In Buddhism, the closest equivalent to nedivut (generosity in Jewish Mussar) and seva (selfless service in Hindu and Sikh traditions) is Dāna (दान, 慈施), which refers to selfless giving as a foundational practice of virtue and spiritual cultivation.
1. Definition & Core Concept
| Concept | Nedivut (Jewish Generosity) | Seva (Hindu/Sikh Selfless Service) | Dāna (Buddhist Generosity) |
| Meaning | Voluntary, wholehearted giving without expectation of return. | Selfless service as a sacred duty (dharma), devotion, or communal service. | Giving without attachment, as a means of cultivating detachment and compassion. |
| Focus | Individual willingness to give freely. | Service-oriented action that benefits others. | Developing a giving nature as a practice of non-attachment (anatta) and merit (puñña). |
| Obligation? | Not obligatory but an ethical ideal. | Considered a religious duty. | One of the Ten Perfections (Pāramitās) but performed voluntarily. |
| Spiritual Context | Mussar virtue focused on character refinement and ethical living. | Rooted in dharma (righteous action) and karma yoga (selfless action). | Core to Buddhist ethics, especially in Theravāda and Mahāyāna traditions. |
2. Motivation & Intention
| Aspect | Nedivut | Seva | Dāna |
| Motivation | Inner generosity and goodwill. | A sense of duty and devotion. | Cultivating detachment from ego and practicing selflessness. |
| Expectation of Return? | True nedivut has no expectation of return. | Ideally no expectation, though seva is often framed as a duty. | Giving should be free of attachment, but merit (puñña) accumulates naturally. |
| Autonomy in Giving | The giver decides when, how, and how much to give. | Often directed by religious or communal needs. | Encouraged to be unconditional, but the intention matters—giving with attachment weakens its spiritual effect. |
- Overlap: All three encourage giving without selfish motives.
- Contrast: Dāna uniquely emphasizes letting go of attachment rather than just generosity.
3. Relationship to Community and Spiritual Growth
| Aspect | Nedivut | Seva | Dāna |
| Individual vs. Collective | Can be directed at individuals or the broader community. | Often performed in a communal or religious setting (temples, gurudwaras). | Traditionally directed toward monastics, but can be given to any being. |
| Spiritual Transformation | Develops a generous heart and reduces attachment to wealth. | Serves as humility practice and dissolves ego in devotion. | Leads to non-attachment (anatta) and helps break greed (lobha). |
| Forms of Giving | Money, time, effort, hospitality, kindness. | Physical service, food, teaching, guidance. | Offering alms, providing food, giving teachings, sharing wisdom, supporting monastics. |
Key Difference: Dāna is an explicit tool for overcoming greed and self-clinging, whereas nedivut and seva focus more on ethical and communal virtue.
4. Near Enemies and Shadow Aspects
| Near Enemy | Nedivut (Shadow) | Seva (Shadow) | Dāna (Shadow) |
| Prideful Giving | Giving for status or validation. | Serving with a sense of superiority or duty-bound resentment. | Giving with expectation of karmic reward (e.g., hoping for better rebirth). |
| Self-Sacrifice | Giving beyond one’s means, leading to burnout. | Overcommitting to service at the cost of personal well-being. | Giving so excessively that it reinforces attachment instead of releasing it. |
| Conditional Giving | Expecting gratitude or favor in return. | Serving only when it aligns with personal goals. | Giving with the wrong view (e.g., transactional karma, expecting direct benefits). |
| Overgiving | Insisting on giving even when unnecessary. | Offering help where it is not needed, reinforcing dependency. | Clinging to the identity of a giver, making generosity an extension of ego. |
Buddhist Unique View: Dāna warns against giving for the wrong reasons (e.g., to increase status or ensure a better rebirth), emphasizing true selflessness.
5. Practical Applications & Rituals
| Aspect | Nedivut | Seva | Dāna |
| Common Expressions | Charity (tzedakah), hospitality (hachnasat orchim), helping others without expecting repayment. | Langar (free kitchen in Sikhism), temple service, disaster relief, community work. | Offering alms to monks, providing food to the needy, teaching Dharma, giving shelter. |
| Religious Basis | Ethics-driven: “Who is truly wealthy? One who is happy with their portion.” (Pirkei Avot 4:1) | Duty-driven: “Do your duty without attachment to results.” (Bhagavad Gita 2:47) | Non-attachment-driven: “The gift, given out of faith, to one who does no service in return, with the thought ‘This should be given,’ is pure.” (Bhagavad Gita 17:20) |
| Modern-Day Practice | Philanthropy, volunteering, mentoring, communal support. | Service in hospitals, feeding the needy, environmental seva, disaster relief. | Charity, supporting monasteries, social work, sharing wisdom. |
6. Conclusion: Nedivut vs. Seva vs. Dāna
- Nedivut (Jewish generosity) is about free-willed giving, rooted in ethical refinement and personal character development.
- Seva (Hindu/Sikh selfless service) is duty-driven, emphasizing selfless action and devotion to community and the Divine.
- Dāna (Buddhist generosity) is detachment-driven, helping to reduce clinging, purify karma, and cultivate compassion.
Despite differences, all three traditions recognize generosity as a transformative practice, not just for the recipient but also for the giver. Dāna uniquely serves as a tool for dissolving ego and attachment, aligning it more closely with Buddhist anatta (non-self) than with ethical generosity.
Each system—nedivut, seva, and dāna—has valuable lessons in cultivating selfless giving, reducing ego, and creating a more compassionate world.