The place of dana and caga in the path & its development

[starter]

Hi, I'm wondering about the place of giving (dana: practical act of giving) and generosity (caga) in the 8-factored path. I can see the place of dana in the mundane right view, the 1st factor of the 8-factored path:

And what is the right view that has assavas ["leaks" (not being perfected)], sides with merit, & results in acquisitions? 'There is what is given, what is offered, what is sacrificed. There are fruits & results of good & bad actions. There is this world & the next world. There is mother & father. There are spontaneously reborn beings; there are brahmans & contemplatives who, faring rightly & practicing rightly, proclaim this world & the next after having directly known & realized it for themselves.' [MN 117]

I can see that dana will lead to the quality/parami of caga, and the place of caga in some of the Buddha's lists, such as the five qualities (faith, virtue, learning, generosity and wisdom) and the ten paramis.

I can't see the place of dana and caga clearly in the rest of the 8-factored path, unless we consider generosity as an antidote/medicine for unrighteous greed/covetousness and sensual desire, ill will, and cruelty (for cultivating right intention/thought).

Since the abandonment of the defilement of stinginess is a requisite of spiritual progress, dana and caga should be developed to overcome stinginess, which is connected to greed / ill will / cruelty:

"Without abandoning these five qualities, one is incapable of entering & remaining in the first jhana... the second jhana... the third jhana... the fourth jhana; incapable of realizing the fruit of stream-entry... the fruit of once-returning... the fruit of non-returning... arahantship. Which five? Stinginess as to one's monastery [lodgings, this is teaching to monks; the work, resident and religious communities for lay disciples?], stinginess as to one's family [of supporters, this is teaching to monks; for lay disciples -- the parents/relatives/friends who support our living?], stinginess as to one's gains, stinginess as to one's status, and ingratitude. Without abandoning these five qualities, one is incapable of entering & remaining in the first jhana... the second jhana... the third jhana... the fourth jhana; one is incapable realizing the fruit of stream-entry... the fruit of once-returning... the fruit of non-returning... arahantship.

"With the abandoning of these five qualities, one is capable of entering & remaining in the first jhana... the second jhana... the third jhana... the fourth jhana; capable of realizing the fruit of stream-entry... the fruit of once-returning... the fruit of non-returning... arahantship..."
— AN 5.256-263

But exactly what should be cultivated for dana?

"And what is the treasure of generosity? There is the case of a disciple of the noble ones, his awareness cleansed of the stain of stinginess, living at home, freely generous [giving without attachment to worldly gains?], openhanded [non-grasping], delighting in being magnanimous [generous], responsive to (worthy?) requests [attending to the needy in the right way? ], delighting in the distribution of alms [to only the worthy recipients? Some monastics might not be genuine ones or might not be practicing the right way]. This is called the treasure of generosity."
— AN 7.6

"Herein a householder dwells at home with heart free from the stain of avarice, devoted to charity [?], open-handed, delighting in generosity [?], attending to the needy [?], delighting in the distribution of alms. This is called the accomplishment of charity.” (Vyagghapajja Sutta: Conditions of Welfare).

[Can someone provide another good translation of this paragraph?]

To whom to give:

"Giving is good, dear sir! Even when there's next to nothing, giving is good. Giving with conviction is good! The giving of what's righteously gained is good! And further: Giving with discretion is good! It's praised by the One Well-gone: giving with discretion, to those worthy of offerings here in the world of the living. What's given to them bears great fruit like seeds sown in a good field."— SN 1.33

"But when a man or woman has laid aside a well-stored fund of generosity, virtue, restraint, & self-control, with regard to a shrine, the Sangha, a fine individual, guests, mother, father, or elder (why not younger?) sibling: That's a well-stored fund. It can't be wrested away. It follows you along.

"There are these five seasonable gifts. Which five? One gives to a newcomer. One gives to one going away. One gives to one who is ill. One gives in time of famine. One sets the first fruits of field & orchard in front of those who are virtuous. These are the five seasonable gifts."

Recluses (samana), brahmans (brahmana), destitutes (kapana), wayfarers (addhika), wanderers (vanibbaka) and beggars (yacaka) are particularly in need of public generosity (D.i, 137; ii,354; iii,76).

