Buddhist-Meditation-Systematic-and-Practical

transmuted in the voidness of Mahayana meditations.
Without this, little can be done in merit-transference, for
common people think of "my merits," "I am transferring
merits," "By me other beings are benefiting." All this is
because they have not realized sunyata in the Hinayana
sense, not to speak of the Mahayana. This matter is
therefore very important in true merit-transference.
It is not enough for a person to be kind, generous, and
have other beneficent virtues. Such persons cannot
transfer merits, since the sunyata realization is lacking
while the idea of self is still firmly established.
What this really means is that unless sunyata is realized,
there is no possibility of saving others. Two points
clearly stand out here: that the self or soul as an ultimate
or unchanging "thing" is taught by all other religions
outside Buddhism, and that sunyata and the way to its
realization are taught nowhere except in Buddhism. One
corollary follows from this: The merits of saviors in
these religions can only save beings within samsara.
They cannot be of help in taking them beyond. Only
perfectly Enlightened Ones have the transcendental
merits which may aid one in crossing over sentient
beings.
Wrong views on merits and salvation are all the results
of ignorance of the Dharmakaya and its
nature—sunyata.
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