Editing Alms (section)

== Hinduism ==
[[File:Mandodari based on Raja Ravi Varma's painting (cropped).jpg|right|thumb|Lady giving alms at the Temple by [[Raja Ravi Varma]] (1848–1906)]]

=== ''Dāna'' in Hinduism ===
{{main|Dāna#Hinduism}}
In Hinduism, ''{{IAST|dāna}}'' ({{langx|sa|दान}}) is an ancient concept of almsgiving dating to the [[Vedas|Vedic period]] of Hinduism.<ref name=shahsoulful>Shah et al. (2013), Soulful Corporations: A Values-Based Perspective on Corporate Social Responsibility, Springer, {{ISBN|978-8132212744}}, page 125, Quote: "The concept of Daana (charity) dates back to the Vedic period. The Rig Veda enjoins charity as a duty and responsibility of every citizen."</ref> ''{{IAST|Dāna}}'' has been defined in traditional texts as any action of relinquishing the ownership of what one considered or identified as one's own, and investing the same in a recipient without expecting anything in return.<ref name=kandm3>Krishnan & Manoj (2008), Giving as a theme in the Indian psychology of values, in Handbook of Indian Psychology (Editors: Rao et al.), Cambridge University Press, {{ISBN|978-8175966024}}, pages 361-382</ref> While ''{{IAST|dāna}}'' is typically given to one person or family, Hinduism also discusses charity or giving aimed at public benefit, which is sometimes called ''utsarga''. This aims at larger projects such as building a rest house, school, investing in drinking water or an irrigation well, planting trees, and building care facilities, among others.<ref>Sanjay Agarwal (2010), Daan and Other Giving Traditions in India, {{asin|B00E0R033S}}, page 54-62</ref> The practice of begging for alms is called ''[[bhiksha]]'' ({{langx|sa|भिक्षा}}).<ref>[http://spokensanskrit.de/index.php?tinput=dakSiNA&direction=SE&script=HK&link=yes&beginning=0 bhikSA] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150427213425/http://spokensanskrit.de/index.php?tinput=dakSiNA&direction=SE&script=HK&link=yes&beginning=0 |date=2015-04-27 }} Sanskrit English Dictionary, University of Koeln, Germany</ref><ref>Alberto Garcia Gomez et al. (2014), Religious Perspectives on Human Vulnerability in Bioethics, Springer, {{ISBN|978-9401787352}}, pages 170-171</ref>

The 11th century [[Persians|Persian]] historian [[Abū Rayḥān al-Bīrūnī]], who visited and lived in [[India]] for 16 years beginning in about 1017 CE, mentions the practice of charity and almsgiving among Hindus as he observed during his stay. He wrote, "It is obligatory with them (Hindus) every day to give alms as much as possible."<ref name="birunihind">Alberuni's India (v. 2), [http://www.columbia.edu/cu/lweb/digital/collections/cul/texts/ldpd_5949073_002/pages/ldpd_5949073_002_00000157.html?toggle=image&menu=maximize&top=&left= Chapter LXVII, On Alms and how a man must spend what he earns] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150416172307/http://www.columbia.edu/cu/lweb/digital/collections/cul/texts/ldpd_5949073_002/pages/ldpd_5949073_002_00000157.html?toggle=image&menu=maximize&top=&left=|date=2015-04-16}}, Columbia University Libraries, London :  Kegan Paul, Trübner & Co., (1910), pages 149-150</ref>

{{blockquote|After the taxes, there are different opinions on how to spend their income. Some destine one-ninth of it for alms.<ref>Al Biruni states that another one-ninth is put into savings/reserve, one-ninth in investment/trade for profits</ref> Others divide this income (after taxes) into four portions. One fourth is destined for common expenses, the second for liberal works of a noble mind, the third for alms, and the fourth for being kept in reserve.| Abū Rayḥān al-Bīrūnī, Tarikh Al-Hind, 11th century AD<ref name="birunihind"/>}}

Almsgiving in Hinduism is considered a noble deed to be done without expectation of any return from those who receive the charity.<ref name=kandm3/> Some texts reason, referring to the nature of social life, that charity is a form of good karma that affects one's future circumstances and environment, and that good charitable deeds leads to good future life because of the [[Reciprocity (social psychology)|reciprocity principle]].<ref name=kandm3/> Other Hindu texts, such as ''Vyasa Samhita'', state that reciprocity may be innate in human nature and social functions but dāna is a virtue in itself, as doing good lifts the nature of one who gives.<ref>MN Dutt (1979), {{Google books|tws7AAAAMAAJ|The Dharma-shastras}}, Volumes 3, Cosmo Publishers, pages 20-29</ref> The texts do not recommend charity to unworthy recipients or where charity may harm or encourage injury to or by the recipient. ''{{IAST|Dāna}}'' is thus a [[dharma|dharmic]] act, requires an idealistic-normative approach, and has spiritual and philosophical context.<ref name=kandm3/> Some medieval era authors state that ''{{IAST|dāna}}'' is best done with ''[[Faith in Hinduism|śraddhā]]'' (faith), which is defined as being in good will, cheerful, welcoming the recipient of the charity and giving without ''anasuya'' (finding faults in the recipient).<ref name=bilimoriadaana/> Kohler states that these scholars of Hinduism suggest that charity is most effective when it is done with delight, a sense of "unquestioning hospitality", where the ''dāna'' ignores the short term weaknesses as well as the circumstances of the recipient and takes a long-term view.<ref name=bilimoriadaana>P Bilimoria et al. (2007), Dana as a Moral Category, in Indian Ethics: Classical traditions and contemporary challenges, Volume 1, {{ISBN|978-0754633013}}, pages 196-197 with footnotes</ref>

