D¤na: [Ved. d¤na, d¤ as in dad¤ti to give and in d¤ti, dy¤ti to deal out, thus: distribution (scil. of gifts); cp. Gr. da/nos (present), Lat. damnum (E. damages); Gr. dw_ron, Lat. donum; also Ags. t¨d (=E. tide, portion, i. e. of time),and t¨ma (=E. time)....(a) giving, dealing out, gift; almsgiving, liberality, munificence; esp. a charitable gift to a bhikkhu or to the community of bhikkhus, the Sangha... As such it constitutes a meritorious act...and heads the list of these, as enumerated in order, d¤namaya pu¾¾aµ, s¨lamaya p., bh¤van¤maya p. viz. acts of merit consisting of munificence, good character and meditation (D III.218 e. g.; cp. c¤ga, pu¾¾a, s¨la)...(b) Special merit and importance is attached to the mah¤d¤na the great gift, i. e. the great offering (of gifts to the Sangha), in character the buddhistic equivalent of the brahmanic mah¤yaj¾a the chief sacrifice. On 16 Mah¤d¤nas see Wilson Hindu Caste 413; on 4 Beal. Chinese Texts 88. - A IV.246; J I.50, 74; V.383...(c) Constituents, qualities and characteristics of a d¤na: 8 objects suitable for gifts form a standard set (also enumd as 10), viz. anna p¤na vattha y¤na m¤l¤ gandha-vilepana seyy¤vasatha pad¨peyya (bread, water, clothes, vehicle, garlands, scented ointment, conveniences for lying down and dwelling, lighting facility)... Eight ways of giving alms at D III.258= A IV.236, five ways, called sappurisa-d¤na (& asapp-) at A III.171 sq.; eight sapp- at A IV.243. Five manners of almsgiving metaphorically for s¨las 1-5 at A IV.246... Five characteristics of a beneficial gift at A III.172... (d) Various passages showing practice and value of d¤na: Vin I.236; D I.53...; II.356 sq....; A IV.392 sq....; D III.147 sq., 190 sq., 232;...; A I.91...; A I.161; III.41...; IV.60; 237 sq...., 392 sq....; V.269...; J I.8...; II.112..., III.52 (id.);... - ad¤na withholding a gift, neglect of liberality, stinginess...; cp. -s¨la under cpds.: atid¤na excessive almsgiving....
-agga...a house where alms or donations are given, a store-house of gifts, fig. a source or giver of gifts, a horn of plenty...
-¤nisa¸sa praise of generosity...
-upakara¼a means or materials for a gift...;
-upapatti...an object suitable for gifts, of which 8 or 10 are mentioned (see above Q)...;
-kath¤ talk or conversation about (the merit and demerit of) almsgiving...;
-dhamma the duty or meritorious act of bestowing gifts of mercy...;
-pati "lord of alms," master in liberality, a liberal donor...;
-pu¾¾a the religious merit of almsgiving or liberality (see above a)...;
-phala the fruit of munificence (as accruing to the donor)...;
-maya consisting in giving alms or being liberal (see above a)...;
-vaÂÂa alms...;
-vatthu that which constitutes a meritorious gift;
almsgiving, beneficence, offering, donation...;
-veyy¤vaÂika services rendered at the distribution of gifts...
-rata fond of giving alms...;
-sal¤ a hall, built for the distribution of alms and donations to the bhikkhus and wanderers...;
-s¨la liberal disposition...; usually as ad¤na-s¨la (adj.) of miserly character, neglecting the duty of giving alms...