View source for Alms

{{Short description|Money or goods given to poor people}}
{{other uses}}
[[File:Thorma Alms.jpg|thumb|Woman giving alms by [[János Thorma]]]]
'''Alms''' ({{IPAc-en|ɑː|m|z|}}, {{IPAc-en|ɑː|l|m|z|}}) are money, food, or other material goods donated to people living in [[poverty]].<ref>{{Cite Merriam-Webster|alms}}</ref><ref>{{Cite Dictionary.com|alms}}</ref> Providing alms is often considered an act of [[Charity (practice)|charity]]. The act of providing alms is called '''almsgiving'''.
== Etymology ==
The word ''alms'' comes from the [[Old English]] ''{{lang|ang|ælmesse}}'', ''{{lang|ang|ælmes}}'', which comes from [[Late Latin]] ''{{lang|la|eleemosyna}}'', from [[Greek language|Greek]] {{lang|grc|ἐλεημοσύνη}} ''{{lang|grc-Latn|eleēmosynē}}'' ("pity, alms"), from {{lang|grc|ἐλεήμων}}, ''{{lang|grc-Latn|eleēmōn}}'' ("merciful"), from {{lang|grc|ἔλεος}}, ''{{lang|grc-Latn|eleos}}'', meaning "pity or mercy".<ref>{{cite web |title=alms |url=https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=alms |website=Etymonline |access-date=21 November 2021}}</ref>
== Buddhism ==
[[File:Three monks chanting in Lhasa, 1993.jpg|thumb|Three monks seeking alms in [[Lhasa]], Tibet in 1993.]]
=== ''Dāna'' in Buddhism===
{{main|Dāna#Buddhism|Satuditha}}
In [[Buddhism]], both "almsgiving" and "giving" are called "[[Dana (Buddhism)|dāna]]" ([[Pāli]]).<ref>Nyanatiloka (1980), entry for "dāna". [http://www.budsas.org/ebud/bud-dict/dic3_d.htm Budsas.org] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070219163600/http://www.budsas.org/ebud/bud-dict/dic3_d.htm |date=2007-02-19 }}</ref> Such giving is one of the three elements of the path of practice as formulated by the [[Gautama Buddha|Buddha]] for [[Householder (Buddhism)|laypeople]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-05-26|title=Buddha Purnima 2021: Date, significance and importance of the day|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/life-style/buddha-purnima-2021-date-significance-and-importance-7303079/|access-date=2021-09-18|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref> This path of practice for laypeople is [[Dana (Buddhism)|dāna]], [[Śīla|sīla]], and [[Bhavana|bhāvanā]].<ref>Nyanatiloka (1980), entry for "dāna" [http://www.budsas.org/ebud/bud-dict/dic3_d.htm Budsas.org] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070219163600/http://www.budsas.org/ebud/bud-dict/dic3_d.htm |date=2007-02-19 }}; and, PTS (1921–25), entry for "Puñña" (merit)[https://archive.today/20120707184520/http://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.2:1:3017.pali Uchicago.edu].</ref>
Generosity towards other sentient beings is also emphasized in Mahayana as one of the perfections ([[paramita]]). As shown in [[Je Tsongkhapa|Lama Tsong Khapa's]] 'The Abbreviated Points of the Graded Path' ({{bo|w=lam-rim bsdus-don}}):
{{poem quote|
Total willingness to give is the wish-granting gem for fulfilling the hopes of wandering beings.
It is the sharpest weapon to sever the knot of stinginess.
It leads to [[bodhisattva]] conduct that enhances self-confidence and courage,
And is the basis for universal proclamation of your fame and repute.
Realizing this, the wise rely, in a healthy manner, on the outstanding path
Of (being ever-willing) to offer completely their bodies, possessions, and positive potentials.
The ever-vigilant lama has practiced like that.
