To be a good person... - Part 4

All the Buddhas' teachings can be summed up in three simple but profound principles: avoid unwholesome actions, cultivate wholesome qualities, and purify the mind. To live as a truly good person, we need to align ourselves with these principles. In Part 4, I want to focus on the second one — cultivating wholesomeness — because it’s the active practice that shapes our character, mind and kamma. A wholesome mind is guided by hiri (a sense of shame at doing wrong) and ottappa (fear of wrongdoing), qualities that naturally push away misconduct and negative thoughts that make us unskillful in the eyes of the Buddha, Dhamma and noble ones. The Buddha outlined ten beautiful ways of merit-making, or ten domains of wholesome actions, that help us cultivate a beautiful and wholesome mind.

Ten Domains of Meritorious Actions (Dasa Puññakiriya-vatthu)

The word puñña means “that which purifies the mind” — in simple terms, good or wholesome deeds. Kiriya means “that which ought to be done,” actions we should deliberately cultivate. Vatthu means “a foundation” or “a cause that produces prosperity and welfare.” Together, the Ten Puñña-kiriya-vatthu are the ten meritorious actions that not only cleanse and brighten the mind, and bring about true well-being to oneself and the others, not only in this life but also beyond. These actions are the bases for the highest blessing because they nurture a wholesome heart, protect us from unskillful tendencies, and ensure blissful rebirth.

1. Dāna

Generosity, at its core, is a form of renunciation – developing disenchantment, detachment for one's possessions. It also means giving to others with an open heart, without expecting anything in return. It is more than just offering wealth, possessions, or necessities; true dāna also extends to sharing one’s time, energy, knowledge, and skills. The Buddha explained that observing the precepts is itself a form of dāna — a gift of universal safety, ensuring that all beings are protected from the harm of one’s unskillful actions. Likewise, sharing the Dhamma is among the highest forms of giving, as it offers others guidance toward liberation. At its deepest level, generosity isn’t just about giving things, but also about giving forgiveness: letting go of grudges and offering others the chance to be free from our resentment, and their own weight of guilt and blame too.

The superiority or inferiority of giving is not determined merely by the gift itself, but by the wisdom and intention that accompany the act. When generosity is practiced with right understanding, it becomes a powerful support for the purification of mind. One gives with the knowledge that wholesome actions bear wholesome results according to the law of kamma, and one gives with the aspiration that such deeds strengthen the path leading toward Nibbāna.

The most excellent motive for dāna is the wish that it may aid one’s progress towards Nibbāna. All unwholesome states are rooted in clinging to the illusion of a lasting self, and when this delusion is uprooted, selfishness can no longer arise. By giving with the intention of abandoning attachment, one develops the dāna pāramī, the perfection of giving.

The worthiness of the recipient also influences the kammic potency of giving. Offerings made to noble ones (ariyās)— the Buddha, the Arahants, Anāgāmis, Sakadagāmis and Sotāpannas. When noble ones accept gifts, they do so not out of desire, but out of compassion to give the donor the opportunity to accumulate wholesome kamma. If such people are inaccessible, even those striving earnestly for such purity, whether monks, nuns, or lay disciples who observe precepts diligently and cultivate meditation, are worthy recipients of offerings.

Nevertheless, it must be remembered that the purity of the giver’s mind is also equally important. Even if the one who receives the gift is not virtuous, if the donor gives with a wholesome intention, the act will still yield merit and incline the mind toward renunciation. (But if you are wise about your dāna, you should ideally choose to give those who are superior in sīla, samādhi and pañña than yourself.)

2. Sīla

Sīla is the foundation of the entire practice of the Noble Eightfold Path, and thus the first of the threefold training (sikkhā): morality, concentration, and wisdom. The Buddha said that it is the very foundation upon which all meritorious actions arise.

When virtue is well established, one is free from fear, for one has caused no harm to oneself or to others. There is no remorse, guilt, or self-reproach; rather, there arises joy, rapture, tranquillity, and happiness, which in turn support concentration and the arising of insight into things as they truly are.

3. Bhāvanā

This is the richest, yet also the most demanding, form of wholesome action that one may undertake. The two kinds of bhāvanā — samatha (tranquillity) and vipassanā (insight) — which support the realisation of Nibbāna, form the very heart of the Buddha’s teaching. For it is only through these trainings that one can overcome the defilements and hindrances which give rise to unwholesome bodily, verbal, and mental actions, and thereby liberate oneself from the cycle of rebirth and suffering.

One who aspires to purify the mind, to be freed from anxiety, worry, anger, delusion, greed, and all the defilements that stain the mind, and who seeks release from the endless round of suffering in saṃsāra, must cultivate both samatha and vipassanā meditation. Though dāna and sīla are of great merit, they serve only as the foundations that support meditation; by themselves they cannot bring about liberation. Only through the diligent and systematic cultivation of samatha and vipassanā can liberation be attained.

