Read more on the tradition of Pure Offering from the time of the Buddha to the present
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The Gift of Dharma (continued...)
In Tibet
The importance of supporting Dharma practice became even more evident in the snowy North. The harsh conditions of the land made solitary practice impossible without offerings of food and supports for practice. Milarepa explained to his disciples that - through the auspicious interdependence created in giving support to the Dharma - the Jindag (Pure Giver - or Dharma sponsor) would attain liberation in the same instant as the practitioner they supported. Even more profound was the connection created by giving support to centers of Dharma like monasteries and Remote Practice Cloisters (or Gonpas). The single thread that unites all of these teachings is the deepening of understanding the meaning of pure offering.
In America
Today the teachings of the Dharma have found fertile ground in the West. The teachers and students of Dharma share the great fortune of being able to use their precious human birth for the reason it exists - to benefit all beings through the path of Dharma. Despite the readiness of students and the availability of qualified teachers, there still is the need for support. Dharma centers have to operate by the laws of the land and local custom. Though it sometimes challenging to think of teachings in terms of cost and benefit, it is vital for all of us who receive the teachings and engage in practice to make our best effort to support our Dharma center. Dharma is given freely, but the cost of maintaining a center in a large city like Los Angeles is not insignificant.
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