If you too would seek liberation,
Please cultivate yourself in the same way.<ref>Tsongkhapa & Berzin (2001), verse 15.</ref>
}}
The giving of alms is the beginning of one's journey to [[Nirvana (concept)|Nirvana]] ({{langx|pi|nibbana}}). In practice, one can give anything with or without thought for [[Nibbana]]. This would lead to [[saddha|faith]] ({{langx|pi|saddha}}), one [[Five Powers|key power]] ({{langx|pi|bala}}) that one should generate within oneself for the [[Gautama Buddha|Buddha]], [[Dhamma]], and [[Sangha (Buddhism)|Sangha]].
According to the [[Pali canon]]:
{{Blockquote|Of all gifts [alms], the gift of [[Dhamma]] is the highest.|[[Dhammapada|Dhp.]] chapter 24, verse 354){{efn|name=Dhammapada24-354}}}}
=== Intentions for giving ===
The intentions behind giving play an important role in developing spiritual qualities. The [[suttas]] record various motives for exercising generosity. For example, the Anguttara Nikaya (A.iv, 236) enumerates the following eight motives:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/wheel367.html|title=Dana: The Practice of Giving|website=www.accesstoinsight.org|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090226044803/http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/wheel367.html|archive-date=2009-02-26|access-date=2009-02-22}}</ref>
{{Columns-start}}
{{Column}}
# One gives with annoyance, or as a way of offending the recipient, or with the idea of insulting him.
# Fear also can motivate a person to make an offering.
# One gives in return for a favor done to oneself in the past.
# One also may give with the hope of getting a similar favor for oneself in the future.
# One gives because giving is considered good.
# "I cook, they do not cook. It is not proper for me who cooks not to give to those who do not cook." (i.e. Some give because they are able to do what others cannot.)
# Some give alms to gain a good reputation.
# Still others give alms to adorn and beautify the mind.
{{Column}}
{{lang|pi|
# Asajja danam deti
# Bhaya danam deti
# Adasi me ti danam deti
# Dassati me ti danam deti
# Sadhu danan ti danam deti
# Aham pacami, ime ne pacanti, na arahami pacanto apacantanam adatun ti danam deti
# Imam me danam dadato kalyano kittisaddo abbhuggacchati ti danam deti
# Cittalankara-cittaparikkarattham danam deti
}}
{{Columns-end}}[[File:Almsbowl2.jpg|thumb|Alms bowl as used by [[bhikkhus]] for going on an alms round|124x124px]]
=== In support of Buddhist monks ===
In Buddhism, alms or almsgiving is the respect given by a [[Householder (Buddhism)|lay Buddhist]] to a Buddhist [[bhikkhu|monk]], [[bhikkhuni|nun]], spiritually-developed person or other sentient being. It is not charity as presumed by Western interpreters. It is closer to a symbolic connection to the [[Spirituality|spiritual]] realm and to show humbleness and respect in the presence of the secular society.{{efn|name=Mydans}} The act of almsgiving connects the human to the monk or nun and what he/she represents. As the Buddha has stated:
{{poem quote|
Householders & the homeless or charity [monastics]
in mutual dependence
both reach the true Dhamma....