4. Apacayana (Giving due respect to others)

Apacayana involves displaying actions of honouring and revering, maintaining humility, and exhibiting respectful conduct. Respect is itself a meritorious deed, and it may be expressed in many simple yet meaningful ways. It is shown when one welcomes those worthy of honour with kindness, greets them respectfully, rises to receive them, carries their belongings, uses courteous speech, shows them the way, and performs other acts of consideration. More broadly, respect is also manifested in daily conduct: recognising and safeguarding the feelings, boundaries, property, and lives of others; treating them with deference, esteem, and honour; refraining from insulting, degrading, or interrupting them; and avoiding behaviour that may offend, corrupt, or tempt them. To show respect is to acknowledge the dignity of others, and in doing so, we affirm our own dignity as well. This acknowledgement is a wholesome seed that supports the purification of the mind.

Sadly, in today’s world, reverence and respect are often neglected, particularly among the younger generation — and also most noticeably in the Western world — where individualism overshadows the honour due to parents, elders, and teachers, and where relationships have become increasingly transactional, eroding the spirit of genuine respect. A similar decline is evident in communities and close relationships: as familiarity grows, boundaries are forgotten. Trusts, confidences, and personal weaknesses are sometimes exposed, abused and exploited. Such behaviour gradually undermines personal integrity and community harmony, weakening one of the essential foundations of virtue on which a stable and wholesome society depends. It is true, however, that such honour need not be extended to those who are immoral, hostile and corrupt. Yet even in such cases, the proper response is not resentment, revenge or hostility, but upekkhā (equanimity) to protects one’s own mind.

In Milindapañha, the Venerable Nāgasena enumerated twelve types of persons who fail to show respect:

• The lustful person — absorbed in lust, lacks reverence.

• The angry person — consumed by anger, does not show respect.

• The dull/confused person — through ignorance or lack of discernment, respect does not arise.

• The proud/puffed-up person — arrogance prevents humility and reverence.

• The person without good qualities — lacking distinctive virtues that inspire esteem.

• The stubborn person — lacking humility, will not honour others.

• The low-minded (mean) person — coarse in mind, blind to the dignity of others.

• The vain/talkative person — vanity overshadows respectful restraint.

• The wicked/cruel person — by cruelty and harm, loses the capacity for regard.

• The afflicted/wretched person — overwhelmed by suffering, reverence is lost.

• The greedy person (gambler, covetous) — consumed by desire, shows no honour.

• The busy/seeker of gain — preoccupied with profit, disregards respect.

By contrast, the person who cultivates reverence and respect generates merit and uplifts the mind as one's pride is subdued and humility is strengthened. Respecting parents, teachers, elders, all the Sangha and even bowing to those who are worthy of respect are clear examples of this wholesome conduct. Even a novice monk, when showing reverence to a fully ordained bhikkhu, performs an act of merit that brings benefit to both.

5. Veyyāvacca (Service and assistance to others)

   
   

By voluntarily serving the needs of others with compassion, one generates merit. Service (veyyāvacca) as a way of making merit is expressed in acts whereby we carry out duties for the welfare of others. The most evident examples of veyyāvacca include volunteering to help the sick, the disabled, the injured, animals in need, or running charities and fundraisers for specific causes. Other forms include attending to visitors with care, or keeping one’s home, school, workplace, monastery, and surroundings clean and orderly. When staying with monastics, offering to wash bowls, sweeping the compound, cooking, and offering food are also wholesome acts of assistance. Such deeds, though simple, are expressions of humility and compassion, which also further support the cultivation of the pāramīs of dāna (generosity) and nekkhamma (renunciation), as one willingly gives time, energy, and resources for the welfare of others.

6. Pattidāna (Sharing merits)

One time, the Buddha met King Bimbisāra, who had earlier become Sotāpanna after hearing a discourse. He invited the Buddha and the Sangha for alms at his palace. During this offering, however, King Bimbisāra failed to dedicate the merit to his departed relatives who had been reborn as petas (hungry ghosts). That night they cried out in anguish outside the palace walls, lamenting their disappointment. The king felt haunted and was very alarmed. The king then consulted the Buddha, who explained that these beings were once his relatives, who had long awaited release since the time of Buddha Phussa ninety-two world cycles (kappa) ago. On that occasion they had been deprived of the opportunity to make offerings, and as a result they had suffered in the peta realm ever since.

