Today, my topic is one we talk about constantly: Merit and virtue. But what is it? Why are good deeds different from merit and virtue? Why is that the latter can help eliminate karmic obstacles, whereas the former cannot? Why is that an action can sometimes be counted as merit and virtue, while sometimes it is a good deed?
When you have witnessed and verified the Buddha-nature, you have merit and virtue. Specifically, when you do a good deed, and do it from the bottom of your heart and with your inherent Buddha-nature, that is merit and virtue. You were able to realise your Buddha-nature while doing the deed. In other words, when performing a good deed, if you can sense that it is something that Bodhisattvas do, then that is Buddha-nature. You have witnessed and verified the Buddha-nature.
You receive the reward for doing something, so you have witnessed and verified the Buddha-nature. If you acted like a Buddha for one hour in the Human Realm, then everything you did in that period would be considered merit and virtue. If you acted like a Bodhisattva for half an hour in the Human Realm, saving and spiritually awakening others, then everything you did in that period would be considered merit and virtue.
For example, while you shared Dharma with others, you felt that you were like Bodhisattvas trying to save others. You felt pity towards them, and genuinely wanted to save them. Therefore, everything you said and did was merit and virtue. On the contrary, if you were motivated by selfishness and self-gain, or you did it because they were your friends and relatives, then even if you have put a lot of effort in, it’s still counted as a good deed – with not a shred of merit and virtue.
From the perspective of one’s inherent nature, once you realise your Buddha-nature and then apply it to anything you do – anything at all relating to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas – then it’s merit and virtue. Note that for any person who owns the Buddha-nature, once they recognise the Buddha-nature and then apply it in the real world, that’s merit.
So what is virtue? Equality is virtue. Only with equanimity can a person emanate the light of great compassion and great mercy. Without equanimity, how could you do that? If Guan Yin Bodhisattva does not have equanimity, why would she come down to this Saha World to spiritually awaken sentient beings? It is because of the compassion and the virtue of equality she possesses that Guan Yin Bodhisattva comes to this world to save sentient beings. That’s why the virtue in “merit and virtue” is so important.
“Seeing one’s inherent nature is merit, while equality is virtue.” When you see your inherent nature, that is merit. With equanimity, your virtue emerges. “Inner humility is merit” means our minds must be modest and humble. What comes out of your mind must be humble, because humility is meritorious.
On the outside, one must practise politeness. People pay attention to the etiquette and courtesy displayed on the outside. If one can maintain proper courtesy and etiquette, that is their virtue. These are the principles that Bodhisattvas taught us: that on the inside we must be humble, and on the outside we must be polite. As a practitioner, you must pay attention to your speech and conduct, so as to not cause other people to look down on you.
Equality depends on one’s understanding – equality of understanding. If you can understand what the equality is based upon, then you have already realised your Buddha-nature and comprehended the principle. To realise the Buddha-nature, you must adopt a method that you believe can cultivate your mind and change your behaviour.
In fact, seeking blessings does not mean accumulating merit and virtue. Be clear about this point: people who seek blessings only obtain worldly blessings. Many people don’t aim to receive merit and virtue. Rather, they seek only for worldly blessings. For example, some in Guan Yin Temple pray to Bodhisattvas for the wellbeing of their children, or for their health, their wealth, and so on. These are all worldly blessings – not merit and virtue.
Worldly blessings and karmic obstacles move forward at the same time. For example, while you have karmic obstacles, you have also done a lot of good deeds. You pray to have a child, which is an instance of worldly blessings. And when your child is born, this is the blessing that you are rewarded with. However, not even a bit of your karmic obstacles is reduced as a result. It’s not a case of: “I have done a lot of good things and my karmic obstacles can be eliminated.” No. That is not possible.
After your realisation, true merit and virtue will come from all of the things that you do with your Buddha-nature. Therefore, it is necessary that you attain realisation or awaken to these principles first and foremost. If you haven’t awakened, but claim that “I do everything with my Buddha-nature,” these are merely empty words.
For example, I helped an old lady today. I prayed to the Bodhisattva to extend her lifespan. If I hadn’t already awakened, and I prayed for her simply because she treated me well or helped me often, then my praying will not constitute merit and virtue. That is because, in the depths of my heart, I didn’t help her with Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s great kindness and compassion. I prayed for her merely because I felt pity towards her and she was old. Therefore, the act can only be categorised as a good deed, rather than merit and virtue. Accordingly, it will not be effective.
If you claim that you use your Buddha nature to pray for an elderly person to have a long lifespan, you are simply paying lip service. That is because you did not apply Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s compassion in your inherent nature. Do you know what I did? When I pray to the Bodhisattva to extend an old lady’s lifespan, I think of her cultivating her mind and practising Buddhism, and I also think of her getting old and only just awakening and starting to cultivate her mind.
Therefore, I pray to Guan Yin Bodhisattva to give her inherent nature and Buddha-nature a bit more time – to let her live a bit longer so that she is able to realise more wisdom, realise her Buddha-nature and encourage more people to believe in Guan Yin Bodhisattva. If the prayer was performed in that way, the Buddha-nature within the inherent nature manifests.
You must discard all distracting thoughts, and not be tainted by any selfish motives. You must inspire the Buddha-nature within the depths of your heart, so that every deed you perform will count as merit and virtue. For a person to attain realisation, they must possess both the virtue of their Buddha-nature as well as the merit of their Buddha-nature. Altogether, they will have the merit and virtue of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
“To be unobstructed in every thought” means there is not even a shred of obstruction in your thought. In other words, you have full control of your mind. Only when you have no mental obstructions can you see your inherent nature constantly. When your mind no longer consists of any distracting thoughts, you can often see what belongs to your inherent nature.
Merely seeing your inherent nature, though, is not enough – you must also apply the Buddha-nature. For example, if a person knows that they are performing deeds that Bodhisattvas would do, but they simply safeguard their own image, their speech and their mind, then it is not enough. Why? Because they haven’t applied their Buddha-nature. They didn’t share with people the valuable Buddhist scriptures, the wisdom of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, or the Buddhist code of conduct. If you do not apply Bodhisattva’s wisdom to your everyday life, you are not a Bodhisattva. Therefore, the deeds you perform do not constitute merit and virtue.