|[[Itivuttaka]] 4.7<ref>Thanissaro (2001).[http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.4.100-112.than.html#iti-107 Accesstoinsight.org] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061205193400/http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.4.100-112.than.html |date=2006-12-05 }}</ref>{{efn|name=Dighajanu}} }}
[[File:Gift bags and medical kits to be given to monks.jpg|thumb|163x163px|Pre-packaged alms kits can be bought to donate to monks]]
In [[Theravada]] Buddhism, nuns ([[Pāli]]: ''[[bhikkhuni]]s'') and monks ([[Pāli]]: ''[[bhikkhu]]s'') practice ''[[Takuhatsu]]'' (''{{lang|pi|pindacara}}'') where they collect food (''{{lang|pi|piṇḍapāta}}''). This is often perceived as allowing the laypeople to make merit (Pāli: ''[[Merit (Buddhism)|puñña]]''). Money cannot be accepted by a Theravadan Buddhist monk or nun in place of or in addition to food, as the [[Patimokkha]] training rules make it an offense worth forfeiture and confession.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/vin/sv/bhikkhu-pati.html#np-part2|title=Bhikkhu Pāṭimokkha: The Bhikkhus' Code of Discipline|website=www.accesstoinsight.org|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180516103756/https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/vin/sv/bhikkhu-pati.html#np-part2|archive-date=2018-05-16}}</ref>
In countries that follow [[Mahayana]] Buddhism, the practice of ''[[Takuhatsu]]'' has mostly died out. In China, Korea, and Japan, local cultures resisted the idea of giving food to 'begging' clerics, and there was no tradition of gaining 'merit' by donating to practitioners. After periods of persecution, monasteries were situated in remote mountain areas; the distance between the monastery and the nearest towns made this practice impossible. In Japan, the practice of a weekly or monthly [[Takuhatsu]] replaced the daily round. In the Himalayan countries, the large number of ''bhikkhus'' would have made an alms round a heavy burden on families. Competition with other religions for support also made daily practice difficult and even dangerous; the first Buddhist monks in the [[Silla]] dynasty of Korea were said to be beaten due to their minority at the time.{{citation needed|date=June 2012}}
== Christianity ==
[[File:Codex Tennenbach 4 017r.jpg|thumb|[[Clare of Assisi|St. Clare]] distributes alms; Tennenbach Codex 4, illustrated before {{circa|1492}}]]
In Christianity, the giving of alms is viewed as an act of [[Charity (practice)|charity]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Alms and Almsgiving (in the Bible) {{!}} Encyclopedia.com|url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/alms-and-almsgiving-bible|access-date=2021-09-18|website=www.encyclopedia.com}}</ref> In the [[Apostolic age]], [[Christians]] were taught that giving alms was an expression of love. Such care for the poor was to be understood as love for God, who, in the person of [[Jesus|Jesus Christ]], sacrificed himself for the salvation of believers.{{efn|[[Epistle of James|James]] 1:27 (NIV) "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."}}
In nearly all Christian denominations, money is donated to support the church's financial needs and its ministry to the less fortunate. In some churches, the alms are placed near to the [[altar]] to symbolize that the offering belongs to God and to represent the unity of the congregation.{{efn|Compare with {{bibleverse|Matthew|5:23–24|KJV}}.}}
=== In Western Christianity ===
[[File:Collecting the Offering in a Scottish Kirk by John Phillip YORAG 384.jpg|thumb|''Collecting the Offering in a Scottish Kirk'' by [[John Phillip]]]]
The [[offertory]] is the traditional moment in the [[Mass (Catholic Church)|Roman Catholic Mass]], [[Divine Service (Lutheran)|Lutheran Divine Service]], and [[Anglican eucharistic theology|Anglican Eucharist]], when alms are collected. [[Baptist]]s and Methodists, among other denominations, collect [[tithe]]s and offerings (alms) during the offertory in church services. A tithe, the first tenth of one's income, is seen as what is owed to God, while an offering (alms) includes anything contributed beyond that.<ref name="Prince2011">{{cite book |last1=Prince |first1=Derek |title=The Promise of Provision: Living and Giving from God's Abundant Supply |date=1 October 2011 |publisher=Baker Books |isbn=978-1-4412-6328-5 |language=English}}</ref><ref name="ClaydonClarke2010">{{cite book |last1=Claydon |first1=Tony |last2=Clarke |first2=Peter Bernard |title=God's Bounty?: Papers Read at the 2008 Summer Meeting and the 2009 Winter Meeting of the Ecclesiastical History Society |date=2010 |publisher=Boydell & Brewer |isbn=978-0-9546809-6-1 |language=English}}</ref> Some fellowships practice regular giving for special purposes called "love offerings" for the poor, destitute or victims of catastrophic loss such as home fires or medical expenses. Traditionally, deacons and deaconesses are responsible for distributing these gifts among [[widow]]s, orphans, and others in need. Many Christians support a plethora of charitable organizations, not all of which claim a Christian religious affiliation. Many American educational and medical institutions were founded by Christian fellowships giving alms.
