Noble Giving

After collecting plenty of great articles on generosity I’ve decided to include them in a resource list below. However, I’m putting aside most of their content and directly tapping into the currently accessible spirit of generosity straight from the heart.

Why be generous? Most of us have enough stuff going in order to keep our own head above water. But maybe that’s the point. Perhaps it’s time to consider a different approach.

What first comes to heart and mind when encountering the word “generosity”:

  • Why should I?
  • Gratitude
  • Guilt
  • Opportunity
  • Maybe later
  • Entitlement
  • Nobody gives me anything
  • Fatigue
  • Energy
  • Neediness
  • Lack of appreciation
  • Sharing is caring
  • Indifference
  • Togetherness
  • Charity
  • (Lack of) worthiness
  • Will something be expected in return?
  • Let somebody else give
  • Love
  • We (will) reap what we sow
  • (Social and/or relational) Cohesiveness
  • Don’t some big players use charities to make up for and balance out evil deeds? And if so, is doing this skillful or unskillful?
  • I don’t have enough money and time (to be generous)
  • I would want someone to do the same for me
  • What would happen if I gave everything away?
  • What would I do if I won the lottery (and similar other fantasies)?
  • How can I give more and give better?
  • Enthusiasm
  • Receiving
  • Support
  • Trust
  • Lack of trust
  • Idolizing people with significant amounts of money
  • Despising people with significant amounts of money
  • Get a job!
  • Renouncing the ways of the world
  • Mutual care
  • Harmony
  • Being open (to learning, investigating and working with others’ views, attitudes, emotions, challenges and operating with, in and around money)
  • Duty
  • Concord
  • How will I respond if/when someone asks me to give and how will my response be received? And when I ask someone for something how will I be received and responded to?
  • What if I can’t give and receive (the way I want)
  • Competition
  • Something else?

At one point or another most of these either came up in me or were observed in others.

But for me, as of now, generosity mainly means how I can best contribute. And ideally, those contributions best fostering the mutual, highest welfare, benefit, and wellbeing of all beings.

And not only for beings in and of themselves directly, but also for contributing optimal support to (the habitats and environments of) the short term current realities, midterm realities, and especially for the longterm potential realities however temperamental and temporary they may be.

While it certainly can be, generosity needn’t be so grandiose or even aspirational. It can be downright practical. There are many ways to be generous. Even a mere moment of passive consideration to something somewhat worthwhile can be an act of generosity. In fact, the giving of our attention is a very precious thing advertisers spend oodles and oodles trying to capture. How deeply can and do we listen to someone? Conversely, sometimes we offer the generosity of boundaries by withdrawing our time and attention from someone or something.

We behold the beautiful facets of generosity by celebrating another’s happiness. In sympathy towards another’s loss. When complimenting and praising. With a willingness to be helpful. And by being unconditionally respectful. As well as being on the receiving end of such useful wholesomeness.

Let’s turn the tables inward. How generous are we to ourselves especially when it’s needed? How do we view, respond and treat ourselves in relation to others?

First thing is first though, what does generosity even mean for you and those you know? Why and how is generosity important? If you can’t already see and realize this the way you need and/or want, how might you get there? What are the pros and cons — idealistically and practically — for various individual instances of giving and as an ongoing holistic practice?

As further exploration: how does generosity seem in relation to those you aspire to, both individually and collectively? When you witness acts of generosity in those you admire how does it differ from generosity with those you don’t admire? What’s generosity like in the midst of life playing out day to day?

Generosity brings happiness at every stage of its expression. We experience joy in forming the intention to be generous. We experience joy in the actual act of giving something. And we experience joy in remembering the fact that we have given

Gift of the Heart

A significant help when contemplating all this is the direct felt sense when giving and/or receiving. How does it feel — particularly in the physical body — while considering an offering, while actually making an offering, then afterwards? Same goes with receiving. How is it before, during and after? With different people? At different times? With different things? Remember that list at the beginning? Anything from it sticking out now? Anything to add to it?

OK great, let’s say there’s now the aspiration to embrace generosity to the utmost, fullest, most optimal, and sensible levels. How?

What skills do you have to offer towards worthwhile work and missions? All sorts offerings — from simple sweeping and cleaning to highly advanced and proficient skillsets — when offered with wise intention, and when carried out with skill are beautiful acts of kindness.

But let’s say you’re not ready to be so generous. Are you still open to learning, investigating and working with others’ views when it comes to generosity and all that’s involved with it? Why or why not?

Here I particularly mean money. People have LOTS of ideas, attitudes and feelings about money. What are yours? What are some you can’t stand? How can we best go about seeing and implementing the most skillful, helpful, wise views and responses around money, wealth, generosity, and lack thereof in any and all that this does and could mean?

After reading this, and perhaps after a bit of reflection and contemplation, how does this land? Any effects and affects energetically? What is the mood, attitude and state of the mind? What’s coming up? How does it feel? In the body? In the heart?

Of course now what kind of article would this be without a call to action? How can you incline towards generosity now? Maybe it’s just an acknowledgement that you read about generosity this far and that’s it for now. Maybe it’s the other end of the spectrum where you start working towards significantly contributing on a high level to many great causes. More likely it’s anywhere in between.

Enter the virtual space of IntegratingPresence.com where for the last few years I’m grateful to engage the majority of my work life, and even some of my non-work life. Even small gestures of generosity in appreciation of Integrating Presence are welcome including sharing relevant material and enthusiasm about the grand spirit of generosity

~ josh dippold

August 2023, Ballerup, Denmark

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The Buddha invited his followers to pay attention to the joy of generosity: “In this world there are three things of value for one who gives. What are these things? Before giving, the mind of the giver is happy. While giving, the mind of the giver is made peaceful. After having given, the mind of the giver is uplifted.”

First, an Open Hand BY NIKKI MIRGHAFORI

Generosity Resource List:

A Reflection on Dharma Teachings and Personal Dana (Donations)

True generosity arises out of unconditional caring and compassion for another. Each of us is dependent upon others for our blessings. We flourish or perish together through interwoven acts of generosity arising from the benevolence and integrity of others, many of whom we shall never meet. This is the power of generosity. When we mindfully practice generosity, we come into contact with its joyful, healing power.

Practicing generosity is the intention to find release from attachment to gratifying our ego needs by giving freely of what we have that is of value. What we have to give may be material in nature, or it may be our time, energy, or wisdom. We practice generosity to eradicate the attachments that come from our feelings of scarcity and separateness. The practice of generosity allows us to see the world from the point of view of what we have and what we have to give, instead of seeing it from the perspective of what we don’t have and desperately want.

Reflections on the Splendor of Generosity by Phillip Moffitt

The quality of dāna, giving, is not dependent on materiality or even a charitable obligation. It’s a Dhamma practice that makes you stronger than you thought you were – it brings up your nobility. It’s a privilege to give because it makes you glad, and so the enlightenment factors arise in the mind. For the one receiving, giving brings forth integrity – one wants to live up to the offering. This is the dāna principle; everybody wins. This dāna is a step on the Path to awakening.

Noble Giving Means Giving Oneself (58:18) by Ajahn Sucitto Cittaviveka Buddhist Monastery, 4 November 2021 https://dharmaseed.org/talks/67906/

Some Giving Related Suttas:

Benefits of giving:

  • perceived as dear & charming
  • receive admiration
  • acquire a fine reputation
  • ability to approach any assembly confidently & without embarrassment
  • auspicious rebirth
According to: To General Sīha (On Giving) Sīha Sutta (AN 5:34)

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.

Selection from A Person of Integrity’s Gifts — Sappurisadāna Sutta  (AN 5:148)

And which are the three factors of the donor? There is the case where the donor, before giving, is glad; while giving, his/her mind is bright & clear; and after giving is gratified. These are the three factors of the donor.

And which are the three factors of the recipients? There is the case where the recipients are free of passion or are practicing for the subduing of passion; free of aversion or practicing for the subduing of aversion; and free of delusion or practicing for the subduing of delusion. These are the three factors of the recipients.

Selection from Giving — Dāna Sutta (AN 6:37)
  • Giving — Dāna Sutta (AN 7:49) — explains ‘. . . 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.’

His wealth is acquired by his own exertion,
with goods righteously gained.
With best intentions he then gives,
this person with an undivided mind.

Selection from Blind — Andhasutta AN 3.29 as translated by Venerable Bodhi

I, too, brahman, plow and sow; having plowed and sown, I eat. . . . Faith is my seed, austerity the rain, wisdom my yoke and plow, modesty is the pole, mind the strap, mindfulness is my plowshare and goad. Controlled in speech and conduct, guarded in deed and speech, abstemious in food, I make truth my weed cutter; arahantship, my deliverance complete. Exertion, my team in yoke, draws me to Nibbana’s security, and on it goes without stopping, wither gone one does not suffer. Thuswise is this plowing plowed which bears the fruit of Deathlessness; having plowed this plowing one is freed from every ill.

Selection from Kasi Bharadvaja Sutta: Discourse to Bharadvaja, the Farmer

When an ethical person with trusting heart
gives a proper gift to unethical persons,
trusting in the ample fruit of deeds,
that offering is purified by the giver.

When an unethical and untrusting person,
gives an improper gift to ethical persons,
not trusting in the ample fruit of deeds,
that offering is purified by the receivers.

When an unethical and untrusting person,
gives an improper gift to unethical persons,
not trusting in the ample fruit of deeds,
I declare that gift is not very fruitful.

When an ethical person with trusting heart
gives a proper gift to ethical persons,
trusting in the ample fruit of deeds,
I declare that gift is abundantly fruitful.

But when a passionless one gives to the passionless
a proper gift with trusting heart,
trusting in the ample fruit of deeds,
that’s truly the best of material gifts.

Selection from Dakkhiṇa Vibhaṅga SuttaThe Discourse on the Analysis of Gifts | M 142 [pdf]

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