Derma
Derma adalah pemberian kepada orang lain atas dasar kemurahan hati, atau dengan untuk berbuat kebajikan. Derma dapat berwujud barang maupun jasa (misalnya pendidikan) yang diberikan secara cuma-cuma. Tindakan bederma terdapat dalam ajaran sejumlah agama dan adat-istiadat di beberapa daerah. Kata "derma" berasal dari bahasa Sanskerta धर्म, dharma, yang berarti kepatutan, kebajikan, atau perbuatan yang benar. Istilah lain untuk derma adalah "sedekah" yang berasal dari bahasa Arab صدقة, ṣadaqah, yang berarti segala macam perbuatan baik yang dilakukan secara tulus dan suka rela bagi orang lain.
The giving of alms is an act of charity toward those less fortunate. In the Apostolic age, Christians were taught that giving alms was an expression of love which was first expressed by God to them in that Jesus sacrificed himself as an act of love for the salvation of believers.[1] The offertory is the traditional moment in Roman Catholic Mass, Anglican Eucharist, and Lutheran Divine Services when alms are collected. Some Protestant groups, such as Baptists or Methodists, also engage in alms, although it is more commonly referred to as "tithes and offerings" by the church. Some fellowships practice regular giving for special purposes called Love Offerings for the poor, destitute or victims of catastrophic loss such as home fires or medical expenses. Traditionally, Deacons and Deaconesses are responsible for distributing these gifts among widows, orphans, and others in need. Many Christians support a plethora of charitable organizations not all of which claim a Christian religious affiliation. Many American Educational and Medical Institutions were founded by Christian fellowships giving alms.
In the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches, the collection of alms and tithes has not been formally united to the offertory in any liturgical action. However, either having a collection plate in the narthex or passing it unobtrusively during the service is not uncommon. In Orthodox theology, almsgiving is an important part of the spiritual life, and fasting should always be accompanied by increased prayer and almsgiving.[2] Almsgiving in the name of the deceased also frequently accompanies prayer for the dead. Those whose financial circumstances do not permit the giving of monetary alms may give alms in other ways, such as intercessory prayer and acts of mercy.
In the majority of Christian forms of worship and denominations, a collection of "tithes and offerings" is given for the support of the church's mission, budget, ministry, and for its relief of the poor, as an important act of Christian charity, united to communal prayer. In some churches the "offering plate" or "offering basket" is placed upon the altar, as a sign that the offering is made to God, and a sign of the bond of Christian love.[note 1] In addition, private acts of charity, considered virtuous only if not done for others to admire, are seen as a Christian duty.
Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' in front of others, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
The outward and an inward giving of alms:
Here Jesus places the primary focus on the motives behind such acts, which should be love.
Rather, give as alms what is inside, and then everything will be clean for you!
Giving of the rich versus the poor:
Here Jesus contrasts the giving of the rich and the poor
He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury. And He saw a poor widow putting in two small copper coins. And He said, 'Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them; for they all out of their surplus put into the offering; but she out of her poverty put in all that she had to live on.'
Giving out of Love and not out of duty:
He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
Hinduism
Dāna (Sanskrit: दान) is an ancient concept of alms-giving dating to the Vedic period of Hinduism.[3] The word for alms in Vedic literature is Bhiksha (भिक्षा).[4][5] The Rigveda has the earliest discussion of dāna in the Vedas and offers reasons for the virtue of alms-giving.[6]
The Gods have not ordained hunger to be our death: even to the well-fed man comes death in varied shape,
The riches of the liberal never waste away, while he who will not give finds none to comfort him,
The man with food in store who, when the needy comes in miserable case begging for bread to eat,
Hardens his heart against him, when of old finds not one to comfort him.
Bounteous is he who gives unto the beggar who comes to him in want of food, and the feeble,
Success attends him in the shout of battle. He makes a friend of him in future troubles,
No friend is he who to his friend and comrade who comes imploring food, will offer nothing.
Let the rich satisfy the poor implorer, and bend his eye upon a longer pathway,
Riches come now to one, now to another, and like the wheels of cars are ever rolling,
The foolish man wins food with fruitless labour: that food – I speak the truth – shall be his ruin,
He feeds no trusty friend, no man to love him. All guilt is he who eats with no partaker.
