What is Dana?

Dana is intrinsic to the 2500 year-old Buddhist tradition. Going back to the days of the Buddha the teachings were considered priceless and thus offered freely as a form of dana. The early teachers received no payment for their instruction, and in turn, the lay community saw to it through their voluntary generosity, their dana, that the basic needs of food, clothing, shelter and medicine were provided for these monks and nuns. Dana is an ancient Pali word meaning "generosity," "giving" or "gift." It is directly related to the Latin word donum and through this to such English words as donor, donate and donation.

Beyond the practical dimension, dana also plays a crucial role in the spiritual life of a Dharma practitioner. It is the first of the ten paramitas, or qualities of character, to be perfected. The act of giving itself is of immeasurable benefit to the giver for it opens up the heart, diminishes for a moment one's self-absorption, and places value on the well-being of others. The simple gesture of offering a flower, an act of service, a kind thought or a simple meal is in fact a sincere form of practice.

Our weekly practice is offered as a free service to the community. We appreciate any donations you can give to help us with the monthly rent of the church where we practice, and the expenses associated with running a Zen center.

Good News!

The Delaware Valley Zen Center now holds the federal status of a 501(3)(c). We currently have a board of directors and are recognized as a non-stock holding business in the state of Delaware. Please visit the IRS website or your local accountant for any tax deduction guidelines. We will post any updates as soon as we receive them regarding our tax status. You can send your donations to The Delaware Valley Zen Center, P.O. Box 7837, Newark, DE 19714-7837