Merit accumulation in our past lives

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Rahula
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Merit accumulation in our past lives

Post by Rahula »

I heard (online) following in a talk by a Sri Lankan bikku, Rajagiriye Ariyagnana.

"We had accumulated many merits in our past lives. If we stack things that we had given to Arhaths in our past lives it will rise upto a tall mountain..... Buddha had mentioned that we are not less with merits, there is no need to do more merits thinking that we don't have enough merits to attain Nibbana, but Buddha had mentioned that we had made many merits in our past lives, it's just a matter of awaking them up by practicing Five prospective and leading a good life etc....."

My question is: Had Buddha really mentioned that "there is no need to do more merits thinking that we don't have enough merits to attain Nibbana" and other related thing as above?

If so, can someone please guide me to a Sutta where I can verify this. I tried to find it online but failed.

Thank You!
May you be happy, healthy & successful in everything you do! :anjali:
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Mkoll
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Re: Merit accumulation in our past lives

Post by Mkoll »

Hi Rahula,

I don't know of the sutta you're looking for, but I do know of a sutta where the Buddha speaks on merit very positively:
Iti 22 wrote:This was said by the Lord…

“Bhikkhus, do not fear meritorious deeds. This is an expression denoting happiness, what is desirable, wished for, dear and agreeable, that is, ‘meritorious deeds.’ For I know full well, bhikkhus, that for a long time I experienced desirable, wished for, dear and agreeable results from often performing meritorious deeds.

“Having cultivated for seven years a mind of loving-kindness, for seven aeons of contraction and expansion I did not return to this world. Whenever the aeon contracted I reached the plane of Streaming Radiance, and when the aeon expanded I arose in an empty Brahma-mansion. And there I was a Brahmā, the Great Brahmā, the Unvanquished Victor, the All-seeing, the All-powerful. Thirty-six times I was Sakka, the ruler of the devas. And many hundreds of times I was a Wheel-turning Monarch, righteous, a king of righteousness, conqueror of the four quarters of the earth, maintaining stability in the land, in possession of the seven jewels. What need is there to speak of mere local kingship?

“It occurred to me, bhikkhus, to wonder: ‘Of what kind of deed of mine is this the fruit? Of what deed’s ripening is it that I am now of such great accomplishment and power?’ And then it occurred to me: ‘It is the fruit of three kinds of deeds of mine, the ripening of three kinds of deeds that I am now of such great accomplishment and power: deeds of giving, of self-mastery, and of refraining.’”

One should train in deeds of merit
That yield long-lasting happiness:
Generosity, a balanced life,
Developing a loving mind.

By cultivating these three things,
Deeds yielding happiness,
The wise person is reborn in bliss
In an untroubled happy world.
:anjali:
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
davidbrainerd
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Re: Merit accumulation in our past lives

Post by davidbrainerd »

Probably the speaker believes in the "there is no doer, no experiencer, just phenomena flowing on" orthodoxy that developed in the 5th century AD, so he doesn't really believe merit accumulates over lives, but rather than say that he comes up with some other excuse to discourage meritorious acts.
chownah
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Re: Merit accumulation in our past lives

Post by chownah »

"there is no doer, no experiencer, just phenomena flowing on" orthodoxy that developed in the 5th century AD
Nope.....not even close.
chownah
upekha
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Re: Merit accumulation in our past lives

Post by upekha »

I am not aware of a sutta where the Buddha has said this. Maybe,this is mentioned in the commentaries,

I think the aim of the priest was to make people aware of their store of merit which has been accumulated in previous lives. Here in Sri Lanka, you find less people meditating compared to the number that will get involved in merit making activities. If there was a meditation program, you may find a crowd of about 100 or less attending it, where as if there was a puja where they offer lotus flowers to a Stupa, you would find a crowd of 1000 s attending it.

Most of this priests' talks are about the dangers of continuing in samsara, where he describes what bad actions can lead to in the next birth.

