7. Donation in Buddhism: Sangha Dhana
Donation in
Buddhism: Sangha Dhana
By Pittaya
Wong
2 September
2016
www.meditation101.org
Sangha
= Community of Buddhist Monks
Dhana =
Giving or Offering or Donation
Sangha Dhana means the
donation or giving or offering made to the community of Buddhist monks as
common property. The Lord Buddha taught
that Sangha Dhana is more meritorious than giving or donation made to a
specific Buddhist monk because Sangha Dhana is aimed to be given as
common property. However, a community of
Buddhist monks must comprise of, at least, 4 individual monks. The community of Buddhist monks may nominate
one or more individual monks to represent the whole Sangha community whereas
the giving or donation made to such representative is still regarded as Sangha
Dhana. Moreover, Vihara Dhana
(buildings for community of Buddhist monks) and Dhamma Dhana (media of
Buddhist teachings), respectively, are superior to Sangha Dhana. If one donates money to community of Buddhist
monks as Sangha Dhana, and the community of Buddhist monks spends the
received money for construction of buildings and producing media of Buddhist
teachings, the pure merit energy earned will be manifold. By the way, it should be noted that donation
made as Sangha Dhana can be spent for many purposes upon the decision of
the community of Buddhist monks. The accumulated pure merit energy is important
for everyone to achieve more or less of success, happiness, enlightenment, and
etc.
