The Paramita of Giving

The Six Paramitas are 1. Giving – Dana; 2. Discipline – Five Precepts; 3. Patience; 4. Effort; 5. Meditation; and 6. Wisdom. … Dana is the act of giving without ANY expectation of reward or benefit. Think about that for a moment. No reward, no thanks, no benefit, no tax deduction, no write off, no name recognition, perhaps no appreciation, no self congratulations, no quiet satisfaction of performance, perhaps even no warm fuzzy feeling. How hard is that? Just giving because you want to and in appreciation, giving as an expression of your gratitude.

Lecture on the Lotus Sutra