อารัมภบทI shall now explain and expand upon the meaning of the Dhamma theme written above, as a guide for study and practice.

อธิบายบทตั้งTo explain: The word "merit" means the goodness that arises in the mind from giving, keeping the precepts, developing meditation and doing other good deeds. This saying teaches that merit is a treasure that thieves cannot carry off, unlike external wealth such as money and gold, houses, cars and jewellery, which may be stolen, burnt in a fire, swept away by a flood or lost at any time.

ขยายความบทตั้งIn the sutta from which this saying comes, there are questions: What is good until old age? What is good when firmly established? What is the treasure of human beings? And what cannot be carried off by thieves? The answers are: virtue is good until old age, faith is good when firmly established, wisdom is the treasure of human beings, and merit cannot be carried off by thieves. The reason thieves cannot carry off merit is that merit is not kept in a safe or in a bank, but in the mind of the one who makes it. No one can reach in and steal it, no natural disaster can destroy it, and that merit follows its maker everywhere, even across lives.

ประโยคสะพาน + ที่มา ๑After leaving this world, wealth, relatives, and rank cannot follow. Only merit is the support that protects beings in the next world. This accords with the Buddha's saying found in Saṃyutta Nikāya, Sagāthāvagga:

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๑To explain: The word "support" means something that gives protection and comfort and helps one escape from danger. As for "the next world", it means the state of existence in which beings are reborn after their life in this world has ended. This saying teaches that merit is the support of all beings in the next world; in other words, after one leaves this world, no possessions, relatives or rank can follow one. Only the merit and evil one has done follow along, and merit is the one thing that can protect one.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๑In this world, human beings have many supports: parents are the support of their children, relatives and friends are a support in times of hardship, and possessions are a support for making a living. But these supports have their limits; when the time comes to leave this world, they cannot follow. Buddhism teaches that beings are the owners of their kamma and the heirs of their kamma; whatever kamma they do, good or evil, they will receive its result. After one leaves this world, therefore, all that follows is the kamma one has done. Merit that has been well made receives its maker in the next world, just as relatives gladly welcome a dear relative who has long been away when he arrives home safely. Merit is therefore the true support in the next world.

ตัวอย่างในชีวิตIn real life, we can see that some people with great wealth may one day lose everything because they are cheated, their business goes bankrupt or they meet with a disaster. But the good they have done, such as helping others, honesty and kindness, remains in people's memory and often leads others to reach out and help them in hard times. For a student who has sincerely helped his friends, that goodness always remains his own; no one can take it away.

สรุปTo conclude: Those who wish for wealth that is secure and safe should therefore not accumulate only external wealth, but should always accumulate merit, because merit is the true wealth that is never lost. This accords with the Dhamma saying set forth as the theme at the beginning:

ปิดท้ายThus has the meaning been explained, as set forth above.