พระอาจารย์อธิบายว่าใจนับถือได้ทีละอย่าง เทพเจ้าต่าง ๆ ยังเอาตัวไม่รอดในวัฏสงสาร แต่เมื่อนึกถึงพระรัตนตรัย พระรัตนตรัยจะปรากฏสว่างในตัวเรา นำกระแสบุญจากพระนิพพานพรั่งพรูเข้ามาอย่างต่อเนื่อง การไปนับถือเทพชั้นต่ำจึงทอนกำลังบุญจากพระรัตนตรัยอย่างมหาศาล เทียบกันไม่ได้เลยPra Ajarn explains that the mind can only truly revere one thing at a time, and various deities have not yet freed themselves from the cycle of rebirth. But when we recall the Triple Gem, it appears bright within us, pouring a continuous stream of merit from nibbāna. Devotion to lesser deities therefore massively weakens the merit-power from the Triple Gem — the two are wholly incomparable.
Someone asked: if we also revere Chinese deities, Indian gods, the guardian spirit of the takian tree, the nāga, or Ven Sri Sattanaphrom (Vessuwan), does this diminish our merit-power from devotion to the Triple Gem?
The Mind Can Only Revere One Thing at a Time
Consider this: our mind can only truly revere one thing at a time. These deities may or may not exist. When we try devoting ourselves to one of them, that being appears within us. But these beings themselves have not yet freed themselves from the cycle of rebirth — how much could they really help us?
When We Recall the Triple Gem, the Triple Gem Appears, Bright, Within Us
But when we recall the Triple Gem, recall nibbāna, recall the Triple Gem — we appear within the Triple Gem, and the Triple Gem appears bright within us. Both we and the Triple Gem appear bright within nibbāna, within the boundless "one who knows, one of power" — not just a single Buddha, but countless Buddhas beyond measure. The stream of merit from nibbāna then pours continuously into the center of our body and mind.
The Sphere of Merit Contains All Treasures, Complete and Whole
Within that sphere of merit are the pure merit-element, , and all refined treasures — physical treasure, material treasure, virtuous qualities, retinue, wealth, status, praise, happiness, and the path, fruit, and nibbāna — all complete and whole within the sphere of merit. The longer we recall the Triple Gem, the longer this stream of merit pours through. Nothing else can do this for us.
Lower Deities Cannot Compare to the Triple Gem
It's like being reborn in a heaven of far greater power than these deities — guardian spirits, nāga, and the like — who dwell in lower realms. If we were a great deva and then came down to be born human, only to turn around and revere lower deities, what could they really do to help us? Consider: if we ourselves dwelt in a high heaven and beings of a lower realm came to revere us, we'd hardly be bothered to attend to them.
Conclusion: Reverence for Lower Deities Massively Weakens Merit-Power From the Triple Gem
So devotion to these lesser deities will certainly diminish our merit-power from devotion to the Triple Gem — and diminish it enormously. We shouldn't waste our time on this. Instead, we should continuously recall the Triple Gem, so that merit keeps pouring in without end — something wholly incomparable to devotion toward lesser deities.