Life is a movement from imperfection to perfection. Nature itself suggests this direction to us: all living beings, one way or another, evolve and nothing can remain forever in a static state. Human consciousness is an intermediate level between animal consciousness and divine consciousness. And the highest destiny of a person is the transformation of his animal consciousness, the pacification of his animal instincts and the desire to acquire a divine state of consciousness. What is the difference between animal consciousness and divine consciousness? The consciousness of an animal is based on instincts, which, one way or another, are aimed only at ensuring the viability of a particular creature.
We cannot know for sure in what form consciousness is manifested in animals, but judging by their behavior, we can conclude that they are most often interested only in satisfying their personal physical needs. That is, the main sign of animal consciousness is selfishness. You can, of course, cite as an example, say, a dog, a friend of a person, who can show miracles of fidelity and even sacrifice his life for the sake of his master (not many people are capable of this).
But here, by the way, you can already see how, when interacting with a person, the consciousness of a dog “humanizes”: it becomes more altruistic. This is a vivid example of the fact that evolution is, first of all, the transformation of egoism into altruism. From this follows the following conclusion: that a sign of divine consciousness is altruism. And the higher the level of development of consciousness, the higher the level of altruism.
The collision of animal and divine consciousness, the contrast of their difference was well noted by Shantideva in his brilliant work “Bodhicharya Avatara”: “What will I eat if I give it away? - such is the self-interest of evil spirits. What will I give if I eat? “This is selflessness worthy of the king of the gods.” Very subtle. The consciousness of an egoist puts his person, his personality, as they say, at the forefront, in the center of the Universe. And first of all, the egoist seeks to satisfy his needs, and only then, if resources remain, you can think about others. And this is at best.
And at worst, such a thought does not even arise in the mind of an egoist, just as a gust of wind cannot arise in a vacuum. The consciousness of an altruist has a diametrically opposite direction: first of all, he thinks about the good for others, and only when the suffering of all those around him has ceased, he can think about himself. And this is the highest purpose of a rational being. When the consciousness of a being expands to the size of the Universe, it begins to understand that everything in this world is one and the same, and it is impossible to create a personal island of happiness in the ocean of troubles and suffering. For sooner or later waves of suffering will overwhelm this island. Then a person begins to act not in the interests of himself, but in the interests of all living beings.
Generosity is the cause of wealth
“Release your bread on the waters, because after many days you will find it again,” said the Old Testament King Solomon, and wisdom, covered with the dust of centuries, is relevant to this day. The same was said by the Teacher of Gods and People - Buddha Shakyamuni. His words are stated in the Sutra on the Law of Karma, which is recommended for everyone to read: “Offering clothes to monks will cause you to have many good clothes in the future or in your next life.
Offering food to the hungry will cause you to have a large supply of food in your next life. Being miserly and greedy towards those who are in need will cause great suffering from hunger and cold due to lack of food and clothing in your next life. Offering food to the monasteries will be the cause of having a spacious house in your next life.” Who better and clearer than the Tathagata can explain to all living people how wise it is to be generous and how stupid it is to be greedy?
Generosity- the property of the generous; significant, extensive financial assistance, gift.
Generosity- a quality denoting a morally perfect measure in the treatment of personal property that is of value to others.
Dictionary of modern Russian literary language
Stinginess | total lack of generosity.
Generosity
Extravagance | an unnecessary excess of generosity, bordering on disrespect for oneself.
Popular expressions about generosity
Generosity knows no bounds. - Cicero - A generous person is one who gives the right person the right thing at the right time. - Aristotle - One should be respected who is generous, not the one who can be generous. - Machiavelli - Generosity, especially when accompanied by humility, wins hearts. - Goethe - Income makes a person generous. - Persian proverb - Nikolaeva I., Karnachuk N. / The culture of the chivalrous environment"Wealth and generosity in the mind of a knight" - a chapter from the book, recommended for study. You will learn that even feasts and the rich decoration of castles were a reflection of the virtue of generosity, which prescribes wastefulness and obligatory periods of asceticism, abstinence. Jean Flory / Daily life of knights in the Middle Ages A curious book that destroys the myth of ideal, virtuous chivalry, plunges the reader into the prose of medieval life, in order to then ... bring him to the level of conscious admiration for the real life exploits of people who despised power and wealth for the sake of spiritual ideals.The world is multifaceted, and the people living in it are not alike. We are all different and there are pros and cons to that. Someone is open to the world with all his soul, while the other is closed in himself. One is able to give the last for the afflicted, and the other, like Koschei, languishes over his wealth. It is impossible to describe in two words the generosity of the human soul, to give it a simple definition. It's like a talent: one has revealed it to the fullest, while the other is mediocre and empty.
