The Importance of Attention When Performing Wholesome Karma

When performing the dāna of Dharma or any other wholesome deed, one should have a good intention (manaskāra), hoping in one's heart that others may thereby obtain various benefits. Once such a heartfelt wish is made, not only will the Dharma-protecting deities help bring the wish to fulfillment, but one's own tathāgatagarbha will also help bring it to fulfillment. In this way, the person receiving the generosity will have a responsive resonance, receive blessings, feel joyful, be more receptive to the giving, open up their mind, and give rise to wisdom. Thus a wholesome karmic affinity is established, and one's own merit and virtue will also increase—achieving twice the result with half the effort, benefiting both oneself and others, and bringing the matter to perfect completion.

The mind's intention can change everything, similar to dedication of merit (pariṇāma). Once a person's wholesome thought is sent out, it gains magnetic force, the energy of one's magnetic field is strengthened, and it easily draws people in. When the aspiration is utterly sincere, it carries blessing power and guiding power, and the other person will have a telepathic resonance; reading it feels relaxed and pleasant, and the effect is good. Blessing wishes and vows serve exactly this function: others receive blessings and assistance and improve, and one's own merit and virtue naturally grow. This is called benefiting oneself by benefiting others—one who delivers others is delivering oneself. It is the same with doing anything: add your own heartfelt intention into it, do things with a sincere mind, do things with a focused mind, and anything can be done well—food cooked tastes fragrant, flowers raised flourish, vegetables planted yield abundantly, and undertakings are easily accomplished.

Each person's state of mind differs, so the results differ greatly. If you let others feel your sincerity, they will respond to your sincerity, and the reward will come quickly. Why are some people able to make others like them when dealing with people? Because they have a sincere and focused mind; when goodwill is sent out, others can feel it and will respond in kind—this is the effect. In the Avataṃsaka Sūtra, the World-Honored One taught us that when doing anything, one should recite the corresponding mantra, wishing that others obtain wholesome fruits, blessing others with the merit and benefits of wholesome dharmas. When the blessing wish is realized, sentient beings benefit, and one will receive the merit and virtue one deserves—benefiting others necessarily benefits oneself.