พลังของบุญในพุทธศาสนา : หน้า 6/317

Introduction Merit or boon, as Buddhists in Thailand call it, is an energy that is naturally created every time we think, speak or do good things. This energy has the power to cleanse our minds by dissolving greed, anger, sorrow, and a host of other negative feelings. As an energy, boon works like a magnet and has the power to attract happiness, success, wealth, and favorable circumstances to its individual owner. Some might call it "luck". But in Buddhism everything has its own cause and effect. Successes and failures are never accidental. Merit or boon and demerit or sin can be collected through thoughts, speeches and actions. This is what Buddhism means when it says that we can design our lives and decide our destinies. Like any other natural energy, boon can be depleted. We use boon every second at every breath we take--whether we realize it or not. Fortunately, it can be replenished simply with virtuous thoughts, clean speeches and good deeds. Boon is an active word whose meaning is totally different from passively not doing anything bad to anyone. A life without boon is a difficult and miserable one. Therefore, the Lord Buddha taught people to keep making boon to ensure a constant supply of happiness and success.