No String Attached - The Buddha's Culture of Generosity

8/13/2019 No String Attached - The Buddha's Culture of Generosity

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2itscompanion,themeditationcenterfundraisingletteroftencitestheexample

ofhowmonksandnunsaresupportedinAsiaasjustificationforhowdanais

treatedhereintheWest.Buttheyretakingastheirexampletheworstofthe

monks,andnotthebest.

Iunderstandthereasoningbehindthetalk.Layteachershereaspiretothe

idealofteachingforfree,buttheystillneedtoeat.And,unlikethemonasticsof

Asia,theydonthavealongstandingtraditionofdanatofallbackon.Sothe

danatalkwasdevisedasameansforestablishingacultureofdanainaWestern

context.ButassooftenisthecasewhennewcustomsaredevisedforWestern

Buddhism,thequestioniswhetherthedanatalkskillfullytranslatesBuddhist

principlesintotheWesterncontextorseriouslydistortsthem.Thebestwayto

answerthisquestionistotakeacloselookatthoseprinciplesintheiroriginal

context.

ItswellknownthatdanaliesatthebeginningofBuddhistpractice.Dana,

quiteliterally,

has

kept

the

Dhamma

alive.

If

it

werent

for

the

Indian

tradition

of

givingtomendicants,theBuddhawouldneverhavehadtheopportunityto

exploreandfindthepathtoAwakening.Themonasticsanghawouldnthave

hadthetimeandopportunitytofollowhisway.Danaisthefirstteachinginthe

graduateddiscourse:thelistoftopicstheBuddhausedtoleadlistenersstepby

steptoanappreciationofthefournobletruths,andoftenfromtheretotheirown

firsttasteofAwakening.Whenstatingthebasicprinciplesofkarma,hewould

beginwiththestatement,Thereiswhatisgiven.

Whatslesswellknownisthatinmakingthisstatement,theBuddhawasnot

dealing

in

obvious

truths

or

generic

platitudes,

for

the

topic

of

giving

was

actuallycontroversialinhistime.Forcenturies,thebrahmansofIndiahadbeen

extollingthevirtueofgivingaslongasthegiftsweregiventothem.Notonly

that,giftstobrahmanswereobligatory.Peopleofothercastes,iftheydidnt

concedetothebrahmansdemandsforgifts,wereneglectingtheirmostessential

socialduty.Byignoringtheirdutiesinthepresentlife,suchpeopleandtheir

relativeswouldsufferhardshipbothnowandafterdeath.

Asmightbeexpected,thisattitudeproducedabacklash.Severalofthe

samana,orcontemplative,movementsoftheBuddhastimecounteredthe

brahmansclaimsbyassertingthattherewasnovirtueingivingatall.Their

argumentsfell

into

two

camps.

One

camp

claimed

that

giving

carried

no

virtue

becausetherewasnoafterlife.Apersonwasnothingmorethanphysical

elementsthat,atdeath,returnedtotheirrespectivespheres.Thatwasit.Giving

thusprovidednolongtermresults.Theothercampstatedthattherewasno

suchthingasgiving,foreverythingintheuniversehasbeendeterminedbyfate.

Ifadonorgivessomethingtoanotherperson,itsnotreallyagift,forthedonor

hasnochoiceorfreewillinthematter.Fatewassimplyworkingitselfout.


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3SowhentheBuddha,inhisintroductiontotheteachingonkarma,beganby

sayingthatthereiswhatisgiven,hewasrepudiatingbothcamps.Givingdoes

giveresultsbothnowandonintothefuture,anditistheresultofthedonors

freechoice.However,incontrasttothebrahmans,theBuddhatooktheprinciple

offreedomonestepfurther.Whenaskedwhereagiftshouldbegiven,hestated

simply,Whereverthemindfeelsinspired.Inotherwordsasidefrom

repayingonesdebttoonesparentsthereisnoobligationtogive.Thismeans

thatthechoicetogiveisanactoftruefreedom,andthustheperfectplacetostart

thepathtototalrelease.

