Lesson Ten The Unlosable Treasure-store
Dana (Generosity)
The gift benefits both the giver and the recipient.
You may have heard the story describing how
one man prayed. He said, "Lord, bless me and
my wife, my son and his wife, us four and no
more."
We smile when we hear this, yet it should sober
us up. Charity no doubt begins in the house but
is it not typical for many people to get things for
themselves only? They are concerned with
accumulating money, possession, prestige,
power and proclaiming:'Look here, this is mine"
to increase their sense of "I have".
And yet, if a person is to think seriously for a
moment, he will realize that the worldly
possessions sopainfully collected are ultimately
not his. There is nothing he can bring with him
beyond the grave not even his own body. When
he dies to whom does his possessions belong?
The tax takes the first large bite.
It may sound paradoxical, but one indeed
possesses something worthwhile not by
hoarding but by sharing with others. The wise
man does not layup treasure. The more he gives
to others, the more he has for his own.
When a house is burning the goods removed
from it will be of use, but not what burns
inside. Thus in this world, with the flame of
age and death, you save what you own by
generosity. Your goods bestowed are weII
removed and safe.
(Anguttara Nikaya)That we can gain happiness now and in the
future, the Buddha taught us to perform three
highly meritorious activities. They are Dana
(generosity), Sila (morality), and Bhavana
(mental culture). Unlike worldly acquisitions,
the merits one gains by performing these three
wholesome actions cannot be lost and will
follow one from Iife to life.
Dana is the giving of useful things to other
people: food to the hungry, medicine to the sick,
money to the needy, kindness and compassion
to all living beings and above all, the knowledge
of the Dhamma to those searching for Truth.
1.Why the Reluctance to Give?
Have you heard some people saying, "I don't
have enough for myself, how can I give?" Such
people have such strong attachments to their
possessions that they are unprepared to share.
They are slaves to their possessions, and greed
is their lord and master.
Reluctance to give can arise out of fear. If one
goes to a hospital, one often hears of people
refusing to donate their blood even though it is
for a loved one. They are afraid of damaging
their health. A person is afraid to donate his
eyes because he fears that he might be blind in
his next life. Such beliefs are unfounded. Fear
always arises from ignorance and the lack of
right understanding.2