Head-stratching question

Texcoco II SG

From http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/snapshot01.htm

"13. The importance of Non-attachment. Buddhism goes beyond doing good and being good. One must not be attached to good deeds or the idea of doing good; otherwise it is just another form of craving."

What do this sentence mean? Issit mean when u did something good, u just do it without any feelings (like a robot) and feel indifferent about it? Or it mean that doing good is not for the sake of doing it? Can someone enlighten me please?
Very Happy

bohiruci SG

It means to the concept of "Hey , I did a good thing " and you feel very happy and your mind could not concentrate on doing other thing the rest of the day
which u are attached ,and when u did a wrong thing and u feel "Oh i feel very bad and become pessimistic

The Worldly idea of doing good thing is basically we want people to praise us
and hoping to hear ,"Hey wat a good deed you have done" ,and when nobody praise you , you will have a form of internal self-struggle as in "Why was I not being praised " or "Why does I get scolded instead"

this kind of emotion is a gain or loss situation which have a concept of craving ....

we attached to things , to deeds and ideas and we refused to see we suffer when we are attached to all this

so for a simple start , maybe u will just be mindful of what your gd deeds is
and learn to forget what u have done .

only when u understand the impermanent nature of such actions
then u will see the meaning of non-attachment

Buddhism talks about sequence and level in practice

Laughing

Texcoco II SG

I see.... Laughing O' Master! Cool

Anyway kinda hard to find a 30 something guy like u studying Buddhism

An Eternal Now SG

http://www.jenchen.org.sg/understa.htm

What are merits?

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.

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LIBERATION is special to Buddhism, all other religions teaches the notion of doing good and avoiding evil, but Buddhism goes one step further of liberation.

An Eternal Now SG

Why? 30+ too old meh? Laughing

Also see: http://www.jenchen.org.sg/vol6no4e.htm

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.

bohiruci SG

excellent ,Eternal Now Smile Cool Cool

sinweiy SG

to add to An Eternal Now explaination of the diff between 'fu de' (merit) and gong de(virtue).
doing good deeds that still attached to an ego, will only lead to heavenly realm rather than ending samsara. it's still not liberation. to leave samsara, you need PURE deeds rather than good deeds. but don't think u can't do good deed, you can still do when there's yuan(aka shui yuan), but after doing always transfer it to the West Land of Ultimate Bliss. don't keep the virtue and not do transfer. they will only be dried up easily. better to donated it into the ocean merit of Amitabha and West Land. this way, it wouldn't dried up!
don't pan1 yuan2 (purposely go and do) also. let it be natural.

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sinweiy SG

Merit (puñña) is a synonym for happiness. It accumulates in the mind of one who performs meritorious deeds of generosity (dana), morality (sila), and mental development (bhavana).

(Dhammapada v 18 )
Idha nandati pecca nandati,
katapuñño ubhayattha nandati
Puññam me katanti nandati,
bhiyyo nandati suggatim gato.

Here he is happy, hereafter he is happy.
In both states the doer of good is happy.
Good have I done (thinking thus), he is happy.
Furthermore, he is happy, having gone to a blissful state.

It is a necessary condition for gaining Enlightenment. The Bodhisatta had to strive for aeons to accumulate merit of all kinds in order to gain Omniscience. Those who aspire to lower goals don't need to perfect all aspects of merit, but they still need to accumulate wholesome deeds, speech, and thoughts; and need to avoid demerit that would obstruct the development of insight.

Three grades of merit can be distinguished, and these grades can be applied not only to generosity and morality, but to other meritorious deeds too:
1. Inferior grade (hina) : merit aimed at worldly benefits such as fame, gain, praise and so forth. Wholesome deeds done for low aims such as these are still wholesome deeds, but they are defiled by a lot of greed and pride.

2. Medium grade (majjhima) : merit aimed a prosperity in the round of rebirths (samsara). A wise person who knows the Dhamma understands that prosperity, health, long life, etc., are the results of wholesome deeds. Therefore, firmly believing in the beneficial effects of wholesome deeds they perform merits for their long term happiness, without too much concern for the present life only. This grade of merit can overcome defilements to a great extent.

3. Superior grade (panita) : merit aimed at enlightenment only. Whether one aspires for Omniscience or Arahantship or only Stream-winning, one understands that this can only be attained by abandoning sensual pleasures and selfish thoughts. For the sake of mental purification one practices meritorious deeds, not wishing for wealth, but only for wisdom.