ThisiswhytheBuddhaadopteddanaasthecontextforpracticingandteachingtheDhamma.Buttomaintainthetwinprinciplesoffreedomand

fruitfulnessingivinghecreatedacultureofdanathatembodiedparticularly

Buddhistideals.Tobeginwith,hedefineddananotsimplyasmaterialgifts.The

practiceof

the

precepts,

he

said,

was

also

atype

of

danathe

gift

of

universal

safety,protectingallbeingsfromtheharmofonesunskillfulactionsaswasthe

actofteachingtheDhamma.Thismeantthatlavishgivingwasnotjustthe

prerogativeoftherich.Secondly,heformulatedacodeofconducttoproducean

attitudetowardgivingthatwouldbenefitboththedonorsandtherecipients,

keepingthepracticeofgivingbothfruitfulandfree.

Wetendnottoassociatecodesofconductwiththewordfreedom,but

thatsbecauseweforgetthatfreedom,too,needsprotection,especiallyfromthe

attitudethatwantstobefreeinitschoicesbutfeelsinsecurewhenothersarefree

intheirs.

The

Buddhas

codes

of

conduct

are

voluntaryhe

never

coerced

anyoneintopracticinghisteachingsbutoncetheyareadopted,theyrequirethe

cooperationofbothsidestokeepthemeffectiveandstrong.

ThesecodesarebestunderstoodintermsofthesixfactorsthattheBuddha

saidexemplifiedtheidealgift:

Thedonor,beforegiving,isglad;whilegiving,his/hermindis

inspired;andaftergiving,isgratified.Thesearethethreefactorsofthe

donor.

Therecipientsarefreeofpassionorarepracticingforthesubduingof

passion;free

of

aversion

or

practicing

for

the

subduing

of

aversion;

and

freeofdelusionorpracticingforthesubduingofdelusion.Thesearethe

threefactorsoftherecipients.AnguttaraNikaya6:37Althoughthispassageseemstosuggestthateachsideisresponsibleonlyfor

thefactorsonitsside,theBuddhaslargeretiquetteforgenerosityshowsthatthe

responsibilityforallsixfactorsandinparticular,thethreefactorsofthe


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4donorisshared.Andthissharedresponsibilityflourishesbestinan

atmosphereofmutualtrust.

Forthedonors,thismeansthatiftheywanttofeelglad,inspired,and

gratifiedattheirgift,theyshouldnotseethegiftaspaymentforpersonal

servicesrenderedbyindividualmonksornuns.Thatwouldturnthegiftinto

wages,anddepriveitofitsemotionalpower.Instead,theydbewisetolookfor

trustworthyrecipients:peoplewhoaretrainingorhavetrainedtheirmindsto

becleanedandundefiled.Theyshouldalsogivetheirgiftinarespectfulwayso

thattheactofgivingwillreinforcethegladnessthatinspiredit,andwillinspire

therecipienttovaluetheirgift.

Theresponsibilitiesoftherecipients,however,areevenmorestringent.To

ensurethatthedonorfeelsgladbeforegiving,monksandnunsareforbidden

frompressuringthedonorinanyway.Exceptwhenillorinsituationswherethe

donorhasinvitedthemtoask,theycannotaskforanythingbeyondthebarest

emergencynecessities.

They

are

not

even

allowed

to

give

hints

about

what

theydliketoreceive.Whenaskedwhereaprospectivegiftshouldbegiven,they

aretoldtofollowtheBuddhasexampleandsay,Givewhereveryourgift

wouldbeused,orwouldbewellcaredfor,orwouldlastlong,orwhereveryour

mindfeelsinspired.Thisconveysasenseoftrustinthedonorsdiscernment

whichinitselfisagiftthatgladdensthedonorsmind.

