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Pātrabhūtānnadānācca śaktyādyāstarpayanti te Te bhogabhīmimāsādya prāpnuvanti param padam | Dānato sātaprāptiśca svargamokşaikakāraṇam ||
- Padmapurāna parva 123, 106 and 108. That is, – Those people of means who satisfy the deserving by giving them food, etc., get reborn in the land of enjoyment and are liberated eventually. Charity yields pleasure and it is the principal means of attaining heavenly rebirth and even liberation from the mundane life cycle.
THE VOW OF CHARITY Paramātmanoranugrāhī dharmavrddhikaratvataḥ | Svatsyosrjanamicchanti dānam nāma grhīvratam ||
- Tattvārthasāra, 4.99.
That is, - Being a promoter of dharma, the householder who wishes well by himself and the other gives away his belongings to the others. This is called the householder's vow of charity.
Samvibhāgasīle sangahovaggakusale | Se tārisae ārāhae vayamiņam ||
- Praśnavyākarana, 2.3. That is, - One who shares and who is proficient in accumulating and distributing only can properly observe the vow (of non-stealing).
Sādhunā'pi daśābhedam, prāpyaitadanukampayā | Dattam jñānādbhagavato, raikasyeva suhastinā ||
- Dvātrimśat Dvātrimśikā, 1.10. That is, - Under special circumstances even a monk can give compassionate charity. As Ācārya Suhasti gave to the poor and Bhagvān Mahāvira gave the celestial cloth (gifted to him at the time of his monastic ordination when He took the vows) to a Brahmin.
Comments - According to the Jaina conduct rules for the ascetics, they are unencumbered and they neither take nor keep more than their
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