==== Institutional ''dāna'' ====
''Satrams'', also called ''Dharamsala'' or ''Chathrams'' in parts of India, have been one means of almsgiving in Hinduism. ''Satrams'' are shelters (rest houses) for travelers and the poor, with many serving water and free food. These were usually established along the roads connecting major [[Hindu temple]] sites in south Asia, as well as near major temples.<ref>KN Kumari (1998), History of the Hindu Religious Endowments in Andhra Pradesh, {{ISBN|978-8172110857}}, page 128</ref><ref>Kota Neelima (2012), Tirupati, Random House, {{ISBN|978-8184001983}}, pages 50-52; Prabhavati C. Reddy (2014), Hindu Pilgrimage: Shifting Patterns of Worldview of Srisailam in South India, Routledge, {{ISBN|978-0415659970}}, page 190</ref><ref>[http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-sundaymagazine/sanctuaries-of-times-past/article487938.ece Sanctuaries of times past] The Hindu (June 27, 2010)</ref> [[Hindu temple]]s have also served as institutions for almsgiving.<ref>SK Aiyangar, Ancient India: Collected Essays on the Literary and Political History, Asian Educational Services, {{ISBN|978-8120618503}}, pages 158-164</ref><ref name=burste/> The ''dāna'' the temples received from Hindus were used to feed people in distress as well as fund public projects such as irrigation and land reclamation.<ref name=burste>[[Burton Stein]], The Economic Function of a Medieval South Indian Temple, The Journal of Asian Studies, Vol. 19 (February, 1960), pp 163-76</ref><ref>Burton Stein (February 4, 1961), The state, the temple and agriculture development, The Economic Weekly Annual, pp 179-187</ref>

==== Forms of ''dāna'' ====
Forms of almsgiving in Hinduism include:
# ''go dāna'', the donation of a cow<ref>Padma (1993), The Position of Women in Mediaeval Karnataka, Prasaranga, University of Mysore Press, page 164</ref>
# ''bhu dāna'' ({{lang|sa|भू दान}}), the donation of land
# ''vidya dāna'' or ''[[jñāna]] dāna'' ({{lang|sa|विद्या दान}}, {{lang|sa|ज्ञान दान}}), the giving of knowledge and skills
# ''aushadhā dāna'', the giving of care for the sick and diseased
# ''abhay dāna'', the giving of freedom from fear (such as asylum or protection for someone facing imminent injury)
# ''anna dāna'' ({{lang|sa|अन्ना दान}}), the giving of food to the poor, needy, and all visitors<ref>Abbe Dubois and Henry Beauchamp (2007), Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies, {{ISBN|978-1602063365}}, pages 223, 483-495</ref>

Between giving food and giving knowledge, Hindu texts suggest the gift of knowledge is superior.<ref>Maria Heim (2004), Theories of the Gift in South Asia: Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain Reflections, Routledge, {{ISBN|978-0415970303}}, pages xv-xxvi, 141-149 and Chapter 2</ref><ref>[http://www.chitrapurmath.net/sanskrit/subhashitas/Subhashita%206.%20The%20Gift%20of%20Knowledge..pdf The Gift of Knowledge] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926034428/http://www.chitrapurmath.net/sanskrit/subhashitas/Subhashita%206.%20The%20Gift%20of%20Knowledge..pdf |date=2015-09-26 }} Chitrapur Matha, India</ref>

==== In the Vedas ====
The [[Rigveda]] has the earliest discussion of ''{{IAST|dāna}}'' in the [[Vedas]] and offers reasons for the virtue of almsgiving.<ref name=rhdana>R Hindery, Comparative ethics in Hindu and Buddhist traditions, The Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies, Vol 2, Number 1, page 105</ref>

{{poem quote|
The Gods have not ordained hunger to be our death: even to the well-fed man comes death in varied shape,
The riches of the liberal never waste away, while he who will not give finds none to comfort him,
The man with food in store who, when the needy comes in miserable case begging for bread to eat,
Hardens his heart against him, when of old finds not one to comfort him.

Bounteous is he who gives unto the beggar who comes to him in want of food, and the feeble,
Success attends him in the shout of battle. He makes a friend of him in future troubles,
No friend is he who to his friend and comrade who comes imploring food, will offer nothing.

