Buddhist Vocabulary: Merit

Written By Lama Döndrup

Sanskrit: Puṇya (पुण्य)

  • Puṇ means to purify, cleanse, make holy.

  • Ya is a suffix indicating a quality or state.

Tibetan: Gewa (dge ba)

  • Ge means virtuous, wholesome, beneficial.

  • Wa means action, conduct, or accumulation.

English: Merit

Merit refers to the accumulation of beneficial karma or virtue through actions, thoughts, and intentions. It is considered to be a force that leads to favorable outcomes both in this life and in future lives.

In Buddhist teachings, merit is accumulated through actions such as generosity, ethical conduct, patience, and meditation. It serves as a foundation for progress on the path to awakening by purifying unbeneficial karma.

The Theravada tradition emphasizes accumulating merit through moral discipline, generosity, and mental development. These actions are seen as generating wholesome karma, leading to a favorable rebirth and advancing towards liberation.

The Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions view merit not only as a personal accumulation of virtue but as something that can be dedicated for the benefit of all sentient beings. In these traditions, merit is often linked with the cultivation of wisdom and compassion, and practitioners dedicate their merits to the enlightenment of all beings.

Merit and Wisdom are often paired together in Mahayana and Vajrayana practice. While merit refers to the accumulation of beneficial actions, wisdom (prajña) refers to the realization of the ultimate nature of reality. Together, they create the conditions for enlightenment.

Lama Döndrup

Lama Döndrup has been practicing and studying in the Buddhist tradition since the mid-1990’s. After five years of Theravadin Buddhist training, she immersed herself in the teachings and practices of the Shangpa and Kagyu Vajrayana lineages. In 2005, she completed a traditional three-year retreat under the guidance of Lama Palden and Lama Drupgyu with the blessing of her root guru, Bokar Rinpoche and was authorized as a lama. Upon her return to Marin County, she began teaching at Sukhasiddhi Foundation. In January 2020, as Lama Palden’s successor, she stepped into the role of Resident Lama, guiding the Center’s ministerial work. Lama Döndrup’s teaching style is thorough and clear yet with light touch as she supports the natural unfolding of each student’s innate wisdom and compassion. She aims to preserve the authenticity of the tradition while making the teachings and practices relevant and accessible to the lives of 21st century Westerners. In addition to her Buddhist practice, Lama Döndrup trained the Ridhwan School’s Diamond Approach for seven years and has a Masters of Fine Arts degree in piano performance. She is an active classical pianist and teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area.

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Buddhist Vocabulary: Lojong