Dana is a Pali word that means ‘generosity of heart’ or ‘giving freely,’ and its practice has played a central role throughout Buddhism’s history.

Here in the midst of our contemporary Western culture, most trained Buddhist Insight (Vipassana) Meditation teachers who teach full-time, as their sole livelihood, still honor the traditional form of teaching – which means that they completely rely on the generosity (dana) of their students for a sustainable income.

This means that whenever you are attending a traditional Vipassana retreat, you are generally paying for the facility, food, and management fees, but not for the teachings that have been offered by the teacher – who devotes their full time to the teachings, not just during the time of retreat, and relies on dana to pay for all of their living expenses – including things like housing costs, health insurance, groceries, etc.

Historically, whenever a student offers funds to help sustain a teacher’s livelihood, it is considered a sincere form of spiritual practice, and it is the teacher’s practice to humbly accept whatever is offered.

In the teachings, dana (generosity, letting go) is one of the main heart practices, and it is also the first of the ten paramis – or qualities of character – that the Buddha urges his students to cultivate as a way to help lessen their suffering, and increase joy.

In fact, dana is said to be the very first of the paramis because it is so powerful – it can help us develop more loving-kindness and compassion, deepen an awareness of our interconnectedness, and discover the joy and freedom of non-attachment.

Traditionally, dana is offered to teachers at the end of a retreat, as well as anytime throughout the year, or as a regular monthly contribution to help support the teacher and their teachings.

Your generosity helps your teacher to lead a simple life, devoted to teaching, and also allows them to take time for their own practice, ensuring that their teachings are continuously enriched.

Whenever you are inspired to offer dana to a teacher, you join a community directly engaged in alleviating suffering and bringing greater wisdom and compassion to the world.

May your practice be for the benefit of all.

Please know that your offering of dana is greatly appreciated!