What you have
mentioned above is only one form of giving that a person can
perform to acquire merit. In fact, this form of charity is not the
highest form of giving. It does not need much effort, worse, if it
is given with some personal motive of self gain in mind.
One can give with
kind words as well. Donating one’s time where needed is even
better. It is not necessary that to give more we need more. You can
always give away your old textbooks, sport equipment etc to those
in need. Being kind to our environment is also a form of charity as
it will eventually benefit our future generation. I think there are
many charitable way one can perform the act of giving. By the way,
acquiring merits should not be the All in one’s religious
practice.
I like the below
Ajahn Chah comment about the usual way people go about trying to
acquired so called merits for themselves.
These day people are going
all over the place looking for merit. And they
always seem to stop over in Wat Pah Pong. If they don't stop over
on the way, they stop over on the return journey. Wat Pah Pong has
become a stop-over point. Some people are in such a hurry I don't
even get a chance to see or speak to them. Most of them are looking
for merit. I don't see many looking for a way out of wrongdoing.
They're so intent on getting merit they don't know where they're
going to put it. It's like trying to dye a dirty, unwashed
cloth.
Making
the Heart Good A Dhammatalk by
Ajahn
Chah
By the way, the best
gift one can give as a Buddhists is the gift of the Dhamma by
spreading the word of the Blessed One in whatever way we can,
whether in big or small measure.
Dhammapada Verse 354: The gift
of the Dhamma excels all gifts; the taste of the
Dhamma excels all tastes; delight in
the Dhamma excels all delights.