"And how is a donation endowed with six factors? There is the case where the donor has three factors and the recipients have three. And which are the donor's three factors. There is the case where the donor, before giving, is happy. While giving his/her mind is clear & confident. After giving, he/she is gratified. There are the donor's three factors. And which are the recipients' three factors? There is the case where the recipients are free from passion or are practicing for the subduing of passion; they are free of aversion or are practicing for the subduing of aversion; they are free of delusion or are practicing for the subduing of delusion. These are the recipients' three factors...

"King Kosala once asked the Buddha to whom alms should be given (S.i,98). The Buddha replied that alms should be given to those by giving to whom one becomes happy.

In the Anguttara Nikaya the Buddha describes, with sacrificial terminology, three types of fires that should be tended with care and honor (A.iv,44). They are ahuneyyaggi, gahapataggi and dakkhineyyaggi. The Buddha explained that ahuneyyaggi means one's parents, and they should be honored and cared for. Gahapataggi means one's wife and children, employees and dependents. Dakkineyyaggi represents religious persons who have either attained the goal of arahantship or have embarked on a course of training for the elimination of negative mental traits. All these should be cared for and looked after as one would tend a sacrificial fire. According to the Maha-mangala Sutta, offering hospitality to one's relatives is one of the great auspicious deeds a layperson can perform (Sn. 262-63).

(from Giving in the Pali Canon: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... .html#pali)

Manner of giving:

"These five are a person of integrity's gifts. Which five? A person of integrity gives a gift with a sense of conviction. A person of integrity gives a gift attentively. A person of integrity gives a gift in season. A person of integrity gives a gift with an empathetic heart. A person of integrity gives a gift without adversely affecting himself or others.

A.iii,172
Sakkaccam danam deti: alms should be given in such a way that the donee does not feel humiliated, belittled or hurt.

Cittikatva danam deti: alms should be given with due consideration and respect.

Sahattha deti: one should give with one's own hand.

Na apaviddham deti: one should not give as alms what is only fit to be thrown away.

Na anagamanaditthiko deti: one should not give in such a callous manner so as to make the donee not feel like coming again.

And how to overcome stinginess/develop dana? -- I've found the following helpful:

What the miser fears,
that keeps him from giving,
is the very danger that comes when he doesn't give.
— SN I.32"

"What isn't given is lost:
So when the world is on fire with aging and death,
one should salvage [one's wealth] by giving:
what's given is well salvaged.
What's given bears fruit as pleasure.
What isn't given does not:
thieves take it away, or kings;
it gets burnt by fire or lost.

Then in the end
you leave the body together with your possessions.
Knowing this, the intelligent man enjoys possessions & gives.
Having enjoyed & given in line with your means,
uncensured you go to the heavenly state.

— SN 1.41

Overcoming miserliness
Conquer anger with lack of anger; bad, with good; stinginess, with a gift (dana); a liar, with truth.
— Dhp 223

(for more of the collection of suttas on dana see http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dham ... index.html)

"Generosity is one of the ways you pay off that debt (the personal debt to our parents ...), and it's also one of the valuable ways you interact well with other beings, benefiting both them and yourself in the process".

"By being generous — not only with material things but also with your time, your energy, your forgiveness, your willingness to be fair and just with other people — you create a good world in which to live [and a broad/spacious mind].

[from Ven. Thanissaro's talks "Meditations" (available at ATI)]

More important suttas on this topic:

Visakha's profound dana wisdom: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dana-givi ... ?var=0&l=1

The Scale of Good Deeds/Gifts (from low to high): http://www.vimokkha.com/velama.htm
Give with right attitude and belief -- Give to the worthy recipients -- Sincerely taking refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma and the Sangha -- Sincerely undertaking the Five Moral Precepts -- Developing metta -- Cultivating the awareness of anicca (which will lead to the awareness of dhukka and anatta …)

The Anguttara Nikaya mentions five great gifts (the meticulous observance of the Five Precepts) which have been held in high esteem by noble-minded men from ancient times (A.iv,246). By doing so one gives fearlessness, love and benevolence to all beings.

The Magha Sutta mentions that hates gets eliminated when one is established in generosity (Sn. 506).

The rich become spiritually richer by providing material assistance to the poor.

Would developing metta (developing a mind of boundless lovingkindness) & cultivating the insight of anicca/dukkha/anatta more effective antidotes with no side effects (e.g. distraction) for overcoming stinginess/selfishness and developing generosity than '"Give with right attitude and belief -- Give to the worthy recipients", if someone is at a higher level of the path?

