Someone asked: if we pray, asking our elder teacher for help with something, and promise that if it's granted we'll keep the five precepts or build up other merit, is that a form of bribing him?

Asking for compassion this way is really asking for help in doing good — and he sees that as worthwhile, because he regards us as his own children and wants us to do good. When the request is reasonable enough to deserve help, he helps. It isn't bribery at all; it simply reflects that our own wisdom is still limited, so we need this kind of support. In truth, keeping the five precepts already benefits us directly — but he still looks on us with boundless compassion, and as long as fulfilling the request won't harm ourselves or others, he helps.

That said, once we've relied on his merit, we should recognize that in time we owe some return. This isn't strange — it's simply nature's law, the law of this cycling world: whoever helps us, we eventually serve in return. Being able to serve and repay him in this way is, in itself, a good thing.