བསྔོ་བ། | Glossary of Terms

The establishment of the correct motivation at the beginning of any practice or endeavor and the altruistic dedication at the end are regarded as highly significant. The most popular objects of the dedication are the flourishing of the sacred teachings of Buddhism throughout the universe and the attainment of full enlightenment by all sentient beings.

Although the Sanskrit term pariṇāmanā is often translated as “dedication” (as in the practice of dedicating merit), the term has the basic meaning of “transforming,” “developing,” “making ripen.” This conception, then, reflects the Buddhist understanding that the act of dedication involves mentally or ritually directing the merit (puṇya) produced from virtuous activity toward a specific goal, be it worldly or transworldly. In this text, we can observe that the idea of dedication is closely linked with the idea of karmic ripening or maturation (vipaka). It is also noteworthy that dedication can be wrongly practiced, as when the text speaks of six perfections that are dedicated through wrong view (UT22084-045-001-342).

This refers to the bodhisattva’s constant mindfulness of the fact that all his actions of whatever form contribute to his purpose of attaining enlightenment for the sake of himself and others, i.e., his conscious deferral of the merit accruing from any virtuous action as he eschews immediate reward in favor of ultimate enlightenment for himself and all living beings.

Dedication of the merit at the end of a spiritual practice or virtuous action, usually for the attainment of full enlightenment by all sentient beings. In this way the actions thus dedicated contribute to the purpose of attaining enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings.

Dedication of the merit at the end of a spiritual practice or virtuous action, usually for the attainment of full enlightenment by all sentient beings. In this way the actions thus dedicated contribute to the purpose of attaining enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings.

Transformation; in the context of a sādhana, this is the dedication of merit.