ABOUT
About Dana
In the Buddhist tradition, Dana represents the foundational practice of cultivating generosity. It is the very heart of our community at PMC. Rather than a transactional exchange, Dana is an active meditation on interconnectedness—an open-hearted offering that sustains our teachings, our space, and our collective practice.
How Dana Works at PMC
Dana is the ancient Pali word for generosity, representing a heart-led practice of mutual support. At the Portland Meditation Center, we do not charge fixed fees for the teachings. Instead, we rely on the flow of giving and receiving to keep our doors open and our community thriving.
Our physical Dana Basket is placed near the entrance for cash or check offerings, and online contributions can be made at any time. For specific half-day and full-day workshops, we offer suggested minimum contributions (typically $20–$50) to help cover the travel costs of visiting teachers and operational overhead.
Please know that our primary commitment is to accessibility. No one is ever turned away for lack of funds. If the suggested contribution is beyond your current means, please join us anyway and offer whatever is comfortable—be it a smaller financial gift, volunteer support, or simply your presence in the practice.
Retreats and teachers
In keeping with the ancient Buddhist tradition, our retreats and teachers are supported entirely through the practice of Dana—the voluntary offering of generosity. Teachers do not receive a salary or regular payment for sharing the teachings; instead, they rely on your open-hearted donations to cover their basic living expenses and continue their vital work.
At the end of each retreat, you will have the opportunity to offer Dana. Contributions can be placed in the designated dana boxes located in the meditation hall, or made via personal checks. Your generosity not only sustains our teachers but also ensures these transformative retreats remain accessible to all, preserving a timeless cycle of giving and receiving.
When it isn't dana
While the core teachings are freely offered in the spirit of active generosity, there are specific instances where teachers or hosting venues must request set fees. These exceptions typically cover fixed operational costs that cannot be sustained through voluntary contributions alone. For example, residential retreats at rented centers require pre-determined charges to secure lodging, baseline utilities, and catered meals. Similarly, structured academic courses, online modules, or printed study materials may feature fixed registration fees to cover basic production overhead. In these cases, the fee sustains the physical infrastructure, allowing the teaching itself to remain an uncompromised gift.