Compassion without pity: Buddhist dāna as charity, humanitarianism, and altruism

Abstract

AbstractThis article provides an overview of the changing role of dāna in contemporary Buddhism through ethnographic research on Buddhist charities in Vietnam. I begin by briefly describing how the concept of dāna has developed through Buddhist history and philosophy. Then, I explore how Vietnamese Buddhists reinterpret the concept of dāna amid (a) shifting trends in Buddhist humanitarianism and volunteering, (b) critiques of corruption in Buddhist monasticism, and (c) changing forms of religious community, charity, and altruism via social media. I conclude by demonstrating how nonordained or lay volunteers in Vietnam adapt notions of dāna to include informal charity events organized online. These examples demonstrate how Buddhism operates as a highly adaptable, living ethical resource for both lay and monastic practitioners.