How to Check If Your Merit Is Sufficient

To determine whether one's blessed virtues are sufficient, observe whether one's practice proceeds smoothly and without hindrances; whether one can cultivate according to one's will, with ample time and conducive environmental conditions; whether one can act autonomously in matters one wishes to undertake, free from restrictions; whether, when intending to uphold precepts, one can fulfill them perfectly; when aspiring to diligence, whether one can be diligent; when seeking to cultivate concentration, whether there are no obstructive conditions; whether wisdom continuously increases; whether the Dharma one practices feels natural and effortless; and when encountering profound teachings, whether one can endure them, feel joyful, and willingly comply.

If the practice of the Bodhisattva's six pāramitās proceeds smoothly and without obstruction, then the blessed virtues are fundamentally sufficient, and one may shift focus to other deficient areas, striving to master the six pāramitās. If faith in the Buddha, the true Tathāgatagarbha Dharma, and the true Saṅgha is still incomplete, with lingering doubts and uncertainty within the mind, then the conditions for a Bodhisattva at the stage of faith have not yet been met. One must further cultivate faith in the Three Jewels, perfect the root of faith, and give rise to the power of faith. Thereafter, one may advance to the ten abodes and cultivate the six pāramitās.