With metta
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Rahula
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Re: Merit accumulation in our past lives

Post by Rahula »

Mkoll wrote:Hi Rahula,

I don't know of the sutta you're looking for, but I do know of a sutta where the Buddha speaks on merit very positively:
:anjali:
Thanks for the reply :smile:
May you be happy, healthy & successful in everything you do! :anjali:
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Rahula
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Re: Merit accumulation in our past lives

Post by Rahula »

davidbrainerd wrote:Probably the speaker believes in the "there is no doer, no experiencer, just phenomena flowing on" orthodoxy that developed in the 5th century AD, so he doesn't really believe merit accumulates over lives, but rather than say that he comes up with some other excuse to discourage meritorious acts.
Thanks for the reply.

But this thero (Rajagiriye Ariyagnana) believes in merit accumulates over lives, that's what this all about. He says that we have loads of merit accumulated over many past lives. That's the point I'm trying to get more information.
May you be happy, healthy & successful in everything you do! :anjali:
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Rahula
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Re: Merit accumulation in our past lives

Post by Rahula »

upekha wrote:I am not aware of a sutta where the Buddha has said this. Maybe,this is mentioned in the commentaries,

I think the aim of the priest was to make people aware of their store of merit which has been accumulated in previous lives. Here in Sri Lanka, you find less people meditating compared to the number that will get involved in merit making activities. If there was a meditation program, you may find a crowd of about 100 or less attending it, where as if there was a puja where they offer lotus flowers to a Stupa, you would find a crowd of 1000 s attending it.

Most of this priests' talks are about the dangers of continuing in samsara, where he describes what bad actions can lead to in the next birth.

With metta
Thanks for the reply.
You are exactly right. I'm also in Sri Lanka. I just want to find this information on Thripitaka and further study about it. Still trying to locate a relevant Sutta.
May you be happy, healthy & successful in everything you do! :anjali:
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Bhikkhu Pesala
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Re: Merit accumulation in our past lives

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

To go on a journey and reach your destination you need several factors:
  1. A vehicle
  2. The ability to drive it
  3. An accurate map
  4. Fuel for the journey, but you can buy more on the way as needed
  5. Five good wheels
To get to the destination of nibbāna you need several factors:
  1. A suitable meditation method
  2. Skill in meditation practice. This can be acquired through training.
  3. Knowledge of the Buddha's teachings, or the guidance of someone who does
  4. Accumulated merits. Here, the Sri Lankan monk is stressing that since we are all reborn in this human realm during the era of the Buddhasāsana, we already have sufficient fuel in the form of mundane merits of charity, etc., to make the journey. The practice of the eight precepts while undergoing meditation practice accumulates superior merit, and striving to develop concentration and insight are the noblest forms of mundane merit. If you own diamonds, gold, and silver, you do not need to carry copper and iron to exchange for food on the journey.
  5. Observing four of the five precepts is not enough. We also have to observe the fifth precept or we won't have a good steering wheel.
Last edited by Bhikkhu Pesala on Tue Aug 09, 2016 4:40 am, edited 2 times in total.
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SarathW
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Re: Merit accumulation in our past lives

Post by SarathW »

:goodpost: Ven Pesala

Some thing important to remember is that Nibbana is beyond wholesome and unwholesome.
We have become human due to some previous meritorious deeds.
We should follow the Noble Eightfold Path.
The most important is the last two not mention in the NEP, Right Knowledge and Right Release.
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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Bhikkhu Pesala
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Re: Merit accumulation in our past lives

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

Rahula wrote:You are exactly right. I'm also in Sri Lanka. I just want to find this information on Tipitaka and further study about it. Still trying to locate a relevant Sutta.
The Suttas don't talk much about past lives and accumulation of perfections. Most references to kamma done in previous lives can be found in the Commentaries, e.g. how Bahiya Dārucirya meditated very strenuously during the time of the Buddha Kassapa, and thus attain Arahantship more swiftly than anyone else when he met the Buddha Gotama.

The story of Mahādhana shows how accumulated perfections that are sufficient to attain Arahantship in this very life, are of no help if one does not practice meditation. Merit is like accumulated wealth: one can spend it wisely or foolishly.

