พระอาจารย์อธิบายว่าบุญใหม่จะดึงบุญเก่าเข้ามาด้วยกันเสมอ และแนะสามสิ่งที่เอื้อให้บุญไหลผ่านเข้ามาในชาตินี้ คือสิ่งแวดล้อมที่เหมาะสม การกระทำ และการอธิษฐานจิต ตามหลักมงคลชีวิตข้อต้น ๆPra Ajarn explains that new merit always draws old, accumulated merit in along with it, and identifies three things that let merit flow through in this very life: a suitable environment, right action, and heartfelt aspiration — drawn from the early principles of the Mangala Sutta.
Someone asked: how can the merit we make today bear fruit in this very life, without having to wait for the next?
New Merit Always Draws Old Merit Along With It
Luang Phor once said that when we continually create the causes for merit and abide within system, the merit we accumulated in the past gets drawn in together with whatever new merit we're currently making. Consistently creating the causes for merit is therefore essential, because whenever new merit arrives, old merit comes attached to it.
Three Things That Let Merit Flow Through: Environment, Action, and Aspiration
What allows merit to flow through continuously is living in a suitable environment conducive to wholesomeness — reflected in the first five principles of the Mangala Sutta: not associating with fools, associating with the wise, honoring those worthy of honor, living in a suitable place, and having merit already accumulated from past lives. That past merit is precisely what can be drawn upon through the power of aspiration. Beyond environment, right action and heartfelt aspiration are the other two key factors that let previously accumulated merit flow through and bear fruit in this very life. When we continually abide in wholesomeness, that wholesomeness draws old merit to flow in together with each new act of merit we perform.