Lal:
Great. Thanks.That is what I am here for.
As the All-Perfected One preached in a country, langauage and culture alien to what we now call the West, the meaning , moreover, the hiddden
meaning of words in the Pali is CRUCIAL. That is one other reason why I appreciate so much what you are doing.
To clarify things: by ‘It does not explain how giving dana by itself cannot lead to the Anagami stage.’ Are you sure you do not meean ‘It does not explain how giving dana by itself CAN lead to the Anagami stage.’? There is a difference. And, finally, would it be reasonable to understand that if giving with the thought ‘ this is an ornament for the mind, a support for the mind’ leads to the Anagami stage, then, not being attached even to that motive, i.e.not having any motive whatsoever, doing whatever needs to be done just because it is there to be done (it could be somebody else, makes no difference to one), what the Gita calls Niskamakarma, would lead, by extension, to an even higher destination. I know it is not stated per se, it is just an implication that came to mind.
Please appreciate I have been delving into and reflecting on these matters for decades; coming across Puredhamma added fuel to the flame of inquiry. So I have perhaps taken more of your time than I should have.
y not