Definition of generosity
Everyone knows what the “boomerang law” is: the world and others treat a person in the same way as he treats others. There is a kind of exchange of energy. Generosity is the state when, having performed a noble deed, you do not expect the same in return, you do it completely disinterestedly. This is a spiritual impulse, a sign of human kindness and generosity.
This is a wonderful quality that should be developed in yourself. It is difficult to imagine a world without kind, sympathetic and generous people capable of selfless deeds.
The generosity of the soul will endow a person with an inner glow and warmth that can be felt at a distance. It's nice to be around such people.
Significance in society
“Share what you have. For some, this may mean more than you think." (c) Henry Longfellow
The world cannot exist without kindness and generosity. These qualities make him better and purer, happier and wiser. The modern world is moving at a breakneck pace, without looking around, everyone does more for himself than for others.
Power, wealth, sensual pleasures - this is the pleasure for many. Showing kindness is considered weakness and self-doubt. But this is not so, an open and generous person has many advantages over others and knows that:
- happiness is not limited by resources;
- generosity increases feelings of happiness;
- helping one is a step towards common well-being;
- trust is a step towards the balance of the soul.
A person who is ready to help others is truly generous in soul. The resources in the world are not limited, they grow as society develops, and you should not be afraid that if someone succeeds in business, there will be no success in their own business. Thinking “either you or you” is illogical. The development of society implies one's own formation in it.
Giving a part of ourselves to others, we get rid of selfishness and are filled with love, happiness and care for those who need it most at the moment. Internal resources seem to be mobilized and find what they need in the outside world.
Solving problems together is always easier than alone. A generous and wise person will certainly make his contribution to the common cause. Volunteering can be an example of such an action.
Kindness and trust are qualities that cannot exist one without the other. Optimism is characteristic of generous people. They believe that they give their own strength, resources for the benefit of another, they fully trust the one they help.
They are happy because they live with faith in others. This is the meaning of their life, they never give in to depression and look at the world positively. Trust and kindness are important qualities that can prolong life.
Delusions and fears
Some people are afraid to be generous and open. The following fears and delusions contribute to this:
- to be misunderstood by others;
- waste time;
- part with your own money;
- be funny.
These are the main factors by which people are divided into altruists and pragmatists, for the latter there is no concept of the generosity of the soul.
There are many egoists in society who think only of themselves and are incapable of noble deeds.
This happens for various reasons. The fear of being ridiculous in the eyes of others often stops people. They are afraid of becoming vulnerable, because they can be used for selfish purposes, and then made a laughingstock.
Sometimes this fear stretches from childhood, it appears due to the persecution of peers or resentment on their part, psychological trauma. In an adult, children's negative experience turns into an internal barrier, a kind of protection from the outside world. A person becomes a miser in every sense of the word.
If earlier a person was faced with the loss of money that was not easily obtained, then the fear of giving it voluntarily into the wrong hands is very great. Thoughts arise that these expenses are completely vain and worthless, a person does not need, but simply extorts them for the purpose of his own gain, and all this is a hoax. The first reaction to this is stinginess.
Greed arises from distrust. People think everyone is lying.
The desire to accumulate as much as possible drives many people. Their life is filled only with the thirst for profit. They cannot spend their time on others because they believe that their time is worth money. The fear of losing precious minutes for nothing exceeds the feeling of love and kindness in such people. They cannot understand that by giving, you can get much more than you have. This is one of the forms of human egoism.