The Buddha instructed the king that by performing alms-giving again and consciously dedicating the merit to them, the petas would be released from their torment. King Bimbisāra accordingly made another offering to the Buddha and the Saṅgha. By the Buddha’s supernormal power, the king was able to witness the transformation: as he dedicated water, food, robes, and lodging, the petas received these offerings in their own realm, their suffering was alleviated, their bodies became radiant, and they were adorned with comfort and splendour.

After the meal, the Buddha expounded the Tirokuḍḍa Sutta, stating that departed ones (who have become petas) may benefit when the living dedicate their meritorious deeds to them (but only if they become the type of petas who can receive and rejoice in other's merits and are also present around the person who is sharing merits). This shows how wholesome deeds can relieve suffering even beyond this life.

In this practice of sharing merits, one should perform wholesome deeds with pure intention and then consciously transfer or dedicate the merit to all beings in the thirty-one realms of existence – not just mentally, but also verbally. Beings who have been reborn as hungry ghosts (peta) are often described as depending upon the merits shared by the living for relief from their suffering. Even the devas rejoice in the merits of human beings, for such acts of goodness contribute to still greater blessings and luxuries in their celestial existences. This act of pattidāna (sharing of merit) is recognised in the Buddha’s teaching as having genuine efficacy, provided it is performed with faith, sincerity, and wholesome volition.

It must be understood, however, that merit or wholesome kamma cannot literally be divided and handed over, as though one were saying, “Here, take a portion of my merit.” Rather, merit is “shared” in the sense of inviting others to rejoice in one’s wholesome deeds — “Come, be happy, rejoice in my wholesome actions.” When beings, including petas, devas and even humans, rejoice with faith in the meritorious act, they generate wholesome states of mind themselves, and thus accrue merit. This is how the sharing of merits works: the donor does not lose merit, nor is any portion taken away and given to others literally. Rather, both parties gain, as the act arises from wholesome states of mind rooted in karuṇā (compassion), cāga (generosity), and muditā (appreciative joy).

7. Pattānumodanā (Rejoicing at and appreciation of merits of others)

This form of merit-making involves rejoicing in the goodness of others, expressing gladness, and sharing in their wholesome deeds. It is often practised by saying “Sādhu” (meaning “well done”), even when one has not had the opportunity to contribute directly. A crucial aspect of this practice is cultivating a state of mind that sincerely rejoices in others’ virtuous actions, whether great or small. This mental attitude, rooted in muditā, becomes a cause for the accumulation of wholesome kamma within oneself. As explained earlier, rejoicing in others’ merits does not mean one literally receives their merit and kamma without effort; rather, it is the wholesome state of mind generated in the act of rejoicing that produces new merit, even when the good deed was not performed by oneself.

8. Dhammassavana (Listening to the Dhamma)

Not only is this a factor that supports the cultivation of wholesome states, but it is also one of the four conditions leading to stream-entry. Listening to the Dhamma means listening to the true teachings with respect and sincerity. It should not be done carelessly or treated as though the words were ordinary. Instead, one should listen with mindfulness, attention, and reverence.

Respectful listening involves reflecting deeply on what has been heard, holding it firmly in the heart, and putting it into practice. It means remembering, reviewing, and applying the teachings. Not merely collecting them as intellectual knowledge, but allowing them to shape one’s understanding, conduct, and state of mind. Through this practice, wisdom (paññā) is gradually cultivated, leading to a clearer and more accurate comprehension of the Dhamma.

9. Dhammadesanā (Teaching the Dhamma to others)

“The gift of Dhamma is the greatest gift of all.” Yet the intention behind sharing it is what truly determines its fruit. If someone teaches the Dhamma merely to gain recognition or status — thinking, “People will know me as a Dhamma teacher,” “I want to be known as a great preacher of Dhamma,” or “Only I am capable of such teaching” — then such a mindset is tainted by māna (conceit). Teaching given from this attitude bears little fruit, for it is rooted more in self-exaltation than in compassion.

By contrast, when one teaches out of a sincere wish to help others find release from suffering, sharing whatever portion of the Dhamma one has genuinely understood, such pure intention becomes a powerful way of making merit through the act of teaching.

It is worth recalling that the Buddha declared the gift of the Dhamma to be the highest gift of all. To open the eye of Dhamma for another — whether by expounding, explaining, or guiding them to insight — is to give the greatest and most precious offering possible. The Buddha also emphasised that even if one were to care for one’s parents for an entire lifetime, carrying them on one’s shoulders, this would still not fully repay the debt of gratitude owed to them. The only complete repayment is to establish them in the Dhamma, and most nobly, to help them attain the Path and Fruition.

