Buddhism 102: Ethics

Lesson 2: The First Paramita

Generosity and Buddhism, Exercise #4

The Buddha taught that we suffer because we crave. That's the second of the Four Noble Truths. Actually, we sometimes crave things we already have. Once we have something we desire, we don't want to lose it. We hold on to stuff and accumulate it. We let the stuff we have define who we are. We want more of what we have, or better versions of what we have, or to make full use of what we have. We refuse to give things up because (we think) it was such hard work to get it. I think that deep down, we all know that this accumulated stuff is holding us back and weighing us down.

Generosity is a good way to work with this. When we're generous, we can let go of all our garbage. It's okay not to cling to it. If we don't truly need something, maybe there's someone else who does. We can reach out and give to others.

Those of us in this class need to admit it: as the world goes, we're pretty near the top of the heap. If someone owns a computer and speaks English, it's quite likely they haven't faced the economic hardship much of the world faces. (If you've ever wondered how many people in the world are poorer than you, try looking at the Global Rich List and feel grateful for what you have.) We don't need to feel guilty about this; it's just the way it is. But we sometimes put ourselves on a playing field where we look like losers. We compare ourselves to people who have more than we do, and feel envious, or feel inferior, or feel mistreated. Even if we have never been homeless or starving, we worry that our economic lives don't match up. It's like an odd version of the hierarchy of needs: If we're not worried about being homeless, then we're worried about being in debt. If we're not worried about being in debt, we're worried about being unstable. If we're not worried about being unstable, then we're worried about being unstylish. Or uncomfortable. Or bored.

For us, then, generosity reminds us not to take our position for granted. We have such bounty--clothes in our closets that we never wear, food we never get around to eating--that sharing should be easy for us. However, we often ask, "What's in it for me?" That attitude stops us from helping each other from the goodness of our hearts, and in the end, it stops us from being happy.

Generosity can also remind us of the intrinsic truth that we are all connected. Rather than setting a dividing line, This stuff is mine, and that stuff is yours, we feel the freedom and don't have to identify with our belongings. When we're in a community of generous people, resources go back and forth as people need them. People end up being okay. You can trust in kindness and the generosity of others to get you through when you need it.

Exercise #4

Write about an experience in your past with generosity. It could be a time when you practiced generosity, or when you received generosity. How did the experience affect you?

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