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

Just help ONE to save the world (9/28)

KARMA: It's everywhere you're going to be.

Two KFI 640 AM (an iHeart station, the largest talk radio station in the country) personalities rappelled down the 25 story Hilton Universal City (Los Angeles next to Hollywood) to bring attention to the unhoused situation in L.A. The succeeded in raising funds and not dying. The Just Feed 1 event continues Saturday, 9/8/24.

Beautiful Los Angeles -- with its Hollywood Land, Santa Monica, UCLA, USC, Caltech, beaches, mountains, woods, canyons, and rivers -- is the jewel of Southern California. It's big enough, with over ten million people in the county with about 4.8 million in the City of LA. One would never imagine how much homelessness and poverty exist here. It's a Tale of Two Cities.

Wait, I can help by rappelling down a building?

Well, what can I do about it? Nothing, you're just one person. When has ONE person ever done anything? Actually, even though we all believe that, the fact of the matter is that ONE person is the only person who has ever done anything. It begins with a will, motivation, or inspiration to help. Now just find a way. Just help one. How about this?

• URM's Over the Edge/JustHelp1.LA Event
• LA challenge is September 27 and 28, 2024

Could it be true, could karma be so strange?

Go Over the Edge

Jump? No, we're going to rappel down

On September 27 and 28, 2024, at the Hilton Los Angeles Universal City Hotel someone is going to get ready to go Over the Edge to fight homelessness and help kick-off the Just Help 1 challenge!

What if everyone in Los Angeles could just help one struggling neighbor? As (Saint) Mother Teresa famously stated, “If you can’t feed a hundred people, then just feed one.”

Although the homeless numbers in LA feel insurmountable when we consider the total, if we break the problem down to one individual helping one other individual, one family helping one other family, things change — exponentially.

• Register
• Donate now
• Sponsorship

Union Rescue Mission knows the power of ONE:

A store of good karma helps.

• one friend to make sure one less child suffers from food insecurity
• one family to ensure that another family doesn’t have to spend one more night in their car
• one church to make sure one woman can find shelter in a safe community.

By joining us and rappelling 25 stories down from the roof of the Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City Hotel on September 27 and September 28, 2024, you can help get one more person, family, or child off the street for good.

I never want to stop helping others and myself.

Registration is FREE! Just raise $1,000 or more by 6:00 am on the day of your rappel, and you will qualify for this thrilling way to bring new hope to the City of Angels.

YOU CAN Just Help 1 — and possibly many more — find their way home. 

REGISTER TODAY!

• F.A.Q.s
• Fundraising Tips
• What to Wear at the Event
• URM has raised $1.4 million
• Goal is $2,000,000 (two million)
• Help continue the fight against homelessness!

Become a sponsor, make a donation, or register for the event and start fundraising today! Every dollar will be MATCHED to have DOUBLE the IMPACT! *Match is up to $600,000.

• Register
• Donate

ABOUT: Union Rescue Mission (URM) has for over 133 years provided safe shelter, meals, long-term rehabilitation programs, education, counseling, medical services, and spiritual encouragement to assist those wanting to escape the cycle of homelessness forever. Unfortunately, URM's work is far from over. 

Spiritual gets physical, intention becomes deed.

As the world is changing, so has the state of homelessness in the city. People need more than just four walls, a meal, and a bed. They need what URM is uniquely equipped for: HOPE that lasting change and a transformed life are possible. But URM can't do it alone. URM needs partners like YOU to join the Just Help 1 challenge -- a fresh approach to this on-going crisis.

This is your opportunity to turn your compassion into action and take a leap with URM in the fight against homelessness. Click here for more information about Union Rescue Mission.

URM SPONSORS... More

URM's Over the Edge/JustHelp1.LA Event

• Union Rescue Mission (justhelpone.org, Summer 2024); Dhr. Seven, Ananda (Dharma Buddhist Meditation), Jen Bradshaw (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Real life kindness caught on camera

Real life super people caught on camera

(#Mind Warehouse) Jan. 11, 2024: Rescue a kitty, stop a rolling car with bare hands, prevent a fight with pizza, it's metta-motivated super heroic magic. Let's discover the many ways to become a real-life superhero or heroine in this latest compilation!

