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Merit
I came across this on the internet today, it was written by a monk. I thought it was great, so I want to share it. What do you think?
Merit is the result of engaging in virtuous actions. You might think of it as the fuel that keeps our vehicle (yana?) moving on the path. Without merit, we just stop dead in our tracks and can't move. Virtuous activity might be simple helping others, but in a Buddhist context there are certain activities which are said to be particularly virtuous. Practicing or meditating is one. Listening to Dharma teachings is another. Circumambulating a stupa is a really good one, very powerful (of course, most people don't have one nearby). Teaching the Dharma is an excellent one (though one must be qualified to do so, of course). Making offerings to the Dharma is also good. So there are lots of ways to gain merit, just as there are lots and lots of ways to produce demerit, negative merit (harming others, etc.).
Whenever you do something meritorious (i.e., virtuous) you should immediately dedicate that merit to the benefit of all sentient beings. That way the merit is not lost. Anger, for example, is a great destroyer of merit. Earn a lot of merit and lose all of it on the way home when you're driving and somebody cuts you off or something. So you want to make it count, which is why you dedicate it. That seals the merit, and all beings will benefit from it.
Merit is the result of engaging in virtuous actions. You might think of it as the fuel that keeps our vehicle (yana?) moving on the path. Without merit, we just stop dead in our tracks and can't move. Virtuous activity might be simple helping others, but in a Buddhist context there are certain activities which are said to be particularly virtuous. Practicing or meditating is one. Listening to Dharma teachings is another. Circumambulating a stupa is a really good one, very powerful (of course, most people don't have one nearby). Teaching the Dharma is an excellent one (though one must be qualified to do so, of course). Making offerings to the Dharma is also good. So there are lots of ways to gain merit, just as there are lots and lots of ways to produce demerit, negative merit (harming others, etc.).
Whenever you do something meritorious (i.e., virtuous) you should immediately dedicate that merit to the benefit of all sentient beings. That way the merit is not lost. Anger, for example, is a great destroyer of merit. Earn a lot of merit and lose all of it on the way home when you're driving and somebody cuts you off or something. So you want to make it count, which is why you dedicate it. That seals the merit, and all beings will benefit from it.
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