The Immeasurable Merit of Dāna

Some say that since all phenomena in the world are illusory and unarisen, there is no need to strive or do anything, and nothing holds any meaning. Is this view correct?

This view is certainly incorrect. Only through cultivating practice within illusory phenomena can one attain realization. Before achieving realization, one must diligently practice within these illusory phenomena. All virtuous actions undertaken on the Buddhist path are for the sake of realizing the Way, realizing the unarisen, realizing the formless and the ultimate reality. Only after realizing this does one truly know the unarisen and attain liberation and Buddhahood. Conditioned actions are for the sake of the unconditioned state. Therefore, before one is capable of abiding in the unconditioned, all meaningful conditioned actions that should be done must be diligently pursued. Whatever one does is done for oneself; it is oneself who gains the benefit and reaps the fruit of the unconditioned. Superficially, it may seem that one benefits others, that others receive one's help, or that one upholds the Triple Gem and benefits the Triple Gem and sentient beings. In reality, however, it is oneself who gains the greatest benefit. If the Triple Gem does not benefit, and sentient beings do not benefit, then all one's actions are without benefit and are futile. The so-called benefit arises precisely on the basis of benefiting the Triple Gem and sentient beings. If others do not receive benefit, one oneself will not gain blessings, merit, or wisdom.

For example, giving to sentient beings yields a return of a thousandfold or more. If the recipient does not accept, not even a single-fold return is obtained. If the recipient does not benefit, there is no return at all. It is just like giving ten thousand yuan to empty space: empty space neither receives nor benefits, equivalent to oneself losing ten thousand yuan. What return is there from losing money? Oneself gains not even a penny in return, let alone a thousandfold or ten thousandfold return. It is also like giving ten thousand yuan to the ocean: the ocean neither receives nor benefits, and the money will be destroyed. Thus, one has merely squandered ten thousand yuan for nothing. Deliberately destroying printed paper money even incurs karmic fault. It is also like giving ten thousand yuan to a great fire: the fire burns it up. Such giving not only yields no benefit but also incurs karmic fault.

Some people constantly dwell on their own acts of giving, always feeling they have bestowed kindness upon others. In reality, however, it is precisely the recipient who has shown kindness to oneself. If others were not willing to accept one's generosity, how could one obtain a thousandfold or ten thousandfold return? How could one accumulate even a little of the vast merit and resources needed for realizing the Way? To enable sentient beings to accumulate abundant merit, the Buddha, just before entering Parinirvana, specifically instructed several Arhat disciples to remain in physical form to abide in the world, to accept offerings from sentient beings, thereby providing sentient beings the opportunity to cultivate great merit. Those Arhats actually dislike receiving offerings—firstly, because it is troublesome, and secondly, because it consumes their own merit. Yet, as disciples of the Buddha, they must respect the Buddha’s arrangement and benefit sentient beings. Therefore, they do not enter the Nirvana without residue but remain in the world.

Some people engage in Dharma giving, posting messages to guide predestined individuals into proper cultivation. They may feel as if they are doing work for their teacher, as if others are gaining the benefit, while they themselves expend time and effort, feeling at a loss. They do not understand the result of their Dharma giving, how supremely excellent it is, or how immense the benefits they will ultimately receive—perhaps beyond calculation. It is precisely due to these acts of merit and virtue that one swiftly attains Buddhahood in this life or future lives during the cultivation process, avoiding the suffering of endless kalpas of birth and death. This karmic retribution cannot be exchanged for treasures as vast as empty space; the resulting benefits cannot be fully described. Yet, those who receive the benefit of one’s Dharma giving possess far less merit, virtue, and wisdom than oneself. The greater the benefit the Triple Gem and sentient beings receive from one’s giving, the greater one’s own merit and virtue become, and the highest wisdom will be attained in the future. As long as one’s vision is not short-sighted, one should observe reality as it is and consider one’s own future and greatest benefit.

The merit of a Bodhisattva surpasses that of an Arhat by ten thousand times, a hundred million times, immeasurable times. This is because Bodhisattvas, life after life, remain with sentient beings. In every gesture and action, they benefit sentient beings, simultaneously gaining merit and virtue ten thousandfold, a hundred millionfold, immeasurable times over. Therefore, Bodhisattvas are like great wealthy elders; their riches and nobility cannot be compared to anyone in the world. When merit and wisdom are perfectly complete, they manifest the Eight Aspects of Attaining the Way and become the Teacher of Gods and Humans, the Buddha, the World-Honored One.