Making Merit

[sabaijai]

Yes, Xangsamhua, it is primarily a topic of discussion in Theravada, popular among abhidhammists in particular. Glad to be of help

One reason vipaka is worth examining or at least thinking about revolves around the fact that our reaction to vipaka experienced in the present moment creates new kamma. In other words our kamma doesn't come out of nowhere, it is in response to vipaka from previous kamma. Being aware that these cycles of kamma-vipaka continually condition our responses may make us more mindful of the present moment. Knowing how kamma creates vipaka may prompt us to be more careful about our thoughts and actions since these will come back to us as vipaka.

Negative kamma leads to negative vipaka. Experiencing negative vipaka. we are prone to experience aversion or confusion which may in turn cause us to react by creating yet more negative kamma.

[lungmi]

Bun you cannot make (Tambun)

Dana (generosity) is one of the highest value of Buddhism.

You can make much Tambun to buy your future life and so on.

It works only for some monks and her stupid business. They can do, they need food, they sell the Buddha, Prostitutes in Thailand only sell their body.

Dana means: You give what you have, do a good job --- and forget it. If it was good--- good comes back --- but don't wait for it.

If you wait that something comes back for your investment in tambun, your a a looser (law of nature)

[fabianfred]

To get the full karma from an act of killing (for example) there needs to be present five conditions...

one... a living being

two... one must know that it is a living being

three... one must intend to kill it

four... one takes action to kill it

five... it dies as a result of our efforts

If any of those are not present then the full karmic weight is not received.....but there would still be a karmic debt depending upon the circumstances.

Every action is unique due to differences in both the one doing the action as well as the one receiving the suffering. (looking at negative or unskillful karma...and also this applies to the opposite....positive karma or merit.)

My teacher LP Jaran likes to say that karma also has interest which has to be paid as well as the main lump sum.

[fabianfred]

Yes Lungmi..... giving without expecting anything in return is the way of the Ariyas.

Hoping for some benefit diminishes the act.

[yellow1red1]

it is amazing how many people have an opinion about a subject that they know litle or nothing about.

The Buddhist philosophy, notice how I said philosophy not religion, believes that a person can assent to a higher plane of existence, by living a moral life,making merit is part of that philosophy.,

Buddhism is an Atheistic Philosophy, , the Siddhartha the Buddha was not concerned with such unanswerable questions ,such as as "is there a God, " and "how do we relate to God" , but was more concerned with suffering in this life, the source of such suffering, and how to alleviate or mitigate such suffering

Making merit is a step in that direction .Having said that it is also safe to say that Buddhists are motivate by the same human dynamics that comprise the human condition, and the concept of "Merit" is some times abused by greed or superstition.

Well said!!

Atheism

Bing Yahoo and Google whether Buddhism is atheistic and you will find dozens Pages debating this [opinion] real Buddhists who share your opinion and real Buddhists of the opposing opinion. {Buddha was said to have been conversant with Other Worldly Enities and, once, challeneged by a powerful Demon]

Also, why is the flavour of the month to be hung up, attached, to swearing Buddhism is a philosophy. Who should be [believe], you or this Monk who is adamant that Buddhism is NOT a philosophy.

For Vishnu's Sake, avoid Conclusions or despair in Dogma.

[[[ anyway, at 4;00 min of the Vid is a Comment which makes sense of 'making merit' "Wash away selfishness with sweat" eh.]]]

Edited November 4, 2012 by yellow1red1

[sabaijai]

Good way of putting it. As always, Buddhadhasa Bhikkhu did not mince words.

[Jawnie]

Merit is a huge topic in Buddhism. If you are in Thailand, you see Thais making offerings all the time. If you travel to other Buddhist countries, you will see the same. (Not sure about what is going in Japan according to the OP).

In the Tibetan tradition, there are two main goals to be accomplish: generating merit and wisdom. Wisdom through study and practice, merit through action and pratice. Most Tibetan style practices are for the purpose of creating merit, in part. The act of undertaking any Buddhist practice generates merit for the practitioner. I don't know about Theravada Buddhism, but in Mahayana and Vajrayana, the merit generated through ritual and practice is always dedicated to others. I'd have to look through my sources again, but I recall that one indicated merit is actually a separate dharma, a "construct" which can be increased or diminished. It's sort of like creating positive mental habits for the future. Contrary to FabianFred, it is considered somewhat of an "account", one accumulates it - one simply should not be attached to it, should always try to increase it, and should always give it away.

Edited November 9, 2012 by Jawnie

[yellow1red1]

If two scholars agree, one is not a scholar.

If two siddhas disagree, one is not a siddha.

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and, the gods disagreeing are mere characters in The Movie;

like us, They can only read Their lines.