The early Upanishads, those composed before 500 BCE, also discuss the virtue of alms-giving. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, in verse 5.2.3 for example, states that three characteristics of a good, developed person are self-restraint (damah), compassion or love for all sentient life (daya), and charity (dāna).[8][9][10] Chandogya Upanishad, Book III, similarly, states that a virtuous life requires: tapas (meditation, asceticism), dāna (charity), arjava (straightforwardness, non-hypocrisy), ahimsa (non-violence, non-injury to all sentinent beings) and satyavacana (truthfulness).[11][12][13]
Bhagavad Gita describes the right and wrong forms of dāna in verses 17.20 through 17.22.[14] The Adi Parva of the Hindu Epic Mahabharata, in Chapter 91, states that a person must first acquire wealth by honest means, then embark on charity; be hospitable to those who come to him; never inflict pain on any living being; and share a portion with others whatever he consumes.[15] In the Vana Parva, Chapter 194, the Mahabharata recommends that one must, "conquer the mean by charity, the untruthful by truth, the wicked by forgiveness, and dishonesty by honesty".[16] The Bhagavata Purana discusses when dāna is proper and when it is improper. In Book 8, Chapter 19, verse 36 it states that charity is inappropriate if it endangers and cripples modest livelihood of one's biological dependents or of one’s own. Charity from surplus income above that required for modest living is recommended in the Puranas.[17]
Dāna has been defined in traditional texts as any action of relinquishing the ownership of what one considered or identified as one's own, and investing the same in a recipient without expecting anything in return.[18] While dāna is typically given to one person or family, Hinduism also discusses charity or giving aimed at public benefit, sometimes called utsarga. This aims at larger projects such as building a rest house, school, drinking water or irrigation well, planting trees, and building care facility among others.[19]
Abū Rayḥān al-Bīrūnī, the 11th century Persian historian, who visited and lived in India for 16 years from about 1017 CE, mentions the practice of charity and almsgiving among Hindus as he observed during his stay. He wrote, "It is obligatory with them (Hindus) every day to give alms as much as possible."[20]
After the taxes, there are different opinions on how to spend their income. Some destine one-ninth of it for alms.[21] Others divide this income (after taxes) into four portions. One fourth is destined for common expenses, the second for liberal works of a noble mind, the third for alms, and the fourth for being kept in reserve.
— Abū Rayḥān al-Bīrūnī, Tarikh Al-Hind, 11th century AD[20]
Alms-giving is held as a noble deed in Hinduism, to be done without expectation of any return from those who receive the charity.[18] Some texts reason, referring to the nature of social life, that charity is a form of good karma that affects one's future circumstances and environment, and that good charitable deeds leads to good future life because of the reciprocity principle.[18] Other Hindu texts, such as Vyasa Samhita, state that reciprocity may be innate in human nature and social functions but dāna is a virtue in itself, as doing good lifts the nature of one who gives.[22] The texts do not recommend charity to unworthy recipients or where charity may harm or encourage injury to or by the recipient. Dāna, thus, is a dharmic act, requires idealistic-normative approach, and has spiritual and philosophical context.[18] Some medieval era authors state that dāna is best done with shraddha (faith), which is defined as being in good will, cheerful, welcoming the recipient of the charity and giving without anasuya (finding faults in the recipient).[23] These scholars of Hinduism, states Kohler, suggest that charity is most effective when it is done with delight, a sense of "unquestioning hospitality", where the dāna ignores the short term weaknesses as well as the circumstances of the recipient and takes a long term view.[23]
Satrams, also called Dharamsala or Chathrams in parts of India, have been one means of alms-giving in Hinduism. Satrams are shelters (rest house) for travelers and the poor, with many serving water and free food. These were usually established along the roads connecting major Hindu temple sites in south Asia, as well as near major temples.[24][25][26]
Hindu temples have served as institutions for alms-giving.[27][28] The dāna the temples received from Hindus were used to feed people in distress as well as fund public projects such as irrigation and land reclamation.[28][29] Other forms of alms-giving in Hinduism includes donating means of economic activity and food source. For example, Go Dāna (donation of a cow),[30] Bhu Dāna (भू दान) (donation of land), and Vidya Dāna or Jňana Dāna (विद्या दान, ज्ञान दान): gift of knowledge and skills, Aushadhā Dāna: Charity of care for the sick and diseased, Abhay Dāna: Giving freedom from fear (asylum, protection to someone facing imminent injury), and Anna Dāna (अन्ना दान): Giving food to the poor, needy and all visitors.[31] Between giving food and giving knowledge, Hindu texts suggest the gift of knowledge is superior.[32][33]
See also
Notes
- ^ Cf. [[]] Matthew:5:23–24-KJV
References
- ^ The Book of James, chapter 1:27 (NIV) "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
- ^ Kallistos (Ware), Bishop; Mary, Mother (1978). The Lenten Triodion. South Canaan PA: St. Tikhon's Seminary Press (dipublikasikan tanggal 2002). hlm. 35ff. ISBN 1-878997-51-3
- ^ Shah et al (2013), Soulful Corporations: A Values-Based Perspective on Corporate Social Responsibility, Springer, ISBN 978-8132212744, page 125, Quote: "The concept of Daana (charity) dates back to the Vedic period. The Rig Veda enjoins charity as a duty and responsibility of every citizen."
