Dāna
concept of charity in Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism
Dāna (Devanagari: दानम्, IAST: Dāna) is a Sanskrit and Pali word that connotes the virtue of generosity, charity or giving of alms, in Indian religions and philosophies.
In Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, dāna is the practice of cultivating generosity. It can take the form of giving to an individual in distress or need, or of philanthropic public projects that empower and help many.
Dāna is an ancient practice in Indian traditions, tracing back to Vedic traditions.
Hinduism
Dāna (Sanskrit: दानम्) means giving, often in the context of donation and charity. In other contexts, such as rituals, it can simply refer to the act of giving something. Dāna is related to and mentioned in ancient texts along with concepts of Paropakāra (परोपकारः) which means benevolent deed, helping others; Dakshinā (दक्षिणा) which means fee one can afford; and Bhikshā (भिक्षा), which means alms.
Dāna is defined in traditional texts as any action of relinquishing the ownership of what one considered or identified as one's own, and investing the same in a recipient without expecting anything in return.
While dāna is typically given to one person or family, Hinduism also discusses charity or giving aimed at public benefit, sometimes called utsarga. This aims at larger projects such as building a rest house, school, drinking water or irrigation well, planting trees, or building a care facility, among others.
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