=== In Eastern Christianity ===
In the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] and the [[Eastern Catholic Churches]], the collection of alms and tithes has not been formally united to the offertory in any liturgical action. However, either having a collection plate in the [[narthex]] or passing it unobtrusively during the service is not uncommon. In [[Eastern Orthodox theology]], almsgiving is an important part of the spiritual life, and [[fasting]] should always be accompanied by increased prayer and almsgiving.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Kallistos (Ware) |first1=Bishop |author-link=Timothy Ware |last2=Mary |first2=Mother |year=1978 |publication-date=2002 |title=The Lenten Triodion |pages=35ff |location=South Canaan PA |publisher=St. Tikhon's Seminary Press |isbn=1-878997-51-3}}</ref> Almsgiving in the name of the deceased also frequently accompanies [[prayer for the dead]]. Those whose financial circumstances do not permit the giving of monetary alms may give alms in other ways, such as [[intercessory prayer]] and [[Works of Mercy|acts of mercy]] such as visiting people in prison, clothing the poor or volunteering in soup kitchens.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Matthew 25:36 - The Sheep and the Goats |url=https://biblehub.com/matthew/25-36.htm |access-date=2023-01-02 |website=Bible Hub}}</ref>
=== In the New Testament ===
In addition, private acts of charity are a duty and considered virtuous only if not done for others to admire:
{{Blockquote|Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' in front of others, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.|{{bibleverse||Matthew|6:1}}}}
Jesus places the primary focus on the motives behind the outward and inward giving of alms, which should be love:
{{Blockquote|Rather, give as alms what is inside, and then everything will be clean for you!|{{bibleverse||Luke|11:41}}}}
[[File:Gospel of Luke Chapter 21-4 (Bible Illustrations by Sweet Media).jpg|thumb|Jesus commends this poor but generous woman in {{bibleverse||Luke|21:1–4}}.]]
Jesus contrasts the giving of the rich and the poor:
{{Blockquote|He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury. And He saw a poor widow putting in two small copper coins. And He said, 'Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them; for they all out of their surplus put into the offering; but she out of her poverty put in all that she had to live on.'|{{bibleverse||Luke|21:1–4}}}}
Giving should be out of love and not out of duty:
{{blockquote|He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'|{{bibleverse||Matthew|25:45}}}}
Sharing possessions was practised in the church:
{{Blockquote|text=Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.|multiline=true|source=Acts 4:32}}
{{Blockquote|text=..there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need. Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means "son of encouragement"), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.|source=Acts 4:34-37|multiline=true}}
== 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>
== Islam ==
In Islam, the concept of Muhsi or Muhsin alms-giver or charitable giving is generally divided into voluntary giving, ''[[sadaqah|ṣadaqah]]'' ({{lang|ar|صدقة}}), and an obligatory practice, the ''[[zakat|zakāh]]'' ({{lang|ar|الزكاة}}). ''Zakāh'' is governed by a specific set of rules within [[Fiqh|Islamic jurisprudence]] and is intended to fulfill a well-defined set of theological and social requirements. ''Ṣadaqah'' is possibly a better translation of Christian influenced formulations of the notion of "alms" for that reason, though ''zakāh'' plays a much larger role within Islamic charity.
