The Lord Buddha discovered and taught the truth about merit, which can be summarized as follows: life is governed by the merit and demerit that each person accumulates. Every person desire happiness, and no one wishes to suffer. Therefore, each individual must diligently create their own merit and avoid unwholesome actions to the best of their ability. In doing so, a bright and promising future awaits.
We live as families — no one can truly thrive alone. Our individual knowledge and abilities are insufficient for a solitary existence; we must depend on one another. And because we are interdependent, the happiness or suffering we experience is shaped by the collective merit and demerit of every member of the family, shared and distributed among all.
Therefore, if you wish to see your family live in happiness, every member — from the eldest ancestors, to parents, siblings, and children — must all be engaged in merit-making together. This is the surest guarantee of a truly happy family.
While living in this world, they will know happiness. And when the time comes to depart, the merit they have accumulated will carry them forward to happiness in the next life as well — whether they are reborn as human beings or as celestial beings. The merit created during this human life continues to follow and bear fruit.
Should one be reborn as a celestial being and later return to the human realm, the remaining merit from past lives will still be present, bringing about a birth into favorable and joyful circumstances once again.
However, should one do the opposite — creating demerit rather than merit — suffering will follow in this life, after death, and in future lives as well. Such is the fundamental principle.
April 14th, 2018
