A Cultural Explanation of Intention, Action, and Remembrance

In many East Asian traditions, especially within Buddhism, the word “merit” (功德) appears frequently.
It is often mentioned in connection with offerings, rituals, remembrance, and acts of kindness.

However, outside its original cultural context, merit is sometimes misunderstood as a form of supernatural reward or spiritual transaction.

In this article, we explore what “merit” means culturally, how it has been understood historically, and why it continues to matter today — not as a promise of results, but as a way of understanding intention and remembrance.

Merit Is Not a “Reward System”

In traditional Buddhist thought, merit does not function like points, credits, or guaranteed outcomes.

Merit is not:

• A promise of good fortune

• A transaction with the unseen

• A guarantee of spiritual results

Instead, merit is best understood as a moral and cultural concept that emphasizes:

• Intention behind an action

• Awareness during the action

• Impact on oneself and others

What matters is why something is done, not merely what is done.

The Cultural Roots of Merit

The concept of merit developed within societies that placed strong value on:

• Compassion

• Responsibility

• Mindful conduct

• Remembering those who came before us

In this context, merit served as a language — a way to describe how actions shape character, relationships, and communal memory.

Over time, rituals such as lighting lamps, chanting, or making offerings became symbolic expressions of this idea.

They were never meant to be magical acts, but intentional gestures that aligned thought, emotion, and memory.

Why Merit Is Often Associated with Remembrance

Acts of remembrance — whether for loved ones who have passed or for moments that shaped our lives — naturally involve reflection.

In many cultures, remembrance is considered meaningful because it:

• Encourages gratitude

• Brings unresolved emotions into awareness

• Creates a space for calm and focus

• Honors bonds that continue through memory

Within this framework, merit represents the quality of attention and care brought into remembrance.

It is less about changing what has already happened, and more about how the living carry memory forward.

Merit and the Living

While merit is often discussed in connection with those who have passed, its deeper significance lies with the living.

Intentional acts of remembrance can help people:

• Process grief

• Express unresolved feelings

• Cultivate calm and compassion

• Reconnect with personal values

Seen this way, merit is not something accumulated — it is something cultivated.

A Modern Interpretation

In a contemporary, global context, merit can be understood as:

The meaning created when intention, action, and remembrance come together.

Whether through a quiet moment of reflection, a written tribute, or a symbolic offering, these acts serve as containers for human emotion and memory.

They do not promise outcomes.
They offer space.

A Note on Cultural Respect

At Qiyuan Memorial, all memorials and offerings are presented as cultural expressions and personal acts of remembrance.

They are not intended to claim spiritual efficacy or guaranteed results.
Instead, they honor long-standing traditions as human responses to loss, memory, and connection.

Closing Reflection

Merit is not something earned.
It is something expressed.

In remembering with care, we acknowledge that memory itself has value — not because it changes the past, but because it shapes how we live now.

✦ Create a memorial as a space for reflection and remembrance.

A quiet place to honor memory, intention, and connection.