Bodhidharma tells Emperor Wu Di that his actions have no merit. And the Diamond Sutra refers to merit numerous times: “Subhuti, we can summarize by saying that the merit and virtue of this Sutra is inconceivable, incalculable and boundless. The Buddha has declared this teaching for the benefit of initiates on the path to Enlightenment; he has declared it for the benefit of initiates on the path to Nirvana. If there is someone capable of receiving, practicing, reciting, and sharing this Sutra with others, the Buddha will see and know that person, and he or she will receive immeasurable, incalculable, and boundless merit and virtue."
The Buddha also says, “Subhūti, if this merit were real, the Tathāgata would not say that there was attainment of great merit. It is because this merit is no-merit, that the Tathāgata says that the merit is great.”
Dedicating merit to gain praise gains no merit. But we dedicate merit in order to get out of the mindset of "I, me, mine" for the benefit of all beings.
Myeong Jin Eunsahn gives the Dharma talk October 5, 2022.
