English

A merchant will be rich depending on good location,Investment, and management.  A gardener will be rich depending on good soil,seedlings, and management.  A layperson who lives in a suitable environment, and has accrued merits in the past, but does not continue to do good deeds will lose his merit, no longer be supported by his environment, and will depart from this life early.

Even though merit cannot be seen, it is something that can be sensed; one can feel after he performs a meritorious deed that his mind is refreshed and full. The quality of merit can improve and develop one's state of mind; it becomes stable, pure, bright, boundless, unworried, full, and light. The mind graced with merit is responsible and reliable to perform work or any task of daily life. Beyond that, the merit collected in one's mind will continue to yield positive results in one's life.

According to Buddhist teachings, our surroundings and circumstances have a great impact on one's progress and life. The proper environment can deliver a life of good health, self-development, and spiritual progress. Favorable environment not only supports the improvements of our body and mind, but it also contributes to the progression of our careers. This environment also acts as encouragement to continue our virtuous conduct. Supportive and suitable environments are described as "Patirupadesvasa" by the Lord Buddha.

One of the most difficult jobs in the world to do is the job of teaching the idea of what is right and what is wrong. And because of that, whoever is able to teach us to see what is right should be someone we will always respect and pay homage to for our whole lives.

Someone who is truly wise is one who has the good judgement to intentionally abstain from evil deeds and rejoice in practicing righteousness, moral conduct, and honesty. He will have the good conscience to discriminate what is right or wrong, good or evil, meritorious or unmeritorious, and proper or improper. 

People aspire to be good and be recognized by those around them. However, not everyone will achieve this. The main cause for lacking such achievement is one's own failure to distinguish and judge each experience and situation in the world to be right or wrong, good or bad, wholesome or unwholesome, proper or improper. For instance, the acts of drinking alcohol, gam-bling, lying, adultery, are perceived as acceptable to do. In actuality, these acts are not acceptable at all,and therefore people suffer the repercussions without understanding the reason why. As a result, they continue on with these wrong acts in their lives. These types of people hardly achieve true accomplishments.