Home›Sources›Theories of the Gift in South Asia: Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain Reflections on DanaSourcesTheories of the Gift in South Asia: Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain Reflections on DanaMaria Heim, Routledge, 2004Citation FormatsGeneral ReferenceGeneral Reference Citation TextDivinity Atlas. "Theories of the Gift in South Asia: Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain Reflections on Dana." Accessed August 30, 2026. https://www.divinityatlas.com/sources/heim-theories-of-the-gift-in-south-asia.Copy General ReferenceAPA StyleAPA Style Citation TextDivinity Atlas. (n.d.). Theories of the Gift in South Asia: Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain Reflections on Dana. Retrieved August 30, 2026, from https://www.divinityatlas.com/sources/heim-theories-of-the-gift-in-south-asiaCopy APA StyleBibTeXBibTeX Citation Text@misc{divinityatlas-theories-of-the-gift-in-south-asia-hindu, author = {Divinity Atlas}, title = {Theories of the Gift in South Asia: Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain Reflections on Dana}, year = {2026}, url = {https://www.divinityatlas.com/sources/heim-theories-of-the-gift-in-south-asia}, note = {Accessed August 30, 2026} }Copy BibTeXMaria Heim's academic study of how medieval Hindu, Buddhist and Jain thinkers theorized the gift (dana), including the classical dharmashastra classification of gifts as obligatory, occasional or freely chosen, and the parallel Jain textual tradition of formally vowed but unquantified giving.FactsClaims Backed By This Source (8 claims)Comments (0)Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)FactsAssessmentReliability TierWell-attested1Tier 1: a peer-reviewed academic monograph by Maria Heim, professor of religion at Amherst College, devoted specifically to how Hindu, Buddhist and Jain thinkers writing roughly 1100-1300 CE theorized dana (gift-giving), including whether it is owed as a duty or freely chosen. The single named scholarly work located that treats dana theory across both traditions needed here (Hindu and Jain), rather than a general encyclopedia entry.CitationAuthorWell-attestedMaria HeimPublisherWell-attestedRoutledge (Religion in History, Society and Culture series)Publication YearWell-attested2004Source TypeWell-attestedacademic monographClaims Backed By This Source (8 claims)This source backs 8 claims across the atlas. As facts: 7 well-attested. Plus 1 entities citing it as a general reference with no single fact or relationship attached.Disposition By TopicSources, 6 claims: 6 well-attested.Religions, 2 claims: 1 well-attested, 1 general references.Well-attested7ReligionsHinduismSourcesTheories of the Gift in South Asia: Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain Reflections on DanaGeneral References1ReligionsHinduismComments (0)No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.Sign in to join the discussion.Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.View At A Past YearThe atlas records no dated fact of its own for this entry, so there is no other year to choose.Show This Year