On GIving

 After the meditation tonight, the group members got to talking about the Buddhist concept of giving. Master Sheng Yen suggests that there are two kinds of giving. One might be described as the giving humans and gods, while the other is the bodhisattva concept of giving. The first includes the kind of giving where there is a distinct sense of self: a 'me' that gives or which stands to benefit from an act of giving. In contrast, the bodhisattva spirit of giving is predicated on the idea that there is really no distinct 'giver' and receiver after all. This is a kind of giving that arises from practice, and it's not centered around affirming the role of the giver. Sheng Yen points out that many people approach spirituality initially as helping them to heighten their reputation as givers, rather than as a sincere interest in giving to others. It's only after people study Buddhism that they may start to see that there is no specific personal gain in giving. But I feel that perhaps this doesn't really happen until people can begin to investigate what is the self and mind. Without the curiosity to investigate, I am sometimes afraid that spiritual practitioners keep a deeply entrenched spiritual identity as 'givers'. This identity only reinforces an "I"/"you" distinction, and can even play into a sense of personal power over others. The bodhisattva ways of giving need to transcend this kind of division.
   I personally think that it's not so easy to practice 'giving without a self', and I truly don't think that people should set themselves up for such a goal. Rather, it seems to make more sense to start with where and who a person happens to be in the moment. For example, volunteering to teach a skill that one has learned or knows, no matter how simple, is a way of giving that is natural to the giver. It is not necessarily requiring an extra degree but it comes from the heart and soul of the person who is giving. While it might not be completely altruistic, it would seem that this kind of giving could focus on a soulful interconnection with someone, and this is a good practice in letting go of doing things for personal gain.
     But even more crucial is that, I think that people who truly want to give without a strong sense of self probably need to give up the idea of being a giver. What I am referring to is the tendency to surround an action with a permanent sense of self, not relating how that action is based on many causes and conditions. Today I might have given my all to work, but this doesn't mean that I will be at my best tomorrow. It seems best not to burden oneself with the idea that they are going to be a 'giver' in all areas of life from now on (a very auspicious goal) but to let giving itself flow naturally from the spiritual insights of no-self. For instance, if I am really investigating the sutras and practicing diligently, I will likely feel less inclined to put 'my' view before others, since I am at a stage where I am seeing beyond a rigid sense of self. This spirit of giving does not need to be forced, but it can come from a growing fascination with the process of practice and letting go of self.