Dana
– The Parami of Generosity
According to the tradition of pure Dhamma, courses are run solely on a donation basis. Donations are accepted only
from old students, that is, those who have completed at least one course with S. N. Goenka or one of his assistant
teachers.
Donations may be received only from people who have realized for themselves the benefits of Dhamma. Then, giving a
donation becomes a part of the practice. Being an old student you may wish to share with others the benefits that
you have received from Dhamma. Even a very small donation can reflect the proper understanding of wishing to give at
least something for someone else. This understanding deepens when one realizes that not only is it important to give
a donation, but it should be in line with one’s capacity to give.
This capacity will naturally be different for each person, but the wish to help others should be the same.
These donations are the only source of funding for courses in this tradition around the world. There is no wealthy
foundation or individual sponsoring them. Neither the teachers nor the organizers receive any kind of payment for
their service. Thus, the spread of Dhamma is carried out with purity of purpose, free from any commercialism.
Therefore, whether your donation be large or small, let it be with the pure volition: “Because someone else has
donated, I have been able to learn Dhamma to purify my mind. I would like others to continue to have the same
opportunity. Therefore, let me give something for the benefit of others, according to my means.”
Ways to Donate
There are many ways to donate to Dhamma Siri. All donations are tax deductible. You will receive a receipt for your
records.
You may make an online donation with your credit card by following the instructions below.
You may send a check or money order to Southwest Vipassana Association, PO Box 7659, Dallas, TX 75209, USA
You may make a donation of securities. The Southwest Vipassana Association now has a brokerage account and is accepting
donations in stock. Donations of appreciated stock can result in distinct tax advantages (consult your personal tax
advisor for additional information). To make a stock donation, send an email to [email protected]
Online Donation
Please specify from the drop down below, how you would like your donation to be used – see the list below for
descriptions of ways to apply your donation. Your donation will be applied to the Dhamma Siri General Fund unless
specified otherwise.
- Dhamma Siri General Fund – Applied towards general Dhamma Siri center and course operations
- Dhamma Siri Master Plan Fund – Applied towards development of the Center’s master building plan
- Dhamma Siri Loan Retirement Fund – Applied towards retirement of bank loans needed for
construction - Information Technology Fund – Applied towards maintenance and upgrades of Registration support
systems and www.dhamma.org* infrastructure - Austin Dhamma House Fund – Applied towards establishment and maintenance of the new Dhamma
House in Austin, Texas - Houston Offsite Course Fund – Applied towards conducting 10-day courses in the Houston/Austin
area
Corporate Matching Gift Programs
Did you know that many companies using matching donation programs encourage their employees to donate to their favorite charities?
Click here to see a few of the companies that do -note that this is not all companies, just examples that we know about.
Contact the Human Relations / Employee Relations department at your company to find out if they offer matching donations.
Old Student Loans
To avoid the use of Donations to pay interest on loans from commercial banks, students may offer zero-interest and
low-interest loans to Dhamma Siri. These loans are used to retire bank loans and fund Dhamma Siri building projects such
as the Pagoda and men’s and women’s residences.
To inquire about providing an Old Student Loan to Dhamma Siri, send an email to [email protected]