Dāna and intention

tmottes

I believe that an important part of Buddhism is the concept of dāna. I have read in the suttas that to whom you give makes a difference. Giving to more skillful organizations/people is preferred over unskillful organizations/people, correct? It is also mentioned that our intention when giving is also an important factor. I was curious what everybody thought about the other side of the coin so to speak: when we are approached for money, time, etc.

Do you feel that somebody who is begging for money has the correct intention? What about a suggested donation for taking part in a ritual? What about socialism? Is taking from people to give to other people good intention or stealing, especially since we can't choose where that money is used? I have always felt that people should give to those that need help, but does forced charity really hold the right intention? Finally, I would say to keep the old saying in your mind while you respond to these questions: you can give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime.

taiyaki

if you were thirsty and i had water, i'd give you water.
then i would move on.

jll

dana is part of 3 ie sila, dana, bavana.
giving to the right person means to use wisdom.
you would not want to give money to an alcoholic who will use the
money to buy vodka.
we should have compassion for beggars, as many people say, ' i would
rather starve than beg.' most people will not choose to beg if they had
a choice. of course, they are professional beggars syndicates.
yes, intention is very important. if you give to someone with good intention
and wisdom (however much you have), then you have already done good karma.

genkaku

Use the brains between your ears and when you give ... just give.

abhishek_laser

Want to mention one more thing that the buddha said about giving, "The giver does not go without reward". So whatever reason you give you will not go without reward. Although certain reasons for giving leads to greater karmic benefits than others, one of them being to purify the mind from the stain of stinginess. The amount of good karma that you make by giving, depends on the purity of the giver and the purity of the receiver and the gift that is actually being given. The highest gift being the gift of dhamma itself.

Begging/suggested donations irritates the giver, "no living being likes those who beg"- this statement was made by the buddha himself. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't give, make sure that the person will use the gift in a wholesome manner.

Also remember morality is a higher virtue than generosity, so if you are giving after stealing something then you would have made more bad karma than good.

Also the saying "give a man a fish and you feed him for a day" -> you end up making bad karma for killing the fish.
"teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime" -> you end teaching him how to make bad karma for the rest of his life not to mention the bad karma you get for teaching someone an unskillful action.

tmottes

@Abhishek_laser thanks for your reply, definately something to think about. Are you just giving an example with the fish? Or did you not realize that the saying isn't literally about fish. It is about giving something to someone verses teaching them how to get it themselves.

Jeffrey

Its not dana (the paramita) if there is a giver, gift, or recipient. Dana is always joyful. Enforced taxes of giving is not dana.

santhisouk

There are many reasons why one should practice giving. Giving helps lower the ego, helps reduce our greed, builds our sense of compassion, and may help lead us to find true happiness. I am quite certain that you can give to anyone and still be able to gain these benefits, because sometimes the ego has to be withheld and dealt with in order to give.

I believe that "whom you give to" is stressed sometimes because there is so much more merit to be gained when you have given to the right person or people, but giving in itself is always cherishable and worthwhile.:)

peace

Spaceless

Dana comes in many forms, most importantly both the giver and the recipient trule having "delicious fish to eat for a all time". Many a times, it needs compassionate and expediency for a day of simple fish and thereafter the fishing of all time. And it can't simply ask a monastery to give away all its wealth as dana where its main principle is the dana of wisdom for many lifetimes and supreme love attainment that benefit uncountable sufferers including the ghost and heavenly realms. As monastery is a proper place for the continuation of Buddha teachings and the well beings of present and future beings.

Spaceless

Dana comes in many forms, most importantly both the giver and the recipient trule having "delicious fish to eat for a all time". Many a times, it needs compassionate and expediency for a day of simple fish and thereafter the fishing of all time. And it can't simply ask a monastery to give away all its wealth as dana where its main principle is the dana of wisdom for many lifetimes and supreme love attainment that benefit uncountable sufferers including the ghost and heavenly realms. As monastery is a proper place for the continuation of Buddha teachings and the well beings of present and future beings.

However, there are monasteries that has accrued, usually dana to many needies on behalf of the contributors.

abhishek_laser

@Abhishek_laser thanks for your reply, definately something to think about. Are you just giving an example with the fish? Or did you not realize that the saying isn't literally about fish. It is about giving something to someone verses teaching them how to get it themselves.

You may not take the fish literally, but someone else in the world might take it literally. I personally believe that a better example needs to be given for encouraging generosity.

NOTaGangsta

Moe u give, moe u earn! KNow wat im sayin?!