Rewards are also nice. To be acknowledged and given credit, even verbally & publicly, for things we have achieved is a great feeling. These are "earned" and even deserved in most cases; giving credit where credit is due.
In the Buddhist belief, an adherent will earn merits for good deeds done. These merits will advance them on their way towards their desired goal of Nirvana enlightenment. The merits can even help boost their situation and circumstances into which they find themselves in the next rebirth.
Another booster is to share merits gleaned from engaging in meritorious acts. These can be given either to the living or to those departed loved ones. Especially to those departed loved ones you are not so sure how they "rebirthed"; whether for better or for worse.
Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda, author of What Buddhists Believe writes,
"If you really want to honor and help your departed loved ones, then do some meritorious deeds in their names and transfer the merits to them." (Page 393).
This not only helps the "departed" but earns the giver merit just for the act of sharing. This is called the "transference of merits" and there is said to be mutual joy in such giving which furthers the benefit of the transference (Pages 393, 394).
There are a couple of ways in which this transference is executed. Of course, the good deed has to have been accomplished, one that gains merit. Then one has to 'transfer' the merit through the mind where this action primarily takes place (Page 394).
Mental and/or verbal expressions of the deed transferred to the loved one seals the deal. The beneficiary derives advantage from the giver when said giver identifies his/her self, the deed and the receiver's name; like a formal and official transaction of charity.
It remains for the departed loved one to feel "gladness in the heart" (Page 394) upon awareness of deed transference received. This gladness then benefits the one sharing the merit as well. Joy received mutually enhances the merit and helps speed each to the yearned for Nirvana.
Sri Dhammananda notes that this transference of merits is...
"...the greatest gift one can confer on one's dead ancestors" (Page 395).
He says wailing and crying are of no use to the departed. Neither are burnt offerings of paper money, houses, cars, computers, etc. That, he continues, is a big waste of the "living's" money and it is meaningless (Pages 395, 397).
This was big surprising news to me as I've observed folks doing all of the above and realizing that they felt they were doing the best they could for their departed loved one.
By contrast, if one really wants to help their departed ones, it was suggested that doing meritorious acts such as giving the money, that would have been used for the paper offerings, instead to temples, charities, helping to build schools or hospitals, among other things, (Page 397) in the name of the loved one would be worthwhile. One could even get involved in these "hands-on" helping out at orphanages, schools and the like. Perform these charitable works and then transfer the merits.
There are relatives who come from all walks of life: some good and some not so good. That means that not so good relatives could end up in dire circumstances upon rebirth; according to Buddhist belief as I'm understanding it. For instance, the person's mental continuum could well have ended up as an evil spirit and/or worse still into one of the levels of Hell. Therefore, the transference of merits to them is of pertinent importance. Once in such a state one can no longer help oneself and needs to depend upon external sources of help; the living human beings on earth. However, one's loving and kind acts of...
"...received merits from living relatives..."
...would help to...
"...offset their deficiency and enable them to be born..." (Page 395)
into a more happy and favorable environment and being.
Being a follower of Jesus Christ, and someone who has recently lost both parents in one year, I find it difficult to think of not, at least crying for the loss of my departed loved ones. I know that they are both safely in the arms of Jesus, "with Christ" (Philippians 1:23). Comforting assurance. However, I do miss and mourn them. It is a loss, and grief needs to be waded through, not to the point of depression, hopefully, but to some healing the wound of loss of relationship and love. Crying did and does help.
Romans 12:15 (NIV) encourages us to,
"...mourn with those who mourn..."
Therein is healing for the living relatives and friends.
Another aspect I wish to highlight here is one I've referred to before; God's Word declares in Luke 16:26 (NIV) in the story of the rich man and Lazarus, that...
"...a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over there to us."
Once one is in one place or the other, with or without Christ, there is no way out!
Startling and frightening solemnity!
This is of extremely serious nature. It is so very crucial to know one's destiny BEFORE leaving this world. Living in this world is a one time thing, so there is only one chance of finalizing your eternal destination.
Scripture states,
"The wages of sin is death..." (Romans 6:23 NIV).
It also tells us in Revelation 21:27 (NIV) of the book of life that belongs to the Lamb, Jesus Christ.
"Nothing impure will ever enter it nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of Life."
Revelation 20:12-15 (NIV) describes this further...
"Then I saw a great white throne and Him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from His presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."
Before anyone gets too upset and says, 'Hey! I've never done anything impure or shameful!' look back to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Their eating of the forbidden fruit doesn't seem too shameful or impure, does it (Genesis 3)? Yet there were bitter consequences from that disobedience to God. Adam and Eve also exhibited that they felt shame by making themselves garments out of fig leaves and attempting to hide from God. They knew they were in the wrong; wrong thoughts led to wrong actions.
We may not have committed murder or robbed a bank but we have told lies or "stolen" one of our Mom's freshly baked cookies when we were told NOT to eat any or any other number of wrongful thoughts and deeds. Those are sinful acts; like it or not, it's the plain truth.
So what is the remedy and how does this relate to transference of merits? Jesus Christ, of course, is our Merit! He came to give His life. Remember the wages of sin is death. Jesus took all our shame and impurity; our sin, and suffered the consequences. He died on the cross in our stead. In His death, He brought new life called everlasting life. This is God's Gift to all mankind. This gift can be gotten at any time of the year, not just birthday's or anniversaries, etc. Today is the best day to receive this Gift.
"...the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23 KJV).
This has been touched on in Burning Quest - Part 56. Jesus' kind, loving, gracious and compassionate act of giving His life for ours is of monumental merit for each and every living soul to accept in the here and now.
When a person does accept this gift of salvation through Jesus Christ's death and resurrection, He gives that everlasting benefit that never ever loses its power or effectiveness no matter what we might do afterwards. (This deals with the subject of sanctification and is a whole big topic for another time.)
Know this,
"There is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents" (Luke 15:10 NIV).
You will have joy and so will the angels of God. No less, God Himself!
Mankind, the beneficiary, receives: forgiveness of sins; everlasting life; righteousness of God; the indwelling of the Holy Spirit who aids us to do God's will and much, much more. All this because of the individual admitting he/she is a sinner and needs God's gift of salvation and chooses to accept and receive it. This is being "born again" (John 4:4). Born into God's family as a human being while one is a human being who only has one lifetime and only one.
"...I tell you, now is the day of God's favor, now is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2 NIV).
This is His almighty gift. A gift that did not have to be earned nor was it deserved by the receiver in any way shape or form, except to accept from God's hands to our hearts and minds; our spirit and soul.
Jesus in His death and resurrection "transferred" merit to living loved ones: you, if you are a follower of Jesus Christ, and me and the "whosoever will" (John 3:16). Accept His gift for you today and receive everlasting life. This is the greatest gift God bestows on human beings whom He has created. There is monumental merit in that!
~ERC March 2019~
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