Why Does Meditative Concentration Entail Meditative Merit?

Meditative concentration (samādhi) is divided into the concentration of the desire realm, the concentration of the form realm, and the concentration of the formless realm. If the discriminating conscious mind corresponds to the states of the desire-realm heavens, the form-realm heavens, or the formless-realm heavens, then after death one will be reborn in the desire realm, the form realm, or the formless realm as a heavenly being, enjoying the supreme retributions of the heavenly realms, abiding in the corresponding meditative concentration and experiencing bliss. Therefore, meditative concentration carries the merit of concentration. The merit of concentration is worldly merit—merit enjoyed within the world, enjoying the merit of the world of the three realms.

Meditative concentration represents purity, and purity is merit. Many people wish to be tranquil but cannot achieve tranquility, which shows they lack the merit of tranquility (praśama). Meditative concentration can make body and mind comfortable and at ease, so meditative concentration carries the merit of concentration. Meditative concentration can subdue and eliminate afflictions; without afflictions, the mind attains liberation, so meditative concentration carries the merit of concentration. Meditative concentration can give rise to wisdom, so meditative concentration carries the merit of concentration. Meditative concentration can dispel distracting thoughts and trivial affairs, remove disturbances, and allow one to enjoy a wonderful time of pure happiness, so meditative concentration carries the merit of concentration. Meditative concentration can give rise to immeasurable supernatural powers and spiritual abilities, can initiate vast and supreme practices, can benefit oneself and benefit others, and can accomplish all worldly and transcendent endeavors, accomplishing all worldly and transcendent wisdom—so meditative concentration carries the merit of concentration. Meditative concentration can avert disasters; for example, in the fourth dhyāna, where perception and feeling are relinquished and there is purity, the three calamities cannot reach it—so meditative concentration carries the merit of concentration. As long as there are mental activities, disasters can be attracted; great karmic actions, especially actions accompanied by afflictions, bring even greater disasters. When the mind is pure and relinquishes thoughts and conceptualization, without desire and without seeking, disasters will not be attracted.

However, the fourth dhyāna is not ultimate either. After the meditative concentration dissipates, feelings of suffering will appear. Any kind of meditative concentration is subject to arising and ceasing; without realizing the fruits, without seeing the mind, and without cultivating to a considerably high level of wisdom and liberation, meditative concentration will eventually dissipate, and after it dissipates, afflictions and disasters will appear. The merit of concentration without having seen the Path is tainted merit; once the merit is exhausted, it is gone. Therefore, one should still pursue the liberating wisdom born from meditative concentration—this is the supreme retribution that endures forever.