| 提要 | “Giving gifts is a social act that unavoidably takes one outside oneself and puts one in contact with an other or others. That the logic of the gift, then, is infused with assumptions of reciprocity should also not be surprising… ”
Giving is no ordinary action. In Buddhism, giving or dāna is a part of establishing relationships between the sangha and the society. Dāna in India originally meant the giving of alms to monks. However, as Buddhism entered China, the concept of giving changed. Over time, dāna was no longer just offering of food or necessary materials, but a way towards the path of Buddhahood. In Mahāyāna Buddhism, dāna as a pāramitā, a perfection, that is cultivated by bodhisattvas helps relieves the suffering of all sentient beings. The greatest gift to give is Dharma. It surpasses all material gifts and even the giving of one’s own family. For it is the Dharma that can lead sentient beings towards a path of peace and joy by allowing them to understand the reality of their situation and the way out of it.
This thesis will bring to light the meaning of dāna, dāna pāramitā, and Dharma dāna as written in the Chapter on Dāna Pāramitā in The Mahāyāna Sūtra on the Way to Six Pāramitās. Prajñā, an Indian monk who went to China during the Tang dynasty, translated this text. As a result, the Emperor Dezong recognized the importance of his translation work and had it placed in the Buddhist catalogues. The text outlines the way a bodhisattva should practice the six pāramitās and how the text is significant in protecting the nation. It is these qualities that led the emperor to highly praise it. Buddhist circles have often quoted from the text up until the Yuan dynasty.
The thesis is divided into five chapters. The first chapter sheds light on the sources and methodology used in writing the thesis. The second chapter begins on Prajñā, the translator and his role in the Tang dynasty as he translated many texts during that time. Particularly the The Mahāyāna Sūtra on the Way to Six Pāramitās, how important was the text and the role it played during the Tang-Song dynasties. The third chapter brings to light the meaning of dāna pāramitā and Dharma dāna as it is discussed in The Mahāyāna Sūtra on the Way to Six Pāramitās. The fourth chapter is the translation with footnotes of “Chapter 5 on Dāna Pāramitā” from the text. Lastly, the significance of dāna as summarized in the conclusion. The Chinese version of the chapter is placed in the appendix for reference. |
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