Dana-pati
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dana-pati
檀那・檀越 (Skt, Pali; Jpn danna or dan’otsu )
An almsgiver, or a person who offers alms to others including the Buddha and Buddhist Order. Dana means to donate and also gift, and pati means master, lord, or owner. In Japan, a lay believer who regularly makes offerings to a priest or a temple is called danna, which derives from the Sanskrit word dana, or almsgiving, and his family is called danka (donating family).