Crossing the Ocean of Life

　　Ajaan Lee Dhammadharo

　　Translated from the Thai by

　　Thanissaro Bhikkhu

　　For free distribution only, as a gift of Dhamma

　　A talk given the last day of the celebration of the new ordination hall at Wat Asokaram, on May 19, 1960. This was the last talk that Ajaan Lee gave to his assembled students, supporters, and friends.

　　I”d now like to explain the Dhamma as a gift for those of us who have gathered here. All of us, both lay and ordained, have come here with skillful intentions from many different provinces. Our coming here is of two sorts. The first sort is connected with our having received an invitation or the notice of this gathering, so that we”ve come to join in with the merit-making for the past eleven days. The second sort didn”t receive any notice or invitation, but as soon as word of this gathering passed by our ears, we gave rise to a good intention -- good in one of two ways. The first way is that we see what”s being done here is something good, and so we should join in. That”s why some of you are here. This includes many of the monks and novices who came: you simply heard the news of this gathering and so you came to join your hearts with ours. This is called a skillful intention that has borne fruit in the hearts of all of us.

　　And then there are those who considered that this is a gathering of our friends, of our teacher: even though we haven”t been called to join, we should go. Some of you have thought in this way and so have joined in our gathering, participating in the various activities up to today. For all of these things, I”d like to express my thanks and appreciation to each and every one of you -- because this celebration has involved many duties, many activities of many sorts. If I were to try to do it all by myself, I”m sure that I wouldn”t succeed. The fact that we have managed to succeed so well is due to the goodness of all of you together.

　　Now, the fact that you”ve succeeded in completing these activities will give you two results in two ways: the first is through merit -- there”s no need to doubt that. The second is through benefaction.

　　Results through merit means that we”ve never been here before, we”re not intimate with the people here, but we”ve learned that what they”re doing here is meritorious, and so we”ve come in hopes of merit.

　　The other way is, as I”ve said earlier: we”ve come on the basis of being students or friends, or of being students of the same teacher. When we willingly come to help in these activities, this too is meritorious. The results we”ll receive will come in two ways: through merit and through benefaction.

　　Merit is an inpidual affair, something for which each person has to be responsible in terms of him or her own self. As for benefaction, the person who has benefited from your help and support won”t forget your kindness. The memory will stay buried there in the heart: that when we held the celebration in that year or that time, our friends came to help us. If they have any need for our help, then -- to the extent that we”re able -- we should take the opportunity to return their kindness in line with our ability. Whether they call for our help or not, and whether or not we can actually go to help, we can”t escape having the intention to benefit them in one way or another. Even though my body may not be able to go, or my words can”t reach you, still my mind -- when I hear the news one way or another of any meritorious activities, and there”s some way that I can help -- will remember your kindness, and the merit that I”ve accumulated myself, and so I”ll spread thoughts of good will, dedicating the fruits of that merit to pour down on you all. It”s as if all of you were farming in a certain place, planting rice or vegetables, or starting…

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