- ^ bhikSA Sanskrit English Dictionary, University of Koeln, Germany
- ^ Alberto Garcia Gomez et al. (2014), Religious Perspectives on Human Vulnerability in Bioethics, Springer, ISBN 978-9401787352, pages 170-171
- ^ R Hindery, Comparative ethics in Hindu and Buddhist traditions, The Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies, Vol 2, Number 1, page 105
- ^ The Rig Veda, Mandala 10, Hymn 117, Ralph T. H. Griffith (Translator)
- ^ PV Kane, Samanya Dharma, History of Dharmasastra, Vol. 2, Part 1, page 5
- ^ Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
- ^ Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Translator: S Madhavananda, page 816, For discussion: pages 814-821
- ^ अथ यत्तपो दानमार्जवमहिँसा सत्यवचनमिति ता अस्य दक्षिणाः Source: Chandogya Upanishad (Sanskrit) Verse 3.17.4, Wikisource
Translation: Now Tapas (austerity, meditation), Dāna (charity, alms-giving), Arjava (sincerity, uprightness and non-hypocrisy), Ahimsa (non-violence, don't harm others) and Satya-vacanam (truthfulness), these are the Dakshina (gifts, payment to others) he gives [in life]. – Chandogya Upanishad 3.17.4 - ^ Robert Hume, Chandogya Upanishad 3.17, The Thirteen Principal Upanishads, Oxford University Press, pages 212-213
- ^ Chandogya Upanishad with Shankara Bhashya Ganganath Jha (Translator), pages 165-166
- ^ Christopher Key Chapple, The Bhagavad Gita: Twenty-fifth–Anniversary Edition, State University of New York Press, ISBN 978-1438428420, pages 653-655
- ^ MN Dutt (Translator), Adi Parva, Chapter XCI, verses 3-4, page 132
- ^ MN Dutt (Translator), Vana Parva, Chapter CXCIV, verse 6, page 291
- ^ Sanjay Agarwal (2010), Daan and Other Giving Traditions in India,ASIN B00E0R033S, page 43
- ^ a b c d Krishnan & Manoj (2008), Giving as a theme in the Indian psychology of values, in Handbook of Indian Psychology (Editors: Rao et al.), Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-8175966024, pages 361-382
- ^ Sanjay Agarwal (2010), Daan and Other Giving Traditions in India,ASIN B00E0R033S, page 54-62
- ^ a b Alberuni's India (v. 2), Chapter LXVII, On Alms and how a man must spend what he earns, Columbia University Libraries, London : Kegan Paul, Trübner & Co., (1910), pages 149-150
- ^ Al Biruni states that another one-ninth is put into savings/reserve, one-ninth in investment/trade for profits
- ^ MN Dutt (1979), The Dharma-shastras pada Google Books, Volumes 3, Cosmo Publishers, pages 20-29
- ^ a b P Bilimoria et al. (2007), Dana as a Moral Category, in Indian Ethics: Classical traditions and contemporary challenges, Volume 1, ISBN 978-0754633013, pages 196-197 with footnotes
- ^ KN Kumari (1998), History of the Hindu Religious Endowments in Andhra Pradesh, ISBN 978-8172110857, page 128
- ^ Kota Neelima (2012), Tirupati, Random House, ISBN 978-8184001983, pages 50-52; Prabhavati C. Reddy (2014), Hindu Pilgrimage: Shifting Patterns of Worldview of Srisailam in South India, Routledge, ISBN 978-0415659970, page 190
- ^ Sanctuaries of times past The Hindu (June 27, 2010)
- ^ SK Aiyangar, Ancient India: Collected Essays on the Literary and Political History, Asian Educational Services, ISBN 978-8120618503, pages 158-164
- ^ a b Burton Stein, The Economic Function of a Medieval South Indian Temple, The Journal of Asian Studies, Vol. 19 (February, 1960), pp 163-76
- ^ Burton Stein (February 4, 1961), The state, the temple and agriculture development, The Economic Weekly Annual, pp 179-187
- ^ Padma (1993), The Position of Women in Mediaeval Karnataka, Prasaranga, University of Mysore Press, page 164
- ^ Abbe Dubois and Henry Beauchamp (2007), Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies, ISBN 978-1602063365, pages 223, 483-495
- ^ Maria Heim (2004), Theories of the Gift in South Asia: Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain Reflections, Routledge, ISBN 978-0415970303, pages xv-xxvi, 141-149 and Chapter 2
- ^ The Gift of Knowledge Chitrapur Matha, India
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