=== ''Zakat'' ===
{{main|Zakat}}
''Zakāh'' is the third of the [[Five Pillars of Islam|five pillars of Islam]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/empires/islam/faithpillars.html |title=Five Pillars |publisher=PBS |access-date=2010-11-17 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628223009/http://www.pbs.org/empires/islam/faithpillars.html |archive-date=2011-06-28 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Hooker |first=Richard |url=http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/GLOSSARY/5PILLARS.HTM |title=Arkan ad-Din the five pillars of religion |publisher=[[Washington State University]] |date=14 July 1999 |access-date=2010-11-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101203124633/http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/GLOSSARY/5PILLARS.HTM |archive-date=2010-12-03 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The literal meaning of the word ''zakāh'' is "to purify", "to develop" and "cause to grow". ''Zakāh'' is the amount of money that every Muslim, male or female, who is an adult, mentally stable, free, and financially able, has to pay to support specific categories of people. According to ''[[shariah]]'', it is an act of [[worship]]. Possessions are purified by setting aside a proportion for those in need. This cutting back, like the pruning of plants, balances and encourages new growth. Various rules are attached but, in general terms, it is obligatory to give 2.5% of one's savings and business revenue and 5–10% of one's harvest to the poor. Possible recipients include the destitute, the [[working poor]], those who are unable to pay off their own debts, stranded travelers and others who need assistance, with the general principle of ''zakat'' always being that the rich should pay it to the poor. One of the most important principles of Islam is that all things belong to God and wealth is therefore held by human beings in trust.{{citation needed|date=September 2021}}
This category of people is defined in [[At-Tawbah]]:
{{blockquote|"The alms are only for the poor and the needy, and those who collect them, and those whose hearts are to be reconciled, and to free the captives and the debtors, and for the cause of Allah, and (for) the wayfarers; a duty imposed by Allah. Allah is knower, Wise."|Qur'an 9:60}}
The obligatory nature of ''zakat'' is firmly established in the Qur'an, the ''[[sunnah]]'' (or ''[[hadith]]''), and the consensus of the companions and the Muslim scholars. Allah states in [[At-Tawbah]]:
{{blockquote|"O ye who believe! there are indeed many among the priests and anchorites, who in Falsehood devour the substance of men and hinder (them) from the way of Allah. And there are those who bury gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah. announce unto them a most grievous penalty – On the Day when heat will be produced out of that (wealth) in the fire of Hell, and with it will be branded their foreheads, their flanks, and their backs.- "This is the (treasure) which ye buried for yourselves: taste ye, then, the (treasures) ye buried!"|Qur'an 9:34–35}}
Muslims of each era have agreed upon the obligatory nature of paying ''zakat'' from their gold and silver, and from other kinds of currency.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mufti |first=Imam |title=The Third Pillar of Islam: Compulsory Charity |url=https://www.islamreligion.com/articles/46/third-pillar-of-islam/ |access-date=2021-09-17 |website=www.islamreligion.com |language=en}}</ref>
==== ''Nisab'' ====
{{main|Nisab}}
