The Buddhist lineage is built upon the practice and teaching of unfettered, open-hearted generosity. The Buddha, as he was preparing to take his last breaths, said that he had given everything he knew.
As this year draws to a close, I invite you to reflect upon the many acts of generosity that have benefited you in your own life: the seen and unseen acts of support, sustenance, and love over the years. I invite you to reflect upon the many times you have been generous for the benefit of others. Reflecting in this way is a practice in which we pause and take the time to recognize the generous as generous. Reflecting in this way opens the heart and gladdens the mind. Do we always recognize generosity?
One of my favorite lessons about recognizing generosity is from mealtimes in my childhood. The traditional way of sharing a meal in the community of Bohra Muslims that I was born and raised in is to sit around and eat from a thaal, which is a large, round, steel platter. In my home, my parents, brother and I would eat together. Meat was seldom on the menu because in those days, my family couldn’t afford it too often. My dad would grab the best pieces of meat, and give them to me and my brother. Occasionally, he would take something in his mouth, realize it was tender and delectable, and then offer it to one of us. This would be met with revulsion by us clueless children who thought it was gross.
Not until I had my own children did I realize my father’s selfless act of love and generosity. My notion of what I perceived as pure and impure was challenged, and I learned about embodied generosity and embodied receiving as key components of this practice. Giving takes so many forms and shapes, and we can be open to exploring what this means for each of us, going beyond obvious dimensions of generosity. Similarly, we can learn to receive with an open heart and allow ourselves to fully take in what is being offered. As a parent, one of the greatest gifts I give is unconditional love and I only have to open my eyes to see the unbidden and boundless delight and joy that is given to me on a near constant basis by my kids.
To connect with another lifelong teacher of generosity, we might gaze down at the earth beneath our feet or up at the vastness of the stars in the sky. Nature in all its humbling glory is the original benefactor, giving us the gift of life and all that nurtures it. Buddhist elder and environmental activist, Joanna Macy connects the dots between nature and the Dharma, “To be alive in this beautiful, self-organizing universe—to participate in the dance of life with senses to perceive it, lungs that breathe it, organs that draw nourishment from it—is a wonder beyond words.”
In this season of giving, may you share and receive with limitless generosity, and may you recognize the goodness therein. May it be so.