A noble example is found in the Venerable Sāriputta. Even while gravely ill and near the end of his life (his Parinibbāna), he returned to his home to teach his mother the Dhamma. Through his compassionate guidance, she realised Nibbāna before his own passing into Parinibbāna. Venerable Sāriputta's final act was to repay the immense kindness of his mother by offering her the profound gift of the Dharma.

Teaching the Dhamma with compassion, guided by a pure mind and free from the desire for offerings, honour, praise, or fame, is a noble quality to be cultivated by everyone who is following the Noble Eightfold Path.

10. Diṭṭhijukamma (Straightening one's view)

Diṭṭhijukamma (straightening of views or cultivating right view) is a wholesome deed gained by correcting and purifying one’s view, and by abandoning distorted views that lead to suffering. This meritorious action consists in establishing sammā-diṭṭhi (Right View) — the correct understanding of reality as taught by the Buddha.

It begins with recognising the law of kamma — that wholesome and unwholesome actions bear corresponding results — and extends to a right understanding of ultimate realities, causality, and the continuity of rebirth. To straighten one’s view (diṭṭhijukamma) is to abandon false beliefs that distort the path, such as denial of moral causality, rejection of the past lives, nihilism (the view that nothing continues after death), eternalism (the view of an everlasting self or soul), creationism (belief in an external creator as the origin of life), determinism (the view that everything is fixed by fate), or the notion that liberation can be achieved solely through ritual practices, asceticism, or self-mortification.

The Buddha repeatedly emphasised the grave danger of micchā-diṭṭhi (wrong view), warning against it many times throughout the discourses. The suttas describe such views in clear terms, most notably in the Brahmajāla Sutta (Dīgha Nikāya 1). Moreover, the Buddha highlighted fundamental truths that must be recognised, and the denial of which constitutes wrong view. These include:

1. Atthi dinnan — There is benefit in giving alms; generosity brings wholesome results.

2. Atthi yettan — There is benefit in giving abundant or large offerings; the greater the giving, the greater the merit.

3. Atthi hutan — There is benefit in making offerings to virtuous and worthy people; they are a fertile field of merit.

4. Atthi sukata-dukkata-kammanam phalaṃ vipāko — Good and bad actions bear fruit; all deeds have corresponding results.

5. Atthi ayaṃ loko — This world exists; beings are reborn here from other realms such as the deva, brahma, peta, or hell realms.

6. Atthi paro loko — The other world exists; after death, beings pass from one existence to another according to kamma.

7. Atthi mātā — A mother is special; caring for one’s mother is meritorious and a noble duty.

8. Atthi pitā — A father is special; caring for one’s father is meritorious and a noble duty.

9. Atthi sattā opapātikā — There are spontaneously arisen beings, such as gods, brahmas, petas, and hell-beings, born without parents, according to their kamma.

10. Atthi loke samaṇa-brāhmaṇā sammaggatā sammā-paṭipannā ye imaṃ ca lokaṃ parañca lokaṃ sayaṃ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedenti — There are ascetics and brahmins in the world who, through right practice, have realised this world and the other world by direct knowledge, and who declare them truthfully to others.

    
    

The rejection of these truths leads to the destruction of faith, the corruption of conduct, and the closing of the path to liberation. Straightening one’s view, therefore, means affirming these principles with wisdom and confidence in the Dhamma, removing distortions that obstruct wisdom, and setting the mind firmly on the Middle Way.

By adopting Right View, one gains confidence in the truth of the Four Noble Truths: that life is marked by dukkha (suffering), that craving is its cause, that cessation of suffering is possible, and that the Noble Eightfold Path is the only way leading to that cessation. In this sense, diṭṭhijukamma provides the foundation for all other wholesome actions, aligning the mind with reality as it truly is and guarding against wrong practices and mistaken beliefs.

Even if one already accepts the principle of kamma, “straightening one’s view” also means refining that belief and rejecting distorted interpretations that sometimes arise even within the Buddhist tradition (as mentioned in Part 3). This includes abandoning views that deny the workings of kamma and its results, or that attempt to reduce the Dhamma to a purely secular philosophy stripped of the very core truths that make the Dhamma truly the Dhamma.

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To be a good person, in the light of the Buddha’s teaching, means cultivating wholesome qualities in body, speech, and mind. The ten domains of wholesome actions — generosity, virtue, meditation, reverence, service, sharing of merits, rejoicing in others’ merits, listening to the Dhamma, teaching the Dhamma, and straightening one’s views — form a complete framework for the purification of conduct, the strengthening of wisdom, and the liberation of the heart. Each of these wholesome actions, when undertaken with sincerity and pure intention, becomes a seed for happiness in this life and beyond, while at the same time eroding the defilements that keep beings bound in saṃsāra.

To be a good person is to live by the Dhamma: to avoid the unwholesome, to cultivate the wholesome, and to purify the mind.