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DONATIONS
World Scripture
DONATIONS
For those who do not pursue a religious vocation, the offering is most often a
donation of money and material possessions to honor God and support the
community of the faithful. The liberal donor puts the wealth and honor of God
and God's representatives ahead of his own needs; through his donation he
offers what he holds most dear. As a standard for the faithful giver, the Bible
recommends a tithe, or ten percent of one's earnings. Through such gifts the
believer is promised a place in heaven.
Contributions to the faith are not always distinguished from Charity, pp.
987-92, to the less fortunate. In the Qur'an, the duty to give alms covers both
meanings interchangeably, though Islam sometimes distinguishes zakat, the
obligatory tithing to the religious authorities, from sadaqa, meaning
alms-giving to the less fortunate above the legal requirement. In Islamic and
Christian societies, mosques and churches typically devote most of the funds
contributed for the faith to charitable purposes: to feed, clothe, and tend to
the needs of the poor, infirm, widows, orphans, and homeless.
On the other hand, religious offerings differ from charity given directly to
the poor in that they are meant to show devotion to God or to those who
represent Truth in the highest degree. Thus, some of the passages in the latter
part of this section address the questions of how and to whom donations should
be given. For an offering to have the highest spiritual merit, both the donor
and the recipient should be worthy. The donor should give with a pure mind and
without expecting any reward or benefit from his gift. As to the recipient, he
should be worthy: in Buddhist terms he should be a suitable "field of merit"
where the donations that are sown may bear abundant fruit.
Every sacrifice is a boat to heaven.
1.Hinduism. Satapatha Brahmana 4.2.5.10
He who gives liberally goes straight to the gods;
on the high ridge of heaven he stands exalted.
2.Hinduism. Rig Veda 1.125.5
You will not attain piety until you expend of what you love; and whatever thing
you expend, God knows of it.
3.Islam. Qur'an 3.92
All the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of
the trees, is the Lord's; it is holy to the Lord.
4.Judaism and Christianity. Leviticus 27.30
As water surely will wash away blood, so the giving of food to homeless or
virtuous saints will certainly destroy the sins incidental to a householder's
life.
5.Jainism. Samantabadhra, Ratnakarandasravakacara 114
Verily, misers go not to the celestial realms. Fools do not indeed praise
liberality. The wise man rejoices in giving and thereby becomes happy
thereafter.
6.Buddhism. Dhammapada 177
We should resolve to offer not only one tenth but three tenths of our earnings
for the building of the Kingdom of God. One tenth is for your country, one
tenth is for the people of the world, and one tenth is for the Kingdom of
Heaven.
7.Unification Church. Sun Myung Moon, 4-15-61
And [Jesus] sat down opposite the treasury [of the Temple], and watched the
multitude putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums.
And a poor widow came, and put in two copper coins, which make a penny. And he
called his disciples to him and said to them, "Truly, I say to you, this poor
widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For
they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put
in everything she had, her whole living."
8.Christianity. Bible, Mark 12.41-44
The word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, "Is it a time for you
yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this temple lies in ruins?
Now therefore thus says the Lord of Hosts: 'Consider how you have fared. You
have sown much, and harvested little; you eat, but you never have enough; you
drink, but you never have your fill; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm;
and he who earns wages earns wages to put them in a bag with holes.... Go up to
the hills, and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it
and that I may appear in my glory', says the Lord."
9.Judaism and Christianity. Haggai 1.3-8
Weeds are the bane of fields, lust is the bane of mankind. Hence what is given
to those without lust yields abundant fruit.
Weeds are the bane of fields, hatred is the bane of mankind. Hence what is
given to those rid of hatred yields abundant fruit.
Weeds are the bane of fields, delusion is the bane of mankind. Hence what is
given to those rid of delusion yields abundant fruit.
Weeds are the bane of fields, craving is the bane of mankind. Hence what is
given to those rid of craving yields abundant fruit.
10.Buddhism. Dhammapada 356-59
The likeness of those who spend their wealth in God's way is as the likeness of
a grain which grows seven ears, in every ear a hundred grains. God gives
increase manifold to whom He will. God is All-embracing, All- knowing.
