Thanks! That is what Dana is about. Letting go of possession while maintaing a wholesome mind state (before, while doing and after)kirk5a wrote:Have an excellent day Hanzze.Hanzze wrote: Can you bring a sample.
There are very less samples of selfishness giving.David N. Snyder wrote:I agree. The end does not always justify the means, however, some giving, any giving, even with some expectation, is better than being a selfish miser who never gives his time, money, or labor to anyone or any cause. The giver may not be an arahant and who are we to judge and speculate on kammic outcomes.Ben wrote: Yes, intention is key. However, its my contention that even if one is mainly motivated by greed for future rewards, then the act of giving itself must contain some moments of genuine selfless generosity for that individual to give at all.
The poppularity of such action is exactly what makes Dana (as merit and not as a require to turn on) not easy be understood by many.Another example could be the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Sure they are billionaires, sure their name is written all over the foundation, but look how much good they have done; from building homes, providing jobs, scholarships, to vaccinations in the Third World; they have probably saved millions of lives. Perhaps it was to have their name known as philanthropists, perhaps for the Foundation, their legacy, for winning the Time magazine persons of the year. In the end, did it not help so many people? And of course they could have done like many billionaires and buy another yacht, Rolls Royce, etc.
I guess it is needed to divide maybe into maybe three kinds of Dana (giving), one that is aspirated by the motivation of gain (todays way of life), one that is aspirated by the motivation of keeping things equal and alive (the function which might be well explaint in the essey posted by Ben), and on that is aspireted by the motivation of simply letting go of ones possession.
Those samples hit exactly what is told by Bhikkhu Ashin Janakabhivamsa and are in fact a terrible force of distruction of any lasting functioning social system and increasing of thoughts of individualism and an endangering of all traditionall autorities and those action are comming back.
Very good point! Somebody who is not able to receive, not used to receive will hardly be able to give. He just accepts what is good form him in the present moment and he just gives what he means that is good and in a manner of controll or rander the outside like he likes to have it.Receiving is also another good practice. As lay people there are plenty of times we receive gifts from others. Does jealousy arise, do we question the value of the gifts, the motive of the giver? If so, then we are not acting in a wholesome way as the receiver either. Such mind states would be the far enemy of mudita (and probably the far enemies of metta, karuna, and upekkha too).
Great sample, thanks for sharing.Once I was eating with some family and friends at a restaurant and the person who invited all of us went to receive the bill. I knew that he was not of good financial means so offered to pay the bill. This is somewhat a common practice among some people as some will fight for the bill to pay it (perhaps out of generosity or perhaps out of ego). The person who invited us told me that this was his invitation and he insisted he will pay. I realized what a stupid mistake I made and apologized and of course let him pay. As receivers we can make mistakes too, just as the giver may not always have the best motives too.
When ever you see a rich man, give him what ever you have. He needs it more then you, but be careful he could be angry about it. So do not make him feel that he is poor.
I recommend this short and great essay The lessons of gratidute in addition, to understand on one hand the ways of giving and taking to provide a well sociaty and a good live as well as to understand the way out of giving and taking and to understand Dana (letting go) from a very dharmic view.Ben wrote:I recently completed reading a very interesting work which discussed at length the role of merit making in Burmese society and how it binds the laity, sangha and state together and how it legitimizes the state. It makes for some very interesting reading.
http://www.amazon.com/Burmas-Mass-Lay-M ... 0896802558" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;