Meditator's Handbook, Donate, Giving (Pariyatti)

Dhr. Seven, Ashley Wells, CC Liu (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly; Pariyatti.org; Dhamma.org

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Words of the Buddha

"Great Fruits of Giving" (Dānamahapphala Sutra, AN 7.49) edited by Wisdom Quarterly

Hand of the Buddha (photo courtesy of flickr.com user Claudia R).

 

Path to Freedom (pariyatti)

"Having given this, not seeking one's own profit, not with a mind attached [to the reward], not seeking to store up for oneself, nor [with the thought], 'I'll enjoy this after death'

— nor with the thought, 'Giving is good'

— nor with the thought, 'This was given in the past, done in the past, by my father and grandfather. It would not be right for me to let this family custom lapse'

Abhidharma Manual (P)

— nor with the thought, 'I am well off. These [others] are not well off. It would not be right for me, being well off, not to give a gift to those who are not well off'

— nor with the thought, 'Just as there were the great sacrifices of the sages of the past...in the same way this will be my distribution of gifts [donations]'

— nor with the thought, 'When this gift of mine is given, it makes the mind [heart] serene. Gratification and joy arise'

— but with the thought, 'This is an ornament for the mind, a support for the mind'

Teacher of the Devas (P)

— [Therefore] on the breakup of the body, after death, one reappears in the company of Brahma's Retinue. Then having exhausted that action (karmic force), that power, that status, that sovereignty, one is a non-returner. One does not come back to this world.

"This, Sariputra, is the cause, this is the reason why a person gives a gift of a certain sort and it does not bear great fruit and benefit, whereas another person gives a gift of the same sort and it bears great fruit and benefit."

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About Pariyatti

Ven. Nyanatiloka (Buddhist Dictionary) edited by Wisdom Quarterly

Pariyatti is a Pali word that means "learning the [Buddha's] doctrine," the "wording of the doctrine." In the "progress of the disciple" (q.v.), three stages may be distinguished:

1. theory
2. practice
3. realization

These refer to (1) learning the wording of the Dharma or doctrine (pariyatti), (2) practicing it (patipatti) or "pursuing" the Buddha's teaching, as distinguished from the mere theoretical knowledge of its wording, and (3) penetrating it (pativedha) and realizing its goal [enlightenment leading to nirvana].

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On Giving (Pali dāna)

Prosperous Anathapindika buys land for meditation center to offer it to the Buddha.

 
Dāna means "almsgiving," liberality, offering, charity, donating.
 
"One who gives alms bestows a fourfold blessing: One helps to long life, good appearance, happiness, and strength. Therefore, long life, good appearance, happiness, and strength will be one's share, whether among celestial beings or among humans" (A.IV.57).
"Five blessings accrue to the giver of alms:

• the affection of many,
  
• noble association,
  
• good reputation,
  
• self-confidence, and
  
• celestial rebirth" (see A.V.34).
  

Buddhas only come to be and practitioners become enlightened because others give (JH).

.

Seven further blessings are talked about in A.VII.54.
 
Liberality, particularly the offering of robes, food (alms), and other requisites provided to Buddhist monastics -- monks, nuns, novices, and lay practitioners -- is highly praised in all Buddhist countries in Southern Asia. It is a fundamental virtue and a means of suppressing our inborn greed and egoism or self-centeredness.

But as with any other good or bad action (karma), so also with offering gifts: it is the noble intention and volition (cetana) that really counts as the action, not the mere outward deed.
 
Almsgiving or liberality (dāna) constitutes the first kind of meritorious activity, the two others being virtue (sīla) and meditation or mental cultivation and development (bhāvanā); see puñña-kiriya-vatthu.
  
Liberality (cāga) forms one of the Ten Recollections (anussati) and almsgiving one of the Ten Perfections (pāramī).

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