Question 28: Should We Accumulate Merit Before Meditation?

QUESTION 28: MERIT IS ESSENTIAL IN MEDITATION PRACTICE. SHOULD ONE ACCUMULATE A GREAT DEAL OF MERIT BEFORE BEGINNING MEDITATION?

ANSWER: The path of meditation is infinitely deep and profound! Entering this path of meditation requires a significant accumulation of merit, cultivated through countless acts of goodness and virtue.

However, if merit is accumulated without directing it toward the goal of meditation, liberation, and enlightenment, one can easily fall into the cycle of worldly pleasures that are temporary and eventually depleted. Moreover, there is no precise measure to determine when one has accumulated "enough" merit to begin meditating. Thus, both merit-making and meditation should be pursued simultaneously—engaging in virtuous deeds while diligently practicing meditation. Furthermore, we must make a sincere vow that every virtuous act, no matter how big or small, will be dedicated to spiritual cultivation and enlightenment.

This process is much like a farmer tending to a tree, nurturing it with care, watering, and fertilizing it until it flourishes and bears fruit. Even after the first harvest, continuous care is required to ensure future yields. Likewise, a meditation practitioner must consistently generate merit to purify the mind and sustain the practice over the long term. As the journey of meditation is not always smooth, there will be moments of peace and clarity, but also times of restlessness and struggle. Some days, meditation may feel effortless; on others, maintaining focus may seem impossible. All of this is subtly influenced by one's accumulated merit.

Therefore, no matter how much merit one cultivates, it is never truly “enough”. One must persistently engage in even the smallest acts of goodness, refining every aspect of daily life, using them as the foundation for a stable, unwavering, and enduring meditation practice.

Written by:
Janna

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