<p>'Dana' can be a 'test' of true 'metta'. For example, the Christian Bible refers to 'metta' without 'dana' as being something 'dead', as follows:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><em>Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you tells him, “Go in peace; stay warm and well fed,” but does not
provide for his physical needs, what good is that ? So too, faith by
itself, if it is not complemented by action, is dead.…</em></p>
<p><em>James 2:16</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>The Pali suttas often refer to 'dana' as follows:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><em>... devoid of the stain of stinginess, freely generous, open-handed, delighting in relinquishment, devoted to charity, delighting in giving and sharing</em></p>
<p><a href="https://suttacentral.net/sn11.11/en/bodhi" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><em>SN 11.11</em></a></p>
</blockquote>
<p>'Dana' can show we have true metta towards others rather than the fake metta of politicians, virtue signallers and social justice warriors.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-22T22:29:08.610Z
2019-10-22T23:39:04.610Z
2020-06-17T09:56:10.877Z
Dhamma Dhatu
<p>Metta is the highest form of <em>dana</em>. According to <a href="https://accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn20/sn20.004.than.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><em>Okkha Sutta</em></a>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Staying at Savatthi. "Monks, if someone were to give a gift of one
  hundred serving dishes [of food] in the morning, one hundred at
  mid-day, and one hundred in the evening; and another person were to
  develop a mind of good-will — even for the time it takes to pull on a
  cow's udder — in the morning, again at mid-day, and again in the
  evening, this [the second action] would be more fruitful than that
  [the first].</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-25T18:12:59.267Z
2019-10-25T18:12:59.267Z
Marino Klisovich
<p>In accord to Dhamma, What is appropriate to give oneself? </p>

<p>What is appropriate to give to others?  </p>

<p>Does dana ever go to oneself? Could 
 oneself be  seen  impersonally as another that needs  dana? How is    metta and dana related or not related? </p>

<metta><dana>
How are metta and dana related?
# How are metta and dana related?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-10-22)

In accord to Dhamma, What is appropriate to give oneself?

What is appropriate to give to others?

Does dana ever go to oneself? Could
oneself be seen impersonally as another that needs dana? How is metta and dana related or not related?

**Tags:** metta, dana


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-10-22. Score: 2

'Dana' can be a 'test' of true 'metta'. For example, the Christian Bible refers to 'metta' without 'dana' as being something 'dead', as follows:

> *Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you tells him, “Go in peace; stay warm and well fed,” but does not
> provide for his physical needs, what good is that ? So too, faith by
> itself, if it is not complemented by action, is dead.…*
>
> *James 2:16*

The Pali suttas often refer to 'dana' as follows:

> *... devoid of the stain of stinginess, freely generous, open-handed, delighting in relinquishment, devoted to charity, delighting in giving and sharing*
>
> [*SN 11.11*](https://suttacentral.net/sn11.11/en/bodhi)

'Dana' can show we have true metta towards others rather than the fake metta of politicians, virtue signallers and social justice warriors.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2019-10-25. Score: 0

Metta is the highest form of *dana*. According to [*Okkha Sutta*](https://accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn20/sn20.004.than.html):

> Staying at Savatthi. "Monks, if someone were to give a gift of one
> hundred serving dishes [of food] in the morning, one hundred at
> mid-day, and one hundred in the evening; and another person were to
> develop a mind of good-will — even for the time it takes to pull on a
> cow's udder — in the morning, again at mid-day, and again in the
> evening, this [the second action] would be more fruitful than that
> [the first].


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