vast, and how
comprehensive, the whole field is. According to Buddhist

teaching we should be giving in some way or other, on some
level or other, all the time. In the Buddhist East, dana or giving
penetrates and permeates all aspects of social and religious life.

If you go along to a temple, for instance, you don't go empty-
handed: you take with you flowers, candles, and incense, and

offer them there. In the same way, if you go to see a friend, even
if the visit is only a casual one, you always take a present. When I
was staying in Kalimpong, and mixing a great deal with Tibetans,

I found that this was absolutely de rigueur. A friend would not
think of appearing on your doorstep without a tin of biscuits

under his arm. In this way the spirit or feeling of giving
permeates all aspects of life in many Buddhist countries. No
doubt all this does sometimes become just a custom, and very

often there might not be much feeling attached to it.
Nonetheless, when you are doing this sort of thing all the time,

in one form or another, then it does have some influence upon
the mind — even if you are doing it only because you are
expected to. You get into the habit of giving and sharing, and

thinking a little bit about others instead of all the time about
yourself.

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