Special Topics
Transfer of Merit –The Practice of Generating a Great Mind
Buddhists usually complete their various Dharma practices and doing good deeds by transferring their merits to others. Although transfer of merit may seem simple, it contains the practice of "non-self," as well as the broad mindset of having "unattached, unconditional loving-kindness and empathic compassion". Transferring merit is the simplest yet most effective practice in Buddhism. According to Theravada tradition, "pattidāna" is one of the ten karmic blessi...
The Transfer of Merit: the Giving of Dharma that could be Practiced at any Time
In the initial stages of our journey of self-cultivation, most of us may still be inclined to transfer merit only to ourselves, our family members, and our loved ones. This is a focal point to which we should apply our efforts when we have just started practicing Buddhism. As our practice deepens and our understanding of Buddhism becomes more profound, the capacity of our heart will gradually expand, thus making us more willing to transfer merit to all sentient beings. Thus, the practice of m...
What Buddhist Scriptures Reveal about the Evolution of Merit Transfer
How do you go about dedicating your merit? How can you make your merit transfer more effective and beneficial, both to yourself and others? Let us find the answers to these questions from Buddhist scriptures. When it comes to merit transfer, most people tend to dedicate the merit of their practice to their family and friends, to sentient beings in general, or to specific people. According to Master Hui Yuan from the Eastern Jin Dynasty, there are three categories of merit transfer, as stat...
Dedicating the merit for attainment of nirvana is superior to praying for karmic blessing in the human and heavenly realms
The concept of merit dedication can be traced back to ancient Indian society, where people were encouraged to practice generosity and make offerings, which are beneficial for eliminating misfortune, increasing karmic rewards, and even facilitating rebirth in a celestial heaven. Buddhism shares this view, as can be found in Buddhist scriptures. For example, in the Śukasūtra of the Madhyama Agama, it is written: "If a man or a woman acts as a benefactor and practices generosity, by practic...
To practice the Buddhist teaching is to transfer merit in its true sense
From the perspective of the law of cause and condition, causality, and the fact that we reap what we sow, it is only natural that the merit resulting from our virtuous action in line with the Dharma will eventually return to ourselves. On the other hand, can others truly benefit from the merit we transfer to them? Ven. Yin Rong explained that, "Whether or not our merit transfer to sentient beings is effective depends on how we as dedicators of merit can actually inspire the recipient ...
Compassionately delivering sentient beings, dedicating the merit for supreme Bodhi
From the era of sectarian Buddhism to the Mahayana Buddhist tradition, the concept of merit transfer and its recipients has deepened and expanded, with a particular emphasis on the Bodhisattva path. As a result, transfer of merit is no longer limited to friends and family, but has expanded to include all sentient beings. Furthermore, the aims of merit transfer are not limited to individual liberation, but also encompass achieving the ultimate goal of the Buddhist path. At the same time, merit...
Dedication verses commonly seen in the Chinese Buddhist tradition
"May my three hindrances and various afflictions dissolve. May I attain wisdom, as well as true understanding and realization…" Do you know the meaning of the dedication verses you chant? The ancient masters, patriarchs and great practitioners in the Chinese Buddhist tradition have all stressed the importance of merit transfer, which, besides offering blessings for people to soon attain Buddhahood, also serves as a reminder for us to repent and thus remove obstacles on our pa...
Tibetan Buddhism: The most sublime chapter on the Practices and Vows of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra
Within both exoteric and esoteric Buddhism, merit dedication verses are more or less similar: their purpose is to wish sentient beings to generate bodhicitta, and, ultimately, attain Buddhahood. Tibetan Buddhism places a strong emphasis on merit transfer. Before a practice session, Tibetan Buddhists will recite the Seven Branch Prayer*, which includes merit transfer. * The Seven Branch Prayer includes: 1) prostration, 2) offering, 3) confession, 4) rejoicing, 5) requesting the Buddha...
Q1: How is merit transfer different from the blessings we give to others in our everyday life?
What does the term "transfer of merit" mean in Buddhism? How is it different from mere blessings or making vows? Through this Q&A, let us clarify some concepts about the transfer of merit, in order to deepen our understanding of the various aspects and practice of this act. The term "blessings" originally refers to asking the gods or deities for good fortune. Nowadays, however, it means to hope for others to receive such good fortunes or karmic blessings. Thus, to t...
Q2: Must we first accumulate merit before we can transfer it to others?
A：Yes indeed. The act of transferring merit means to dedicate our merit to all sentient beings. In other words, we should share what we have received or acquired with others. In "The Key of Chan," Master Sheng Yen pointed out that the transfer of merit arises through two situations. The first situation occurs when a person shares his or her tangible possessions with others. The second situation occurs when we share with others the intangible merit generated from our self-cultivatio...