''Zakat'' is obligatory when a certain amount of money, called the ''nisab'' (or minimum amount), is reached or exceeded. Zakat is not obligatory if the amount owned is less than this ''nisab''. The ''nisab'' of gold and golden currency is 20 ''mithqal'', or approximately 85&nbsp;grams of pure gold. One ''mithqal'' is approximately 4.25&nbsp;grams. The ''nisab'' of silver and silver currency is 200 dirhams, which is approximately 595&nbsp;grams of pure silver. The ''nisab'' of other kinds of money and currency is to be scaled to that of gold; the ''nisab'' of money is equivalent to the price of 85&nbsp;grams of 999-type (pure) gold on the day in which ''zakat'' is paid.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-05-13|title=What is Zakat on money and When is it required? {{!}} Donate your Zakat|url=https://www.beyazeller.org/en/zakat-ul-mal/|access-date=2022-01-19|website=Beyaz Eller Association|language=en-US}}</ref>
''Zakat'' is obligatory after the money has been in the control of its owner for the span of one lunar year; a lunar year is approximately 355 days. The owner then needs to pay 2.5% (or 1/40) of the money as ''zakat''. The owner should deduct any amount of money he or she borrowed from others, check if the rest reaches the necessary ''nisab'', then pay ''zakat'' for it.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Islamic Aid Zakat (Zakah) {{!}} Donate your Zakat to Fight Poverty in Asia and Africa|url=https://islamicaid.org/zakat-zakah/|access-date=2022-01-19|website=Islamic Aid - changing lives for good - Donate Now Zakat (Zakah) {{!}} Sadaqah {{!}} Refugee Services {{!}} Flood & Disaster Relief Worldwide|language=en-US}}</ref>
If the owner had enough money to satisfy the ''nisab'' at the beginning of the year, but his wealth in any form increased, the owner needs to add the increase to the ''nisab'' amount owned at the beginning of the year and then pay ''zakat'', 2.5%, of the total at the end of the lunar year. There are minor differences between ''fiqh'' schools on how this is to be calculated. Each Muslim calculates his or her own ''zakat'' individually. For most purposes, this involves the payment each year of two and a half percent of one's capital.{{citation needed|date=September 2021}}
=== ''Sadaqah'' ===
{{main|Sadaqah}}
A pious person may also give alms as much as he or she pleases as ''ṣadaqah'', and does so preferably in secret. Although this word can be translated as 'voluntary charity', it has a wider meaning, as illustrated in the [[hadith]]s:
{{blockquote|The [[Muhammad|Messenger of Allah]] said: "Every good is charity. Indeed among the good is to meet your brother with a smiling face, and to pour what is left in your bucket into the vessel of your brother."|[[Jamiʽ at-Tirmidhi]] 27.76, hadith compiled by [[Al-Tirmidhi]]<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ibn ‛Isa at-Tirmidhi |first=Muhammad, Imam |author-link=Al-Tirmidhi |year=1970 |title=Jamiʽ at-Tirmidhi |url=https://sunnah.com/tirmidhi/27/76 |via=Sunnah.com}}</ref>}}
{{blockquote|[[Muhammad|The Prophet]] said: "Charity is a necessity for every Muslim." He was asked: "What if a person has nothing?" The Prophet replied: "He should work with his own hands for his benefit and then give something out of such earnings in charity." The Companions asked: "What if he is not able to work?"
The Prophet said: "He should help poor and needy persons." The Companions further asked "What if he cannot do even that?" The Prophet said "He should urge others to do good." The Companions said "What if he lacks that also?" The Prophet said "He should check himself from doing evil. That is also charity."|[[Riyadh as-Salihin]] 141, hadith compiled by [[Al-Nawawi]]<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ibn Sharaf an-Nawawi |first=Yahya, Imam |author-link=Al-Nawawi |title=Riyadh as-Salihin |publisher=Tughra Books |edition=Reprint, Bilingual |date=16 June 2014 |isbn=978-1597843331 |pages=120–121}}</ref>}}
== Judaism ==
=== ''Tzedakah'' ===
{{main|Tzedakah}}
[[File:Jewish cemetery Otwock Karczew Anielin IMGP6721.jpg|thumb|Sandstone vestige of a Jewish gravestone depicting a ''[[tzedakah]]'' box (''pushke'') in a [[Jewish cemetery]] in [[Otwock]] (Karczew-Anielin), Poland.]]
[[File:Tzedoko gelt.JPG|thumb|''Tzedakah'' pouch and ''gelt'' ([[Yiddish language|Yiddish]] for coins/money) on fur-like padding.]]
