Seeya had died in 1986.Never seen or heard him except in those old black and white photographs. It’s been 29 years since his death. Today we had a Dane (alms giving) to bless him with pin. To wish him a better afterlife. Perhaps a common practice among SriLankan Buddhists. All my uncles, aunties and family friends got together. I was a part of it too. I went. I saw .I heard. I learnt.I was humbled.
Once the Dane was offered and received by the maha sanga, Lokuhamuduruwo gave a little speech on the event, discussed the merits of giving and those duties to be fulfilled by children to their parents which was once told by the enlightened one in Singalovada Sutta. It was then time to chant pirith.The voices raised all in one. I liked the resonance created by those high and low end notes. They were sung in such fashion with pauses and spirituality. I like pirith recitals. There is some beauty that harmonizes all backgrounds.
A few words went on .
“Ayu waddako, dhana waddako, siri waddako, yasa waddako, bala waddako, wanna waddako, sukha waddako hothu sabbada”
The words are from Gini Piritha. They wish long life, prosperity, beauty, strength and power. Thus prays for a life full of comforts. These reminded me of a conversation that took place sometime back between a few relatives of mine.
“I wonder how much of pin I have collected today, my total pin. I give people as much as I can, so I will have more comforts” one of those old aunties remarked three years ago at an alms. Among them was another distanced relative who blindly follows Buddhism. Not even kills a minute ant. Speaks high of Buddhism but always fight for the Kos that falls off a huge Kos tree they’ve got right infront of their house. She thinks that big Danaswould give more merits than for a little given.
Dana isn’t anything unusual for Sinhala Buddhists. We consider Dana or giving as the best way to practice letting go things and to put halt to “asava” or craving. The question is whether we do it right.
We give and give thinking that generosity will erode greed gradually. But inch by inch we tend to crave more. We expect something in return. We wish to be born again with more comforts. We wish to be in heavens. Aren’t we in need of more the more we dispose? We are still entangled in thanha.
Alms givings and charity projects are all over. CSR’s and CCR’s are often heard in the business community. Cooperate Social Responsibility has now become the science of fixing long term sustainability in businesses. But sponsorships are often dedicated for high budget sports events or cultural shows. CSR is not the art, the culture or sport. It’s a way of enhancing the quality of life. To reach hearts of those who are in need. Interestingly some companies deny sponsorships just because it isn’t profitable or not competitive enough for benchmarking purposes.
Big or small, profitable or not isn’t the matter. Giving is all about being happy with what is given. We need not to expect gifts in return. We got to shorten the sansara .End the suffering. Not to be born again and not a life full of luxury.
We got to break strings, apart those flesh tight drenched in thanha…
( Published on the 30th March 2014 in " The Nation" )
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