Thai Buddhists are always looking for ways to make good karma.
Making merit is an easy way to get a happy feeling in the here and now and also to build up a store of good karma for the future. The Buddha emphasized the importance of merit making. He said:
Here he rejoices
he rejoices hereafter.
In both worlds
the merit-maker rejoices.
He rejoices, is jubilant,
seeing the purity
of his deeds.*
By merit, we mean generating good karma by giving or by practicing meditation. Since every action we do is, to a certain extent habit forming, the most obvious benefit of a good deed is that it creates a tendency to do it again later.
In Buddhist countries like Thailand, devout Buddhist lay people are always looking for ways to make merit. Whether it be by donating to a monk on alms round, by building a Temple or meditation centre, or by helping someone in need, a good Buddhist does his or her duty to the religion by being a positive influence on the world and avoiding actions that cause suffering.
In the photo above, a group of Thai Buddhist are celebrating their intention to build a new temple. After circling the planned site three times, they entered the grounds carrying large trees of money they were about to donate.
*Yamakavagga: Pairs translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu