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Jaina Path of Purification (Liberation)
139
Donation (Dāna)
Donation means offering to someone a thing or money come in one's possession through legitimate means. One should offer in donation things or money righteously acquired by oneself. Donation should be offered to the deserving and worthy persons at the proper place and time. The thing offered by way of donation must be such as proves beneficial in the life-journey of the recipient and hence such as proves a cause for the development of his meritorious qualities. One should offer such a thing that suits the concerned place and time and such as proves no obstruction to the righteous development of the donee. The donor should have either respect or compassion or friendly feeling towards the donee, and he should not feel regret for the act of donation-either at the time of offering it or afterwards.
Donation is renunciation to the extent things or money are given in donation. Having renounced all possessions, to devote oneself completely to the service of others is the acme of donation. A man who has renounced all his possessions remains engrossed in the works beneficent to both himself and others, is satisfied with the bare necessities of life, entertains no desire to accumulate anything, and employs all his powers, energies and faculties in achieving the noble and good ends of life. He takes the least from the society and offers the most to it in one form or the other. Such a person is absolved from the duty of offering in donation that which he has not. When he continuously offers the benefits of his spiritual experiences and developing powers and faculties to the masses out of pure affection, then his donation of services is highly superior to the donation of uncountable wealth by the richest of the rich. Mahāvīra, Buddha and other saints who renounced all their possessions are such donors as are greatly superior to those rich men of the world who offered their uncountable wealth in donation.
A wise rich man considers his act of donation to be an act of atonement. He offers his wealth in donation, understanding that employing his wealth in this way is his duty and beneficial to both himself and others. Donation given for the sake of reputation and praise is of no value whatsoever, it is ineffective religiously and spiritually. Just as offering
y to the deserving is donation, so also showing the good and righteous path to someone through one's speech, giving wholesome advice to others, doing good to others through one's speech are also forms of donation. Cultured, polite and sweet speech is to be regarded as dona
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