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Puñña — Merit (Extract) 1

Homage to the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Highest Self—Enlightened One!

Access to Insight

Published: 2014-12-03

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The Lord Buddha's words on merit (puñña).

A blessing: friends when the need arises.
A blessing: contentment with whatever there is.
Merit at the ending of life is a blessing.
A blessing: the abandoning of all suffering & stress.

A blessing in the world: reverence to your mother.
A blessing: reverence to your father as well.
A blessing in the world: reverence to a contemplative.
A blessing: reverence for a brahmin, too.

A blessing into old age is virtue.
A blessing: conviction established.
A blessing: discernment attained.
The non—doing of evil things is a blessing.

— Dhammapada 331—333

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This was said by the Blessed One [the Lord Buddha], said by the Arahant, so I have heard: “Monks, don't be afraid of acts of merit. This is another way of saying what is blissful, desirable, pleasing, endearing, charming — i.e., acts of merit. I am cognizant that, having long performed meritorious deeds, I long experienced desirable, pleasing, endearing, charming results.

Having developed a mind of good will [metta] for seven years, then for seven aeons of contraction & expansion I didn't return to this world. Whenever the aeon was contracting, I went to the realm of Streaming Radiance. Whenever the aeon was expanding, I reappeared in an empty Brahma—abode. There I was the Great Brahman, the Unconquered Conqueror, All—seeing, & Wielder of Power. Then for thirty—six times I was Sakka, ruler of the gods. For many hundreds of times I was a king, a wheel—turning emperor, a righteous king of Dhamma, conqueror of the four corners of the earth, maintaining stable control over the countryside, endowed with the seven treasures[1] — to say nothing of the times I was a local king.

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The thought occurred to me: ‘Of what action of mine is this the fruit, of what action the result, that I now have such great power & might?’ Then the thought occurred to me: ‘This is the fruit of my three [types of] action, the result of three types of action, that I now have such great power & might: i.e., generosity, self—control, & restraint.’”

Train in acts of merit
that bring long—lasting bliss —
develop generosity,
a life in tune,
a mind of good—will [metta].

Developing these
three things
that bring about bliss,
the wise reappear
in a world of bliss
unalloyed.

— Itivuttaka 22

Notes

The seven treasures are a divine wheel, an ideal jewel, an ideal elephant, an ideal horse, an ideal wife, an ideal treasurer, an ideal counsellor.

May all be happy and well!

From: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/merit.html#punna

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