A WORD ABOUT DANA
The teachings and meditation retreats that are offered at the Philadelphia Meditation Center are offered on the principle of dana.  Dana  is an ancient Pali word meaning "generosity,"  "giving" or "gift." It is directly related to the Latin word donum and through this to such English words as donor, donate and donation.

Dana is intrinsic to the 2500 year-old Buddhist tradition.  Going back to the days of the Buddha the teachings were considered priceless and thus offered freely as a form of dana.  The early teachers received no payment for their instruction, and in turn, the lay community saw to it through their voluntary generosity, their dana, that the basic needs of food, clothing, shelter and medicine were provided for these monks and nuns.

Beyond the practical dimension,  dana also plays a crucial role in the spiritual life of a Dharma practitioner.  It is the first of the ten paramitas, or qualities of character, to be perfected. The act of giving itself is of immeasurable benefit to the giver for it opens up the heart, diminishes for a moment one's self-absorption, and places value on the well-being of others.  The simple gesture of offering a flower, an act of service, a kind thought or a simple meal is in fact a sincere form of practice.