By Iain Newbigin
A hospital is a building that houses sick and diseased individuals so that they can be treated and, ideally, cured by specialized medical staff. Absolutely central to the sophisticated medical care offered by modern societies, hospitals in fact evolved at a specific time and place – during the 4th century in Constantinople, Read the rest of this entry >>
By Katherine Vanker
The Maori language is a Polynesian language that is closely related to Cook Island Maori, Tahitian and Hawaiian . According to the 1996 Census, the Maori language is spoken by approximately 150,000 New Zealanders . The name Maori originally meant “the local people” or “the original people” . This distinguished them from the European settlers and the new arrivals . Today they are known as the indigenous people of New Zealand.
Traditions and social customs are very important to the Maori . Read the rest of this entry >>
By Anna Marie Kolodziej
Philanthropy has been a prominent act throughout history, more specifically in the different cultures of the world. In the society today there are different religions and cultures which include traditions of giving; one in particular is called Buddhism. In the Buddhist tradition it is believed that humans are all interconnected in life and that we are continuously receiving generosity from others. Read the rest of this entry >>
By Kim Collins
Buddhists traditions of south East Asia revere the story of Vessantara. In Buddhism there are ten (or six depending on the tradition) main virtues. The first virtue is the paramita (or perfection) of dana (generosity) (Ratnasinghe, 1). The paramita of dana is extolled in the tale of Vessantara.
Vessantara, the incarnation before Siddhartha, was born into a royal family. His birth caused the gods to take note of his generous character, Read the rest of this entry >>
By Nicole Kitson
In Japan, there exists a strong history of charity towards pilgrims. Historically, this giving dates back to the time of Kobo Daishi. He was a Buddhist Saint in medieval Japanese society and emphasized that all people could achieve the “attainment of Buddhahood in this life.” To achieve this Buddhahood, one must participate in the Six Perfections, the first being, ‘to give’, that is through charitable giving.
It was believed that if you did a good dead, you would be rewarded and protected and vice versa, if you did a bad deed you would be punished. Read the rest of this entry >>
By Anita Mah
This research paper in Global Giving will study the relief efforts during the 1640s famine in China, towards the end of the late Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It illustrates instance of giving outside the Western Tradition, which is focused on individualism(self-reliant action), family traditions, and the Catholic religion.
During the late 16th century in China, there were different types of charitable institutions and organizations to release animals from captivity, Read the rest of this entry >>
By Avril Henry
In ancient India, there existed a very vibrant community of giving amongst the Theravada monastics and the lay people. The form of giving was called Pindapata, which was the practice of gathering food or “alms-gathering” by the monastics. As we will soon see, this generosity was believed to be “full circle” as those that provided food also felt they gained something from their gesture.
The Theravada monastics are from one of the oldest schools of Buddhism and while it began in India, today we are only seeing it practiced in Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka. They never asked for food and only took it when offered. Read the rest of this entry >>
By Kavita Dogra
Surrounded by bright colours, Bollywood tunes, a crowd of people and loads of food a Hindu wedding can be an overwhelming experience. Everyone is dressed in elaborate traditional clothing; and there is an incredible feeling of joy and excitement in the air that is welcoming for anyone attending. At a typical Hindu wedding similar to most others the bride is the center of all attention but not just for one day. There are about 4 events but some of these events like Mehndi (Henna) and Sangeet (Music) are combined into one and done separately on each side. Read the rest of this entry >>
By Katherine Gibbons
In Indian society one of the most common forms of giving is anna dana, the sharing of food with others. This is part of one’s religious duty (dharma) and is a tradition started by the Sai Baba. Sai was an Indian, considered to be a saint by Hindu and Muslims. Sai encouraged charity and the importance of sharing with others. He said: “if any men or creatures come to you, do not discourteously drive them away, Read the rest of this entry >>
By Alyssa Pember
The First Nations viewed giving as an honor and a way of life (Wells 1998). Whether the giving was in the form of words, prayers, energy, or love it was the matter of interconnectedness among the people of the communities (Wells 1998). If a material gift was given, the value of the physical object wasn’t the importance behind the giving, but rather the essence and the spirit of the gift. Read the rest of this entry >>