Physical merit is not spiritual merit

What is a spiritual merit?  A physical giving of money, clothing or food is a physical giving and not a spiritual giving.  Though physical giving is a spiritually rewarding deed, these deeds do not help the spiritual enhancement of the recipients.  Once the charitable donations are consumed, the conditions are back to where they were.  The recipients may continue to reincarnate in a certain spiritual realm. 

Spiritual giving on the other hand, enables the recipient to be liberated from his karma, and elevated to purer and higher spiritual realms, which may change the lives of the recipient forever.  Therefore, it is important that we establish Chan centers and ferry everyone to a journey towards enlightenment. The merit of spiritual giving is immeasurable.  It is the spiritual merit which helps us to be in higher spiritual realms, such as those of Bodhisattva and Buddha.

Formed and formless giving

Have you heard the story told by historians about the meeting of Bodhidharma and Emperor Liang in ancient China?  Emperor Liang is a Buddhist.  He built many temples, printed many sutras and fed many monks.  Emperor himself even chanted the sutra and be a vegetarian at some of the time.  The Emperor gave abundantly to all the charitable causes.  Emperor Liang was somewhat satisfied with his accomplishment. However, when Bodhidharma came to China to teach sudden enlightenment following the Order of Chan, he told Emperor that there is no merit whatsoever in the doings of the Emperor.

For most of us, it is difficult to understand the reasons why there is no merit in the deeds of the emperor.. Some may assume that perhaps Bodhidharma was suggesting to the emperor that he should hide his doings and not be arrogant or public about it.  Actually the reasons are simply the difference between physical material giving and spiritual giving.

Living in the Three Realms -- Desire, Form and Formlessness, physical giving immerses oneself in the accumulation of physical merits within these Three Realms, which are actionable by most of us. If we could encounter an enlightened master, obtain lineage teaching, practice formless dharma, cultivating spiritual merits, then we could not only satisfy our secular responsibility, but also fulfill our spiritual obligations.

Physical giving is formed giving with its merits limited to the Three Realms, influenced by the law of cause and effect and impermanence.  Like the dew, lightening and dreams, its effects are unpredictable and unreliable. On the other hand, spiritual giving or formless giving covers both physical and spiritual realms. Formless dharma is true dharma, which enables anyone to attain Buddhahood, when it is taught by enlightened master and transmitted directly from Buddha. This way, both the functional substance and its applicable forms are transmitted, different from Buddhist sutras, which taught only the forms.  In the case of Emperor Liang, he focused on the form and he himself did not practice enough to be transmitted with the core spiritual power.  In other words, he had only the appearance without any true substance. Without spiritual substance, form based actions are only capable to seed good causes, but incapable to ultimately affect any karmic change. In other words, form based actions, without a spiritual core substance, are unable to truly ferry all sentient beings. These are the reasons why Bodhidharma said so.

Merit is uncovering our self nature and attaining true equality.

This statement about the definition of merit was taught by the sixth Patriarch of Chan, HuiNeng in two parts.  The first part is to practice formless dharma, let wisdom shine, clear out all delusions, eliminate generations of karma, is the only way to uncover our self nature, reach the spiritual core of the universe, turn the invisible wheels of dharma, dissolve the karma of sentient beings and ferry all to Buddhaland.

The second part is upon our witness that our self nature and Buddha nature and the nature of all sentient beings are one of the same.  By this time, our body and spirit are one, we are awakened to realize that all are one.  Brightness from our heart eradicates all forms and notions, including the notions of self, human, sentient beings and death.  We have attain true equality. 

Chan practitioners are recommended to accomplish the Four Merits.  First is the Merit of Practice of our present and past lives. Second is the Merit of Ferrying, such as giving, establish meditation centers and support lineage dharma.  Third is the Merit of Chan Ding.  Entering with our pure spirit and uncover our self nature through Chan Ding. Fourth is the Merit of Connecting with our Master. Through out our journey, we are support by the power of our Master.  It dissolves our karma and ferries all of our internal sentient beings from all spiritual realms.  This kind of merit is immeasurable as well as beneficial to five generations.  That's the reason why the sixth Patriarch said to the fifth Patriarch, "Master ferries us when we were delusional. We ferry ourselves when we are awaken."  Practicing formless dharma and following enlightened Master cultivate true merits.

Encountering an enlightened master and lineage dharma are rare in our life. Heart Chan Dharma is the authentic lineage dharma directly from Shakyamuni Buddha, capable of ferrying all spirits back to Buddhaland.  Heart Chan is a practice truly capable for every practitioner to be enlightened in one life time. The only requirement is to dedicate oneself without deviation, practicing the Six Paramitas, synchronizing with the Chan Master and witnessing Bodhi.