After the group cultivation on Sunday, July 27, 2025, Reverend Lian Jie gave a dharma talk on the topic of “Merit Accumulation". The Holy Living Buddha Lian-sheng once said that in buddhist practice, there are five main stages: merit accumulation, the four foundations practice, realisation, practice based on realisation, and becoming buddha. The merit accumulation is ranked first, which shows its importance in the foundation-building stage of practice. Practicing merit accumulation is not only to accumulate worldly blessings, but also to cultivate heavenly blessings, blessings for rebirth, and blessings for becoming a Buddha. Lian Jie fashi explained: The so-called merit accumulation is the accumulation of good karma. Practicing merit accumulation is the process of transforming evil karma, that is, black karma, into good karma, also known as white karma. Living Buddha Lian-sheng also pointed out that practicing merit accumulation can help practitioners obtain blessings and merits. Although blessing accumulation is a worldly path, it cannot be abandoned. We must do merit accumulation whilst practicing the Dharma. Lian Jie fashi quoted an article from Living Buddha Lian-sheng’s collection of books, "The Secret of the Path to Liberation", and continued to explain: merit accumulation does not only refer to money, but all the conditions and blessings that can help us become Buddhas. According to Grand Master's article, merit accumulation can be specifically summarised into the following ten categories: 1. Kindness - giving people happiness: doing things that make people happy and saying things that make people happy 2. Compassion - removing people's …
After the group cultivation on Sunday, July 27, 2025, Reverend Lian Jie gave a dharma talk on the topic of “Merit Accumulation”.
The Holy Living Buddha Lian-sheng once said that in buddhist practice, there are five main stages: merit accumulation, the four foundations practice, realisation, practice based on realisation, and becoming buddha. The merit accumulation is ranked first, which shows its importance in the foundation-building stage of practice. Practicing merit accumulation is not only to accumulate worldly blessings, but also to cultivate heavenly blessings, blessings for rebirth, and blessings for becoming a Buddha.
Lian Jie fashi explained: The so-called merit accumulation is the accumulation of good karma. Practicing merit accumulation is the process of transforming evil karma, that is, black karma, into good karma, also known as white karma. Living Buddha Lian-sheng also pointed out that practicing merit accumulation can help practitioners obtain blessings and merits. Although blessing accumulation is a worldly path, it cannot be abandoned. We must do merit accumulation whilst practicing the Dharma.
Lian Jie fashi quoted an article from Living Buddha Lian-sheng’s collection of books, “The Secret of the Path to Liberation”, and continued to explain: merit accumulation does not only refer to money, but all the conditions and blessings that can help us become Buddhas. According to Grand Master’s article, merit accumulation can be specifically summarised into the following ten categories:
1. Kindness – giving people happiness: doing things that make people happy and saying things that make people happy
2. Compassion – removing people’s suffering: caring for and helping others
3. Joy – doing it happily: doing good without complaining, shirking, or being picky
4. Giving up – giving up distinction, doing it equally: doing good without likes or dislikes, treating people equally
5. Giving – giving to others: Giving can be divided into: financial giving (money or material sponsorship), Dharma giving (giving Dharma to help others solve their doubts), fearlessness giving (giving people spiritual support to free them from fear and anxiety, and gaining spiritual peace and security )
6. Speech – kind speech, good speech, gentle speech: do not slander, do not speak evil, do not speak ill of others, do not lie; speak in a gentle voice
7. Benefit – what is beneficial to others: even if it is not benefitcial for yourself, as long as it is beneficial to others, you should do it
8. Sameness – same compassion: regardless of relatives or enemies, give the same charity
9. Concentration – long-term mind: persevere and do it continuously
10. Wisdom – wisdom mind: use the wisdom of the Buddha
Lian Jie fashi further explained that there are many ways to practice merit accumulation. In addition to the methods listed above, you can also come to the temple to volunteer, sponsor the temple and Lotus Light Charity’s various charitable activities, because the temple is a place for everyone to quickly accumulate merit.
In addition, this Sunday (August 3) is the tenth day of the sixth month of the Tibetan calendar, which is the birthday of Guru Padmasambhava, and Yen Ming Temple is holding a grand offering. Offering is one of the quickest and most effective ways to accumulate merit for ourselves and purify karma by offering to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Lian Jie fashi hopes that everyone will come to support and participate, and bring your own carefully prepared offerings to increase your blessings and wisdom.
Through the teachings of Lian Jie fashi, everyone understands that the most basic merit accumulation is to accumulate good merit and eliminate evil merit. Slander, bad words, lies, slander, and stealing the money and materials of the temple are all evil deeds. The growth of good deeds can enable us to obtain special Dharma affinity, have great blessings to find and take refuge under a good master, start dharma practice, remove obstacles on the path of practice, and finally obtain great enlightenment.
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