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 practicing giving to samanas, mendicants, the poor, the lonely, or beggars coming from faraway…having performed the act, when they die, they will be reborn to a good place, reincarnating in a celestial heaven. If reborn in the human realm, they will enjoy abundance in wealth and property."

Also, Sutra No. 1284 of the Samyukta Agama, straightforwardly points out that the merit of practicing the perfection of generosity, diligence, patience, and observance of precepts can be dedicated to seeking rebirth in celestial heavens. This is one of the few Buddhist texts that used the phrase "merit transfer," the content of which praises the extraordinary quality of rebirth in a heavenly world. As for examples of transferring the merit to a specific person, Chapter Seventeen of the Madhyama Agama states that when King Dighiti was captured by his enemy, his son Longevity Child thus pleaded with the aristocrats:

Aristocrats, practice giving and cultivate merit, praying for the king of Kosala to have a long life. With the merit resulting from generous acts, may our king of Kosala have long life and enjoy comfort and security, as well as attain liberation.

Although the term "dedication of merit" was not indicated in the text, the idea of merit transfer was certainly implied. Moreover, this passage shows that merit transfer involves personal will in aspiring or wishing something to happen.

There is evidence in the scriptures that merit transfer does benefit the living. But what about the merit transferred to the deceased? The concept of performing sacrifices and making offerings for the benefit of the deceased already existed in the Brahmanic traditions in ancient India. Sutra No. 1041 of the Samyukta Agama states that a Brahmin asked the Buddha whether the offering or giving designated to their deceased loved ones could reach them. The Buddha replied that if the deceased had been reborn as hungry ghosts, then they would have been able receive it. But if they had been reborn in other destinies such as the heavenly realm or hells, then they would have no way of consuming the food offering made by their living relatives, due to the differences in the nature of food available in different realms. Nevertheless, the due karmic results of making such an offering and giving will always sustain, to be received in turn by the giver.

In Theravadin Buddhist texts such as the Petavatthu Scripture and the Ullambana Sutra, more detailed descriptions are stated, that by performing small acts of giving and offerings with a compassionate or grateful heart for the deceased, and transferring the merit of such acts, we can help them be liberated from the realm of hungry ghosts and even attain rebirth in the heavenly realm.

In addition to merit transfer for rebirth in heavenly realms, to other individuals, and to the deceased, the Buddha also taught and emphasized that practicing the Dharma is not merely for the sake of seeking karmic blessings in the human and heavenly realms. In fact, it is also done for a superior purpose and the ultimate goal—transcending the Three Realms and attaining nirvana, as can be seen in the Samyukta Agama, particularly in sutra texts related to the teaching on the Thirty-seven Aids to Enlightenment about the direction of self-cultivation. The Abhidharma-Mahavibhasa-Sastra also states that without dedicating the merit to liberation or the aspiration to seek liberation, we will never attain the supreme fruition of nirvana regardless of how great the merit we have in upholding the precepts.


Extended reading:

Transfer of Merit –The Practice of Generating a Great Mind

The Transfer of Merit: the Giving of Dharma that could be Practiced at any Time

What Buddhist Scriptures Reveal about the Evolution of Merit Transfer

Dedicating the merit for attainment of nirvana is superior to praying for karmic blessing in the human and heavenly realms

To practice the Buddhist teaching is to transfer merit in its true sense

Compassionately delivering sentient beings, dedicating the merit for supreme Bodhi

Dedication verses commonly seen in the Chinese Buddhist tradition

Tibetan Buddhism: The most sublime chapter on the Practices and Vows of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra

Q1: How is merit transfer different from the blessings we give to others in our everyday life?

Q2: Must we first accumulate merit before we can transfer it to others?

Q3: Would it matter if I don't transfer merits after chanting?

Q4: When we transfer the merit generated from self-cultivation to our family, friends, and deceased loved ones, can they really receive it?

Q5: Should we still transfer merit to specific people after we have already transferred it to all sentient beings in the Dharma realm?

Q6: The terms "making vows" and "transfer of merit" are often used alongside each other in Mahayana Buddhist scriptures. What are the differences between them?

Q7: Are there corresponding dedication verses for different Dharma methods? Can these dedication verses be used interchangeably?


Resource: Humanity Magazine Issue #413
Photo: Humanity Magazine Issue #413
Translation: Ariel Shen
Editing: Keith Brown, Chiacheng Chang