Metta to all!

[rowyourboat]

Hi Starter,

Is giving good? Yes, would be the answer. Developing basic goodness is a big part of the path. Otherwise subtle defilements creep in.

Also if you had a heart of metta you would give, without thinking twice, and that is a good thing. It is an outward manifestation of metta, showing that metta is not limited to the cushion (ie theoretical).

Giving makes you humble- and faithful and is a feature of someone with right view- it benefits the giver and the receiver- it brings joy to both. So it is a worthwhile quality to develop. Stream entrants have generosity as a major feature according to one formulation of the mirror of the dhamma.

Dana also leads to the propagation of the dhamma and the sasana.

It leads to a well rounded development of personality, in a way only samatha and vipassana cannot achieve.

with metta

Matheesha

[Hanzze]

Dear starter,

The nessesarity as well the possibility of Dana disappears latest with with the developement of right effort:

"One tries to abandon wrong view & to enter into right view: This is one's right effort...

"One tries to abandon wrong resolve & to enter into right resolve: This is one's right effort...

"One tries to abandon wrong speech & to enter into right speech: This is one's right effort...

"One tries to abandon wrong action & to enter into right action: This is one's right effort...

"One tries to abandon wrong livelihood & to enter into right livelihood: This is one's right effort."

— MN 117

When right livelihood and the two first sections are completly developed, there would be for the most no Dana possibility/need left. It expires with taking what is not given.

In the frame of the eightfold path, there is no nessesary to point Dana as a special training out. It would cause even an conflict, if has no possibility left or the thought that it is needed.

Normaly it's a starter to come even to the needed development of right view in a dimension that the wheel (the following factors) is errectable.

Thanks for the share of, AN 5.256-263. I didn't know that it was said very directly.

"And what is the treasure of generosity? There is the case of a disciple of the noble ones, his awareness cleansed of the stain of stinginess, living at home, freely generous [giving without attachment? - giving without judgement is maybe better], openhanded [non-grasping, not holding, not defending is maybe better], delighting in being magnanimous [forgiving, generous], responsive to requests [attending to all the needy? -- I don't think so - an effort to support (if possible) ones requests, who ever comes along and requests/ he/she does not walk out and searches for requester], delighting in the distribution of alms. This is called the treasure of generosity."
— AN 7.6

[dhammapal]

Hi Starter,

Dana Sutta discusses the motivations one might have for being generous, and rates in ascending order the results that different motivations can lead to. The Commentary notes that the highest motivation, untainted by lower motivations and leading to nonreturning (anagami – third stage of enlightenment), requires a certain level of mastery in concentration and insight in order to be one's genuine motivation for giving.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

Also see Myth re Intelligent Act of Dana by Mahasi Sayadaw.

With metta / Antony (dhammapal).

[starter]

Hello Matheesha, dhammapal, Hanzze and other friends,

Thanks for the comments and recommendations. It's nice to read the Dana sutta again and to reexamine the meaning of giving with the thought 'This is an ornament for the mind, a support for the mind' [Can some one supply another good translation of this sentence? I tend to interpret 'This is an ornament for the mind' as 'making the mind beautiful']:

AN 7.49
PTS: A iv 59
Dana Sutta: Giving
translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
...

"Having given this, not seeking his own profit, not with a mind attached, not seeking to store up for himself, 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 & grandfather. It would not be right for me to let this old family custom be discontinued,'
" — nor with the thought, 'I am well-off. These 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 — Atthaka, Vamaka, Vamadeva, Vessamitta, Yamataggi, Angirasa, Bharadvaja, Vasettha, Kassapa, & Bhagu — in the same way this will be my distribution of gifts,'
" — nor with the thought, 'When this gift of mine is given, it makes the mind serene. Gratification & joy arise,'

" — but with the thought, '[b]This is an ornament for the mind, a support for the mind' — on the break-up of the body, after death, he reappears in the company of Brahma's Retinue. Then, having exhausted that action, that power, that status, that sovereignty, he is a non-returner. He does not come back to this world.

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


Would giving with the motivation of removing the defilement of stinginess for spiritual progress in the path be considered as the last type of giving? It seems to me that 'This is an ornament for the mind, a support for the mind' means making THE MIND beautiful (by removing the defilement stinginess/selfishness of the mind, not by a "decoration"), and supporting the development of the mind for Samadhi and insight toward nibbana, without seeking the reward for “I”/"me".

