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Merit Dedication for Buddhists

Merit Dedication for Buddhists

 

Compiled by Pittaya Wong & Team 


on 12 December 2015


www.meditation101.org


 

 

What is dedication of merit? Dedication of merit in Buddhism is an amazing practice which allows the ‘merit’ or ‘punya,’ the pure energy that occurs in our mind, when we have wholesome thought, speech, and action, to be dedicated to others. We may compare the merit energy to the transferable electricity or frequency which cannot be seen with naked eyes. However, the difference is that the merit dedicator does not lose his or her merit energy when s(he) dedicates merit to others. When someone dedicates merit, and the dedicated person accepts it willingly (appreciating or rejoicing in the dedicated merit either mentally and/or physically), merit energy will occur in both the dedicator’s and the dedicated person’s mind as their minds become meritorious. This is like lighting up the first torch and use this first torch to light up other torches. However, the merit energy which occurs to the dedicated person’s mind is only around 10 to 20% of the original merit volume in the dedicator’s mind depending on the level of appreciation of the dedicated person. Dedication of merit can be made either to living or diseased persons. The important thing is that the dedicated persons must know about the dedication and accept the dedicated merit with appreciation. If the dedicated persons are alive, the merit dedicator should inform them, so they can acknowledge or accept the dedication. If the dedicated persons passed away already, the merit dedicator should have a strong will to inform the spirits of the dedicated persons. If the dedicated persons’ spirits are in the realms that make it difficult for them to receive the merit, they may not be able to receive the merit energy properly. This is like sending a gift to your beloved one as a registered parcel. If the recipient does not sign to accept the parcel, the gift is not well received. Also, if the gift is sent to a recipient who lives in a country which is having a war, the gift may not be well received as well. It is the same to the spirit of the dedicated person who is being punished in any of the hell realms, it is difficult for him to receive the dedicated merit. Although it is hard to know if the dedicated persons receive merit energy from the dedicator or not (except that you check with your insight power gained from meditation practice), the merit dedicator always earns more merit energy from dedicating merit because his mind becomes even more ‘meritorious’ whenever he does the merit dedication. The accumulated merit energy in one’s mind is crucial as it can bring about happiness, prosperity, success, benefits, as well as enlightenment to the merit owner.


 

Words for Merit Dedication

 

“I …………………….. would like to recollect all the meritorious deeds I have done since my first lifetime until now such as the merit gained from ……………………………………and dedicate to the Very First Wholesome Lord Buddha, all other wholesome Lord Buddha(s), Silent Buddha(s), the wholesome Supra-mundane Chakkavatti(s) or the Dhamma Nurturer(s), the fully enlightened Buddhist disciples, the Noble Buddhist disciples, all of the aforesaid from the very first ones who have existed in the existence, and the following ones until the present, and the ones who will exist in the future, throughout the existence.

 

I would like to dedicate all of my merit to Lord Metriya Bodhisatta, who will be the next Lord Buddha, and his followers, as well as all other wholesome Bodhisatta(s) or the Buddha-to-be persons, the wholesome mundane Chakkavatti(s), monarchs, royalties, presidents, prime ministers, and the leaders of my country and other countries all over the world.

 

I would like to dedicate all of my merit to my wholesome Dhamma masters and teachers, members of the Buddhist monastic community of my country and all over the world, my preceptors, school and university teachers, my ancestors, grandparents, parents, siblings, cousins, relatives, husbands, wives, sons, daughters, children, grandchildren, descendants, family members, friends, associates, followers, fellows in the Dhamma, those whom I am indebted to, superintendants, subordinates, my family’s celestial guardians, all of the aforesaid, in every lifetime of mine.


I would like to dedicate all of my merit to those who secure my country such as the polices, firemen, veterans, and army soldiers, and those who secure and promote Buddhism, the Triple Gem, and other righteous religions in the wholesome ways, both in my country and all over the world.

 

I would like to dedicate my merit to Arupa Brahma(s), Rupa Brahma(s), celestial beings, spirits, the supernormal bodies (kayasiddhi), and others, who promote, look after, protect, guard, and secure me, my family, the Buddhist temples and properties, the Lord Buddha’s four pilgrimage places namely the place of birth, place of enlightenment, place of delivering the first sermon, and place of passing away, as well as the Lord Buddha and Buddhist monk statues, Lord Buddha’s relics, Enlightened Disciples’ relics, Buddhist pagodas and stupas, the Bodhi trees, the members of Buddhist lay communities, the public places and public properties, all of the aforesaid, throughout the existence.

 

I would like to dedicate my merit to the Brahma(s), celestial beings, and those who attend the meetings and deliver wholesome teachings at the celestial beings’ assembly halls of all levels and zones throughout the existence.

 

I would like to dedicate my merit to all Arupa Brahma(s) and Brahma(s) of all levels and zones, the Lord and celestial beings of the sixth level of heaven (Paranimmittavasavatti), the Lord and celestial beings of the fifth level of heaven (Nimmanarati), the Lord and celestial beings of the fourth level of heaven (Tusita), the Lord and celestial beings of the third level of heaven (Yama), the Lord Indra and celestial beings of the second level of heaven (Tavatimsa), the Four Lords and celestial beings of the first level of heaven (Catumaharajika), the orgs (Yaksa), serpent angels (Naga), bird angels (Garuda), and musician angels (Gandadappa), all wholesome sorcerers, hermits and ascetics, both celestial and mundane, earth sprites, tree sprites, celestial beings in the air, guardian angels of my house and everywhere, the superintendent angels of all levels and zones, the angels who record, deliver, and keep the journals of humans’ good deeds, of all levels and zones, all of the aforesaid, throughout the existence.

 

I would like to dedicate my merit to those whom I used to harm either mentally, verbally, and physically. May all of them know about my merit sharing and accept the shared merit, then kindly forgive me for all of my unwholesome deeds. May my bad karma(s) be lessened or forgiven completely.

 

I would like to dedicate my merit to the judges, secretaries and officials of purgatory hells (yomaloka), and punished beings in the purgatory hells and other hells of all levels and zones throughout the existence.

 

I would like to dedicate my merit to astral bodies, spirits, ghosts, hungry ghosts (peta), demons (asurakaya), and monsters everywhere either near or afar throughout the existence.

 

I would like to dedicate my merit to my family’s pets and animal companions, 
and all other sentient beings both in the wholesome and unwholesome realms throughout the existence.”

 

“May all of the dedicated ones know about my merit dedication and accept the dedicated merit. With the power of merit that the dedicated ones receive from me, may they and I become purer mentally, verbally, and physically… May they and I become even more righteous and wholesome only, as well as being prosperous in the 38 Blessings of life (Manggala) and the Noble Eightfold Path (Ariyamagga)… May they and I become more beautiful, wisdomful, radiantful, graceful, peaceful, happier, healthier, wealthier, and have more beneficial virtuous subordinates and fellows, praise, gain, fame, as well as attaining the path and fruit (Magga & Phala) of Nirvana, the wholesome superknowledge (Vijja), and the wholesome conducts (Carana)… May the merit yields only wholesome results to them and myself forevermore.”