Those who spend their wealth for the cause of God and afterward make not
reproach and injury to follow that which they have spent; their reward is with
their Lord, and there shall no fear come upon them, neither shall they grieve.
11.Islam. Qur'an 2.261-62
When you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is
doing, so that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret
will reward you.
12.Christianity. Matthew 6.3-4
O you who believe, spend of the good things which you have earned, and of that
which We bring forth from the earth for you, and seek not the bad with intent
to spend it in charity when you would not take it for yourselves save with
disdain; and know that God is Absolute Owner of Praise...
Whatever alms you spend, or vow you vow, lo! God knows it. Wrongdoers have no
helpers.
If you publish your almsgiving, it is well, but if you hide it and give it to
the poor, it will be better for you, and will atone for some of your ill-deeds.
God is Informed of what you do....
And whatever good thing you spend, it is for yourselves, when you spend it not
save in search of God's countenance; and whatever good thing you spend, it will
be repaid to you in full, and you will not be wronged.
[Alms are] for the poor who are straitened for the cause of God, who cannot
travel in the land [for trade]. The unthinking man accounts them wealthy
because of their restraint. You shall know them by their mark: They do not beg
of men with importunity. And whatever good thing you spend, lo! God knows it.
Those who spend their wealth by night and day, by stealth and openly, verily
their reward is with their Lord, and there shall no fear come upon them,
neither shall they grieve.
13.Islam. Qur'an 2.267-74
A gift is a gift of integrity
when it is given at the right place and time to the proper person,
To one who cannot be expected to return the gift--
and given merely because it should be given.
But what is given to get a gift in return,
or for the sake of some result,
Or unwillingly,
That is a gift in the sphere of passion.
A gift is called slothful when it is given
not at the right time and place,
Nor to a worthy person,
nor with proper ceremony, but with contempt.
14.Hinduism. Bhagavad Gita 17.20-22
He who receives a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophet's
reward, and he who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will
receive a righteous man's reward. And whoever gives to one of these little ones
even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he
shall not lose his reward.
15.Christianity. Matthew 10.41-42
Those who build shrines of stone,
Of sandalwood or aloes,
Of brick and tiles, or clay;
Or those who, in the wilds,
Built Buddha-shrines of earth;
Even children who, in play,
Gathered sand for a Buddha's stupa;
Such men and beings as these
Have all attained to Buddhahood.
16.Buddhism. Lotus Sutra 2
Just as much seed sown in a sterile field will not yield abundant fruit nor
please the husbandman, even so, bountiful giving bestowed upon the wicked does
not yield abundant fruit, nor delight the donor. And just as when scanty seed
is sown in good ground the harvest gladdens the farmer when there is plenty of
rain, even so when paid to the righteous, the virtuous, a deed, though it be
slight, becomes merit fraught with great return.
17.Buddhism. Petavatthu ii.69-71
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Qur'an 3.92: Cf. Qur'an 108.1-2, p. 866; 47.38, p. 937. Leviticus 27.30: The
custom of giving a tithe, or ten percent of one's income, is derived from this
verse. Mark 12.41-44: Cf. 2 Corinthians 9.6-11, p. 836. Haggai 1.3-8: This was
the attitude of the Pilgrims, who when they arrived in America, first built the
church and school before providing for their own homes. Dhammapada 356-59: The
notion that the saints are a field of merit is behind the metaphor in these
verses. Cf. Digha Nikaya ii.88, p. 372. Qur'an 2.267-74: These and Qur'an
2.261-62 (above) are verses selected from a long discussion of donations
(zakat). Verse 273 condemns indiscriminate acts of charity, and defines the
proper beneficiaries as those doing volunteer service, religious teaching and
ministry, those in exile, and those persecuted for their faith. Lotus Sutra 2:
Cf. Hadith of Ibn Majah, p. 1015. Petavatthu ii.69-71: Many of the stories in
this book deal with the spirits of the departed, "hungry ghosts" who fail to
find satisfaction from the food offerings made by their kinfolk. They return to
their kin and explain to them that they would be far more satisfied were they
to make offerings to the Sangha in their name. Cf. Khuddaka Patha, Tirokudda
Sutta, p. 374.
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