Do Not Settle for Small Blessings: The Secret to Becoming a Person of Great Merit

The Buddha teaches that understanding cause and effect (karmic law) is the first step, but a Buddhist must strive for great blessings. This article shares how to create great merit with a great mind and through opportunities.

Have you ever wondered: Why are some people wealthy while others are poor? Why do some live in comfort while others suffer? The answer lies in the law of cause and effect (karmic law). But knowing cause and effect alone is not enough. To have a truly fulfilling future life, you must create truly great blessings. Let us explore the teachings of Master Thich Chan Quang to open the path to a life of peace and abundant blessings from merit.

**Understanding Cause and Effect – The First Door**

When first approaching the Buddha's teachings (Dharma), the first thing we need to understand is the law of cause and effect (karmic law): knowing what constitutes wrongdoing, knowing what constitutes merit, knowing which cause leads to which result. Through understanding cause and effect, we take responsibility for ourselves and stop blaming others. When facing adversity, we suffer less because we understand it is our own karma. When meeting good fortune, we become not arrogant because we recognize it as blessings from merit accumulated in the past.

"First, let us have the aspiration, and then the Buddha will grant us the opportunity."

**Do Not Be Content with Small Blessings**

Many Buddhists only wish to be slightly wealthier, more beautiful, or to own a luxurious car in their next life. Master Thich Chan Quang reminds us that we should not be satisfied with such small blessings. The Master says: "We must transcend this and achieve truly great blessings." Small blessings only help us be reborn in the human realm with a bit of luck, but are insufficient for liberation or ascending to higher realms.

"Do not think so small and petty like that. We must transcend this and achieve truly great blessings."

**How to Attain Great Blessings?**

To have great blessings, we must perform great deeds of merit. To perform great deeds of merit, we need a great mind and a great opportunity. A great mind is the aspiration to bring benefit to many people, such as building a large temple or helping thousands who are suffering. An opportunity is the favorable condition (dependent origination) to carry out such deeds. Having the mind without the opportunity, we still cannot create great merit. But the most important thing is to first cultivate the mind; then, the opportunity will come.

The Master recounts a story about a person who aspired to repair a village path. Initially, this person did not have enough money, but they continually prayed to the Buddha for the opportunity to do it. Miraculously, other Buddhists joined in cooperation, and the path was completed. This shows that when we pray to do good deeds, the Buddha and celestial beings support us. However, if we only pray for personal gain, it can easily become unreasonable.

"A Buddhist does not allow a pothole to exist in front of their home, making it difficult for people passing by."

**A Great Aspiration Opens Opportunities**

The Master also shared about participating in life-releasing ceremonies. Often, he only had the chance to stand and recite prayers, while the money came from the offerings of other Buddhists. He felt he only had his voice, so when calling on everyone to do good, he also had to contribute a part himself for the blessings to be complete. If one only speaks emptily without practical action, the merit will be lacking.

A Buddhist must nurture a great aspiration: not just to fix one small pothole, but an entire long road; not just to help one person, but hundreds. When our mind is directed toward benefiting humanity and supporting the path, the Buddha always grants the opportunity to fulfill it.

"For example, if we hear that a temple in our village, a temple many hundreds of years old, is now damaged, and we know the villagers are somewhat aware of the teachings... If we aspire to rebuild a grand temple... is that mind small or great? It is great."

**Attach Your Blessings to the Buddha's Teachings (Dharma)**

During his time as a lay practitioner, the Master once repaired a road without anyone knowing, then stood quietly in a corner to recite prayers:

"Today, we have created a small merit by repairing this road. I vow that anyone who steps on this road I have repaired in the future will come to follow the Buddha's teachings (Dharma)."

The Master kept this secret for thirty-some years. This shows that a person of great blessings not only does good deeds but also vows to connect those good deeds with spiritual practice and with coming to the Buddha. This is the way to create immeasurable blessings for the benefit of all beings.

**Start From Today**

A person of great blessings is not born from trivial matters, but from a vast aspiration and persistent action. Start with the smallest deeds—like filling a pothole, sweeping a path—and gradually expand your aspirations. Pray to the Buddha for opportunities to serve sentient beings, to spread the Buddha's teachings (Dharma). Do not only worry about your own future life; think of countless others as well. With a great heart and opportunities as they come, you will surely become a person of great merit, reaping infinite blessings from merit.