Winning the lottery often brings great suffering for the fool, but a wise man benefits greatly by performing acts of charity, supporting his parents and family, investing the money wisely for his old age.
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Rahula
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Re: Merit accumulation in our past lives

Post by Rahula »

Thanks for the reply. I totally agree with you. Do you think that there is no Sutta for what I'm trying to find. Is it just like general teaching etc.
Bhikkhu Pesala wrote:To go on a journey and reach your destination you need several factors:
  1. A vehicle
  2. The ability to drive it
  3. An accurate map
  4. Fuel for the journey, but you can buy more on the way as needed
  5. Five good wheels
To get to the destination of nibbāna you need several factors:
  1. A suitable meditation method
  2. Skill in meditation practice. This can be acquired through training.
  3. Knowledge of the Buddha's teachings, or the guidance of someone who does
  4. Accumulated merits. Here, the Sri Lankan monk is stressing that since we are all reborn in this human realm during the era of the Buddhasāsana, we already have sufficient fuel in the form of mundane merits or charity, etc., to make the journey. The practice of the eight precepts while undergoing meditation practice accumulates superior merit, and striving to develop concentration and insight are the noblest forms of mundane merit. If you own diamonds, gold, and silver, you do not need to carry copper and iron to exchange for food on the journey.
  5. Observing four of the five precepts is not enough. We also have to observe the fifth precept or we won't have a good steering wheel.
May you be happy, healthy & successful in everything you do! :anjali:
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fivebells
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Re: Merit accumulation in our past lives

Post by fivebells »

One day the Buddha, seeing him waiting outside the refectory for leavings of food, smiled. In answer to Ānanda, who asked him the reason for his smile, the Buddha said that there was a man who had had the power of becoming chief Treasurer or attaining Arahantship, if he did but use his opportunities, but he was now reduced to beggary, like a heron in a dried up pond.
The Buddha was prone to schadenfreude? I'm surprised.
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Bhikkhu Pesala
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Re: Merit accumulation in our past lives

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

You can find some references in the Sutta for sure, if you keep looking, but not many.

For example, the Mangala Sutta says:
Mangala Sutta wrote:“Patirūpadesavāso ca, pubbe ca katapuññatā.
Attasammāpaṇidhi ca, etaṃ maṅgalamuttamaṃ.

Living in a suitable locality, meritorious deeds done in the past.
Establishing oneself in the right course, these are the greatest blessings.
A suitable locality means a place where one has easy access to the teachings, quiet places suitable for meditation, meditation teachers and Dhamma teachers who can instruct and urge one to practice effectively.

Having done meritorious deeds in the past, one enjoys good health, wealth, freedom for wars, famines, epidemics, floods, fires, etc., so one has adequate opportunities to study and practice the higher teachings of the Dhamma.

Establishing oneself in the right course means to gain right view and genuine faith in the Dhamma, which are the foundations to develop morality, concentration, and wisdom. Those who only meet and listen to teachers who encourage mundane meritorious deeds such as giving alms, building temples, performing pūjas to ward off evil, etc., are not so fortunate, though at least such deeds are better than immoral deeds. They are not demerits, but only inferior merits aimed at worldly benefits.
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Mkoll
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Re: Merit accumulation in our past lives

Post by Mkoll »

Bhikkhu Pesala wrote:Establishing oneself in the right course means to gain right view and genuine faith in the Dhamma, which are the foundations to develop morality, concentration, and wisdom. Those who only meet and listen to teachers who encourage mundane meritorious deeds such as giving alms, building temples, performing pūjas to ward off evil, etc., are not so fortunate, though at least such deeds are better than immoral deeds. They are not demerits, but only inferior merits aimed at worldly benefits.
Hi Bhante,

With the right state of mind in the manner of AN 7.49, doing such inferior merits (though perhaps with the exception of the last you mentioned) can be aimed at the supramundane, is that not so?

:anjali:
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
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