In Buddhism, a true practitioner does not just cultivate worldly
blessings, we do not cultivate "leaking blessings", but true
merits. To cultivate merits and liberation we cannot attach to the
notion of self, the notion of giving and the notion of
others.
http://www.jenchen.org.sg/understa.htm
Real merits
Merits are consequences of the non-orignation and non-cessation of
the mind. During the Tang Dynasty in ancient China, Emperor Liang
Wu-Ti asked the patriarch Bodhidharma, "Venerable One, I have built
many monasteries for the well being of the Sangha and I have also
performed many virtuous deeds. What merits have I accumulated?
Bodhidharma answered, "You have no merits." Why is that so? It is
because when Emperor Liang Wu-Ti performed those acts of giving, he
was attached to them. Thus, even though he had performed many
virtuous deeds, because he had not cultivated the purity of his
mind, he did not attain "non-origination and non-cessation".
Therefore, his actions can only be considered as cultivation of
blessings, not merits. Without liberation there are no merits. On
the other hand, when there is liberation, all virtuous deeds will
reap merits.
http://www.jenchen.org.sg/vol6no4e.htm
2. What should be the right frame of mind when
giving?
Some years ago, there was group of Jen Chen Buddhism practitioners
who were very committed to charity. They were overly enthusiastic
about what they did and would leave behind their contact numbers
and addresses to those whom they had helped. Several years later, a
person whom they had helped before wrote them a letter to see if
they could donate some money to help establish a career for his son
who had just completed his national service with the army. They
sought my assistance on the matter. I have always advised people
that whether it is giving or performing acts of merit, they should
not attach to the notion that they are performing acts of giving or
merits. By leaving behind their contact numbers they were are
attached to the notion that they are performing charity. Therefore,
that person is asking them for more assistance. They began to
understand what this means. Several weeks later, this group of
charity workers informed me that they actually visited the family
concerned and found the family to be better off than they were
themselves!
Hence, in general giving only provides for the immediate emergency
material needs and not necessary save people from their poverty. If
there were so many people living in poverty in this world, it would
not be possible to relieve everyone of their poverty and give them
a prosperous life if they were to depend only on charity.
Therefore, Jen Chen Buddhism advocates inspiring others to unfold
their wisdom, for example, by providing guidance and training in
the areas of vocational skills and knowledge, so that they have the
means to improve their living conditions and life style.
3. Why must people give without attaching to the notion of
giving?
Giving while attached to the notion of giving is also known as
'giving for appreciation'. It is like planting a fruit tree in a
pot, just like a bonsai. The plant may bear only a couple of fruits
each year for people to appreciate and praise, but not for
consumption. Not only is there no merit, the reward of blessings is
also negligible. It is therefore important that we truly understand
the Buddha-dharma when we are learning and practising
Buddhism.
A student once asked me about the ultimate method of cultivation in
Buddhism. The answer is the method of letting go. Not only do we
need to practise letting go now, the present, but also the past and
future. We have to let go of all the distresses in our mind.
Moreover, we have to let go of all notions of possession or
attachments that we have. Even when we become Bodhisattvas or
attain Buddhahood, the Buddha must be given up too. This is the
only way of the true Buddha-Dharma.
Therefore, we have to remember to cultivate the method of
non-attachment to the notion of giving when we give, maintain
non-arising and non-cessation of the mind and cultivate the merit
of 'not form and not emptiness'. Only thus are we treading on the
Bodhisattva Path.
4. Is there any merit in giving?
During the time when the Patriarch Bodhidharma was in China, the
Emperor Liang Wu-Ti paid him a visit and asked, "Venerable One, I
have built many monasteries for the well being of the Sangha and I
have also performed many virtuous deeds. What merits have I
accumulated?"
Without any expression in his face, the Patriarch Bodhidharma
replied, "No merits."
How could it be that after having done so much, Emperor Liang Wu-Ti
had not accumulated any merit?
In Buddhism, merits refer to the non-arising and non-cessation of
the mind. Therefore, when we are doing good deeds such as giving,
we can only say that there are blessings associated with such
deeds, but not merits. When a person who truly understands the
Buddha-dharma gives without attaching to the notion of giving, he
certainly does not expect other people to thank him. The Diamond
Sutra states that if the magnanimity of a giver is as vast as the
space, in future the reward of his blessings will be just as
vast.
I remember when we were building the Manjusri Hall; a person
contributed a certain sum of money. Two years later, this person
visited the Manjusri Hall and went around searching for where his
name might be inscribed. I explained to him that many people had
contributed financially, materials and other efforts to the
building. Since nobody had requested for his or her names to be
inscribed, it would be awkward to inscribe just his name. He didn't
understand and instead became slanderous. Somebody even remarked
that he might be better off giving to those temples where deities
are worshipped as they will inscribe his name in the temples. These
were temples of superstitious beliefs. He really did so and was no
longer interested in learning and practising Buddhism. He no longer
seeks to unfold his wisdom. This person was so attached to his act
of giving and had unwittingly ended his wisdom life. It is such a
pity that he chose to believe in superstition rather than be an
authentic practitioner of Buddhism.
For more information refer to the third chapter, Chapter III.
Questions and Answers, from http://klein.zen.ru/english/Platform%20Sutra.htm
