Dedication of Merits

Upon completion of our chanting, we formally dedicate our merits to being born into the Pure Land by reciting the following:

      May the merits and virtues accrued from this
      practice adorn the Buddha's Pure Land,
      repay the Four Kinds of Kindness above,
      and relieve the sufferings of those
      in the Three Paths below.

      May those who see and hear of this,
      bring forth the heart
      of understanding and compassion and,
      at the end of this life,
      be born together in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.

The Four Kinds of Kindness are the Three Jewels of the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha; parents; teachers; and all beings. At the initial level of understanding, the “Three Paths below” are those of animals, hungry ghosts, and hell dwellers. In the cycle of rebirth, these three are below those of humans, asuras, and heavenly beings.
   
But at a higher level of understanding, the Three Paths can be viewed as the Realm of Desire (our world), the Realm of Form (where the lesser deities dwell), and the Realm of Formlessness (where the higher deities dwell). Until one transcends the cycle of rebirth, one is still bound to rebirth within the hell, hungry ghost, animal, human, asura, and heavenly paths. Yes, even for those in the heavenly realms, where existence is truly wonderful, such existence will one day end and suffering will return.

related post:  Nianju

Source Of Information:
《Going Home To The Pure Land》, by Venerable Wuling, translated by J.C.Cleary, published by Pure Land College Press in 2010, distributed by: Persatuan Penganut Agama Buddha Amitabha Malaysia, 90 & 92, Jalan Pahang, Gombak, 53000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.)
*** The information provided above does not contain personal opinion of this blog.