Generosity Paramita

Inspiration on Generosity, Paramita for the month of January:

In Sanskrit it is: dana
In Tibetan it is: sbyin pa (Pro. "jin pa")
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Boundless Opening

Generosity is the first of the Six Paramitas, and as such, provides the foundation for the progressive development of the bodhisattvas along the paths and bhumis, similar to the foundation of a house providing the support on which to build the successive floors above it. The perfection of generosity occurs when one realizes the emptiness of the three spheres: the profound and vast suchness in the absence of giver, receiver, and the act of generosity between them. The benefit of this to oneself and all beings is as limitless as the sky.

In the Abhidharma, generosity is the cause of karmically inheriting wealth and good fortune in the future; abundance is the effect of having given altruistically in the past. In such a way, one can accumulate the merit that is needed to complement the accumulation of prajna.

Generosity is the virtue that produces peace.
- Sutra of the Recollection of the Noble Three Jewels

In A Song of Meaningful Connections, Milarepa, the Lord of Yogis, sings:
"When a skillful meditator meditating in the wilderness
And a skillful benefactor providing the wherewithal
Come together this connection leads to both gaining buddhahood
But what gives this link is meaning is to dedicate the merit.

In the Bodhicharyavatara Shantideva sings:

1.21 If with kindly generosity
One merely has the wish to soothe
The aching heads of other beings,
Such merit knows no bounds.

1.22 No need to speak, then, of the wish
To drive away the endless pain
Of each and every living being,
Bringing them unbounded virtues.

Atisha teaches of ultimate bodhicitta and generosity in his slogan teachings of Training the Mind (Tib. blo sbyong, pro. "lo jong"):

* Regard all dharmas as dreams
* Examine the nature of unborn awareness
* Self-liberate even the antidote
* Rest in the nature of alaya, the essence
* In post-meditation, be a child of illusion.

The contradictions to the paramita of generosity are:

Contradictions to Generosity with Regard to Material Things
* Not offering to the three jewels
* Giving in to possessiveness
Contradictions to the Generosity of Protection from Fear
* Not respecting more experienced people
* Not answering questions
Those That Prevent the Generosity of Others
* Not accepting invitations as a guest
* Angrily refusing gifts
Contradiction to Generosity with Regard to Dharma
* Not teaching the dharma to those who want it.