To get back to Dogen’s definition of free giving, though, you might tend to equate free giving with charity. But too often we place ourselves above those to whom we wish to be charitable. Our “giving” then becomes just another way to enhance our self-image. And just as often, we place ourselves below those to whom we give our charity, thinking, for example, that a charitable contribution to some spiritual master will gain us merit in the spiritual world or that a gift of dana to some Zen master might speed us on the way to enlightenment — and, believe me, folks, there are lots of teachers who
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