Why Is a Moment of Sitting Meditation More Meritorious Than Building Countless Seven-Jeweled Stupas?

The saying "A moment of quiet sitting surpasses the building of as many seven-jeweled stupas as the sands of the Ganges" holds a certain truth. Why is this so? Because constructing countless seven-jeweled stupas, like the sands of the Ganges, represents merely the practice of material generosity (dāna). While this yields immeasurable, indescribable merit (puṇya), this merit is solely accrued by the giver and does not involve other sentient beings. Furthermore, such merit will eventually be exhausted. Moreover, this is purely worldly merit; it lacks the merit of wisdom (prajñā), and thus cannot eradicate ignorance (avidyā) and afflictions (kleśa), leading to liberation (vimokṣa) and great liberation (mahā-vimokṣa). The merit of wisdom is the achievement of prajñā, which can eradicate ignorance and afflictions, leading to liberation and great liberation. Only when both merit (puṇya) and wisdom (prajñā) are perfectly accomplished can one achieve omniscience (sarvajñatā); lacking either, one cannot attain Buddhahood.

Meditative concentration (dhyāna) is the most effective path for cultivating the body and mind. The practice of quiet sitting itself not only generates the merit born of concentration, but also yields the beneficial effects of wisdom. Not only does the practitioner gain these benefits, but they also influence those around them; all associated individuals who come into contact will receive beneficial effects. This is because there exists a certain magnetic field effect between the bodies and minds of sentient beings, enabling mutual permeation and influence. It is akin to the relationship between cold water and hot water: ultimately, they mix, with the heat from the hot water permeating the cold water, warming it and even melting solid ice. A person with meditative concentration and practice is like hot water, while a person without concentration or practice, or with very shallow practice, is like cold water or solid ice. Consequently, the merit of the concentrated person is imperceptibly transmitted to those without concentration, enabling those without concentration or practice to also experience mental and physical ease, reduced afflictions, a softened heart, and even the potential to eliminate karmic obstacles and suffering.

Of course, when the heat from the hot water is transferred to the cold water and ice, the heat diminishes; the water cools down. The practitioner with concentration may feel physically and mentally exhausted, their afflictions may increase, and physical ailments might also arise. This weakens their cultivation power, requiring greater effort to maintain their original mental and physical state, or to deepen their concentration and practice. Therefore, practitioners must carefully choose their place of practice and the company they keep, avoiding places heavy with karmic obstacles. If possible, avoiding crowds altogether is best. Everyone needs virtuous friends (kalyāṇamitra); lacking them, one must dwell alone.

However, this does not mean that upon leaving the crowd, sentient beings cease to be influenced by the practitioner's merit. The influence remains, but whereas previously the merit was transmitted only to the few people immediately nearby, once the obstruction of these individuals is removed, the practitioner's magnetic field and energy can transmit much farther, benefiting many more people. There is no need to let a few individuals block the sunlight and warmth needed by the multitude. Practitioners with immense cultivation power can influence areas hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of miles around them; they can influence a city, a province, a country, or even the entire globe and the whole Buddhist community, bearing upon the rise, fall, survival, or extinction of Buddhism. Regardless of its size, a group with such a person present will be harmonious and prosperous. Once such a person is absent from the group, karmic obstacles become uncontainable, leading to frequent disputes and conflicts, and the group will gradually decline.

A moment of quiet sitting ceases disputes, conflicts, and distracting thoughts, calming both body and mind. It purifies one's own magnetic field and that of the surroundings. Humans, animals, birds, and spirits (devas and ghosts) will all experience a moment of peace and bliss, instantly quelling the heat of afflictions. The merit and beneficial effects of such an act are beyond description; building as many seven-jeweled stupas as the sands of the Ganges cannot compare. Especially in the current Dharma-Ending Age (mappō), where sentient beings are universally afflicted by blazing greed, hatred, and delusion, karmic obstacles flow constantly, disasters arise frequently, and suffering abounds, the merit of quelling afflictions for even a single moment is beyond description. Of course, this refers to right concentration (samyak-samādhi); wrong concentration (mithyā-samādhi) will only have negative influence, because an evil mind naturally exerts a powerful, albeit invisible, influence.