Three Bases of Meritorious Activity

Monks, there are these three bases of meritorious activity (generating wholesome Kamma).

What three?

The basis of meritorious activity consisting in giving; the basis of meritorious activity consisting in virtuous behavior; and the basis of meritorious activity consisting in meditative development.

(1) Here, Monks, someone has practiced the basis of meritorious activity consisting in giving to a limited extent; he has practiced the basis of meritorious activity consisting in virtuous behavior to a limited extent; but he has not undertaken the basis of meritorious activity consisting in meditative development. With the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn among humans in an unfavorable condition.

(2) Someone else has practiced the basis of meritorious activity consisting in giving to a middling extent; he has practiced the basis of meritorious activity consisting in virtuous behavior to a middling extent; but he has not undertaken the basis of meritorious activity consisting in meditative development. With the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn among humans in a favorable condition.

(3) Someone else has practiced the basis of meritorious activity consisting in giving to a superior extent; he has practiced the basis of meritorious activity consisting in virtuous behavior to a superior extent; but he has not undertaken the basis of meritorious activity consisting in meditative development. With the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in companionship with the heavenly beings [ruled by] The Four Great Kings.

There The Four Great Kings, who had practiced supremely the basis of meritorious activity consisting in giving and the basis of meritorious activity consisting in virtuous behavior surpass the heavenly beings [ruled by] The Four Great Kings in ten respects: in heavenly life span, heavenly beauty, heavenly happiness, heavenly glory, and heavenly authority; and in heavenly forms, sounds, odors, flavors, and physical objects.

(4) Someone else has practiced the basis of meritorious activity consisting in giving to a superior extent; he has practiced the basis of meritorious activity consisting in virtuous behavior to a superior extent; but he has not undertaken the basis of meritorious activity consisting in meditative development. With the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in companionship with the Tāvatiṃsa heavenly beings.

There Sakka, Ruler of the Heavenly Beings, who had practiced supremely the basis of meritorious activity consisting in giving and the basis of meritorious activity consisting in virtuous behavior, surpasses the Tāvatiṃsa heavenly beings in ten respects: in heavenly life span, heavenly beauty, heavenly happiness, heavenly glory, and heavenly authority; and in heavenly forms, sounds, odors, flavors, and physical objects.

(5) Someone else has practiced the basis of meritorious activity consisting in giving to a superior extent; he has practiced the basis of meritorious activity consisting in virtuous behavior to a superior extent; but he has not undertaken the basis of meritorious activity consisting in meditative development. With the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in companionship with the Yāma heavenly beings.

There the young heavenly being Suyāma, who had practiced supremely the basis of meritorious activity consisting in giving and the basis of meritorious activity consisting in virtuous behavior, surpasses the Yāma heavenly beings in ten respects: in heavenly life span, heavenly beauty, heavenly happiness, heavenly glory, and heavenly authority; and in heavenly forms, sounds, odors, flavors, and physical objects.

(6) Someone else has practiced the basis of meritorious activity consisting in giving to a superior extent; he has practiced the basis of meritorious activity consisting in virtuous behavior to a superior extent; but he has not undertaken the basis of meritorious activity consisting in meditative development. With the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in companionship with the Tusita heavenly beings.

There the young heavenly being Santusita, who had practiced supremely the basis of meritorious activity consisting in giving and the basis of meritorious activity consisting in virtuous behavior, surpasses the Tusita heavenly beings in ten respects: in heavenly life span, heavenly beauty, heavenly happiness, heavenly glory, and heavenly authority; and in heavenly forms, sounds, odors, flavors, and physical objects.

(7) Someone else has practiced the basis of meritorious activity consisting in giving to a superior extent; he has practiced the basis of meritorious activity consisting in virtuous behavior to a superior extent; but he has not undertaken the basis of meritorious activity consisting in meditative development. With the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in companionship with the heavenly beings who excite in creation.

There the young heavenly being Sunimmita, who had practiced supremely the basis of meritorious activity consisting in giving and the basis of meritorious activity consisting in virtuous behavior, surpasses the heavenly beings who excite in creation in ten respects: in heavenly life span, heavenly beauty, heavenly happiness, heavenly glory, and heavenly authority; and in heavenly forms, sounds, odors, flavors, and physical objects.

(8) Someone else has practiced the basis of meritorious activity consisting in giving to a superior extent; he has practiced the basis of meritorious activity consisting in virtuous behavior to a superior extent; but he has not undertaken the basis of meritorious activity consisting in meditative development. With the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in companionship with the heavenly beings who control what is created by others.

There the young heavenly being Vasavattī, who had practiced supremely the basis of meritorious activity consisting in giving and the basis of meritorious activity consisting in virtuous behavior, surpasses the heavenly beings who control what is created by others in ten respects: in heavenly life span, heavenly beauty, heavenly happiness, heavenly glory, and heavenly authority; and in heavenly forms, sounds, odors, flavors, and physical objects.

These, Monks, are the three bases of meritorious activity.

(Reference: AN 8.35)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares the way of practice as generosity, moral conduct (virtuous behavior), and meditation.

Generosity: a readiness and taking the action of frequently giving something more than is strictly necessary, such as time, effort, energy, or resources without any expectation of anything in return.

Moral Conduct (Virtuous Behavior): holding and acting upon high principles for proper conduct.

Meditation: is a technique to actively train the mind during dedicated, independent, purposeful training sessions to eliminate unwholesome qualities of the mind and/or cultivate wholesome qualities of the mind in the positions of seated, lying, standing, or walking.

While in this Teaching The Buddha describes these are “the three bases of meritorious activity” and describes how a Practitioner can practice these to improve their rebirth, these are also the same Teachings that lead to Enlightenment. These are often referred to as “The Way of Practice”.

A Practitioner would need to have a well developed practice of generosity to eliminate craving/desire/attachment from the mind and remove selfishness from the mind.

A Practitioner would need to have a well developed practice of moral conduct (virtuous behavior), as described as part of The Eight Fold Path, to eliminate the harm one is causing through their bodily, verbal, and mental conduct.

A Practitioner would need to have a well developed practice of meditation to train the mind to eliminate unwholesome qualities and cultivate wholesome qualities.

Without all three of these aspects of “The Way of Practice”, a Practitioner would be unable to attain Enlightenment.

Detailed explanation of practicing generosity is available in this same book series found in the book “Generosity” (Volume 13).

Detailed explanation of The Eight Fold Path is available in this same book series found in Chapter 5 of the book “Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Enlightenment” (Volume 1).

Detailed explanation of how to develop a meditation practice is available in this same book series found in Chapter 11 of the book “Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Enlightenment” (Volume 1) and in the book “Breathing Mindfulness Meditation” (Volume 7).