MODERN VS ANCIENT METHODS OF GIVING & RECEIVING
One of the practices that the Buddha highly recommended was that of generosity – dana in Pali. It means generosity.
The Buddha said:
If you knew what I know about generosity, you wouldn’t let a day go by without practising it
In the Buddha’s time, and in many traditional Buddhist groups since, the practice of dana has primarily taken the form of teachers practising generosity by offering the teachings for free, and recipients of the teachings practising generosity by offering material support to the teacher. In religious Buddhist traditions, this generosity often takes the form of large donations to Buddhist monasteries and temples.
In our modern times, we have a very different approach to giving and receiving. Let’s think of a yoga class – the teacher charges a fee to impart the teaching, and the recipients (customers) of the teachings decide whether it’s of enough value for them to participate. If it is, they pay and attend. If it isn’t, they don’t. It’s a transaction.
One downside of this is that people who can’t afford to participate miss out. Another is that this giving/receiving regime focuses us on what we can get. This focus often goes along with an attitude of how much can I get, and how little can I give for it? You can probably see how this is at odds with the practice of generosity.
The main upside of the modern regime is that the yoga teacher can rely on regular income.
As a secular sangha, we can choose whichever practice we think helps.
We have chosen to use the ancient practice of dana rather than charge a fee for the teachings. Not only does this mean that no-one misses out on the value of the dharma (the Buddha’s teachings), but it also gives participants an opportunity to respond to the Buddha’s recommendation to not let a day go by without practising generosity.
DANA IN OUR SANGHA
This principle applies in full measure to the operation of a sangha. Like all things, this spiritual friendship group only exists if the right conditions are there for it, and one of the essential conditions is that its members practice generosity.
This takes a few key forms:
At the end of each year we ask for volunteers to take on the tasks required to keep our sangha going. They include things like opening up and setting up the hall, catering with tea and bikkies, responding to enquiries from newcomers, dealing with Council, facilitating decision making, and general organisation/admin.
All members have times when we are away, or in Sydney but unable to attend sangha – we simply can’t get there in time, or another commitment has priority.
Within that context though, treating our attendance at Sangha as a priority – a commitment to be honoured whenever possible – is an important form of generosity.
Sangha meetings are co-created experiences. Most of us walk away feeling we received nourishment from being with the group, but importantly, our presence also gives to others. Sharing experiences, expressing compassion and support for each other, and exploring together is nourishing for ourselves, but also for our fellow sangha members.
If we don’t prioritise our attendance at the gatherings, we are making ourselves unavailable to support our community. It well might be that one of our friends needed just the thing we could have shared that would have really helped them.
But even more simply, the very act of showing up is an act of support, of generosity.
So, coming to sangha meetings is not just about us and our own path, it’s also being generous with our time and care and headspace, for others. Taking seriously our commitment to attending group meetings is a form of generosity.
Having access to a dharma teacher is uncommon – there simply aren’t many around, let alone those with a secular orientation. It takes many years of learning and personal dharma practice – reading, study, retreats, workshops, sangha meetings, implementing and experimenting in life – to be able to teach the dharma. When a teacher offers to share this, they are sharing the fruit of these many years of practice – distilling them and presenting them in a way that makes sense to the people in the room. Often they have also spent time preparing for the session.
At Beaches Sangha, recipients of the teachings are invited to practise generosity in the form of a donation as a form of gratitude and support for the teaching. When you do this, we encourage you to think of this not in our modern transactional sense – ultimately you don’t HAVE to give anything at all, and you will still be offered the teachings.
Rather, think of it as an opportunity to engage in a practise that expresses gratitude for the fact that you have been lucky enough to be touched by the legacy of the Buddha through people like your teacher who have committed themselves through the ages, right back to the time of the Buddha, to receiving and passing on these immensely valuable teachings that help us flourish in life.
DANA FOR THE TEACHINGS
How much should I give?
There is no set amount, and no imperative to give anything – it really is an invitation to engage in a beneficial practice.
For newcomers to the dharma this can be uncomfortable. In our modern transactional ethos, the only decision we have to make is whether we consider the offering valuable enough to pay for it. Being asked to decide for ourselves what we’d like to give, can be uncomfortable when you’re not used to it.
Here are some thoughts that might help orient you as you think about your gratitude for receiving the teachings:
These are just some questions to help you if you’re feeling lost or confused about what to give. Ultimately, the kind act of dana can stand alone. It is an opportunity to give your body-mind practice at the joy of being kind.
How do I give dana?
You can either bring cash and put it in the dana basket that is placed on the bench, or use electronic bank transfer.
If you have an account with Wise (great if you pay or receive money in currencies other than AU!) you can simply use the QR code here. If you would like alternative online banking details, please speak to Dean Hobin who can furnish you with another bank account.