The Dried-Up Water Jar and the Grain of Rice of Blessings from Merit

In an ancient temple nestled in a peaceful countryside, there lived a young novice named An. In the early morning, mist still clung to every path as the crowing of roosters announced the beginning of a new day. An woke up, hurriedly washed his face, and ran out to the temple courtyard. Before him stood a large water jar beside the open well, but inside, only the bare bottom remained, with a few dry leaves floating on the shallow water. This was a familiar sign each time the dry season stretched on, when water for the whole temple became scarce.

An looked around and saw that his elder brothers and sisters in the Sangha were still preparing for the morning recitation. He thought to himself: "If I do not carry water, soon everyone will be short of drinking water and water for cooking. I must do it right away." With his thin shoulders but a heart full of determination, An took two wooden buckets and walked to the well. Each time he drew water, the sound of it flowing mingled with his heavy breathing. Though tired and drenched in sweat, a joy beyond words rose up in An's heart. He knew that every drop of water he carried back was a small grain of blessings from merit, helping to nourish the body and mind of the whole community.

While An was carefully pouring water from his buckets into the jar, a stranger came to visit the temple. It was Mr. Tư, a middle-aged man who dressed elegantly but whose face always looked tense and stern. Watching An at work, Mr. Tư gave a dismissive laugh: "Young novice, what era are we living in that you still carry water and wear yourself out like this? At my house, I only need to turn the tap and water comes rushing out. Why not use a pump to save yourself the trouble?"

An stopped, looked up, and met Mr. Tư's gaze with clear, bright eyes: "Sir, a pump is certainly convenient. But if all I know how to do is press a button, I will never feel the effort it takes to have cool water. And more importantly, every step I take while carrying water is a step in which I plant merit. Sir, merit is just like the water in this jar. If we do not keep drawing it and carrying it, one day it will run dry. And when it runs dry, our heart becomes withered, easily giving rise to unwholesome thoughts, anger, and suffering."

Mr. Tư froze at these words. He remembered the sleepless nights spent worrying about money, the quarrels with his wife and children over trivial matters. He wondered: "Have I looked down on doing good deeds for too long, enjoying life's comforts while forgetting to nourish my own roots?"

An continued, his voice gentle but sincere: "You see, sir, if I run out of blessings from merit, I will no longer want to carry water. I will feel weary and discouraged, and may even come to resent this work. Then my mind will become scattered, unable to sit in meditative concentration or recite the sutras. Blessings from merit are the very energy that helps me keep the mind of practice firm and steadfast. Whether it is something as small as carrying water, sweeping the floor, or simply offering a gentle smile, all of these are ways to accumulate merit and protect ourselves from negative thoughts."

Mr. Tư remained silent for a long while, then nodded, his expression softening. He took out his wallet and gave An some money to buy better containers for the water. More importantly, he promised to begin doing small good deeds within his means. From then on, whenever he visited the temple, he would take the initiative to ask if there was anything he could help with, no longer carrying the airs of arrogance he once had.

An returned to his work, and the sound of water pouring into the jar rang clearer than ever. He understood that practice is not about waiting for grand opportunities to do good, but about seizing each moment, each smallest action, to cultivate the soil of one's own soul. When blessings from merit are abundant, wisdom shines clear and bright, and the path of practice will no longer break off halfway.

The Meaning of the Story

This story illustrates the second element in safeguarding one's practice: continually making merit. Blessings from merit play a key role in governing the human mind. When we have such blessings, we are able to think rightly, keep the mind of practice, and turn toward cultivation. Conversely, when blessings run out, even unwholesome thoughts and careless words arise with ease, leading to wrong actions and the loss of our goal of enlightenment. Therefore, practitioners should cherish and carry out even the smallest good deeds, never passing up any opportunity to accumulate merit, so that their practice may remain steady and enduring across many lifetimes.

Compiled from a dharma talk by Venerable Thích Chân Quang