Why Must We Accumulate So Much Merit? A Dharma Talk by Venerable Thich Chan Quang

Have you ever wondered why some people are born into wealth while others struggle throughout their lives? Why do some enjoy health and beauty, while others suffer from chronic illness? Is it all merely luck? No. According to the teachings of Venerable Thich Chan Quang in his dharma talk titled "Why Must We Have So Much Blessing," everything stems from one single source: blessings from merit.

What exactly are these blessings, and why does everything depend on them? When we observe life, we see the rich and the poor, the intelligent and the dull, the successful and the failed. All of this is determined by blessings from merit. Those with abundant merit find that things naturally flow smoothly, and their lives are favorable. Those lacking merit face obstacles and difficulties in every endeavor. Think of merit like a numerical scale of positive, negative, and zero. A healthy person sits at plus ten, while someone bedridden with illness has negative merit. Those who suffer deeply and moan in pain have merit that has fallen far below zero.

Where do these blessings come from? They arise because we actively create merit. Conversely, why do we lack them? It is because we have exhausted our previous merit or because we have engaged in harmful actions that deplete it. Therefore, merit is not something granted by heaven; it is the result of the good deeds we perform. Every act of kindness and every thought of compassion adds to our account of merit. Each instance of greed, hatred, and delusion withdraws from it. Thus, we must understand merit clearly so that we may live correctly and peacefully.

Do not let your merit become negative, turning you into a burden for your loved ones. When your merit is positive, you can sustain yourself, create happiness for your own life, and even have enough left over to help others. However, when your merit turns negative, you can no longer support yourself and must cling to others for survival. For example, if a previously healthy person suddenly falls severely ill and becomes bedridden, the entire family suffers. Sometimes, families sell their homes to pay for medical care, yet the illness persists. This is what happens when merit is depleted.

Those who understand the path do not allow themselves to fall into such situations. They consistently preserve and cultivate merit each day, ensuring they never become a burden to those around them.

Merit brings dignity in this world. Between a beautiful person and an ugly one, whom do we prefer? Between a wealthy person and a poor one, whom do we favor? Naturally, we are drawn to those with abundant merit. People with high merit radiate an invisible aura that attracts attention, affection, and respect from others. In contrast, those without merit may try hard to dress well or seek attention, but often go unnoticed or even cause discomfort.

A person with positive merit receives respect from others. What about a person with negative merit? They are naturally looked down upon, disliked, or despised by society, regardless of their intentions. Human dignity is vital. Consider Mother Teresa, who performed the simple act of giving homeless individuals a dignified death. She did not fight or demand; she silently offered assistance. Because of her immense merit, she was respected by the entire world. Conversely, workers in the nineteenth century were exploited and lost their dignity, forcing them to struggle for rights. But as the teacher advises, the best way to establish dignity is to cultivate merit oneself.

Merit prevents us from falling into lower realms. Humans continue to wander through samsara, moving from one life to the next. Upon death, we may be reborn in heavenly realms, as humans, or fall into hells, among hungry ghosts, or as animals. Committing sins drains merit, making it easy to descend into lower realms. However, if we practice repentance and generate significant merit to compensate, we can transform our karma.

The teacher shared a story: a person once ate the meat of their beloved pet dog. In the next life, they owed a debt of life. Yet, because they had accumulated great merit, they were not reborn as a dog dying unjustly. Instead, they simply underwent surgery where a doctor cut their throat to remove a tumor. In this way, merit acts as a shield, mitigating karmic consequences and preventing descent into lower realms.

Merit gives us the capacity to help others. To assist anyone, we must possess merit. Only a strong person can carry a disabled friend to school. Only those with financial resources can aid the destitute. The teacher recalled a childhood memory: he met a neighbor who cried out, "Dung, my house has burned down!" At that time, the teacher was young and poor, unable to offer any help. He carried regret for this inability throughout his life. Had he possessed more merit then, he could have made a difference.

Therefore, accumulating merit is not just for ourselves; it is to ensure we have the ability to serve others. When we witness suffering but cannot help, our conscience will trouble us for a lifetime. With merit, we can truly live kindly with one another.

Merit grants us freedom. Some criminals evade capture for a time because they still possess residual merit. For instance, a Mexican drug lord imprisoned in jail escaped through a secret tunnel due to remaining merit. However, once merit is exhausted, everyone must face their karmic results. Merit acts as an invisible net protecting us from disasters, granting freedom for both body and mind.

In conclusion, let us accumulate merit every day. As the teacher taught, generating merit is never enough. We must cultivate it across countless lifetimes, from one existence to the next. Each day, practice small acts of goodness. Fill potholes on roads so others may travel safely. Release captive animals and protect sentient beings. Assist the elderly, children, and those in distress. Engage in charity and make offerings to temples. Speak kind words and avoid gossip. Do not let your merit run dry, and refrain from sinful actions. Only with abundant merit can we live peacefully, maintain dignity, help others, and experience true freedom. Resolve to nurture merit daily. This is not only preparation for this life but also for future existences. May you always find peace within the Buddha's teachings.