Your correction and comments would be appreciated.

Metta to all!

[dhammapal]

Dear Starter,

Great question!

There is a role for "I" and "me" in beautifying the mind with generosity:

The bhikkhu becomes benevolent (BB transl "one who engages in generosity"). He experiences its meaning knowing "I'm benevolent," experiences the Teaching and joy of knowing the Teaching. That joy accompanied with merit I call the accessory of the mind, to develop the mind freeing it from ill will and anger.

'Young man, these five things:
He becomes truthful...,
becomes austere...,
leads a holy life...,
becomes learned...,
becomes benevolent...,
made known by the Brahmins for the accomplishment and accumulation of merit, I declare are the accessories to develop the mind freeing it from ill will and anger.'
From: Subhasutta.m: To the Brahmin Subha

With metta / dhammapal.

[starter]

Dear Dhammapal,

Many thanks for the very helpful input. I agree with you that "a support of the mind" refers to the joy accompanied with merit, which the Buddha called "the accessory of the mind, to develop the mind freeing it from ill will and anger" in MN 99. Similar principle applies to Visakha's profound dana wisdom (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dana-givi ... ?var=0&l=1), whose great delight (pamujja) and Joy (piti) arisen from her merits helps her cittam samadhiyissati.

Metta to all!

[starter]

Why dana as the beginning of the path to liberation?

The Buddha’s path comprises a gradual process of emptying “self”. It starts with giving away one's external possessions (dana). Only when the generous dispositional trait sets in and the close-fitted selfish grip one has on one's external possessions is loosened by generosity (caga, literally means letting go?), one can truly achieve the observance of the Five Precepts, empty the Ten Unwholesome Deeds (the coarse internal defilements/“possessions"), and fill oneself with positive noble qualities (sila). Next comes the emptying of attractive/repulsive sensory inputs by guarding the sense doors, and the suppression/emptying of the Five Hindrances (deep-seated defilements/"possessions") to develop Samadhi (bhavana), which will lead to the deepening insight into the real nature of things and finally the empty of “self” (panna). But the path of dana - sila - bhavana - panna (which is another manifestation of the 8-factored path) starts with dana, the practice of giving. The path for those truly gone forth starts from sila instead of dana, because they have already given away all their external possessions to start the holy life. We as lay disciples can develop and use dana as our first "weapon" for greed/ill will/cruelty.

My understanding: in order to practice dana and caga, one should first establish Right View of the Buddha's teaching on the law of Karma and dana/caga as one's guide. One should also establish Right Intention/Thought (non-greed, non-ill will, non-harming), practicing dana/caga as the first antidote for greed (linked to stinginess), ill will and cruelty. In this sense, the practice of right view and right intention/thoughts precede and guide the practice of dana/caga.

Your input would be appreciated.

Metta to all!

[starter]

Some more understanding:

dana and caga are the first antidotes for unrighteous greed/stinginess/selfishness, hatred/ill will, and cruelty that a lay practitioner can develop and use; metta/karuna/mudita/upekkha are the second antidotes that can be developed with the quality of caga as the foundatio; the bhavanamaya panna (not just theoretical understanding) of anicca/dukkha/anatta is the third antidote that will finally uproot greed/aversion/delusion but can only be obtained after the successful suppression of greed/aversion/delusion, with dana/caga, metta/karuna/mudita/upekkha, sila and bhavana as the foundation.

Metta to all!

[dhammapal]

Dear Dhammapal,

Many thanks for the very helpful input. I agree with you that "a support of the mind" refers to the joy accompanied with merit, which the Buddha called "the accessory of the mind, to develop the mind freeing it from ill will and anger" in MN 99. Similar principle applies to Visakha's profound dana wisdom, whose great delight (pamujja) and Joy (piti) arisen from her merits helps her cittam samadhiyissati.

Metta to all!

I actually prefer Bhikkhu Nanamoli/Bodhi's translation "an equipment of the mind."

With metta / dhammapal.

[gavesako]

Ajahn Sudhiro - Qualities of Giving Dana
The merit from generosity and offering Dana do not depend on the material value but rather on the intention (cetana) behind it.
Even a beggar can make merit by offering a little.
http://youtu.be/GoSFEMra33Q