Four Shackles To Giving ...

Come across the Buddhist Sutta, called The Brahmajala Sutta (梵網經), which mentioned about relinquishing possessions, partial quote as follow:

For the sake of the supreme enlightenment, the great being, striving for enlightenment, should first of all surrender himself to the Buddhas, thus: "I offer myself up to the Buddhas." And whenever he obtains any possession, he should first of all resolve upon it as a potential gift: "Whatever requisite of life comes my way, that I will give to those who need it, and I myself will only use what remains over from this gift."

When he has made a mental determination to completely relinquish whatever possessions come his way, whether animate or inanimate, there are four shackles to giving (which must be overcome), namely: (1) not being accustomed to giving in the past, (2) the inferiority of the object to be given, (3) the excellence and beauty of the object, and (4) worry over loss of the object.

(1) When the opportunity of giving arises, his mind does not leap up at the thought of giving and does not want to give, he thinks: "Surely, I have not been accustomed to giving in the past, therefore a desire to give does not arise now in my mind. To condition my mind with delight of giving in the future, I will give a gift. With an eye for the future let me now relinquish what I have to those who in need."

(2) Again, when the object to be given is inferior or defective, the great being reflects: "Because I was not inclined to giving in the past, at present my requisites are defective. Therefore, though it pains me, let me give whatever I have as a gift even if the object is low and inferior. In that way I will, in the future, reach the peak in the perfection of giving."

(3) When a reluctance to give arises due to the excellence or beauty of the object to be given, the great being admonishes himself: "Good man, haven't you made the aspiration for the supreme enlightenment, the loftiest and most superior of all states? Well then, for the sake of enlightenment, it is proper for you to give excellent and beautiful objects as gifts."

(4) When the great being is giving a gift, and he sees the loss of the object being given, he reflects thus: "This is the nature of material possessions, that they are subject to loss and to passing away. Moreover, it is because I did not give such gifts in the past that my possessions are now depleted. Let me give whatever I have as a gift, whether it is limited or abundant. In that way, I will, in the future, reach the peak in the perfection of giving."

Thus he gives whatever he has as a gift - generous, open-handed, delighting in relinquishing, one who gives when asked, delighting in giving and in sharing. In this way the great being destroys, shatters, and eradicates the four shackles to giving.

Reflecting upon them thus in whatever way is appropriate is the means for dispelling the harmful shackles to the perfection of giving. The same method used for the perfection of giving also applies to the perfection of virtue and the other perfections.