Dana-Selfless Sharing

Dana

“….the sacred Name is a gift we have received from Amida Buddha. Therefore, all we do is entrust ourselves to Amida in accordance with Amida’s Vow, enabling us to be born in the Pure Land. We are saved immediately; and our response is only to express gratitude, reciting the Nembutsu in appreciation.”

                                                            Rennyo Shonin, Goichidaiki Kikigaki 

There are two words associated with an act of generosity.  The Buddhist term in Dana or selfless sharing. The other term is the Japanese term kimochi 気持ちwhich means being thoughtful, considerate, appreciation or kindness. 

A fellow minister uses a Buddhist story when he conducts a wedding to convey the idea to the couple to live their lives in gratitude.  Below is the story.

A poor samurai wants to express his gratitude to his devoted wife, who never  complains despite their hardships.  He decides the perfect gift for her would be a kanzashi – a beautiful ornamental hairpin to adorn her beautiful hair.  But lacking money, he sells his sword, a symbol of his pride and status to raise the money for the hairpin.

Meanwhile his wife wants to show him her gratitude with a gift. She decides to buy an ornament for his sword scabbard. With that his appearance as a samurai would be elevated.  However, she too lacked the funds to purchase, she then cuts and sells her hair to purchase the ornament.  When they meet to exchange their gifts they are both surprised and saddened.  The samurai no longer had his sword for the ornament, and the wife had no hair to hold the kanzashi.  After their initial surprise they were both filled with joy and emotionally moved by each other’s thoughtfulness.  This is the meaning of kimochi, and the act of dana.

In Jodoshinshu, Amida Buddha’s wish is for everyone to live in peace and safety.  By reciting the Nembutsu (Namoamidabutsu), we receive the Buddha’s Vow and his kimochi.  The above quote by Rennyo Shonin expresses this sentiment.

“……the sacred Name is a gift we have received from Amida Buddha.”  When we can accept and receive this gift from Amida Buddha, we respond with Namoamidabutsu in gratitude.  At that moment we share the wish for peace and safety for all beings.  Sharing this brings warmth and gratitude into our lives.

Gassho,

Rev. Hosei Shinseki