Is pouring water in order to share merits applicable to Buddhists?

Question:  Is pouring water in order to share merits applicable to Buddhists?

Than Ajahn:  You don’t need to do that. When you want to share merits, you just use your thoughts. You say inside your mind: ‘I would like to dedicate these merits to this and that persons.’ In this way, you’ve already shared the merits. You don’t need the water. Water is just an example on how the merits go from one mind to another mind. Hence, you pour the water from one container to another container. The water represents merits. The merit is in your mind. So, in reality, you don’t need water. You just make the merits. You’ll then have good feelings from making that merits. Then, you can share that good feelings to another minds who had departed from this world.

Dhamma in English, Jul 29, 2020.

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Question: When we transfer merit to others, do we lose this merit or do we lose part of it?

Than Ajaan: You lose part of it. You don’t lose all the merits. You share the merit. You keep most of the merit. You can only share a small portion of your merit. It’s because of the ability of the spiritual being to receive the merit is small. Spiritual being can’t accept too much merit.

Dhamma in English, Aug 1, 2020.

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto
www.phrasuchart.com
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