When acknowledging that the origin of things we know and use is outside ourselves—beyond the purview of what we consider ours—we can be grateful. We find ourselves at home amidst a confluence of things received, contributions made and given by others. Attribution clears the way to experiencing the fidelity of gratitude firsthand.

As a Buddhist chaplaincy and center for Buddhist life at Yale, clear and grateful attribution gives form and direction to how and what we do. Attribution gives orientation to our activities. No less essential to well-being than remembering to breathe, attribution invites us to notice where things come from, turning the focus of attention outside ourselves, recognizing our sources upstream.