Hello and welcome to my blog. I have
chosen to share some views and musings on philanthropy in the very first post
of my blog. This is an introductory post on Philanthropy.
Let me begin with a very befitting quote,
“It is more blessed to give than to
receive.”
As
per the Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia on the Internet, ‘Philanthropy’ etymologically means “love of humanity” in the
sense of caring, nourishing and enhancing “what it is to be human” on both the
benefactors’ (by identifying and exercising their values in giving and
volunteering) and beneficiaries’ (by benefitting) parts.
This may include private initiatives
targeting public good with focus on the quality of life.The Vedas refer to the
practice of ‘Dāna’ or ‘Charity’.
It is believed that gifts made to one’s Parents, Guru, Friend, to
a Well-Conducted Man, to One who has laid the donor under obligation, to the
Poor, to the Helpless or to those endowed with special excellence, leads to
reward. I think that this would roughly translate to making gifts to those who
truly deserve them.
Dāna is a Sanskrit and Pali word that signifies the
virtue of generosity, charity or giving of alms in Indian Philosophy. In
Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, dāna is the practice of developing
generosity. It can take the form of giving to an individual in distress or
need. It can also take the form of philanthropic public projects that empower
and help many. According to historical records, dāna is an ancient
practice in Indian traditions, tracing back to Vedic traditions.
Let
me now quote the words of Albert Pike,
“What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we
have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.”
How
true and wise, these words are! Let us say that one day, we feel too dejected. If
we decide to make someone happy that day, by helping him/her in some way, by
being generous etc.,. , we can observe
the change in our attitude/mood after such a generous act. We can observe the
magnanimity and generosity in our self, that such a simple act can bring forth,
thereby uplifting our personality and making us feel better about ourselves.
Quoting the great Indian Spiritual
Leader and my Guru, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar now,
“With
charity money is purified.”
Another relevant quote from Sri Sri
is as follows:
“Charity
should be self-sustainable. That is, it should create
more wealth rather than perpetuating the cycle of poverty and dependence. In
this sense, the best form of charity would be providing quality education for
children and more importantly, building a good character in them.”
Imparting good quality education coupled with
good moral values and focus on character building in children of today can
result in mature and responsible citizens tomorrow. This can result in a better
world tomorrow. This way, we can leave a better world for our children, than the
one we inherited from our ancestors.
We often look at the United States of America as the Land of
Affluence.This land also boasts of many philanthropists who are giving away
their wealth towards charitable causes. To name a few, they are Warren Buffet,
Bill Gates and Melinda Gates. Back at home, in India, we have Azim Premji.
To conclude, let me quote Winston Churchill
“We make a
living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give”
And always remember the following words of
Aesop
“No act of kindness, no matter how
small, is ever wasted.”
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