12/01/2025
She inspires me 🕉️
In Buddhist parlance, there are three kinds of giving that come to mind. First is the giving of material gifts. Second is the gift of the Dharma. That means being there for others, listening to them, trying to help them, giving them advice, just trying to help people to try to clarify their minds a little bit. But there is also the gift of fearlessness, of being a protection, of helping people to discover their own inner courage – to give that to someone is considered a very priceless gift.
So we can start in simple ways. We can start by just developing this quality of being conscious of others, of other’s needs, and of giving joy and pleasure to others. We give with the intention to give delight and to give help if necessary. Not just giving at Christmas or birthdays, or when we are visiting or whatever, but spontaneously. We see something we like and we give it to somebody, maybe even to somebody whom we don’t like. It’s nice to give to people we like, but it’s also nice to give to people whom we don’t like because it’s a beautiful way to relate to others. And it is the first of the Perfections. It’s the first step in the spiritual path so it’s very important.
- Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo
Photo: With Ven. Karma Lekshe Tsomo at the 15th Sakyadhita, Hong Kong, 2017.
