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**b3JOkwXL** · 01-11-2011, 01:59 PM

I'm not sure about the dedication of merit, but it seems like the accumulation of merit would be well worthwhile if you take these two suttas at face value.

Rebirth on Account of Giving

"There are eight kinds of rebirth on account of giving. What eight?

"Herein, monks, a certain person makes a gift to a recluse or a brahman, offering him food, drink, garments, a vehicle, flowers, incense, ointment, bedding, housing or lighting. In making the gift, he hopes for a reward. He now notices noblemen of wealth, brahmans of wealth or householders of wealth, provided with the five sense pleasures and enjoying them. And he thinks: 'Oh, may I be reborn among them, when I die, when this body breaks up!' And he sets his mind on that thought, keeps to it firmly and fosters it. This thought of his aims at what is low,[7] and if not developed to what is higher,[8] it will lead him to just such a rebirth. After his death, when his body breaks up, he will be reborn among wealthy noblemen, wealthy brahmans or wealthy householders. This, however, I declare only for the virtuous, not for the unvirtuous;[9] for it is due to his purity, monks, that the heart's desire of the virtuous succeeds.

"Then again, a certain person makes a gift to a recluse or a brahman, offering him food... or lighting. In making the gift, he hopes for a reward. He now hears of the long life, the beauty and the great happiness of deities in the realm of the Four Great Divine Kings — the Thirty-three gods — the Yaama gods — the Tusita gods — the gods of creative joy — the gods controlling others' creations, and he wishes to be reborn among them. He sets his mind on that thought, keeps to it firmly and fosters it. This thought of his aims at what is low, and if not developed to what is higher, it will lead him to just such a rebirth. After his death, when his body breaks up, he will be reborn among the deities in the realm of the Four Great Divine Kings... the gods controlling others' creations. This, however, I declare only for the virtuous, not for the unvirtuous; for it is due to his purity, monks, that the heart's desire of the virtuous succeeds.

"Then again, a certain person makes a gift to a recluse or a brahman, offering him food... or lighting. He now hears of the long life, the beauty and the great happiness of the deities of Brahmaa's realm, and he wishes to be reborn among them. He sets his mind on that thought, keeps to it firmly and fosters it. This thought of his aims at what is low, and if not developed to what is higher, it will lead him to just such a rebirth. After his death, when his body breaks up, he will be reborn among the deities of Brahmaa's realm. This, however, I declare only for the virtuous, not for the unvirtuous; only for one free of lust, not for one who is lustful.[10] Because he is without lust, monks, the heart's desire of the virtuous succeeds.

"These, monks, are the eight kinds of rebirth on account of giving."

— AN 8.35 Ways of Meritorious Action

"There are, monks, three ways of making merit.[11] What three?

"There are ways of making merit by giving, by (practicing) virtue and by meditation.[12]

"There is a person who, only to a small degree, has practiced the making of merit by giving; and, likewise to a small degree, he has practiced the making of merit by virtue; but the making of merit by meditation he has not undertaken.[13] This one, after death, when his body breaks up, will be reborn among humans in an ill-favored condition.[14]

"Another person has practiced to a high degree the making of merit by giving as well as by virtue; but the making of merit by meditation he has not undertaken. Such a one, after death, when his body breaks up, will be reborn among humans in favorable conditions.

"Or he will be reborn in the company of the deities of the Four Great Divine Kings. And there, the Four Great Divine Kings, who had practiced to a very high degree the making of merit by giving and by virtue, surpass the deities of their realm in ten things: in divine life span, divine beauty, divine happiness, divine power, divine sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches.

"Or he will be reborn in the company of the Thirty-three gods. And there, Sakka king of gods, who had practiced to a very high degree the making of merit by giving and virtue, surpasses...

(The same statements are made for rebirth among the Yaama gods, Tusita gods, the gods of creative joy, the gods controlling others' creations, and for the respective rulers of these realms.)

"These, monks, are the three ways of making merit."

