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Date Posted: 10:59:29 08/23/05 Tue
Author: d - 7 Jul 2005
Subject: Dana Paramita - Generosity: The first mental Perfection:

Dana Paramita

Generosity: The first mental Perfection:

And what is the treasure of generosity?
When a disciple of the Noble Ones whose
mentality is all cleared of disgracing miserliness,
living at home, is freely generous & open-handed,
delighting in being magnanimous,
responsive to every request &,
enjoying the giving of alms.
Such is this treasure called generosity.
AN VII 6

Just as a filled pot, which is overturned
pours out all its water, leaving nothing back,
even & exactly so should one give to those in need.
whether low, middle or high, like the overturned pot,
holding nothing back.
Jataka Nidana [128-129]

The Generosity of Giving,
The Kindness in Speech,
The Benefit of Service,
The Impartiality treating all Alike,
These 4 threads of sympathy
upholds this world like the axle do the cart.
AN II 32

Giving food, one gives & gets strength
Giving clothes, one gives & gets beauty
Giving light, one gives & gets vision
Giving transportation, one gives & gets ease.
Giving shelter one gives all,
Yet one who instructs in the True Dhamma
- The supreme Teaching of the Buddhas -
Such one gives the quite divine ambrosia!
SN I 32

These are these five rewards of generosity:
One is liked and charming to people at large,
One is admired & respected by wise people,
one's good reputation is spread wide about,
One does not neglect a householder's true duties,
and with the break-up of the body - at the moment
of death - one reappears in a happy destination,
in the plane of the divine worlds.
AN V.35

There are these two kinds of gifts:
material gifts & gifts of Dhamma.
The supreme gift is that of Dhamma.
There are these two kinds of sharing:
material sharing & sharing of Dhamma.
The supreme sharing is that of Dhamma.
There are these two kinds of help:
Material help & help with the Dhamma.
This is the supreme of the two:
help with the Dhamma …
It 98

The gift of Dhamma exceeds all other gifts.
Dhammapada 354

The Bodhisatta once as king Sivi gave
both his eyes to a beggar who was Sakka the
king deity in disguise, who desired to test him.
He remembered "While I was wishing to give,
while I was giving and after this giving there
was neither contrariety nor opposition in mind as
it was for the purpose of awakening itself!
Neither were these eyes nor the rest of myself
disagreeable to me. Omniscience was dear to me,
therefore I gave the eyes."
The Basket of Conduct
Cariyapitaka I-8
Full story: Sivi Jataka no. 499.

The Bodhisatta once as the Wise Hare gave
his roasted body as alms by jumping into a fire:
He remembered: "There came a beggar and asked
for food. Myself I gave so that he might eat. In alms
there was none equal to me. In alms I had thereby
reached ultimate perfection."
From then & the rest of this world-cycle the moon
will display a characteristic 'hare-in-the-moon' sign.
Sasa-Jataka no. 316

Giving of things, treasures, external possessions, job,
position, wife, & child is the first perfection of giving.
Giving the offer of one's organs, limbs, & senses is
the second higher perfection of giving.
Giving the sacrifice of one's life is the ultimate
perfection of giving.
The clarifier of sweet meaning 89
(Commentary on Buddhavamsa)
Madhuratthavilasini [59]
Venerable Buddhadatta: 5th century.

Generosity is the first mental perfection (parami):
Clinging creates internal panic and social tension.
Giving creates internal elation and social harmony...
What is gladly given returns more than thousandfold.

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