Giving, a Practice of Generosity
Human beings subsist in this world by giving and sharing. When we first entered the world, we didn’t arrive with anything. If we didn’t have parents or benefactors to provide us love, kindness, and care, we would never have survived from infancy to this day. The value received from the act of giving is incomparable for both the giver and the receiver; however, it is even more significant for the ones who give persistently, for their generosity will improve their lives immensely.
Giving is the act of sharing wholeheartedly for the benefit of others. The more we give, the more we get. It is comparable to how water flows back when we push it forward. The water that surrounds us flows towards us. Givers are well loved by all. Great reputation would be spread around.
Giving can be categorized into four types:
1. Giving of material things means giving things, and it can be categorized in to ten types, which are rice, water, vehicles, clothes, flowers, scented items, toiletries, mattresses, accommodations, and candles. The greatest giving of all is called Sangha-dana, which is giving to an unspecified recipient monk.
2. Giving of kindness means protecting the lives of all living beings and involves the complete removal of anger from one’s heart, elimination of vengefulness, and being forgiving.
3. Giving of knowledge means offering knowledge and wise guidance that benefit people’s lives.
4. Giving of wisdom means sharing knowledge about the truth of life. This includes educating people on wholesome and unwholesome deeds, advising them to avoid misdeeds and to perform good deeds, and encouraging them to practice meditation to purify their mind. These are all paths of purification for one’s body, speech, and mind.
Factors that make any giving lead to greatest results are
1) Pure object. The object being offered must be rightfully owned. It must not be stolen goods.
2) Pure agents. Both givers and recipients must be virtuous.
3) Pure intention. Giving was completed with good intention, before, during and after the action.
Benefits of Sharing
1. ผู้ให้ย่อมเป็นที่รักที่ชอบใจของคนเป็นอันมาก
2. คนดีเป็นอันมากย่อมพอใจคบหาผู้แบ่งปัน
3. ชื่อเสียงอันดีงามของผู้ให้ย่อมฟุ้งขจรไป
4. ผู้ให้ย่อมแกล้วกล้าอาจหาญ ไม่เก้อเขินในที่ประชุมชน
1. The giver is beloved and admired by a multitude of people.
2. Virtuous people are eager to associate with the giver.
3. The giver’s exemplary reputation becomes well known.
4. The giver possesses confidence at all social gatherings.
Those who give cherished items would receive cherished items.
Those who give great objects would receive great objects.
Those who give good objects would receive good objects.
Those who give excellent objects would receive excellent objects.