dāna

(Sanskrit; Pāli). Generosity, a key Buddhist virtue which is both a source of great merit (puṇya) and also instrumental in overcoming selfishness and attachment. In Theravādin contexts, it connotes the giving of alms by lay-people to monks, while in Mahāyāna it usually refers to the Perfection of Generosity (dāna-pāramitā). A particularly worthy recipient of a gift is known as a ‘field of merit’ (puṇya-kṣetra).