Dana Economy

About our Dana Economy

 

What is the Dana Economy?

Dana is a Sanskrit and Pali word meaning ‘generosity’.

The term ‘Dana Economy’ refers to the way the Cambridge Buddhist Centre functions: with the central principle being generosity rather than exchange.

 

How does the Dana Economy work?

  • No one who leads or supports our meditation or Buddhism classes is paid to do so. They give their time and expertise freely.
  • We don’t charge for our meditation or Buddhism classes. We rely on generosity in the form of donations, both one-off gifts and regular contributions.
  • Our dedicated centre team coordinates our activities. They are financially supported at around the minimum wage.
  • Many volunteers generously offer their time, energy and skills in a variety of ways to help run the centre.

 

Why have a Dana Economy?

  • Generosity is one of the core values the Buddha taught. We want the way the centre is run to reflect this.
  • We want to make meditation and Buddhism accessible to everyone, regardless of income.
  • We see our visitors not as customers paying for a service, but as participants in our community – even if only for a few hours.

 

How can I get involved?

There are several ways:

Set up a regular donation

Regular donations are particularly helpful. They give us a reliable income stream, which allows us to budget more effectively. Regular donations also make it easier for us to claim Gift Aid, which increases the value of donations by 25%.

On average, our donors give about £30 per month, but even £10 per month can make a significant contribution to the running of the centre. Please give what you can.

Volunteer

You can volunteer at the centre on a regular or occasional basis, and in a variety of ways. To explore further, please contact Pasadanita at pasadanita@cambridgebuddhistcentre.com.

Give in kind

We always welcome tea bags, non-dairy milk, toilet rolls, heavy-duty bin bags, and so on. By adding an extra item to each shopping trip, you can help us to keep our supplies bill down.

Remember us in your will

If you are making a will, please consider making a bequest to the centre. Such gifts help us to further develop the centre. See here for more information about making a will. (Link is external).