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Practitioner: What should be our key practical guidelines with regard to making merits? Some people say we should tell others about our making merits, so that we would have good followers. Some people say we should not join with others in their merit-making because we do not wish to become their followers. Personally, I believe that merits should be made for the benefits of the public or other people, such as building temples and hospitals. When I see these temples or hospitals built, it makes me happy, thinking that this is merit. But, some people say that merits should be made with noble monks as this would generate more merits, more than when merits are made with normal people. Hence, with this belief, some people donate a lot of money to temples and monks but give measly amount to poor people. Would Phra Arjan please provide some principles and practical guidelines on this issue?
Phra Arjan: The key principle of making merits is to do it according to our faith. Make merits where we have faith. How much merits we should make is according to our faith. If we make merits unwillingly, even a great amount would result in little benefits. If we make merits whole-heartedly, a small amount would turn into great benefits. Whether we make merits with noble monks, build temples, build Buddhist pavilions, give alms to other people or provide loving-kindness to animals— all of these are meritorious. Yes, there are people who