What are types of charity / donations?

Dadashri: Do you know how many types of donation there are? There are four types of donation. The first is aahaardaan (donation of food; also known as annadaan), the second is aushadhdaan (donation of medicine), the third is gnandaan (donation of knowledge), and the fourth is abhaydaan (being in a state of conduct which does not induce fear in or hurt any living being).

Charity Of Food 

Dadashri: The first type of donation is annadaan (donation of food; also known as aahaardaan). For this type of donation, it is said that if someone comes to your door and says, “Please give me something to eat, I am hungry,” then you should reply, “Have a seat, sit down for a meal. I will serve you some food.” That is aahaardaan. But those who use their intellect excessively will say, “You might feed this stout person right now, but how will you feed him again in the evening?” To which the Lord says, “Don’t be a wise guy like this. This man has fed him, so he will at least live for today. Tomorrow, he will come across someone else who will help him stay alive. You don’t have to think about tomorrow. You are not to interfere as to ‘What will he do tomorrow?’ He will find something tomorrow. You are not to worry about whether or not you will be able to give him food all the time. As he has come to your door, give him whatever you can. At least he can remain alive today, that’s enough! Then tomorrow, he may have some other unfolding of karma, you do not need to worry about that.”

Questioner: Is annadaan considered the best?

Dadashri: Annadaan is considered good. But how much annadaan can you give? It’s not as though people will give it forever. Even if you feed someone one meal, that is more than enough. He will get something else for his next meal. But for today, he has survived with even one meal, hasn’t he! Now, even for this, do these people give leftover food or do they prepare new food?

Questioner: They give only the leftover food. It works to their own advantage. Since there is leftover food, what else would they do?

Dadashri: Nevertheless, they are making good use of that, my brother! However, if one prepares new food and serves it, then I would say that it is correct. The vitaraag (absolutely detached) Lords must have some laws, right? Or will it do if things carry on baselessly?.

Questioner: No, no, how can things carry on baselessly? 

Dadashri: That will not work with the vitaraag Lords; it works everywhere else.

Charity of Medical Care 

And the second is aushadhdaan (donation of medicine). It is considered superior to aahaardaan. What happens in aushadhdaan? Suppose there is a person who is not so well off financially and he becomes sick. He goes to the hospital and says, “Oh, the doctor has prescribed me this medicine, but I don’t have the fifty rupees to purchase it. So how can I obtain this medicine?” At that time, you can tell him, “Here are the fifty rupees for the medicine and here’s another ten rupees.” Or you can bring the medicine from somewhere else and give it to him for free. You can spend the money to buy the medicine and give it to him free of cost. So if he takes this medicine, then the helpless man can live for four to six years. There is more benefit in giving aushadhdaan as compared to annadaan. Do you understand? Which gives more benefit? Is annadaan better or aushadhdaan?

Questioner: Aushadhdaan.

Dadashri: Aushadhdaan is considered more important than aahaardaan, because it may even help keep the person alive for two more months. It helps a person live for a longer period of time. It gives him some relief from the sensation of pain.

As it is, women and children in our society naturally give annadaan and aushadhdaan. This kind of donation doesn’t cost too much, but it should be done. If we encounter someone who is needy, if some unhappy person comes to our door, then immediately give him whatever food is available.

Charity of Spiritual knowledge (Gnandaan) Is More Valuable 

Then, gnandaan (donation of knowledge) is said to be even better. Gnandaan includes printing books; to print books that give people the right understanding and lead them on the right path, and which lead to their spiritual benefit is considered gnandaan. Gnandaan leads one to attain a good life-form, a higher life-form, and even liberation (moksha).

So the Lord has said that gnandaan is the main thing. And where there is no involvement of money, He has talked about abhaydaan (being in a state of conduct which does not induce fear in or hurt any living being). For those who are involved in monetary interactions, He has talked about gnandaan, and for people who have a mediocre financial condition, for those who are not so well off, He has talked about these two: aushadhdaan and aahaardaan.

Questioner: But when one has surplus money, that can be donated, can’t it?

Dadashri: Donation is the best. Use it to reduce the miseries that others may have, and secondly, use it on the right path. Do gnandaan in such a way that it leads people down the right path. In this world, gnandaan is outstanding! You can benefit so much from reading one sentence [of this book filled with Knowledge]! Now, if that book were to go into the hands of people, then how much would they benefit!

Questioner: Now I understood it properly.

Dadashri: Yes, so those who have surplus money should primarily do gnandaan.

Now, what kind of knowledge should it be? It should be knowledge that helps people. Yes, it should not be for books containing stories about outlaws. With that kind of knowledge, people keep slipping [descending spiritually]. People do get enjoyment when they read such stories, but that makes them descend to a lower life-form.

Abhaydaan Is The Ultimate

And the fourth is abhaydaan. To conduct oneself in a way that does not trouble or harass any living being is called abhaydaan.

Questioner: Please explain more about abhaydaan.

Dadashri: Abhaydaan means no living being is hurt by us. I will give you an example. I used to go to the movies when I was young, when I was twenty-two or twenty-five years old. It would be midnight or half past twelve by the time I would return home. As I would come walking, my shoes would make some noise. Because I had metal cleats placed on the soles of my shoes, they would click, and they would make a lot of noise at night. The poor dogs would be sleeping at night, they would be sleeping peacefully, and then they would raise up their ears like this. So, I would understand, ‘The poor thing has become startled because of me! What kind of a person am I in this locality that these dogs are becoming startled by me?’ So while I was still at a distance, I would remove my shoes beforehand, and I would walk with the shoes in my hands. I would sneak past them, but I would not let them get startled. This was my approach at a young age. They would get startled because of me, wouldn’t they?

Questioner: Yes, it would also disturb their sleep, wouldn’t it?

Dadashri: Yes, moreover, they would get startled, and they don’t abandon their nature. They would even bark sometimes; it is in their nature. Instead, wouldn’t it be better to just let them sleep? That too, they would not bark at those who would live in that locality.

So for abhaydaan, first maintain the intent (bhaav) that, ‘May no living being be hurt in the slightest,’ and then it will come into practice. If the intent has been done, then it will come into practice, but what if the intent has not been done at all? Therefore, the Lord has referred to this donation as one that is paramount. There is no need for money in this. This is the highest type of donation of all, but people do not have the capacity for this. Even those who have money are unable to do this. Therefore, those who have money should give donation through money.

So, there is no other type of donation except these four; that is what the Lord has said. The donations that others talk about are of their imagination; [in reality,] there are only these four types of donations. Aahaardaan, aushadhdaan,then comes gnandaan and abhaydaan. As much as possible, maintain the intention to give abhaydaan.