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CHAPTER SEVEN
289
one's possession through legitimate means. The offering must prove beneficial both to the person making the offer and to the person receiving it. The benefit accruing to the donor consists in that he is rid of the attachment felt for the thing concerned-as a result of which he comes to develop a feeling of contentment and equanimity. The benefit accruing to the donee consists in that the thing concerned proves helpful to him in his life:-journey—as a result of which his virtues receive proper unfolding.
Though all donations quâ donation are akin to one another the result yielded by them is characterized by degrees; these degrees are accounted for by the special merit of the duty of the form of donation. This special merit, in its turn is due to the special merit of the four elements of the duty of donation. The following is an account of the special merit of these elements :
(1) The special merit of the procedure adopted : Here are included considerations like offering such a thing as suits the concerned place and time and such as proves no obstruction to the principle of the donee.
(2) The special merit of the substance : Here is included the merit of the thing donated.
The thing offered by way of donation must be such as proves beneficial in the life journey of the donee and hence such as proves a cause for development of his meritorious qualities.
(3) The special merit of the donor-e.g. a feeling of respect towards the donee, absence of a feeling of contempt or malice towards him, not to feel regret for the act of donationeither at the time of performing it or afterwards.
(4) The special merit of the donee : The donee must always remain wide awake to undertake endeavour of a right sort—this is the sole merit requisite in a donee. 33-34.
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