Let the rich satisfy the poor implorer, and bend his eye upon a longer pathway,
Riches come now to one, now to another, and like the wheels of cars are ever rolling,
The foolish man wins food with fruitless labour: that food – I speak the truth – shall be his ruin,
He feeds no trusty friend, no man to love him. All guilt is he who eats with no partaker.
|[[Rigveda]], 10.117<ref name=rthg>[[s:The Rig Veda/Mandala 10/Hymn 117|The Rig Veda]], [[Mandala 10]], Hymn 117, [[Ralph T. H. Griffith]] (Translator)</ref>}}

==== In the Upanishads ====
The early [[Upanishads]], those composed before 500 BCE, discuss the virtue of almsgiving. For example, [[Brihadaranyaka Upanishad]] states in verse 5.2.3 that three characteristics of a good, developed person are self-restraint (''[[Temperance (virtue)#Hinduism|dama]]''), compassion or love for all sentient life (''daya''), and charity (''{{IAST|dāna}}'').<ref name=kane>PV Kane, [https://archive.org/stream/historyofdharmas029210mbp#page/n61/mode/2up Samanya Dharma], History of Dharmasastra, Vol. 2, Part 1, page 5</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://sanskritdocuments.org/all_sa/brinew-proofed_sa.html|title=major_works in Devanagari script : Sanskrit Documents|website=sanskritdocuments.org|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141214104135/http://sanskritdocuments.org/all_sa/brinew-proofed_sa.html|archive-date=2014-12-14|access-date=2015-06-04}}</ref><ref>[https://archive.org/stream/Brihadaranyaka.Upanishad.Shankara.Bhashya.by.Swami.Madhavananda#page/n843/mode/2up Brihadaranyaka Upanishad], Translator: S Madhavananda, page 816, For discussion: pages 814-821</ref> [[Chandogya Upanishad]], similarly, states in Book III that a virtuous life requires ''[[Tapas (Sanskrit)|tapas]]'' (meditation, asceticism), ''[[dāna]]'' (charity), ''[[arjava]]'' (straightforwardness, non-hypocrisy), ''[[ahimsa]]'' (non-violence, non-injury to all sentient beings) and ''[[satya]]vacana'' (truthfulness).<ref>अथ यत्तपो दानमार्जवमहिँसा सत्यवचनमिति ता अस्य दक्षिणाः Source: [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/छान्दोग्योपनिषद्_१ Chandogya Upanishad (Sanskrit)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180515152136/https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%9B%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D_%E0%A5%A7 |date=2018-05-15 }} Verse 3.17.4, Wikisource</ref>{{efn|name=Chandogya}}<ref>Robert Hume, [https://archive.org/stream/thirteenprincipa028442mbp#page/n233/mode/2up Chandogya Upanishad] 3.17, The Thirteen Principal Upanishads, Oxford University Press, pages 212-213</ref><ref>[https://archive.org/stream/Shankara.Bhashya-Chandogya.Upanishad-Ganganath.Jha.1942.English#page/n179/mode/2up Chandogya Upanishad with Shankara Bhashya] Ganganath Jha (Translator), pages 165-166</ref>

==== In Mahabharata and Puranas ====
[[Bhagavad Gita]] describes the right and wrong forms of {{IAST|dāna}} in verses 17.20 through 17.22.<ref>Christopher Key Chapple, The Bhagavad Gita: Twenty-fifth–Anniversary Edition, State University of New York Press, {{ISBN|978-1438428420}}, pages 653-655</ref> The ''[[Adi Parva]]'' of the Hindu Epic ''[[Mahabharata]]'' states in Chapter 91 that a person must first acquire wealth by honest means, then embark on charity; be hospitable to those who come to him; never inflict pain on any living being; and share a portion with others whatever he consumes.<ref>M.N. Dutt (Translator), [https://archive.org/stream/aproseenglishtr00duttgoog#page/n143/mode/2up Adi Parva], Chapter XCI, verses 3-4, page 132</ref> In the ''[[Vana Parva]]'', Chapter 194, the Mahabharata recommends that one must "conquer the mean by charity, the untruthful by truth, the wicked by forgiveness, and dishonesty by honesty".<ref>MN Dutt (Translator), [https://archive.org/stream/aproseenglishtr00duttgoog#page/n737/mode/2up Vana Parva], Chapter CXCIV, verse 6, page 291</ref>

The ''[[Bhagavata Purana]]'' discusses when {{IAST|dāna}} is proper and when it is improper. In Book 8, Chapter 19, verse 36, it states that charity is inappropriate if it endangers and cripples modest livelihood of one's biological dependents or of one's own. Charity from surplus income above that required for modest living is recommended in the [[Puranas]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Agarwal |first=Sanjay |year=2010 |title=Daan and Other Giving Traditions in India |asin=B00E0R033S |page=43}}</ref>