BRAIN TIME ► goo.gl/tTWgH2. SLICED ► goo.su/v3QLR. For copyright matters, please contact: copymanager.mn@gmail.com. #MindWarehouse #IncredibleMoments #CaughtOnCamera  #MindWarehouse #IncredibleMoments #CaughtOnCamera #incredibleindia.

The October Full Moon Celebration (10/28)

Renee A. (Meetup); Ananda (Dharma Buddhist Meditation), Wisdom Quarterly

• Full Moon Reiki Infused Guided Meditation, Sat, Oct 28, 2023, 7:00 PM | Meetup
• What is the Buddhist lunar observance (by phases and on the full moon)?
• Found Full Moon Events | Meetup
• Uposatha is the Buddhist Sabbath Day:
• Eight Precepts: Full Moon Virtue
• Moon Gatherings with Beth Upton

[The Buddhist Sabbath Day]

Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying in Jetavana, in the monastery of Anathapindika (the generous Buddhist stream-enterer and multimillionaire), near the City of Savatthi.

At that time the Blessed One (the Buddha), having called all the meditators together, addressed them:

"Meditators!"

They answered in assent: "Venerable sir!" (They then prepared themselves for the following teaching).

The Blessed One gave the following teaching on the regular lunar observance days (uposatha). 

"Uposatha is comprised of eight factors a noble disciple observes, the observation of which brings glorious and radiant fruit and benefits.

"What is this uposatha which, observed by noble disciples, brings glorious and radiant fruit and benefits?"

Observing Eight Precepts on full and new moon days... More

Venerable Sujato: Path to Enlightenment

Bhante Sujato: The Path to Enlightenment: Meditation and Wisdom

(Buddhist Library) [What's morality (sila) got to do with anything? Virtue's a myth dreamt up by religion, isn't it? Did the historical Buddha really believe good karma/merit was important to awakening to the wisdom that has gone beyond all suffering and conception? Oh, goodness, who knew? We thought sitting and reading books was enough to lighten up and get enlightened. There's actually a whole path of many factors, all equally important and necessary to the task at hand?]

Jackpot! How to win $2 billion dollar lottery

VEN. Ñanamoli, MN 135; ap; Dhr. Seven, Amber Larson, Crystal Q., CC Liu, Seth Auberon (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

What happens if you win Mega Millions' $900M jackpot?

Official website: megamillions.com

DES MOINES, Iowa - Despite the horrible odds — one in 302.5 million for those keeping score at home — someone (or group) will eventually match all six numbers and win the Mega Millions jackpot, now at $900 million. [Today, Lucky 11-7 of 2022, it's 1.9 billion+ with better odds of only like 1 in 200 and something million.] It could happen when the next drawing is held, leaving most of us disappointed but some lucky winner beset by a host of questions. More

• READER MAIL: "Dear Wisdom Quarterly, even though that stuff happens to most winners, HOW do I win? Thanks!

How to win the lottery

We want: long life, health, beauty, power, riches [like massive lottery winnings], high birth, and intelligence, or some of these things? They do not appear by chance.

It is not "luck" that someone is healthy or a lack of luck that someone is stupid. It may not be clear to us now, but all such inequalities among beings come about due to the karma they have made, actions from the past ripening now.

Each person reaps one's own fruits. So if we are touched by short life, illness, ugliness, insignificance, poverty, lowly birth, or stupidity and one does not like these things, there is no need to accept that that is the way it is. Something can be done; "action" (karma) can be taken.

Gambling leads to loss; merit leads to winning

It is also the mark of one who -- having heard the Dharma that leads to enlightenment and liberation from all suffering -- is no longer drifting aimlessly but now has direction in life and a sense of understanding and control over the sort of events that will occur now and in the future.

The future need not be like the past, provided one makes the appropriate kind of karma now. Knowing what karma to make and what to avoid is the mark of a wise person.

