Dāna - The Practice of Giving
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Author: Bodhi, Bhikkhu
Publisher: Buddhist Publication Society
Publication Date:
Product Type:
Pages: 80
ISBN 13: 978-955-24-0077-3
ISBN 10: 9552400775
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SKU:
SKU:BPS:403367
Description
Description
In the teaching of the Buddha, the practice of giving claims a place of special eminence, one which singles it out as being in a sense the foundation and seed of spiritual development. This Wheel publication was compiled by Bhikkhu Bodhi to explore this cardinal Buddhist virtue in greater depth by featuring essays in which four modern writers (Elbaum-Jootla, de Silva, Walshe and van Gorkom) and a classical commentator (Acariya Dhammapala) set forth their understanding of giving and its relation to the wider body of Dhamma practice.
"The most excellent motive for giving is the intention that it strengthens one's efforts to attain Nibbana If we aspire to ultimate peace and purity by practicing generosity, we will be developing the d na param , the perfection of giving, building up a store of merit that will bear its full fruit with our attainment of enlightenment. As we progress towards this goal, the volition involved in acts of giving will assist us by contributing towards the pliancy of mind, an essential asset in developing concentration and wisdom, the prime requisites of liberation." (p. 6, from "The Practice of Giving" by Susan Elbaum-Jootla)
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Between 1958 and 2002, a total of 334 individual physical Wheel Publication booklets were published by the Buddhist Publication Society (BPS). Those 334 booklets included 468 essays, tracts, and monographs; many were published as double or triple volumes.
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VIPASSANA PRODUCTS
Vipassana, which means to see things as they really are, is one of India's most ancient techniques of meditation. More information about Vipassana as taught by S.N. Goenka is available at www.dhamma.org.
The tag Vipassana identifies products that are directly related to this tradition and differentiates them from other Theravada resources available on our site. While the main emphasis in Vipassana meditation as taught by S.N. Goenka is on actual practice, this product may provide inspiration and guidance to a Vipassana meditator.
We also carry titles from the Theravada tradition, as we feel that by exploring the wider world of the Theravada texts, which include the Buddha’s discourses, commentaries, and scholarly articles and treatises, meditators have an opportunity to deepen their understanding of the Dhamma and thereby enrich their meditation practice. This kind of intellectual exploration also helps a meditator to gain an understanding of the evolution and historical context of their meditation tradition. This understanding in turn deepens their practice and understanding of the Dhamma.
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