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.