Understanding Merit and Its Impact on Life : หน้า 95/115

someone who is angry or hateful. When we are happy and content with ourselves, we project a personality of self-confidence and social grace. For this reason, merit can indeed change our personality to be more pleasing and likeable. Merit brings satisfaction, contentment and happiness to one who performs it. Notice how we feel a wave of joy when we make a charitable contribution or help someone in need? Merit makes our heart full. Merit belongs exclusively to the one who possesses it. It is the property of the person; is a part of that person; and stays with that person wherever he may be, in this life or the next. Merit is not transferable. It cannot be taken or shared by others. Merit acts like a wish-fulfilling instrument that turns our wishes into reality. Merit behaves like a magnet that attracts good things in life to us. Merit is the basis for all wealth, health and happiness. It is due to merit that one has the ability to accumulate knowledge, wisdom, social status and financial success. Merit protects one from physical dangers in precarious situations, such as during an accident or a natural disaster. It is also due to merit that one possesses good physical appearance and strength. Merit attracts good people to our lives. Merit empowers us, with the ability and mental strength, to fight against defilements and to live a virtuous life. People with merit are sure to be in a happy destination after they leave this world. Nothing lasts forever, however. Merit is no exception; it can be used up and spent. Like money, the more we spend the less we will have left. The fact that we are enjoying our good life today is because we are “spending” the fruits of our “old” merit. Without creating “new” merit, we will soon be back to square one, i.e. not having any merit left to save the day. It is therefore critical that we keep rebuilding and accruing new merit, whenever and wherever we can; the more the better. Because merit is the product of good deeds, to create new merit, all we have to do is to keep performing good deeds. In the end, it is the force of merit that frees us from the cycles of birth and rebirth, the sources of suffering.