 

SUTRA: Short Exposition on Karma

For one who knows-and-sees, it's easy to win!

1. Thus have I heard. On one occasion the [Buddha] was living in Savatthi in Jeta's Grove, in the multimillionaire's Park.

 

Then Sub, the Brahmin student, Todeyya's son, went to the [Buddha] and exchanged greetings. When the courteous and amiable talk concluded, Sub sat down respectfully to one side and said:

 

2. "Master Gautama [the Buddha's surname], what is the reason, what is the condition, as to why inferiority and superiority are met with among human beings, among humankind?

"One meets short-lived and long-lived people, sick and healthy people, ugly and beautiful people, insignificant and influential people, poor and rich people, low-born and high-born people, stupid and intelligent people.

"What is the reason, what is the condition, as to why superiority and inferiority are met with among human beings, among humankind?"

The Buddha answers
3. "Brahmin, beings are owners of deeds (karma), heirs of deeds, they have deeds as their progenitor, deeds as their kin, deeds as their homing-place. It is deeds that differentiate beings according to inferiority and superiority."
 

Winning numbers: 15-23-53-65-70-7 (10/19/18)

4. "I do not understand the detailed meaning of Master Gautama's utterance spoken in brief without expounding the detailed meaning. It would be good if Master Gautama taught me the Dharma so that I might understand the detailed meaning of this utterance spoken in brief without expounding the detailed meaning."

 

"Then listen, Brahmin, and heed well what I explain."

 

"Even so, Master Gautama," Sub the Brahmin replied. Then the [Buddha] explained... More

 

The "American War": businessmen make more money from war than from lottery: 3 top Afghan officials killed while US general is fine
KABUL, Afghanistan - The three top officials in Afghanistan's Kandahar province were murdered when traitorous guards opened fire on them at a security conference on 10/18/18, the deputy provincial governor said, and a "Taliban" spokesman said the target was Washington's top general in Afghanistan, Gen. Scott Miller, who escaped without injury, according to NATO. More

• Growing up surrounded by BOOKS: scientific study
• Orange County: CA's diversity emboldens Democrats

Recipe for virtue; a Zen kitchen (video)

Ajahn Chah, Ven. Sujato, Ellie Askew, Dhr. Seven (ed.), Wisdom Quarterly; Jeong Kwan (SCMP)

Be blameless, be virtuous, and be free (SF).

At first we train the body and speech to be free of unwholesomeness. This freedom is called virtue.

Some people think that to have virtue we have to memorize Pali phrases and chant [pray] them all the time, day and night.

But really all we have to do is make our body and speech blameless. That's virtue. It's not difficult to understand.

What is the way to merit or good karma?

It's just like cooking food. Put in a little bit of this, a little bit of that, until it's just right -- and it's delicious. And once it's delicious, we don't have to add anything else to it. The right ingredients have already been added.

In the same way, taking care that our actions and speech are proper will give us "delicious virtue," virtue that is just right.

How to be beautiful: KARMA (sutra)

Popcornews.com; Ashley Wells, Amber Larson, Dhr. Seven (eds.) based on Ven. Thanissaro/Geoffrey DeGraff (trans.), Ittha Sutra: "What is Welcome" (AN 5.43, accesstoinsight.org), Wisdom Quarterly

These two Instagram models were once voted the "most beautiful twins in the world" (PNC).*

The Clements kids have karma coming to fruition (phala) to be beautiful (popcornews.com).

.

I wish there were a website to explain karma.

Thus have I heard... Then Anathapindika the rich householder went to the Blessed One, bowed, and sat respectfully to one side. Sitting there the Blessed One (the Buddha) said to him:

"Five things, householder, are welcome, agreeable, pleasant, yet hard to gain in the world. What five things?

1. "Long life...
2. beauty...
3. happiness...
4. status (social influence)...
5. rebirth in a superior world [are] welcome, agreeable, pleasant, yet hard to gain in the world.

I just want to be hot. That's my power.

