พระอาจารย์อธิบายว่าคนที่ทำบุญทันทีเพราะอินทรีย์กุศลแก่กล้าสมบูรณ์ ส่วนคนที่ลังเลรอจนนาทีสุดท้ายเพราะกำลังของอินทรีย์แต่ละดวงยังน้อย ถูกนิวรณ์รบกวน จึงเหนี่ยวนำบุญได้ช้า ส่งผลให้ความสำเร็จในชีวิตล่าช้าตามไปด้วยPra Ajarn explains that those who make merit at once have mature, complete faculties, while those who hesitate until the last minute have faculties still weak in strength, disturbed by the hindrances, and so draw merit in slowly — which in turn makes their success in life come slowly too.
Someone asked: why do some people make merit at once without much thought — is it 'mastery within'? — while others wait until the last minute, and do their results differ?
Chances to Make Merit Don't Come Often
First understand that the chance to make merit doesn't come easily. That an opportunity arises at all is because both side and the 'wheel-turning' side need merit to drive their systems — the wholesome side needing merit to work purification and liberation, and the kingdom side needing merit to use refined treasures to draw in coarse treasures for us, and to clear away impurity, obstacles, and illness. The wholesome side thus leads us toward chances to create the causes of merit.
Making Merit at Once, Because the Wholesome Faculties Are Mature and Complete
When the wholesome side rules, it means that at that moment we are furnished with strong wholesome faculties — with strength, wisdom with strength, faith, concentration, and effort all with strength. When the faculties are this complete, one doesn't overthink or feel any reluctance — one simply acts at once, because the wholesome side has faculties mature enough.
Waiting Until the Last Minute, Because the Faculties Are Still Weak
But some must wait until the last minute, because each faculty is still weak in strength, disturbed by — sensual desire, drowsiness, restlessness and irritation. Mindfulness is therefore weak, wisdom weak, with no clear understanding of what merit the act brings, and no inclination to do it. With weak wisdom, faith is weak too; the concentration to focus is weak; and the effort to carry one toward liberation is hard to come by. So one thinks it over again and again, because the strength is low, and drawing merit in is slow — and by the time it can be drawn in, only at the last minute is a decision reached.
Weak Merit-Power Makes Success in Life Come Slowly
Someone with abundant merit-power, with mature and luminous faculties, draws merit in the instant they act, and it flows in continuously to work purification. This differs from someone whose every faculty is weak. When merit is little, its results, too, come only at the last minute. Others pass the exam the moment they sit it; this one must wait to see whether anyone forfeits a place. Work succeeds slowly; everything is slow — wealth comes slowly, success comes slowly, and by the time success arrives, one is already old, while others succeeded in their youth, and some even in childhood. All of this comes down to merit-power.