From Nagarjuna's Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom
(Dharmamitra Translation)

Moreover, when the bodhisattva practices giving he constantly brings forth thoughts of loving-kindness and compassion for the recipient. He is not attached to valuables and does not cherish his own goods. How much the less would he engage in stealing. When one feels loving-kindness and compassion for the recipient, how could one maintain ideas intent on killing? In ways such as these he is able to block off the breaking of precepts. This constitutes giving bringing forth precepts. If one is able to carry out giving employing a mind which destroys miserliness, then afterwards he will easily succeed in practicing the upholdance of precepts, patience, and so forth.

This [principal] is illustrated by the case of Manjushri when, long ago in the past in a far distant kalpa he was a bhikshu who went into the city to seek alms. He received a bowl full of "hundred-flavored delightful dumplings." In the city there was a small child who followed along after him, begging. He did not immediately give anything to him. When they reached a mural depicting the Buddha he picked up two of the dumplings with his hand and required [of the child], "If you are able to eat only one of the dumplings yourself while taking one of the dumplings and giving it to the Sangha, I will give them to you." [The child] immediately responded with assent and then took one of the delightful dumplings and presented it to the assembled Sangha [in the mural]. Afterwards he obtained Manjushri's consent to receive the precepts and brought forth the aspiration to become a buddha. In this fashion the practice of giving is able to cause one to take on the precepts and bring forth the aspiration to become a buddha. This constitutes the practice of giving bringing forth sila paramita.