The Perfection of Giving: To Give Absolutely, Without Hesitation

**Summary:** Let us explore the profound meaning of the perfection of giving – an unlimited, unconditional way of giving – and the practice to achieve perfection in every action.

In one of the Buddha’s past lives, there was a prince who, while walking in the forest, saw a starving tigress about to die. Without a moment's hesitation, he removed his robe, leapt into the ravine, and cut his own throat so the mother tiger could lick his blood and gain strength to feed her cubs. This is the most beautiful image of the perfection of giving – an offering without limit, without discrimination, and without any desire left for oneself. But have you ever wondered: what allows a person to give in such a way, and can we ever do the same?

**What is Paramita? More Than Just 'Reaching the Other Shore'**

In Sanskrit, "paramita" means to arrive at the other shore. However, in the Mahayana scriptures, it is not merely about crossing a river; it is an adverb describing how we perform all actions in a completely thorough, absolutely perfect manner. Venerable Thich Chan Quang explains:

Paramita is an adverb that expresses an attitude we have when we practice a virtue with the determination to achieve the absolute, perfect state of that virtue.

Thus, the perfection of giving is not just about donating a gift, a sum of money, or even one's own body. It is the attitude of giving with all one's heart, without calculation or ulterior motive, reaching a state of perfection in the mind's aspiration.

**The Perfection of Giving: To Give Without the Slightest Hesitation**

The story of the starving tigress is the most radiant testament. The prince did not distinguish whether the animal was wicked or virtuous; he did not calculate the value of his own life. He saw beings in need of flesh and gave his immediately. That mind of giving had not a single hesitation. In contrast, in our daily lives, we clearly see our own hesitation. Thich Chan Quang points out:

Therefore, the difference between practices that are paramita and those that are not lies in our hesitation. We hesitate because we see that helping others seems to attack our own interests too much, we feel too disadvantaged, and so that part within us has not yet achieved paramita in our own mind.

You may easily donate a small bill, but when helping requires you to sacrifice your time, energy, or personal interests, are you still willing? This is the true test of the perfection of giving.

**An Ideal Greater Than Our Capacity: Learning, Practicing, and Aspiring**

Thich Chan Quang acknowledges that the perfection of giving is an ideal that is "beyond our power," far surpassing the reach of ordinary people. But this is not a reason for us to give up or, because of that, to boast that we have achieved it. He emphasizes:

This is a dharma for learning, for devout practice, and for the mind to aspire to, not for boasting.

We learn this dharma to nourish our aspiration, so that each day our mind's vow moves forward, while simultaneously recognizing that we have not yet truly fulfilled it. Understanding and practice are two different paths. We should never bring it out to boast, for in doing so we would lose our blessings from merit.

**Practicing the Perfection of Giving in Modern Life**

We do not need to leap into an abyss, but in daily life, we can train in the perfection of giving through small yet complete actions:

* Giving when no one is watching – but with a mind still rejoicing. * Helping without expecting repayment or counting it as credit. * Sharing our time and kind words with those who are suffering. * Acting in a way that slightly disadvantages us but brings benefit to others.

Each time we overcome our hesitation, we take another step on the path of paramita. Let us start from the very smallest things, but do them with all our sincerity, so that the spirit of giving permeates every cell of our mind and heart.

The path of paramita is not for the timid, but it is always open for those who know how to open their hearts. Begin with the smallest things – giving without calculation, helping without hesitation – so that each of our actions gradually becomes infused with the spirit of the perfection of giving. This is how we reach the other shore, touching the perfection that all Buddhas have entrusted to us.