The Eight Grounds for Giving

Monks, there are these eight grounds for giving.

What eight?

(1) One gives a gift from craving/desire.

(2) One gives a gift from anger/hatred.

(3) One gives a gift from ignorance/delusion (unknowing of true reality).

(4) One gives a gift from fear.

(5) One gives a gift, [thinking]: Giving was practiced before by my father and forefathers; I should not abandon this ancient family custom.

(6) One gives a gift, [thinking]: Having given this gift, with the breakup of the body, after death, I will be reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world.

(7) One gives a gift, [thinking]: When I am giving this gift, my mind becomes tranquil, and energy and joy arise.

(8) One gives a gift for the purpose of enhancing the mind, equipping the mind.

These are the eight grounds for giving.

(Reference: AN 8.33)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares eight additional situations when one might choose to give a gift.

1.) One might choose to give a gift due to craving/desire.

2.) One might choose to give a gift due to anger/hatred.

3.) One might choose to give a gift due to ignorance/delusion (unknowing of true reality).

4.) One might choose to give a gift due to fear.

5.) One might choose to give a gift due to their relatives having chosen to give gifts as part of a family custom.

6.) One might choose to give a gift due to the thinking of acquiring an improved rebirth in the next life.

7.) One might choose to give a gift due to thinking that the mind arises tranquility, energy, and joy.

8.) The ultimate reason for giving a gift and one that is of pure generosity would be to give a gift to train the mind to eliminate craving/desire/attachment. The Buddha described this as “for the purpose of enhancing the mind, equipping the mind”.

To practice pure generosity the gift needs to be given without having any expectations to receive anything in return. With 1-7, the donor is still having expectations to receive something and the motivation to give the gift is out of one’s own interest to acquire something beneficial for themselves.

However, if one understands that giving a gift is for the sole purpose of the elimination of selfishness and to accomplish that goal, one needs to ensure they are giving without any expectation of anything in return. Then, a donor is giving a gift with pure generosity.