Chapter VII
roots, i.e. after pulling them out or a cluster of blue lotuses, by placing it in the hands of
the recipient. One makes a gift of sound by giving sound-producing objects such as drums
or bells. Thinking: ‚I will make a gift of sound,‛ he pays homage to the Triple Gem by
playing one of these musical instruments himself or causing others to do so; or thinking:
‚This is my gift of sound,‛ he erects on the stupa platforms, bells or bronze drums himself
or causes others to do so; or by giving voice stimulant, such as honey, molasses etc., to
Dhamma preachers; by announcing and inviting people to listen to the Dhamma, or by
giving a talk on the Dhamma, by discussing Dhamma with those who have approached
him; or by expressing appreciation for the good deeds of feeding monks or building
monasteries or causing others to do so. Such a gift is known as the gift of sound (
sadda-
dÈna
).
Gandha-dÈna
Likewise, the gift of scent (
gandha-dÈna
) is made when, after acquiring some delightfully
fragrant objects in the form of roots, branches or powder, considering it only as scent (not
as an object) and thinking: ‚I shall make a gift of scent; this is my gift of scent,‛ he offers
it to the Triple Gem; or he relinquishes short pieces of fragrant wood, such as aloe, sandal,
etc., with the intention of making a gift. Such a gift is known as the gift of scent (
gandha-
dÈna
).
Rasa-dÈna
Likewise, the gift of taste (
rasa-dÈna
) is made when, after getting a delightfully flavoured
root, bulb, globule, fruit, etc., considering it (not as a material object but) only as taste, and
thinking: ‚I shall make a gift of taste; this is my gift of taste,‛ he offers it to a recipient; or
he makes an offering of tasteful food, such as rice, corn, bean, milk, etc. Such a gift is
known as the gift of taste (
rasa-dÈna
).
PhoÔÔhabba-dÈna
The gift of tangibility (
phoÔÔhabba-dÈna
) should be understood by way of couches, cots,
beds, chairs, etc., and by way of spreads, coverlets, blankets, etc. Having acquired some
soft, delightful tangible objects, such as couches, cots, chairs, spreads, coverlets, blankets,
etc., and considering them (not as material objects but) only as tangible quality, and
thinking: ‚I shall make a gift of tangibility; this is my gift of tangibility,‛ he makes a gift
of some such tangible objects. Such a gift is called the gift of tangibility (
phoÔÔhabba-dÈna
).
Dhamma-dÈna
The gift of Dhamma (
dhamma-dÈna
) means the gift of
dhammÈrammaÓa
26
(one of the six
sense objects). In accordance with the dictum, ‚
ojÈ, pÈna, jÊvita
are to be taken as
dhamma-
dÈna
‛,
dhamma-dÈna
should be understood by way of nutriment, drink and life.
To explain further: Having acquired some such material as butter, ghee, etc., which is
rich in nutrient (
ojÈ
), and considering it only as a nutrient, actually a
dhammÈrammaÓa
, and
thinking: ‚I shall make a gift of
dhammÈrammaÓa
; this is my gift of
dhammÈrammaÓa
,‛ he
makes a gift of butter, ghee, etc; or a gift of eight kinds of drink (
pÈna
)
27
made from fruits
26.
DhammÈrammana
: According to A Manual of Abhidhamma by NÈrada Thera,
‚
DhammÈrammana
includes all objects of consciousness. Dhamma embraces both mental and
physical phenomena‛, pp 126, 128, 181. U Shwe Zan Aung's Compendium of Philosophy
describes object of consciousness ‚as either object of sense or object of thought.‛ It continues to
mention that ‚the object of thought also consists of five sub-classes (i)
citta
(mind); (ii)
cetasika
(mental properties); (iii)
pasada
-
r|pa
and
sukhuma
-
r|pa
(sensitive and subtle qualities of body);
(iv)
paÒÒÈtti
(name, idea, motion, concept); and (v) NibbÈna‛ and concludes ‚these are
collectively termed
DhammÈrammana
‛ (pp 2-3).
27. Eight kinds of drink (
pÈna
): drink made from mango, from rose-apple: from plantain, from
anana, from honey-fruit, (Bassia latifolia); from grapes, from edible roots of water-lily; from the
fruit of
pharusaka
.