Toensurethatadonorfeelsinspiredwhilegivingagift,themonksandnuns

areenjoinedtoreceivegiftsattentivelyandwithanattitudeofrespect.Toensure

thatthedonorfeelsgratifiedafterward,theyshouldlivefrugally,careforthe

gift,

and

make

sure

it

is

used

in

an

appropriate

way.

In

other

words,

they

should

showthatthedonorstrustinthemiswellplaced.Andofcoursetheymustwork

onsubduingtheirgreed,anger,anddelusion.Infact,thisisaprimary

motivationfortryingtoattainarahantship:sothatthegiftsgiventoonewillbear

thedonorsgreatfruit.Bysharingtheseresponsibilitiesinanatmosphereoftrust,bothsidesprotect

thefreedomofthedonor.Theyalsofostertheconditionsthatwillenablenot

onlythepracticeofgenerositybutalsotheentirepracticeofDhammatoflourish

andgrow.

Theprinciples

of

freedom

and

fruitfulness

also

govern

the

code

the

BuddhaformulatedspecificallyforprotectingthegiftofDhamma.Hereagain,

theresponsibilitiesareshared.Toensurethattheteacherisglad,inspired,and

gratifiedinteaching,thelistenersareadvisedtolistenwithrespect,totryto

understandtheteaching,andoncetheyreconvincedthatitsgenuinelywise

tosincerelyputitintopracticesoastogainthedesiredresults.Likeamonkor


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5nunreceivingamaterialgift,therecipientofthegiftofDhammahasthesimple

responsibilityoftreatingthegiftwell.

Theteacher,meanwhile,mustmakesurenottoregardtheactofteachingasa

repaymentofadebt.Afterall,monksandnunsrepaytheirdebttotheirlay

donorsbytryingtoridtheirmindsofgreed,aversion,anddelusion.Theyarein

nowayobligatedtoteach,whichmeansthattheactofteachingisagiftfreeand

clear.Inaddition,theBuddhainsistedthattheDhammabetaughtwithout

expectationofmaterialreward.Whenhewasonceofferedateachersfeefor

histeaching,herefusedtoacceptitandtoldthedonortothrowitaway.Healso

establishedtheprecedentthatwhenamonasticteachestherewardsof

generosity,theteachingisgivenafteragifthasbeengiven,notbefore,sothatthe

stainofhintingwontsullywhatssaid.

Alloftheseprinciplesassumeahighlevelofnobilityandrestraintonboth

sidesoftheequation,whichiswhypeopletriedtofindwaysaroundthemeven

whilethe

Buddha

was

alive.

The

origin

stories

to

the

monastic

disciplinethe

talesportrayingthemisbehaviorthatledtheBuddhatoformulaterulesforthe

monksandnunsoftentellofmonasticswhosegiftofDhammacamewith

stringsattached,andoflaypeoplewhogladlypulledthosestringstogetwhat

theywantedoutofthemonastics:personalfavorsservedwithaningratiating

smile.TheBuddhassteadypersistenceinformulatingrulestocutthesestrings

showshowdeterminedhewasthattheprincipleofDhammaasagenuinelyfree

giftnotbeanidleideal.Hewantedittoinfluencethewaypeopleactually

behaved.

He

never

gave

an

extended

explanation

of

why

the

act

of

teaching

should

alwaysbeagift,buthedidstateingeneraltermsthatwhenhiscodeofconduct

becamecorruptovertime,thatwouldcorrupttheDhammaaswell.Andinthe

caseoftheetiquetteofgenerosity,thisprinciplehasbeenborneoutfrequently

throughoutBuddhisthistory.

AprimaryexampleisrecordedintheApadanas,whichscholarsbelievewere

addedtotheCanonafterKingAsokastime.TheApadanasdiscusstherewards

ofgivinginawaythatshowshoweagerthemonkscomposingthemwereto

receivelavishgifts.Theypromisethatevenasmallgiftwillbearfruitas

guaranteedarahantshipmanyeonsinthefuture,andthatthepathfromnowto

thenwill

always

be

filled

with

pleasure

and

prestige.

