พระอาจารย์อธิบายว่าผู้ทำหน้าที่บอกบุญได้ผลจากการให้ข่าวดีและการอนุโมทนา แต่หากลงมือทำเองด้วยจะได้ผลตามกำลังศรัทธา และได้เป็นหัวหน้าคณะเมื่อบุญส่งผล พร้อมยกตัวอย่างเรื่องการถวายที่ดินกับการอธิษฐานที่หลวงพ่อเคยเล่าPra Ajarn explains that the one who spreads word of merit gains the fruit of delivering good news and of rejoicing in it, but that doing it oneself as well yields fruit according to one's faith — and makes one the 'head of the group' when the merit ripens — illustrated with Luang Phor's story of donating land and making an aspiration.
Someone asked: does the one who takes on the role of spreading word of merit gain fruit equal to the one they invited, who actually does it?
The One Who Spreads Word Gains the Fruit of Good News and Rejoicing
The one who spreads word of merit does gain fruit — the fruit of delivering good news, which is joined with wisdom, and the fruit of rejoicing (anumodanā). But if we do it ourselves as well as invite others, this yields greater fruit, according to the strength of our faith.
Faith Is a Bright, Clear Sphere That Bears Fruit According to Belief
Merit arises from the fruit of faith. Faith is a bright, clear sphere — a way out, a way to safety, leading to and the fulfillment of wishes. This sphere of faith is very important: if one believes it will yield much, the fruit is much. Luang Phor once told of a person who, in this life, owned plots of land that were each beautiful — set in forests and hills, beside waterfalls and streams, every title deed a delight. This was because, in the past, that person had donated land with faith and made the aspiration to receive beautiful plots of land in future lives. Luang Phor noted: if one aspires to receive much, one receives much; aspire for beauty, and one receives beauty.
Doing It and Inviting Others Makes One the Head of the Group
For the one who spreads word of merit, it's good to do it as well, whether much or little. If one only spreads word without doing it, one gains only the delivering and receiving of good news. When we rejoice in their merit, we gain a share in the merit they made. But if we both do it and invite others, we become the leader — when the merit ripens, we are like the head of the group, the head of government, with a following. It's like inviting someone to stand for election: when they win, they give benefit to us, because we did them a good turn. But if we don't do it ourselves, we cannot become the leader — we gain only the fruit of rejoicing and of delivering good news.