Chapter 29B. The Quality of Dhana Receiver
As mentioned earlier in Chapter 29 that the purity of alms receiver
is one of the factors that contribute to more or less of merit energy earned,
in this Chapter 29B, we provides a specific equation, graph, and explanation
to clarify this very factor further.
According to the Lord Buddha’s teachings, receivers of alms can be divided
into many levels in such a way that they reflect the proportionate volume of earnable
merit.
This starts from giving to an animal which yields karmic fruition of 100 [units].
Then, giving made to 100 animals yield merit as much as a giving made to only
one immoral human.
Giving to 100 immoral humans yield merit as much as a giving made to one virtuous
human who observes five precepts.
Giving made to 100 virtuous humans who observe five precepts yield merit as
much as a giving made to a virtuous human who observes eight precepts.
Giving made to 100 virtuous humans who observe eight precepts yield merit
as much as only one giving made to a Sotapanna Saint.
Giving made to 100 Sotapanna Saints yield merit as much as a giving made
to one Sagadagami Saint.
Giving made to 100 Sagadagami Saints yield merit as much as a giving made
to one Anagami Saint.
Giving made to 100 Anagami Saints yield merit as much as a giving made to
one Arahat Saint.
Giving made to 100 Arahat Saints yield merit as much as giving made to one
Silent Buddha.
Giving made to 100 Silent Buddhas yield merit as much as giving made to
one Lord Buddha.
Giving made to 100 Lord Buddhas yield merit less than giving a Sangha
Dhana (the contribution made to a Buddhist Monastic community presided by a
Lord Buddha) which is explained further in Chapter 36.
In addition, if an individual who is a receiver of alms is capable of
attaining jhana or mental meditative absorption which progresses from the first
jhana, second jhana, third jhana, fourth jhana, fifth jhana, sixth jhana,
seventh jhana, eighth jhana, and samapatti (meditative deepening),
respectively, these states of mind elevate the quality of alms receivers in
manifold.
Hence, according to our equation:
The quality of an alms receiver (Q) equals to the sum of [Status, Morality, and Purity of a Receiver]
and [the Jhana Condition of Receiver’s Mind] which can be graphed as
shown on the graph where status of receiver is ay and
condition of receiver’s mind is bx.
With this fraction, we can apply or substitute into our equation of
generosity in Chapter 29 and equation of Sangha Dhana in Chapter
36 to find the approximate volume of merit energy earned from dhana
or the practice of giving made to specific individuals in term of the alms receiver(s)’
quality or purity.
By Pirajak Tisuthiwongse
(pen-name: Pittaya Wong)
6 August 2021
www.meditation101.org
