JUNE, 2003

Dear Sangha,

As we begin the process of establishing more predictable funding for Zen Center of Asheville through a pledge/membership drive, I’ve been thinking more about the subject of dana paramita (perfection of giving). Supporting the Dharma is seen as a primary practice in Buddhism, and taking care of the Temple is one of the most traditional forms of dana. But I think the most important point of this practice is not what or how much we give, but our intention when we practice giving, and the awareness of the many opportunities we have to practice dana in our lives. I’d like to share some of my thoughts on this subject with you.

When the subject of dana comes up, I often hear the questions "How much should I give?" and "To whom should I give?" It seems to be quite common to think only of material items when we think of giving; often in the case of dana we think of money. We cannot ignore the fact that in our culture money is a very important aspect of our lives. Yet I think it is also important to consider the spirit behind the giving that we call dana paramita. Maybe the questions we should be asking are "With what spirit am I giving?" or "What is my intention when I offer something?" And maybe by understanding giving as a practice, the specifics of how much and to whom will be more easily clarified.

Let’s consider for a moment the meaning of the words dana and paramita. Dana is a Sanskrit word that means giving, offering, generosity. Paramita means perfection. Together, as I mentioned, they mean perfection of giving. I think that in this case perfection should be thought of as a verb, as the activity of practicing dana, rather than as a state of being we should aspire to. It should be considered as moment-to-moment practice, going in the direction of selflessness. In the book The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching, Thich Nhat Hanh says "The practice of the paramitas can be the practice of our daily lives," (p. 180).

The spirit of dana paramita is altruistic giving. Altruism is regard for others as the motivation for action. In other words, it’s unselfishness, other-centeredness. In an article entitled "The Gift That Cannot Be Given," Marcia Rose says "The cultivation of dana offers the possibility of purifying and transforming greed, clinging, and self-centeredness, as well as the fear that is linked to these energies of attachment," (Tricycle, Summer 2003, p. 37). How can we practice giving in a way that transforms a greedy, clinging, and self-centered spirit into an altruistic spirit?

We can begin by considering what it means to give of oneself. Thich Nhat Hanh describes dana paramita from this perspective: "To give means first of all to offer joy, happiness and love—we don’t keep anything for ourselves, we only want to give." Then he suggests some ways that we can practice giving. He says "The greatest gift we can offer anyone is our true presence. 'I am here for you' is a mantra you can say when you practice this paramita. What else can we give? Our stability. Our freedom. Happiness is not possible unless we are free from afflictions—craving, anger, jealousy, despair, fear, and wrong perceptions. [We can give] Peace, Space, and Understanding. Dana paramita is the practice of love," (The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching, pp.182-184).

Another interesting perspective on this point is from Andrew Olendzki: "One of the most important acts of generosity involves Buddhism’s five precepts. By giving up killing, stealing, false speech, sexual misconduct, and intoxicants, one 'gives to immeasurable beings freedom from fear, hostility and oppression'," (Tricycle, Summer 2003, p. 36).

All of the above require constant effort in our spiritual practice. If we give for personal reasons, such as to feel good, or with expectations of a particular result, or to gain respect or love, we cannot be present or stable or free. My teacher, Katagiri Dainin Roshi, used to tell us that the purpose of our practice is to learn to live in peace and harmony with all beings. To do this, we have to give up a sense of self-importance and disengage from all notions of self and other. We have to realize the interdependence of life. Acting with awareness of the interdependence of everything is the most natural way to give. To give in this way, we need to practice non-attachment to ideas about self and other.

The spirit of dana paramita is based on life as it is. Through our effort of practicing non-attachment in our everyday lives, we can see life as it really is and discover the true spirit of giving. Robert Aitkin Roshi explains it in this way: "Dana is the practice of pratitya samutpada, mutually dependent arising. Everything is contingent upon everything else. Plants transpire, the moisture evaporates and returns as rain. The earth is dampened, allowing rootlets to absorb nutrients in the soil. The nutrients themselves are released by worms that eat the earth and by the casts of countless other beings as they give themselves in death. People, animals, and other plants flourish, and give themselves in turn. The Buddha suggested that human beings can get along best by following this natural way of things. Giving creates happiness; greed creates misery," (Tricycle, Summer 2003, p. 42).

The questions of "How much?" and "To whom?" cease to be the primary questions when we think of dana as a sharing of the self. Understanding the spirit of dana can help us understand that the answers to questions about giving cannot be answered with formulas. When everything in life expresses itself as it is, this is giving. When we are truly ourselves, this is dana paramita.

Teijo Munnich