But by overcoming yourself, taking just one step forward, you can overcome all these fears and delusions. Working on your inner "I", you can feel the beauty of the generosity of the soul.
The benefits of generosity
The benefits of generosity are clear. Giving something to others, the soul and body of a person acquire new qualities. Here are 5 reasons to be generous:
- become richer and happier;
- add health;
- strengthen social ties;
- elicit gratitude from others;
- infect others with your positivity.
Giving someone money or gifts, many experience much more joy than receiving them. This is due to biological factors: in the brain, the areas responsible for pleasure are activated. There is a so-called. brain glow: endorphins are released and there is a pleasant feeling of help.
Generosity makes us happier. Altruism makes the soul richer, improves overall well-being, reduces the risk of HIV and chronic diseases. A 1999 study in California confirmed that older people (aged 75+) who volunteered died 45% less than their peers.
It has been concluded that generosity reduces the risk of stress that affects longevity. Positive emotions prolong life.
The exchange of kindness, mutual understanding strengthen trust in each other, form social and business ties, serve as a kind of "key" to interact. Generosity also helps to maintain mental balance. Loneliness is unnatural, a person needs social connections by nature. Mutual altruism leads to internal and external well-being.
Your own kindness allows you to see the positive qualities in others. Gratitude evokes generosity. Receiving a sudden, unexpected gift, a person seeks to do something good for the giver. And at the same time he feels happiness.
Feelings for a romantic partner are strengthened, and business ties become more reliable. Gratitude in everyday life helps to get closer to people, to feel and understand them better. Positive emotions arise both in the giver and in the one who receives the gift.
The contagious effect of generosity is proven and known to all. If a person sees on the street how someone else helped a passerby, gave money to a beggar for a piece of bread, he wants to do the same. There is a chain reaction of generosity. Everyone is able to influence hundreds of other people with their actions. The emotional state is transmitted along the chain from one to another. There is a feeling of warmth and euphoria in the chest.
Altruism is contagious. Physiologically, this is due to the release of the hormone oxytocin. The reaction is transmitted to everyone around, and the chain of generosity, under certain conditions, is extended to infinity.
Conclusion
Life does not stand still, it changes every second, and humanity along with it. She teaches to be responsive and kind, generous and open. Love for loved ones and strangers makes souls purer. To be or not to be generous is everyone's choice. But if you learn to help each other, it will become easier to cope with problems. It is important to remember that a truly good person will not expect anything in return, he does everything disinterestedly.
Immeasurable and full of beautiful qualities and depths. In life we meet different people in character, opinion and behavioral factors. There are a number of human qualities, so-called from God. Generosity is one of them. And then it becomes interesting, what is generosity?
Concept definition
It is difficult to answer the question of what generosity is in two words. extensible and supplemented by more and more new examples that expand the meaning of this word. But first of all, it can be said, good. So, let's answer more specifically the question of what generosity is. This is the property of a person to bestow love, attention, material goods, to share in need with his neighbor, without demanding anything in return.
The generosity of the soul is a sign of a person's deep morality, good nature and manifestation of kindness on an unlimited scale and quantity, with the exception of expectations of a reverse action. Have you met generous people? If so, then you probably noticed how warm it is from them, what pleasure you get from minimal communication with a generous person. Agree that they are worthy of maximum respect and deserve gratitude. It is not for nothing that a generous person is referred to as a generous person.
Significance in society
Our society has a fairly complex apparatus of governance and relationships. But even among everyday selfish relationships there is charity, which is also attributed to human generosity. In fact, in the life of every person there are situations that he himself is not able to cope with. And then family and friends come to the rescue. But, alas, experience shows that just help from loved ones is due to the expectation of reciprocal actions, at least constant gratitude. Another course of events is not excluded, when a person from a pure heart, wishing good, gives part of his time or money. In the first case, contributions to charitable foundations are closest to the concept of "generosity".
