Together We Accomplish the Merit of Dana

On 4 Oct 2015, a team of International Buddhist College (IBC) members attended the Fund-Raising Charity Sales event of Mahapajapati Buddhist College (MBC) – a nun college. Such event has been held yearly in order to support the education fund, food items as well as land-purchase to build a meditation center.

MBC is passionate in promoting Buddhist education. Over the years, MBC has successfully trained batches of nuns and laity students, which helps to sustain the propagation of Dharma from generation to generation. At the same time, MBC also provides basic courses in Buddhism and scholarships to the local high school students to encourage the young generation to learn and practice Dharma.

IBC deeply shares the hardship of founding and running an education organization, as this involves a lot and vast variety of resources, for instance manpower, materials and financial support as so to overcome all sorts of hurdles in order to sustain the momentum for the journey ahead. Upon realizing the importance of Dharma propagation especially in grooming the youth, regardless how difficult the responsibility, we shall continue propagating the Dharma from generation to generation.

MBC has been rendering their helps and supports to IBC since the setup of our branch at Korat. For example, they generously provide free vegetables to IBC every month in order to help reduce our expenses. To repay their gratitude as well as to support their sincere enthusiasm in running Buddhist education, IBC has helped in raising fund to support MBC education fund.

In Buddhism, dana is recognized as one out of the six paramitas. Primarily,it refers to the dana of materials (amisa dana), Dharma (Dharma dana) as well as freedom from fear (abhaya dana). The objective of performing dana is to help all sentient beings with the materials or financial wealth that we possess, or with the Dharma that we have learned.
We could also help to support others spiritually by consoling others when they are suffering. Among these three kinds of dana, the most precious one is Dharma dana, because it leads others to the path of liberation, for example liberation from the samsara which was taught by the Buddha.

The practice of dana helps us to refrain from greed and stinginess. Besides that, it helps one to nurture loving kindness and compassion. Besides benefiting others, dana practice helps to accrue merits for ourselves. Hence, the benefit is two folds.

During the Fund-Raising event, every bid of amisa dana that we perform would transform into Dharma dana that to be conducted by MBC. Therefore, together we accomplish the merit and together we help propagating the Dharma.

“Those who practice dana offering are sure to be rewarded.Those who take delight in dana offering, will surely find peace and happiness.”