3 ways to make karmic merit (sutra)

Ways of Meritorious Action

The Buddha's beauty was based on past karma

"Meditators, there are three ways of making merit [11]. What are the three?

"There are ways of making merit by practicing giving, virtue, and meditation [12].

"One person has only to a small degree practiced the making of merit (good karma) by letting go and giving/sharing and, likewise, only to a small degree practiced making of merit by virtue (skillful conduct), but the making of merit by meditation (mental cultivation) that person has not undertaken at all [13].

"This person, after death, when the body breaks up, will be reborn among humans in unfavorable conditions [14].

"Another person has practiced to a high degree the making of merit by giving as well as by virtue, but the making of merit by meditation one has not undertaken at all. Such a person, after death, when the body breaks up, will be reborn among humans in favorable conditions.

"Or one will be reborn in the company of the deities (devas, lit. "shining ones") of the Four Great Divine (Sky) Regents. There, the Four Great Divine Regents who had practiced to a very high degree the making of merit by giving and by virtue surpass the deities of their realm in ten things:

1. divine lifespan,
2. divine beauty [radiance],
3. divine happiness,
4. divine power,
5. divine sights,
6. divine sounds,
7. divine smells,
8. divine tastes,
9. divine tangibles
10. [divine cognitions].

"Or one will be reborn in the company of the devas of the World of the Thirty-Three. There King of the Devas Sakka, who himself (when he was a human) practiced to a very high degree the making of merit by giving and virtue, surpasses...

• (The same statements are made for rebirth among the Yama-world devas, Tusita-world devas, the devas delighting in creation, the devas controlling others' creations, and for the respective rulers of these celestial realms.)

"These, meditators, are the three ways of making merit" (AN 8.36).

Outcomes of Merit

The Bodhisatta experienced joy for aeons

"Meditators, there are eight outcomes of merit and skillfulness that are the nourishment of happiness and are extremely precious: They yield happiness, lead to rebirth in the [many] heavens, and bring about what is wished for, pleasing, agreeable, and enjoyable. What are these eight?

"Herein [within this Teaching and Training], meditators, a noble disciple goes for guidance to the Buddha (Teacher). This is the first outcome of merit and skillfulness that is a nourishment of happiness and is extremely precious: It yields happiness, leads to rebirth in the heavens, and brings about what is wished for, pleasing, agreeable, and enjoyable.

"Furthermore, there is a noble disciple who goes for guidance to the Dharma (Teaching)...

"Furthermore, there is a noble disciple who goes to the [Noble Community] (the successfully Taught)... This is the second outcome... This is the third outcome...

"There are further, meditators, these five gifts, known from early times, known from long ago, known by tradition, ancient and accepted -- not rejected before, not rejected now, not to be rejected in future -- they are unrepudiated by wise recluses (shramanas) and Brahmins (brahmanas). What are these five gifts?

"Herein [within this Doctrine and Discipline], meditators, a noble disciple gives up the taking of life and abstains from it. By abstaining from taking life, the noble disciple gives to immeasurable beings freedom from fear, gives to them freedom from hostility, gives to them freedom from oppression. By giving to immeasurable beings freedom from fear, hostility, and oppression, one will enjoy immeasurable freedom from fear, hostility, and oppression. This is the first of those great gifts and the fourth of the outcomes of merit (good karma).

"Furthermore, meditators, a noble disciple gives up the taking of what is not given and abstains from it. By abstaining from taking what is not given, the noble disciple gives to immeasurable beings freedom from fear... This is the second of those great gifts and the fifth of the outcomes of merit.

"Furthermore, meditators, a noble disciple gives up sexual misconduct and abstains from it. By abstaining from sexual misconduct, the noble disciple gives to immeasurable beings freedom from fear... This is the third of those great gifts and the sixth of the outcomes of merit.

"Furthermore, meditators, a noble disciple gives up wrong speech [bearing false witness, harsh speech, divisive speech, frivolous speech] and abstains from it. By abstaining from wrong speech, the noble disciple gives to immeasurable beings freedom from fear... This is the fourth of those great gifts and the seventh of the outcomes of merit.

"Furthermore, meditators, a noble disciple gives up intoxicating drinks and drugs that cause heedlessness and abstains from them. By abstaining from intoxicating drinks and drugs, the noble disciple gives to immeasurable beings freedom from fear, freedom from hostility, and freedom from oppression. By giving to immeasurable beings freedom from fear, hostility, and oppression, one will enjoy immeasurable freedom from fear, freedom, from hostility and freedom from oppression. This is the fifth of those great gifts and the eighth of the outcomes of merit.

"Meditators, these are the eight outcomes of merit and skillfulness that are the nourishment of happiness and are extremely precious: They yield happiness, lead to rebirth in the heavens, and bring about what is wished for, pleasing, agreeable, and enjoyable" (AN 8.39).

• Based on a Pali canon anthology by Ven. Nyanaponika Thera (trans.) Anguttara Nikaya: The Discourse Collection in Numerical Order (accesstoinsight.org) updated by Amber Larson and Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly