with all of the confidentiality capabilities at my command, I will try to make this as anonymous as possible. I gave something to someone when I was on retreat. I wrote a note with it, but didn't sign my name. actually, I don't even know if the gift was picked up or kept.
all this ties neatly in with one of the concepts taught on the retreat: dana.
Dāna as a formal religious act is directed specifically to a monastic or spiritually-developed person. In Buddhist thought, it has the effect of purifying and transforming the mind of the giver. Buddhists believe that giving without seeking anything in return leads to greater spiritual wealth. Moreover, it reduces the acquisitive impulses that ultimately lead to continued dukkha.
the dana talk we received was very interesting. it spoke to the differences between Eastern and Western cultures regarding generosity. In the East (i.e., India), the monks walk down the street in the morning with a bowl and people come out of their houses and give a scoop of their food to the monks. As soon as an infant learns to walk, a spoon is put in their hand so they may give to the monks. Obviously, in the West we don't really practice this in such direct terms. We do pay local taxes to pay for teachers and other civil servants, but it's the directness that maybe is the key in lessening dukkha.
Years ago, when I was in the middle of a particularly harsh moment of self-centeredness, my buddy Michael suggested that I go do something nice for someone and not to tell them and not to tell him about it either. just do something nice, be generous, and not expect any praise or promotion for it. Of course I was immediately transported into gratitude and humility, which were much more pleasant.
and as my mother says, "give and forget the gift."
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