generosity
Generosity is giving to others and yourself so that there is a win-win result.
generosity is complete devotion
What is generous is generous in the long term because what results in the long term is stable. What is generous might appear selfish or selfless in the short term though is actually generous since the long term result is generous. This is because it is a generous undesirable experience.
What is pleasurable in the short-term might be non-generous in the long-term (for example, over fishing).
There are a number of possible contributing factors to every action. For example, the act of sharing (like a bag of apples), which is generous, requires the person to also distribute evenly to ensure the act of sharing is generous (for example, each person gets an equal and random selection of apples). Only a complete devotion to generosity (no reservations) will ensure all contributing factors are generous. Some of the contributing factors will always be hidden in our subconscious; for this reason, generosity is attainable only through complete devotion.
understanding generosity by comparison
generosity
Generosity is giving to everyone including yourself, in the long term and the short term.
Selfishness
Selfishness is giving to yourself (or the group you are a member), while not attempting to genuinely consider the indirect and long term results as experienced by others, yourself and the group you are a member.
Selflessness
Selflessness is giving what is needed by yourself, or the group you are a member to the less needy. Often, it is because the person believes some unknown will restore what is needed.
Few people intend to be selfless and or selfish. To be confident in being generous, examine the long term results experienced by everyone.
Only generosity ensures long term happiness for everyone.
the spectrum of giving
Generosity sits in the middle of the spectrum between selfishness to selflessness. There is no clear boundary between them. If you consider giving to yourself and others and consider possible indirect results and long term results, you can be confident you are being generous (even if a generous undesirable experience results).