It is important to us at Bright Earth that we never want anyone to feel excluded from Bright Earth’s events and teachings for financial reasons. We offer a suggested range of donations for events depending on your level of income, and we are also very happy to receive less than the lower suggestion if that is what is currently affordable.
Where do donations to Bright Earth go?
Donations go straight to the Amida Trust, the charitable organisation who oversee Bright Earth’s finances. The Trust ensure that funds are used to fulfil the Trust’s central aim – spreading the Dharma. The ministry team take responsibility for fundraising and for discussing how to best steward the money available to the Bright Earth community, and the Trust always have the final say in these decisions.
Monies are spent maintaining the Bright Earth temple in Malvern and paying for other expenses such as insurance, accountancy costs, online costs etc.
Bright Earth ministers volunteer their time to run the twice weekly practice sessions in Malvern, online practice sessions, to attend ministry meetings, to train new ministers and to perform many other functions within the organisation.
When ministers hold other events and courses (such as the Essentials of Bright Earth Buddhism course, school visits or Dharma Hours) they have the opportunity to receive up to 50% of donations. Whether or not the minister receives this money or offers some or all of it back to the Trust is at their discretion.
This money is offered to the ministers both as a way of valuing their experience and commitment of time and energy, and also to allow ministers (especially those on lower incomes) to be more available to offer Dharma work in balance with their other work.
Welcoming those with less money
In our experience, those with less money can feel uncomfortable or even ashamed about not donating as much as they would like to. This is understandable, especially within the context of the messages we receive from society about money and our personal financial situation, which often put the blame on the individual.
It is also true that our financial situations are strongly influenced by many causes and conditions that are out of our control – the geographical location and culture where we are born, our early experiences with money, what jobs are available in our area, what gifts and limitations we are born with etc.
We strongly believe that the Dharma should be available to everyone, regardless of their financial circumstances. We encourage anyone who feels uncomfortable about not donating more to check in with a minister, to keep coming back, and to trust that they are a valuable sangha member regardless of what they offer financially.
Encouraging those with more money to donate more
At the other end of the scale, those with more money may be able to give more than they currently give. Our temple in Malvern is at the heart of our community and offers us space to run practice, have a residential community, provide rooms for training ministers and more. It is also a listed building and maintenance costs are high.
Making offerings can also be a way of exploring the various privileges we have, which we can take for granted. As examples, if we are born white it means that we benefit from racism in various direct and indirect ways. We are also more likely to hold power, both financial and other, if we are male, able-bodied, middle or upper class, heterosexual, etc.
Dana as a spiritual practice for everyone
Making donations – dana – is an important part of the spiritual life.
Some of us need to get more comfortable with offering less or with receiving. Some of us need to get more comfortable with giving more than we are currently giving. Only we can discern what is right for us to give. If you would like a conversation with a minister around this topic, do let us know at hello@brightearth.org.
Monthly donations
We appreciate those who donate at individual practice sessions and to Dharma talks, courses etc. We also appreciate those who are able to set up a regular monthly donation, however much it little. This helps us to keep our finances steady, and it may also help you to make an ongoing, steady commitment to your spiritual life.
Non-financial donations
Ideally, we all make offerings that feel sustainable and joyful. Money is one way of making offerings, and, the community also receives in many different ways – from those who offer to wash up the mugs after practice, from those to attend our volunteer mornings to help care for the temple and garden, from those who attend courses and share their experiences, from those who ask a fellow sangha member how they are doing.
Sometimes we are in need of support, and our practice is receiving from others and from the world. Sometimes we are able to make offerings, which can help us to loosen some of our attachments, express our gratitude for what we’ve received, and experience the pleasure of giving. Most of us are engaged in a mix of these in various areas of our life.
Pure Land Buddhism says that we are bombu beings – prone to anxiety, self-criticism, self-protection, judgements of others and taking refuge in our money and our material possessions. That is okay – Amida Buddha sees the reasons for all this, and accepts us just as we are. Money is a complicated business! We hope that we can find ways of talking about this topic as a sangha, and of supporting sangha members to explore their relationship with money without any judgement or shame.
We also hope that we can remember that the Buddha is here to accompany us – whatever struggles we may be having. We can acknowledge the reality of living in an unfair and sometimes cruel society – doing what we can to speak up for those who are oppressed. We can also turn towards the beauty and abundance of nature, open ourselves to the kindness of the sangha, and trust that the Buddha’s infinite light and love is illuminating us always.
Namo Amida Bu.