Recently, a woman asked me to recite a sutra at a specific time on a certain day. She requested this because that was the time she was to undergo a medical procedure. I had mixed emotions about the request for a few reasons.
One was a practical one. While it is helpful for others to chant on our behalf, it is not nearly as effective as when we ourselves chant. At the most, only 1/7th of the merits generated by our chanting can be transferred to that individual. And that is the optimal amount. To transfer 1/7th, we would have to focus single-mindedly on our chanting. If our attention wanders, the merit that can be transferred is reduced the more our mind wanders. So if the most we’re starting out with is only 1/7th, we haven’t got far to go before the chanting generates a negligible amount of merits to transfer.
Also, because we are chanting for one person, our mind is narrow and exclusive, so the merits we generate will also be limited. What about the other people in the hospital who are undergoing medical procedures? Those who are undergoing procedures in hospitals in the United States? In hospitals throughout the world? All those who are ill? Suffering?
When we dedicate the merits from our practice and Buddhist work to all beings, with the sincere wish for all beings to end suffering and attain happiness, our merits will be so much greater than when we dedicate them to one being. And we don’t even need to think of ourselves. We’re one of the “all beings.” When all beings benefit, we benefit.