Dāna Pāramī – The Virtue of Generosity by S.N. Goenka. Pāramīs are virtues—that is, good human qualities. By perfecting them, one crosses the ocean of misery and reaches the stage of full liberation, full enlightenment. Pāramīs are needed to dissolve the ego and to reach the stage of egolessness—to develop detachment; in other words, to come out of all attachments to “I, me, mine.” A student of Dhamma, who aspires to attain the final stage of liberation, enlightenment, joins Vipassana courses in order to develop these pāramīs. Little by little, one develops these pāramīs in every course one does. They should be developed in day-to-day living as well. However, in a meditation course environment, the perfecting of the pāramīs can be greatly accelerated. Let us understand the pāramī of dāna—charity, generosity. A householder has to earn money for one’s own support, and for the support of all others who are dependent on one. This is one of the responsibilities of the householder’s life. But when the earnings are used only to support oneself and those near and dear to one, with any surplus used just for the craze of acquisition, then in fact, one is using one’s earnings in a wrong way, which will develop one’s ego and attachment to ego. When a householder decides to part with a portion of what he has earned and accumulated and to donate it for the benefit of others, then he starts taking the first steps to dissolve the attachment which he has built up towards his own possessions, attachment for his own “I, me, mine.” One donates in accordance to one’s capacity, but it is not the amount one gives, but rather the purity of volition behind the action, which is important in developing the real dāna pāramī. If one gives with the pure volition of helping others, not expecting anything in return, then regardless of the monetary value of the gift, one is perfecting the dana dāna pāramī and dissolving the ego. In a Vipassana course, a meditator experiences Dhamma (the truth, the law of nature), and realizes what an invaluable jewel it is. He understands that the cause of all suffering is mental defilement; that the only way to eradicate suffering is to eradicate the defilement. Naturally, one wishes this Dhamma to be made available to others, since in one arises a quality of Dhamma, Ehi-Passiko —the wish that others may come and experience this jewel, may learn Dhamma. Not yet being matured enough, or trained to teach, the meditator wishes to pay his debt of gratitude to Dhamma by helping in the spread of the teaching. The meditator realizes that: Sabba rasam Dhamma rasam jinati Of all tastes, the taste of Dhamma is best. Having actually tasted Dhamma oneself, one knows that this is true; and therefore, Sabba danam Dhamma danam jinati Of all gifts, the gift of Dhamma is greatest. When one gives dāna with this volition of offering to others the best thing that one has, the best gift that can be, then the dāna is pure, very beneficial to others, very helpful in developing dāna pāramī of the giver By practicing Vipassana in a course, a student realizes that any donation he may decide to give is not in payment for the Dhamma he has received, because that is invaluable. He or she also understands that what one gives is not for the boarding, lodging, and other facilities enjoyed during the course, because those were the charity of some unknown generous and grateful student who had benefited from Dhamma earlier. Therefore, whatever dāna one gives , small or large, one gives not for oneself, but for others, with the pure feeling of compassion. This strengthens one’s dāna pāramī. (Vipassana newsletter87)
Posted on: Mon, 25 Aug 2014 03:37:53 +0000
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