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Dāna: Embracing the Practice of Generosity in Buddhism
Rating: 4.9 out of 5(7 ratings)
194 students

Dāna: Embracing the Practice of Generosity in Buddhism

A self study course to understand and cultivate a living generosity practice
Created byPlanet Dharma, Duncan Robert Cryle
Last updated 7/2025
English

What you'll learn

  • Develop the beautiful and powerful practice of dāna / generosity
  • Understand the role of dāna or generosity in spiritual teaching
  • Explore and bring a greater range and wisdom around who you give to, what you give, and why
  • Cultivate a real, living and growing practice of generosity in your daily life
  • Learn practical tools for how dāna can support your spiritual community or center

Course content

6 sections • 60 lectures • 1h 43m total length

  • Special Welcome Message From Planet Dharma and Clear Sky's Founding Teachers2:27

    With deep thanks, this course is dedicated to the founding and resident teachers at Clear Sky Retreat Center, Acharya Doug Duncan (Qapel) and Catherine Pawarasat (Sensei), for their unceasing generosity over the many years, as Dharma teachers and trainers.

    In this video they offer a special welcome message on the importance of Dāna (generosity), in the spiritual life, how our relationship with nature and mother shapes this, and how it relates to our interest and engagement with life. To learn more about our head teachers visit the Planet Dharma link in the Resources section. To find out more about our conscious community at the Clear Sky Retreat Center in the spectacular B.C. Rockies in Canada, please click the website link under Resources.

  • Why We Made This Course1:21
  • Aims Of This Course0:25
  • Course Structure1:48

    There are six modules in this course. We recommend studying them in order, but each module is designed to be largely standalone. If you wish to, feel free to dip in and out or approach the course in a desirable order.


    1. Welcome Module

    This section gives you an overview of this course and what to expect.

    2: Introducing the practice of dāna/generosity

    This section introduces both the traditional practices and benefits of dāna/generosity. We also draw attention to how it may show up or be experienced within our modern day cultures.

    3: Generosity and Unpacking our Relationship with Money

    This section explores unconscious views and values we have inherited in modern and western societies. By putting the shadow of money on the table first, we explore some of the blocks and tightness we may feel around money and useful tools so that we can free up energy to cultivate a more conscious relationship with generosity. Starting here also helps clear up misconceptions we would otherwise bring to how we understand dāna.

    4. Generosity on The Spiritual Path

    This section talks about how generosity is foundational to different eastern and western spiritual traditions, and how these teachings have been shared by dāna. We explore the traditional approach to dāna in Buddhism and look at generosity as the first of the “six perfections.” We also consider related concepts to dāna such as “building merit”.

    5. Understanding the Who, What, and Why of Generosity

    This section is about building wisdom and discernment around our generosity practice. Drawing on both Buddhist texts and contemporary stories we explore questions around who we choose to give to, what we choose to give, and different motivations we might have for giving.

    6. Generosity in Relationships – Listening, Sharing, and Giving

    This section is about applying generosity where the rubber hits the road: in our relationships. We look at how generosity can resolve conflicts, how listening and giving our full attention can be the most generous thing we can do, and the generosity of sharing our passion and engagement. This section also explores the generosity of a healthy balance around self-care.

    Bonus Module: Women In Buddhism

    This bonus module by Catherine Pawasarat Sensei explores the role of Women and the feminine principle in Society and Buddhism. Born from our mothers onto Planet Earth, we all encounter our first experiences with generosity through the feminine principle and yet it is often left unseen. Understanding the role of women and the feminine principle in spirituality, society and Buddhism wakes us up to how we can embody a more integrated living generosity practice.

  • Getting the Most Out of This Course0:35
  • Setting Your Intention0:08



Requirements

  • No experience needed. This course is for anyone with any open and curious heart.

Description

Welcome to this course on the profound and transformative practice of dāna or generosity.

Generosity is a very central part of Buddhism, as well as other wisdom traditions. In Buddhism, generosity is known as dāna. It was often the first practice that Buddha would give to beginning students. Generosity opens our hearts. It's the beginning of stepping beyond our individual egos, starting to think of others and making space to bring in something new. The course explores:


  • Classical foundations of dāna practice in Buddhism, including how dāna is traditionally practiced, and why the teachings are offered on the basis of dāna.

  • Dāna as an ancient principle to help with modern problems.  How dāna can help us re-imagine how we relate to each other, society, and our planet, and offer a new approach to the challenges such as climate change, AI and political and social polarization.

  • Unpacking the cultural assumptions around generosity that many of us have growing up in capitalist consumer societies.

  • How to cultivate a living dāna practice, drawing from both traditional Buddhist teaching and modern Integral Spirituality approaches.

  • Building discernment on what to give, motivations for giving, who to give to, and the many complex questions that come up as we reflect on how to be generous.

  • Transforming relationships and community.  How dāna can inform how we communicate, share, listen, and relate.



Benefits of the course and cultivating dāna/generosity include:


  • Build confidence and trust. With deeper trust in our own strength and in the abundance in the world around us, we are more empowered to progress on our spiritual path, and to connect meaningfully with others.

  • Heal. Dāna helps up let go of clinging to what doesn't serve us, and create space to receive healing and learning.

  • Be present. Learn to give undivided attention, to can be present with whatever is arising, even when it’s challenging.

  • Be receptive. With opening up our minds and hearts to ourselves we can train ourselves to be more receptive and increase our capacity for learning.

  • Pay it forward. With generous hearts we can offer energy and support to Sangha/Community, to all beings, and to the planet.

  • Discover true wealth. Move away from a scarcity model of extraction towards an orientation of fullness and healthy exchange of energy.


A note on the course pricing


Our wish was to offer this course with a dāna or pay from the heart model - making it available to all, and allowing all to contribute from their hearts. In the Udemy platform, this is not an option: a course is either free or has a set price.  So the best we thought we could do here is offer it generously for free. However we do encourage to visit the Planet Dharma website to donate something to support our efforts.

Who this course is for:

  • Spiritual seekers looking to cultivate a meaningful dāna / generosity practice
  • Students of Buddhism or other wisdom traditions who want to understand what dāna is, why spiritual teachings are offered by dāna, as well as concepts like building merit.
  • Those wanting to learn practical tools for growing a generous heart.
  • Anyone involved in a spiritual community or center struggling with financial sustainability

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