There is an understanding permeating the teachings that duality itself will support the teacher if he or she is meant to be teaching and that one should not directly charge for teachings.  So this is a very broad and important view that the teachings give of duality which is seen to be one living being operating along the lines of perfect order.

Did your teacher Jean Klein or any of your non-traditional teachers like Papaji, or Nisargadatta charge you for the teachings?  Or was this by dana or in some other way?

Dhanya-ji:  Neither Papaji (Poonjaji) or Ranjit Maharaj (who had the same guru as Nisargadatta Maharaj) charged anything for their teachings.

In fact Papaji himself used to sometimes pay when people went out with him.  I think this came from the time-honored tradition of Indian hospitality.  We were guests in his country, so he paid.

I understand that when the numbers of people grew around him, people donated various things, like paying for the hall where he gave satsang; and those who ate in his house on a regular basis contributed money for food.  But no money was ever charged for attending the satsangs he gave.  I don’t even remember a ‘basket’ or anything like that where one could put donations.  Certainly nothing like that existed in the early days (circa 1991).

Ranjit Maharaj’s expenses were paid in the west by those who hosted him.  In America a basket was put out for donations during the teachings, and the money collected was given to Maharaj.  I don’t know what happened in India because I wasn’t there, but I’m sure he didn’t charge for teachings.

Both Ranjit Maharaj and Poonjaji had jobs and worked all their lives until they retired.  Ranjit Maharaj did not teach very much until he was quite old and more people came to know of him after Nisargadatta Maharaj had died.

Jean Klein did charge for his teachings.  I heard that originally he didn’t charge, but after some time he did.  I met him only shortly before he died, so I do not know the history of how he handled his finances.

What are your thoughts on charging for Advaita teachings in group satsang/meetings, private skype video, webinar, or email and facebook?

Dhanya-ji:  I would say that all of the above fit into the same category, and basically they all represent ‘charging for teachings,’ so if one should not charge for teachings, one should not charge for any of those.

There is a deeper understanding underlying this as far as I know.  No person in India, no matter how poor that person was, would go to a temple without offering something, be it just a flower petal.  The understanding is that without making an offering of some type one does not receive the entire benefit of either the teaching or the visit to the temple.  You make an offering and you receive a blessing, so it’s kind of a two way street, an acknowledgement that you are receiving something important and of value, and you appreciate and value it.

Can a lay teacher (non-monastic) also charge for Vedanta lessons or classes or does this also work by dana?  

Dhanya-ji:  The answer to this is no. A lay teacher shouldn’t charge, any more than a swami should.  Most of the lay teachers I know have other jobs, or they are retired and thus financially secure.  Donations are accepted but there is not a charge.

What does the scripture (Upanishads), shastras, or book of manu say about charging for Vedanta?

Dhanya-ji:  I don’t know the answer to that question.  I don’t think it comes up in the shruti, but I could be wrong.  It is my understanding that in the ancient days in India the student went to the teacher ‘sticks in hand.’  ‘Sticks in hand,’ is an old expression (I don’t know where you will find it, so perhaps you should ask someone more knowledgeable than I am.  I think you can find this expression in one of the Upanishads). 

I believe that ‘sticks in hand,’ refers to small twigs which one brought to the teacher when you originally asked for teachings; and it indicated and symbolized a willingness to serve the teacher and materially provide for the teacher’s needs. Thus the sticks would be used to start a fire at the guru’s dwelling place. 

Fire is very symbolic in the teachings.  It’s a purifier.  Fire is used in ritual.  The passing of the teaching from teacher to disciple is likened to one flame lighting another.  The fire of knowledge (self-knowledge) is an expression I’ve heard used.  And from a practical, day to day standpoint, it is fire on which food is cooked, and the student usually lived with the guru, so food was provided. 

What are the karmic aspects of charging for the teachings of Advaita?

Dhanya-ji:  I have no idea.  Generally it is said that no one can understand the intricate workings of karma.  They are too complex and they are also not available for our knowledge.  That karma itself exists is considered to be a belief.  It is a belief that I accept, because I find it to be logical, but I have found that some people don’t accept it because it cannot be directly proven to their satisfaction.

What are your thoughts on private satsang appointments with a spiritual teacher? Would you consider this type of donation Dana?

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Dhanya-ji:  Well, clearly that is charging.  It's all the same if money is charged for anything, it's charging money for teachings.  At Swamiji's Pennsylvania ashram it is true that money is charged for room and board, but no money is charged for the teaching.  At the end of the course if we want to we go up and make a donation to the teacher, but it is not required (though as far as I know everyone donates something) but it is private. We put money or a check in an envelope, and it's my impression that it goes to the ashram as a donation.