— AN 8.36 source: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/a.../wheel238.html

01-11-2011, 01:59 PM	#11
b3JOkwXL Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 497 Senior Member	I'm not sure about the dedication of merit, but it seems like the accumulation of merit would be well worthwhile if you take these two suttas at face value. Rebirth on Account of Giving "There are eight kinds of rebirth on account of giving. What eight? "Herein, monks, a certain person makes a gift to a recluse or a brahman, offering him food, drink, garments, a vehicle, flowers, incense, ointment, bedding, housing or lighting. In making the gift, he hopes for a reward. He now notices noblemen of wealth, brahmans of wealth or householders of wealth, provided with the five sense pleasures and enjoying them. And he thinks: 'Oh, may I be reborn among them, when I die, when this body breaks up!' And he sets his mind on that thought, keeps to it firmly and fosters it. This thought of his aims at what is low,[7] and if not developed to what is higher,[8] it will lead him to just such a rebirth. After his death, when his body breaks up, he will be reborn among wealthy noblemen, wealthy brahmans or wealthy householders. This, however, I declare only for the virtuous, not for the unvirtuous;[9] for it is due to his purity, monks, that the heart's desire of the virtuous succeeds. "Then again, a certain person makes a gift to a recluse or a brahman, offering him food... or lighting. In making the gift, he hopes for a reward. He now hears of the long life, the beauty and the great happiness of deities in the realm of the Four Great Divine Kings — the Thirty-three gods — the Yaama gods — the Tusita gods — the gods of creative joy — the gods controlling others' creations, and he wishes to be reborn among them. He sets his mind on that thought, keeps to it firmly and fosters it. This thought of his aims at what is low, and if not developed to what is higher, it will lead him to just such a rebirth. After his death, when his body breaks up, he will be reborn among the deities in the realm of the Four Great Divine Kings... the gods controlling others' creations. This, however, I declare only for the virtuous, not for the unvirtuous; for it is due to his purity, monks, that the heart's desire of the virtuous succeeds. "Then again, a certain person makes a gift to a recluse or a brahman, offering him food... or lighting. He now hears of the long life, the beauty and the great happiness of the deities of Brahmaa's realm, and he wishes to be reborn among them. He sets his mind on that thought, keeps to it firmly and fosters it. This thought of his aims at what is low, and if not developed to what is higher, it will lead him to just such a rebirth. After his death, when his body breaks up, he will be reborn among the deities of Brahmaa's realm. This, however, I declare only for the virtuous, not for the unvirtuous; only for one free of lust, not for one who is lustful.[10] Because he is without lust, monks, the heart's desire of the virtuous succeeds. "These, monks, are the eight kinds of rebirth on account of giving." — AN 8.35 Ways of Meritorious Action "There are, monks, three ways of making merit.[11] What three? "There are ways of making merit by giving, by (practicing) virtue and by meditation.[12] "There is a person who, only to a small degree, has practiced the making of merit by giving; and, likewise to a small degree, he has practiced the making of merit by virtue; but the making of merit by meditation he has not undertaken.[13] This one, after death, when his body breaks up, will be reborn among humans in an ill-favored condition.[14] "Another person has practiced to a high degree the making of merit by giving as well as by virtue; but the making of merit by meditation he has not undertaken. Such a one, after death, when his body breaks up, will be reborn among humans in favorable conditions. "Or he will be reborn in the company of the deities of the Four Great Divine Kings. And there, the Four Great Divine Kings, who had practiced to a very high degree the making of merit by giving and by virtue, surpass the deities of their realm in ten things: in divine life span, divine beauty, divine happiness, divine power, divine sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches. "Or he will be reborn in the company of the Thirty-three gods. And there, Sakka king of gods, who had practiced to a very high degree the making of merit by giving and virtue, surpasses... (The same statements are made for rebirth among the Yaama gods, Tusita gods, the gods of creative joy, the gods controlling others' creations, and for the respective rulers of these realms.) "These, monks, are the three ways of making merit." — AN 8.36 source: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/a.../wheel238.html
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