September 20, 2546 B.E.
Equal Amount of Time but Different Results
The Rains-Exit Day will be here in twenty-one days. This Rains-Retreat has been designated as the season for attaining the Dhammakaya, who is our highest refuge. The Dhammakaya inside us can help us here and now, in the hereafter, and until emancipation from the round of rebirth can be achieved. The reason is that the Dhammakaya possesses the Dhammakaya-Eye, Supernormal Insight, Supernormal Wisdom, Supernormal Knowledge, and Supernormal Brightness. He is also the source of all Dhamma knowledge. He can be our refuge because He isabove and beyond the Three Characteristics and He possesses incomparable Supernormal Power.
Since the beginning of this Rains-Retreat, everyone has been endeavoringto practice meditation for the purpose of attaining the Dhammakaya. Sixty-nine days have now gone past and there are only twenty-one days of this Rains-Retreat left. Time is passing by so quickly. Every person has the same twenty-four hours a day to perform wholesome deeds.
Every person on earth regardless of his race, creed, and economic status, has the same twenty-four hours a day to perform wholesome deeds and to increase his physical, verbal, and mental purity. However, the time spent on performing wholesome deeds is different for different persons. It all depends on how much one understands one’s true life-goal. Those who have a greater understanding tend to spend the limited time they have on earth to actively accumulate merit and pursue Perfections and to increase the level of their physical, verbal, and mental purity.
They know that death will take away whatever opportunity they will have to accumulate merit and pursue Perfections. In the hereafter, all one can do is to rejoice in the merit that people on earth are accumulating. A great many deceased humans depend on the merit dedicated to them by those who have survived them; that is, if they are fortunate enough to have anyone dedicate the merit to them.
Life in the hereafter depends entirely on one’s accumulated merit and demerit. Accumulated demerit causes one to receive horrific sufferings in the Hell Realm. Accumulated merit causes one to receive celestial bliss in the Celestial Realm. The Hell Realm and the Celestial Realm have always existed. Every Buddha who happened in the past was able to see these extraterrestrial realms and taught them to human beings out of their limitless love, kindness, and compassion. Those who were wise heard their teachings and believed them. They endeavored to practice the Lord Buddha’s Teachings. Many were able to attain Nibbana as a result. Others were able to accumulate as much merit as they could so that they would be able to attain Nibbana in a future existence.
Our time on earth is limited and it is necessary that everyone spends it in the most worthwhile manner. Since every person is here on earth to make clear the Path and Fruit of Nibbana, and at the very least, to pursue Perfections, it would behoove him to do his very best with the limited time he has on earth. When one has a good understanding of the reality of life, one will endeavor to pursue Perfections to the best of one’s ability. One realizes that a high level of Perfections brings about very few obstacles in life whereas a low level of Perfections brings about many obstacles in life.
The Birth of a Merit-Filled Person Whoever has the opportunity to pursue Perfections while still in his mother’s womb is considered to be most fortunate. Kru Mai Yai was born near a temple but did not attend the temple until he was grown. Therefore,whoever has the opportunity to pursue Perfections while still in his mother’s womb is considered to possess a high level of merit.
One may very well wonder how a fetus can pursue Perfections. It can because of the collective merit possessed by the parents and the child. Once the father passes the child’s Refined Human Body on to the mother, it is now the mother’s duty to nurture the child in her womb. At this point, the mind of the mother and the mind of the child merge as one. If the child possesses a high level of merit, he will motivate the mother to pursue Perfections all the time. Should she suffer morning sickness, it will be the kind that can only be cured by accumulating merit like the rain quenching the heat of the hot ground.
Stories like these can be found in the Tipitaka. One expectant mother was motivated to listen to Dhamma lectures. One expectant mother wanted to eat the food left in a monk’s alms-bowl. One expectant mother was motivated to observe the Precepts. One expectant mother was motivated to give alms. One expectant mother was motivated to be a merit leader because the mother’s morning sickness disappeared once the parents went around inviting people to accumulate merit. Etc. Etc.