The second example is also a manifestation of generosity. The presence of generous people in society is very important. They are like keys to God. Imagine: the society is full of stingy and selfish people. Will it welcome the help of the whole world to a crippled person in acquiring the necessary medicines or means of transportation? The answer is obvious, because this society will not get anything from this good cause, which is especially important for people with disabilities. Such a person will be left alone with his suffering and helplessness, and it is not known how much longer he will live. And on the cowardly, stingy, well, or simply indifferent (which is no less bad), this will affect in its own way. Therefore, the existence of generosity in the hearts of members of society is important.
Misunderstandings in the concept
Very often, generosity includes mutual assistance and donations. Most often, donations are made to atone for one's sins, so these concepts are incomparable, because there is also a benefit here. Know that real unprecedented generosity is the gold mine of the soul, which is not exhausted in its deeds. Do not think that if you have given everything, you will remain a beggar. Yes, perhaps financially, but not spiritually. Spiritual reserves are replenished with each generous act. A person rich in soul does not need a lot of money. And this means that a generous soul is famous not only for bestowal, but also for low consumption.
Generosity is the voice of kindness
It is difficult to judge what generosity is and fully reveal the essence of this concept. But it is quite clear that this is a wonderful feature and goodness, the presence of God in us. The word itself is in different languages, which indicates the centuries-old existence of this quality in people. Develop your spiritual potential and be generous!
What is generosity? This question is asked by many people who want to engage in self-improvement. Many feel the need to share their kindness with others. The thing is that everyone wants to feel their own importance, to be wonderful in something. Some people really feel the need to be responsive, to show indifference. Generosity is synonymous with the concept of sincere self-giving.
It is selfless service for the benefit of other people that can change the world for the better. If everyone was attentive to those who are close to him, life would become much easier and easier.
dedication
This concept is precisely based on the very idea of selflessness and genuine altruism. From how strongly self-giving is developed, people can show themselves in life from the best side. Many modern personalities are completely unaware of how it is possible to step back from their own interests and focus on caring for others. After all, individual preferences and problems always seem to us much more extensive and significant.
A person can sometimes exalt a certain difficulty so much in his own eyes that there will no longer be room for new ideas and thoughts. Thinking about what generosity is, one should not forget about self-giving. A person who does something for others becomes a little happier, more tolerant, kinder. His life is gradually filled with new meaning, new facets are opened in it.
Care and patronage
Utility
An important ingredient that no one can do without. The desire to be useful always testifies to the breadth of human nature. When we help someone, there is a special meaning in life. A person begins to understand and notice such circumstances that he could simply not pay attention to before. When someone's circumstances and experiences cause empathy, it means that the person has not hardened his soul. Being in everyday reality, it is extremely important to notice what is happening around. Only then the personality really develops, and does not stop at the achieved result.
After all, what is generosity? First of all, this is a certain view of the world, the ability to abstract from one's own problems and everyday hardships. Everyone has difficulties, but not everyone is really ready to take responsibility for what is happening, to become the master of his life. A person who is not indifferent to the experiences of others will never turn away from someone who really needs help.
Soul Need
What is generosity? This is a natural need of the soul that wants to do good. Many people, unfortunately, do not realize this, and therefore try to escape from their true nature. Obsession with one's own problems often does not allow one to show one's best qualities of character, to determine how everyday life becomes monotonous and uninteresting. No activity can replace the soul's need for generosity. And no matter how much people try to be important and significant, they still want to help disinterestedly, with full dedication, somewhere in the depths of themselves. Having the goal of helping those in need, a person really opens up significant perspectives within himself, cultivates his potential.
"Attraction of unheard of generosity"
This apt expression is familiar to many from the Soviet film "Big Change". Intuitively, most people understand what is being said when this phrase is used in speech. It indicates unexpected waste, which can lead to unpredictable consequences. In some cases, the expression is used as a confirmation of the modesty of the presented treat.
Thus, to be generous means to openly look at the world, abandoning all sorts of masks and pretense. By discovering in himself the desire to show kindness, a person eventually acquires the ability to enjoy ordinary things and at the same time appreciate the good that is present in his life. Generosity can not be bought for any money, because it represents the true wealth of the soul. If a person has a need to give, then she really strives for true self-expression.