In [[Judaism]], ''[[tzedakah]]'', a [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] term literally meaning righteousness but commonly used to signify "charity",<ref>{{cite book |last1=Donin |first1=Hayim Halevy, Rabbi |title=To Be A Jew |publisher=Basic Books |location=New York |year=1972 |page=48}}</ref> refers to the religious obligation to do what is right and just.<ref name="JTauber">[http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1079/jewish/The-Myth-of-Charity.htm Tzedakah vs The Myth of Charity] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120313154027/http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1079/jewish/The-Myth-of-Charity.htm |date=2012-03-13 }}; by [[Yanki Tauber]]; Retrieved 03-11-2012.</ref>{{efn|name=YTauber}} In the Greek [[Septuagint]] ''tzedakah'' was sometimes translated as {{lang|grc|ἐλεημοσύνη}}, "almsgiving".<ref>As per [[Wilhelm Gesenius|Gesenius]] Lexicon; "Deuterony 6:25 καὶ ἐλεημοσύνη ἔσται...", "... derived from the Greek ἐλεημοσύνη (mercifulness), used by Greek-speaking Jews to denote almost exclusively the offering of charity to the needy, from a feeling of both compassion and righteousness (ẓedaḳah). (See [[LXX]]. (note: Septuagint) on Prov. xxi. 21, and Dan. iv. 24.)"</ref><ref name="Alms">{{cite encyclopedia |last=Kohler |first=Kaufmann |title=Alms |url=http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/1295-alms |encyclopedia=1906 Jewish Encyclopedia |access-date=November 26, 2018}}</ref>
In Judaism, ''tzedakah'' is seen as one of the greatest deeds that a person can do. ''Tzedakah'', along with prayer and repentance, is regarded as ameliorating the consequences of bad acts. Contemporary ''tzedakah'' is regarded as a continuation of the Biblical ''[[Maaser Ani]]'', or poor-tithe, as well as Biblical practices including permitting the poor to glean the corners of a field, harvest during the ''[[Shmita]]'' (sabbatical year), and other practices.{{citation needed|date=September 2021}} Jewish farmers are commanded to leave the corners of their fields for the starving to harvest for food and are forbidden to pick up any grain that has been dropped during harvesting, as such food shall be left for the starving as well.{{citation needed|date=September 2021}}{{efn|[[Book of Leviticus|Leviticus]] 19:9–10 (KJV) "And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest. 10 And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God."}}
In the [[Mishneh Torah]], Chapter 10:7–14, [[Maimonides]] lists eight "laws about giving to poor people" (''{{lang|he-Latn|hilkhot matanot aniyim}}''), listed in order from most to least righteous, with the most righteous form being allowing an individual to become self-sustaining and capable of giving others charity:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/45907/jewish/Eight-Levels-of-Charity.htm|title=Maimonides' Eight Levels of Charity - Mishneh Torah, Laws of Charity, 10:7–14|website=www.chabad.org|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160807162607/http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/45907/jewish/Eight-Levels-of-Charity.htm|archive-date=2016-08-07}}</ref>
# Enabling the recipient to become self-reliant.
# Giving when neither party knows the other's identity.
# Giving when you know the recipient's identity, but the recipient doesn't know your identity.
# Giving when you do not know the recipient's identity, but the recipient knows your identity.
# Giving before being asked.
# Giving after being asked.
# Giving less than you should, but giving it cheerfully.
# Giving begrudgingly.
==Mandaeism==
===''Zidqa''===
{{main|Zidqa}}
In [[Mandaeism]], ''zidqa'' refers to alms or almsgiving.<ref name="GR Gelbert">{{cite book |url=https://livingwaterbooks.com.au/product/ginza-rba/ |last1=Gelbert |first1=Carlos |title=Ginza Rba |year=2011 |publisher=Living Water Books |location=Sydney |isbn=9780958034630}}</ref><ref name="Drower 1937">Drower, Ethel Stefana. 1937. ''The Mandaeans of Iraq and Iran''. Oxford At The Clarendon Press.</ref> [[Mandaean priest]]s receive regular financial contributions from laypeople.
