The Power of Aspiration and Dedication in Buddhism
The practice of aspiration and dedication gathers together the merit of good deeds, focusing energy to fulfill wishes. This is the most excellent and skillful method to benefit all beings. As ordinary beings, we may temporarily lack the ability to benefit others on a grand scale. However, by practicing this skillful method, and through the inconceivable blessings of the Triple Gem, combined with the power of our own pure intention, we can definitely bring vast benefit to all.
Whether directly or indirectly, all our actions should be for the benefit of others. With the intention to help all sentient beings, we should dedicate all our merits towards the supreme enlightenment, also known as unsurpassed Bodhi.
Direct Ways to Benefit Others
Generally, benefiting beings can be divided into two categories: direct and indirect. Direct ways include actions such as teaching the Dharma, guiding beings away from negative actions and towards virtuous ones, offering material goods like food and clothing, and saving beings from being killed through practices like releasing animals. These are all methods to directly benefit other beings.
Regarding releasing animals, I always urge everyone to do their best to engage in this practice. Regardless of whether your motivation is pure or not, when beings are suffering from the fear and pain of being killed, if you have a way to save them, that is direct help, liberating them from fear and suffering. During this process, you can bless them through the ritual of animal release, allowing them to hear the names of the Buddhas, mantras, and scriptures, planting the seeds of ultimate liberation and Buddhahood. In the meantime, they also receive the merit of being reborn in good realms, such as human or heavenly realms. We should not give up such direct ways to benefit others, even if we encounter difficulties. Even saving just one life is worthy of our diligent effort. In this current time, releasing animals is the most direct and easy way to save lives and has a profound meaning for spreading the Buddha’s teachings.
To every being, life is their most precious possession. When facing a threat to their life, they would give up everything else. Animals like cows and sheep shed large tears when they are being slaughtered, their fear of death is no different from humans. If you have witnessed such tragic sights, or can imagine yourself in their situation, unbearable compassion will naturally arise. Then, why wouldn’t you quickly extend a helping hand?
Indirect Ways to Benefit Others
Directly benefiting others, for those with great abilities such as high-ranking monks and enlightened teachers, involves countless skillful methods like empowerment, Dharma transmission, giving teachings, and engaging in rituals. Through their blessings and guidance, countless beings are led towards peace and liberation. However, for those who are just beginning to learn Buddhism, this type of direct help isn’t usually possible. In this case, we can adopt an indirect method of benefiting beings. This includes sincerely generating the Bodhichitta, diligently studying, contemplating, and practicing the Dharma, all of which indirectly benefit others.
The Importance of Intention
Whether direct or indirect, our actions should be for the benefit of others. Our teacher, Shakyamuni Buddha, said in the “Perfection of Wisdom Sutra”: a Bodhisattva should ensure that all their actions performed with their body, speech, and mind, are for the benefit of others and to help them find peace and happiness. If all our thoughts, words, and actions are for the benefit of others, then our practice of Mahayana Buddhism is indeed meaningful. If, on the surface, we appear to be helping others but are actually acting out of self-interest, we are still far from the spirit of Mahayana Buddhism. Once we have a genuine and firm wish to benefit all beings, our words and actions will have the power to truly benefit them.
Dedicating Merits
In the practice of the Bodhisattva path, all the merit of good deeds should be dedicated without reservation to all beings, as well as towards our own and others’ ultimate enlightenment. Regardless of whether the merit is big or small, as long as you make the aspiration and dedication, it will have inconceivable merit and bring immeasurable benefit to all. This point is very clear in various sutras and shastras, such as the Avatamsaka Sutra, and has been talked about previously when discussing the seven-branch offering. The act of aspiration and dedication gathers the merit of good deeds, focusing energy to fulfill wishes. This is the most excellent and skillful method to benefit all beings. As ordinary beings, we may temporarily lack the ability to benefit others on a grand scale. However, by practicing this skillful method, and through the inconceivable blessings of the Triple Gem, combined with the power of our own pure intention, we can definitely bring vast benefit to all.
The Enduring Power of Dedication
Dedicating our merit towards the unsurpassed Bodhi not only allows us to focus our energy to achieve our goals quickly, but also ensures that our good roots and merits are preserved. Until we attain enlightenment, these roots will not disappear, but will continue to grow, just as it is said in the “Infinite Intention Bodhisattva” chapter of the Great Collection Sutra: “Like a drop of rain falling into the ocean, though small, it will never cease to exist; the good roots of a Bodhisattva dedicated to Bodhi are also like that, they will never cease.” We must skillfully understand this special and useful method and make sure to apply it in our day to day life. We must ensure that all our actions are for the benefit of others, gathering together without exception on the path towards supreme enlightenment.
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