Attainments

of

special

distinction,though,requirespecialdonations.Someofthesedonationsbeara

symbolicresemblancetothedesireddistinctionagiftoflightedlamps,for

instance,presagesclairvoyancebutthepreferredgiftofdistinctionwasa

weeksworthoflavishmealsforanentiremonastery,oratleastforthemonks

whoteach.


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6ItsobviousthatthemonkswhocomposedtheApadanasweregivingfree

reintotheirgreed,andwereeagertotelltheirlistenerswhattheirlisteners

wantedtohear.Thefactthatthesetextswererecordedforposterityshowsthat

thelisteners,infact,werepleased.Thustheteachersandtheirstudents,actingin

collusion,skewedthecultureofdanainthedirectionoftheirdefilements.Inso

doingtheydistortedtheDhammaaswell.IfgiftgivingguaranteesAwakening,

itsupplantsthenobleeightfoldpathwiththeonefoldpathofthegift.Iftheroad

toAwakeningisalwaysprestigiousandjoyful,theconceptofrighteffort

disappears.YetoncetheseideaswereintroducedintotheBuddhisttradition,

theygainedthestampofauthorityandhaveaffectedBuddhistpracticeever

since.ThroughoutBuddhistAsia,peopletendtogivegiftswithaneyetotheir

symbolicpromiseoffuturereward;andthelistofgiftsextolledintheApadanas

readslikeacatalogofthegiftsplacedonaltarsthroughoutBuddhistAsiaeven

today.

Whichgoestoshowthatoncethecultureofdanagetsdistorted,itcandistortthepracticeofDhammaasawholeformanycenturies.Soifwereserious

aboutbringingthecultureofdanatotheWest,weshouldbeverycarefulto

ensurethatoureffortshonortheprinciplesthatmakedanaagenuinelyBuddhist

practice.Thismeansnolongerusingthetacticsofmodernfundraisingto

encouragegenerosityamongretreatantsorBuddhistsingeneral.Italsomeans

rethinkingthedanatalk,foronmanycountsitfailsthetest.Inpressuring

retreatantstogivetoteachers,itdoesntleadtogladnessbeforegiving,and

insteadsounds

like

aplea

for

atip

at

the

end

of

ameal.

The

frequent

efforts

to

pullontheretreatantsheartstringsasapathtotheirpursestringsbetrayalack

oftrustintheirthoughtfulnessandleaveabadtaste.Andtheentirewaydanais

handledforteachersdoesntescapethefactthatitspaymentforservices

rendered.Whetherteachersthinkaboutthisconsciouslyornot,itpressuresthem

subtlytotelltheirlistenerswhattheythinktheirlistenerswanttohear.The

Dhammacanthelpbutsufferasaresult.

Theidealsolutionwouldbetoprovideaframeworkwherebyserious

Dhammapractitionerscouldbesupportedwhetherornottheytaught.Thatway,

theactofteachingwouldbeagenuinegift.Inthemeantime,though,astepin

thedirectionofagenuinecultureofdanawouldbetodeclareamoratoriumonalldanatalksattheendofretreats,andonreferencestotheBuddhisttraditionof

danainfundraisingappeals,soastogivethewordtimetorecoveritsdignity.

Onretreats,danacouldbediscussedinageneralway,inthecontextofthe

manyDhammatalksgivenonhowbesttointegrateDhammapracticeindaily

life.Attheendoftheretreat,abasketcouldbeleftoutfordonations,withanote


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7thattheteacherhasntbeenpaidtoteachtheretreat.Thatsall.Noappealsfor

mercy.Noflashcards.Sensitiveretreatantswillbeabletoputtwoandtwo

together,andwillfeelglad,inspired,andgratifiedthattheyweretrustedtodo

themathforthemselves.

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No String Attached - The Buddha's Culture of Generosity