The [[Mandaic language|Mandaic]] term ''[[zidqa brika]]'' (literally "blessed [[oblation]]") refers to a ritual meal blessed by priests. An early self-appellation for Mandaeans is ''bhiri zidqa'', meaning "elect of righteousness".<ref name=RudolphEI>{{cite web|last=Rudolph|first=Kurt|url=https://iranicaonline.org/articles/mandaeans-2-religion |url-status=live |title=MANDAEANS ii. THE MANDAEAN RELIGION |access-date=8 January 2022|website=Encyclopaedia Iranica|date=7 April 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110429194459/http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/mandaeans-2-religion |archive-date=2011-04-29 }}</ref>
== See also ==
{{Wiktionary}}
{{columns-list|colwidth=15em|
* [[Almshouse]]
* [[Begging]]
* [[Bhiksha]]
* [[Freegan]]
* [[Mendicant]]
* [[Meshulach]]
* [[Pittance]]
* [[Qard al-Hassan]]
* [[Satuditha]]
* [[Zayat]]
}}
== Notes ==
{{notelist|refs=
{{efn|name=Dhammapada24-354|In Pali, this line is: "''Sabba danam, Dhamma danam jinati''." This line can be found in the ''[[Dhammapada]]'', Chapter 24, verse 354. Thanissaro (1997)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.24.than.html#dhp-354|title=Tanhavagga: Craving|website=www.accesstoinsight.org|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061014163125/http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.24.than.html#dhp-354|archive-date=2006-10-14}}</ref> translates this entire verse as:
{{poem quote|
A gift of Dhamma conquers all gifts;
the taste of Dhamma, all tastes;
a delight in Dhamma, all delights;
the ending of craving, all suffering
& stress.}}}}
{{efn|name=Mydans|Indicative of the mutual nature of the almsgiving exchange, in some Theravada countries, if a monk were to refuse alms from someone—a gesture known as "turning over the rice bowl"—this would be interpreted as an act of excommunication of the almsgiver by the monk. An example of such a refusal is the refusal of Buddhist monks to accept offerings by military personnel in military-occupied [[Myanmar]] (Mydans, 20 September 2007, NYT).}}
{{efn|name=Dighajanu|Almsgiving is also commended by the Buddha in a less prominent way in various other canonical texts such as the [[Dighajanu Sutta]].}}
{{efn|name=Chandogya|Translation: Now [[Tapas (Sanskrit)|Tapas]] (austerity, meditation), [[Dāna]] (charity, alms-giving), [[Ārjava|Arjava]] (sincerity, uprightness and non-hypocrisy), [[Ahimsa]] (non-violence, don't harm others) and [[Satya|Satya-vacanam]] (truthfulness), these are the [[Dakshina]] (gifts, payment to others) he gives [in life]. – Chandogya Upanishad 3.17.4}}
{{efn|name=YTauber|"Jews do not practice charity, and the concept is virtually nonexistent in Jewish tradition. Instead of charity, the Jew gives tzedakah, which means 'righteousness' and 'justice.' When the Jew contributes his money, time and resources to the needy, he is not being benevolent, generous or 'charitable.' He is doing what is right and just."}}
}}
{{Reflist|group=note}}
== References ==
{{reflist|2}}
== Bibliography ==
{{refbegin|2}}
* Mydans, Seth (20 September 2007). ''Monks Pressure Myanmar Junta'' (New York Times). Retrieved 20 September 2007 from "The [https://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/20/world/asia/20cnd-myanmar.html?_r=1&hp=&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1190317793-WFaRWsDL7E5KoNddBiTQ5A New York Times]
* Nyanatiloka Mahathera (4th ed., 1980). ''Buddhist Dictionary: Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines.'' Kandy, Sri Lanka: [[Buddhist Publication Society]]. {{ISBN|955-24-0019-8}}. Available on-line at [http://www.budsas.org/ebud/bud-dict/dic_idx.htm Budsas.org]
* [[Pāli Text Society]] (PTS) (1921–1925). ''The Pāli Text Society's Pāli-English dictionary''. London: Chipstead. Available on-line at [https://dsal.uchicago.edu/dictionaries/pali/ Uchicago.edu] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210725103343/https://dsal.uchicago.edu/dictionaries/pali/ |date=2021-07-25 }}
* [[Thanissaro Bhikkhu]] (trans.) (1997). ''Tanhavagga: Craving'' ([[Dhammapada|Dhp]] XXIV). Available on-line at [http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.24.than.html Accesstoinsight.org]
* Thanissaro Bhikkhu (trans.) (2001). ''The Group of Fours'' (Itivuttaka 4). Available on-line at  [http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.4.100-112.than.html Accesstoinsight.org]
* [[Tsongkhapa]] & Alexander Berzin (trans.) (2001). ''The Abbreviated Points of the Graded Path''. Available on-line at [http://studybuddhism.com/en/tibetan-buddhism/original-texts/sutra-texts/the-abbreviated-points-of-the-graded-path StudyBuddhism.com]
{{refend}}
{{charity}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Alms| ]]