"Now, I make known, these five things are not gained by wishful prayers or bargaining [making vows in exchange for them]. If they were gained in this way, who would not have them?

"So it is not fitting for a disciple of the noble ones (arya = enlightened ones) who desires long life... beauty... happiness... status... or rebirth in a superior world to pray for it or delight in [merely] praying.

I'm Bean. I'm tall and look like Elvis.

"Instead, a disciple of the noble ones who wants [these things] follows a path of practice (karma = intentional actions) leading to [these things]. In so doing, one attains [them], human and/or divine.

Long life, beauty, status, honor,

a superior world, high rebirth:

Those who delight in wishing

for these things in abundance,

continuously, the wise

praise heedfulness in making

merit (good karma).

The wise person, heedful,

acquires two-fold well-being --

in this life and well-being

in the next. By breaking through

to this well-being,

one is called skillful and wise.

What's the "path of practice" for beauty?

Beauty comes from beautifying.

In general terms the path being practiced is one of calm and insight, samadhi and vipassana. It is adhering to the Noble Eightfold Path and more specifically to the Five Precepts, Eight Precepts, or monastic precepts numbering 227 and more or just one, being kind (cultivating the "Four Divine Abidings" or Brahma Viharas of loving-friendliness, active compassion, happiness in others' happiness, and equanimity or an unbiased attitude toward everyone rather than favoring some at the expense of others).

Even more specifically, it is not succumbing to angry thoughts, speech, or physical actions but instead developing the meditative absorptions, which brighten the complexion.

Native American beauty is awesome.

Also important is providing dana or requisites of healthy, nourishing foods, medicinals, clothing, and advice that benefits others' long life, beauty, happiness, status (good reputation), and rebirth in a fortunate destination. Even the offering flowers to enlightened beings or to Buddha statues has the result, because of their awesome store of merit, to bring about the result of beauty. Beauty attracts beauty, here and in worlds beyond, in this lifetime to a small degrees and in many future lifetimes to come.

*Twin beauty queens at birth

The Clements twins have a karma-brother.

As all parents will confirm, having a newborn is challenging. Each new bundle of joy represents one of life’s most magical moments. So parents Jaqi and Kevin Clements, who are not rich, couldn’t have been happier when they discovered they did not have one baby girl but two. In 2010 they welcomed these identical twins sooner than scheduled, beautiful and healthy, and named them Ava Marie and Leah Rose. Their striking looks were noticed. In fact, their unparalleled beauty catapulted them to fame. Dubbed the "world’s most beautiful twins," the Clements girl are taking the modeling world by storm. They’ve already won the hearts of one million followers on Instagram for social media stardom. More

What about good deeds, merit? Boring!

Tan Jeff (Abbot Thanissaro, Wat Metta); Ellie Askew, Dhr. Seven (ed.), Wisdom Quarterly

Charitable giving is one way of letting go.

Of all the concepts central to Buddhism, merit (punna) is one of the least known and least appreciated in the West.

This is perhaps because the pursuit of merit seems to be a lowly practice, focused on getting, whereas higher Buddhist practice focuses on letting go.

Because we in the West often feel pressed for time, we don’t want to waste it on lowly practices, and instead want to go straight to higher levels.

Yet, the Buddha repeatedly warns that the higher levels cannot be practiced in a stable manner unless they develop on a strong foundation...

Karma: Would cash help conventional things?

In the course of developing a wise sense of self in the pursuit of merit, one is already learning how to let go of unwise ways of “selfing”* as one learns to overcome stinginess, apathy, and hard-heartedness through the development of giving, virtue, and good will.

• [*Though in an ultimate sense, “self” is illusory and unreal, in conventional terms it is very real, and we need to get a grip before we can hope to successfully embark on the Enlightened One's path to freedom.]

The teachings on [the impermanent, disappointing, and impersonal nature of all things, referred to as the Three Universal Characteristics of Existence known as:]

1. anicca
2. dukkha
3. anatta

simply carry this same process of “de-selfing” for the sake of an even truer happiness to a higher pitch.