There are ten kinds of meritorious deeds:

1. Generosity (dana)
2. Morality (sila)
3. Mental development (bhavana)
4. Reverence (apacayana)
5. Service to others (veyyavacca)
6. Sharing of merits (pattidana)
7. Rejoicing in others' merits (pattanumodana)
8. Listening to or studying Dhamma (Dhammassavana)
9. Teaching the Dhamma (Dhammadesana)
10. Straightening one's views (ditthujukamma).

All of these ten meritorious deeds incline towards Enlightenment. The accumulation of merits means the accumulation of skillful mental attitudes and perfections (parami). When the perfections are well developed then one can gain Enlightenment if one wishes. Though one wishes to gain Enlightenment, if the perfections are weak, one cannot gain Enlightenment.

To give a simile: merit is like petrol for your car. Without petrol you cannot go anywhere. However, you also need five good wheels, an accurate map, driving skill, and the wish to go somewhere. Driving around sight-seeing is no use. The five good wheels means the five precepts don't forget the fifth precept that is the steering wheel. The accurate map is the Buddha's teaching in the Tipitaka. Driving skill is training in the precepts, concentration, and insight. Accumulated merit is the petrol, and the car is a precious human body.. ---Bhikkhu Pesala

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An Eternal Now SG

Thank you Sinweiy for Bhikkhu Pesala's message. Very Happy

Further explanation of Gong De by 6th Patriarch Hui Neng:

The Sutra of the 6th Patriarch, Hui Neng

One day Prefect Wei entertained the Patriarch and asked him to preach to a big gathering. At the end of the feast, Prefect Wei asked him to mount the pulpit (to which the Patriarch consented). After bowing twice reverently, in company with other officials, scholars, and commoners, Prefect Wei said, "I have heard what Your Holiness preached. It is really so deep that it is beyond our mind and speech, and I have certain doubts which I hope you will clear up for me." "If you have any doubts," replied the Patriarch, "please ask, and I will explain." "What you preach are the fundamental principles taught by Bodhidharma, are they not?" "Yes," replied the Patriarch. "I was told," said Prefect Wei, "that at Bodhidharma's first interview with Emperor Wu of Liang he was asked what merits the Emperor would get for the work of his life in building temples, allowing new monks to be ordained (royal consent was necessary at that time), giving alms and entertaining the Order; and his reply was that these would bring no meritsar all. Now, I cannot understand why he gave such an answer. Will you please explain." "These would bring no merits," replied the Patriarch. "Don't doubt the words of the Sage. Emperor Wu's mind was under an erroneous impression, and he did not know the orthodox teaching. Such deeds as building temples, allowing new monks to be ordained, giving alms and entertaining the Order will bring you only felicities, which should not be taken for merits. Merits are to be found within the Dharmakaya, and they have nothing to do with practices for attaining felicities." The Patriarch went on, "Realization of the Essence of Mind is Kung (good deserts), and equality is Teh (good quality). When our mental activity works without any impediment, so that we are in a position to know constantly the true state and the mysterious functioning of our own mind, we are said to have acquired Kung Teh (merits).
Within, to keep the mind in a humble mood is Kung; and without, to behave oneself according to propriety is Teh. That all things are the manifestation of the Essence of Mind is Kung, and that the quintessence of mind is free from idle thoughts is Teh. Not to go astray from the Essence of Mind is Kung, and not to pollute the mind in using it is Teh. If you seek for merits within the Dharmakaya, and do what I have just said, what you acquire will be real merits.

He who works for merits does not slight others; and on all occasions he treats everybody with respect. He who is in the habit of looking down upon others has not got rid of the erroneous idea of a self, which indicates his lack of Kung. Because of his egotism and his habitual contempt for all others, he knows not the real Essence of Mind; and this shows his lack of Teh. Learned Audience, when our mental activity works without interruption, then it is Kung; and when our mind functions in a straightforward manner, then it is Teh. To train our own mind is Kung, and to train our own body is Teh.

Learned Audience, merits should be sought within the Essence of Mind and they cannot be acquired by almsgiving, entertaining the monks, etc. We should therefore distinguish between felicities and merits. There is nothing wrong in what our Patriarch said. It is Emperor Wu himself who did not know the true way."