Nowadays, many temples will have one or more merit boxes. As long as you have been to the temple, most of them should have seen it. What is the Merit Box for? I don’t need to say this, everyone knows that even if you put money in it, you can’t put other things in it. Over time, p

Nowadays, many temples will put one or more merit boxes. As long as you have been to the temple, most of them should have seen it. What is the

merit box for? I don’t need to say this, everyone knows that even if you put money in it, you can’t put other things in it. Over time, people will put money in the merit box, which is equivalent to cultivating merit, and cultivating merit is equivalent to donating money. And when building temples, many people who donate money to build will be on the list of merit.

Therefore, many people who do not have a deep understanding of Buddhism think that if they want to cultivate merit, they must donate money. Donating money will bring merit. If you donate money, you will have no merit. The more money you donate, the greater the merit. If you donate less, you will feel that there is less merit and you will feel a little embarrassed.

Actually, this is a big misunderstanding. Merit and donations have nothing to do with it, it is completely different.

: How much can I donate in my daily life? How many dozens, hundreds, thousands? Tens of thousands are not there, right? There are probably very few who can donate hundreds of thousands or millions.

But no matter how much money you donate, it is all small and cannot be compared with in the during the in the in the in the in the in the in the in the Emperor Wu of Liang can be said to be the largest guardian of Chinese Buddhism in the history of . As the emperor, he established 480 temples for Buddhism and protected hundreds of thousands of monks. Tang Dynasty poet Du Mu wrote in his poem: " 480 temples in the Southern Dynasties, how many towers and rain are there."

How much does these things Emperor Wu of Liang need to do? Too many! We can't compare. But even after doing so many things and such great contributions, when , Bodhidharma, met Emperor Wu of Liang, he said to Emperor Wu of Liang, "There is no merit!"

Emperor Wu of Liang could not stand this sentence. Not to mention Emperor Wu of Liang, even if it was changed, no one would accept it. After working so hard to do so many things for Buddhism, what he received was the saying "no merit." Who would feel comfortable? So Emperor Wu of Liang drove Master Bodhidharma away without even giving him a word.

What's going on? Did Master Bodhidharma say it wrong?

Bodhisattva is right, Bodhisattva is an honest person and tells the truth. The things that Emperor Wu of Liang did were indeed only blessings, not merits. If others praised him a few words, he would be very happy; if others told the truth, he would be unhappy? I am still attached to appearances, only blessings, no merits.

What are the merits? Merit is practice, and only when you gain practice is merit. If you keep the precepts and have achieved success, you will gain concentration. Obtaining concentration is virtue. If you have merits in cultivation of meditation and wisdom is gaining, then wisdom is virtue. This is merit and has nothing to do with practicing giving and offering.

Practice giving and offering is to cultivate blessings, and the blessings obtained are not merits. Merit is to transcend the six realms of reincarnation and become a Buddha and ancestor; the rewards of blessings and virtues are in the three good paths, which is to enjoy the blessings in the next life. Merit and blessing are two different things, so you must distinguish them clearly.

So, the name of the "merit box" in the temple is a bit inappropriate. It should be called the "futian box" and should not be called the "merit box". You go to the temple to give and offer sacrifices to cultivate blessings. You plant a field of blessings. That has no merit. No matter how much you give, there is no merit. Everyone should understand this and don’t misunderstand it anymore.