Lisa Simpson turns Buddhist (cartoon)

The Simpsons via Cartoon Guy, 3/23/17; Ashley Wells, CC Liu (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly
(FOX TV) Lisa becomes a Buddhist: The Simpsons, "She of Little Faith," Season 13, Episode 6.

Sharing is great merit (sutra)

John D. Ireland (trans.), Vagga Sutra (Itivuttaka 26) via accesstoinsight.org edited by Kelly Ani, Amber Larson, and Dhr. Seven, Wisdom Quarterly, July 21, 2019

The power of letting go (nongreed, offering, sharing, generosity, giving) is great merit.

.

Merit pays in the world and in meditation!

This was said by the Buddha:

"Meditators, if beings knew what I know -- the result of giving and sharing -- they would not eat without first having shared (offered, given), nor would they allow the stain of greed (clinging, stinginess, selfishness, hoarding) to obsess them and take root in their minds.

"Even if it were their last morsel of food, their last mouthful, they would not eat without having shared it, if there were someone to share it with.

"However, meditators, because beings do not know what I know -- the result of giving and sharing -- they eat without having given, without having offered, and the stain of greed obsesses them and takes root in their minds."

So said the Great Sage:

If only being knew

How great is the fruit

The result of sharing

With a glad mind,

Cleansed of the stain of greed,

They would duly share with noble ones

Who make what is given karmically fruitful.

Having given much food as offerings

To those most worthy of offerings,

Donors go to fortunate destinations

On departing the human realm.

Having gone there they rejoice,

And enjoying the pleasures there,

The unselfish experience the results

Of generously sharing with others.

Beauty? Ask me, I'm a model! (TED)

Cameron Russell, TEDTalks, 1/16/13; Ashley Wells, Crystal Q. (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Looks aren't everything. Believe me, I'm a model.

Ah, don't look at my poop-filled guts!

Cameron Russell (twitter, instagram) admits she won the "genetic lottery": She's white, hot, tall, pretty, young, and an underwear model. But don't judge her by her looks. In this fearless talk she takes a wry look at the bogus industry that had her looking sexual and seductive at barely 16-years-old. Filmed at TEDxMidAtlantic.

TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes (or less). Look for talks on Technology, Entertainment, and Design -- plus science, business, global issues, the arts, and much more. Follow TED news on twitter.com/tednews. Like TED on facebook.com/TED.

Life at ThaBarWa Meditation Center (video)

ThaBarWa Centre, May 28, 2018; Sayalay, Ashley Wells, Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

I came to help save the Rohingya minority.

This brief documentary gives all glimpse of life looks at the ThaBarWa Meditation Center in Thanlyin, Burma.

It is impossible to describe the variety of activities and opportunities for merit in a mere 20 minutes. The center is too complex and must be experienced firsthand to understand.

Shwedagon Pagoda, Rangoon (Yangon), Burma

Thabarwa means “original nature” in Burmese. The center is a place where volunteers can practice meditation and donate their time, effort, and energy to helping others. The center, located in Thanlyin, Burma, was established in 2008 by Ven. Ashin Ottamathara to take care of the most crucial needs of the community.

The center provides sanctuary to more than 3,400 people including the aged, sick, disabled, homeless, and helpless. It provides help free of discrimination or restrictions. Volunteers have the opportunity to live, work, and learn alongside nuns, monks, and Burmese people in a unique way.

Golden temple, Shwedagon, Yangon, Myanmar

The ThaBarWa Center helps people in need, and international volunteers are a big part of that as they travel, live free, and share their skills and smiles. Some of the activities include helping patients with general care, washing, and physical therapy.

Volunteers also help building the center, teaching English to locals, doing art projects, cooking, sustainable gardening, and taking care of children.

This documentary was itself filmed and edited by international volunteers. "A truly [special] and beautiful community, where you can experience the purity and true nature of human beings, help unconditionally, [as] you will find that you will help yourself, too" - Saska Sarnikorpi Filmer, editor, and international volunteer