【Going for Refuge to the Three Jewels】- whether it is perceived or unperceived, accumulates the most merit

When you make offerings to either an unperceived buddha or his unperceived stupas, you are also making offerings to both of the perceived objects, for the reality or emptiness of one of them is the reality of all of them. It is standard to make offerings, both to perceived and to nonperceived objects, with the thought, "I make offerings to all the buddhas of the three times and to the stupas of the ten directions of the limitless universe."

【Well then whether it is perceived or unperceived, when we offer, we should have this kind of thought to visualize and offer – the reality or emptiness of one of them is of all of them; that which is of all of them is of one of them. Therefore, when you offer to a perceived Buddha and stupa, you are essentially offering infinitely to all [the Buddhas and stupas] in the three times and the ten directions. 】

This is the same when you offer to both perceived and nonperceived objects, you would have even offered to all [the Buddhas and stupas] in the three times and ten directions. This way of offering accumulates the most merits. Therefore, this cites from the commentary.

【It is said that making offerings to a perceived object produces a vast store of merit and making offerings to an unperceived object a greater store; making offerings to all the buddhas and stupas produces a store far vaster than that. 】

Take a look at this point! We always feel that, ah, it would be best to meet the Buddha. This is the best because this would make it a perceived offering. Yet at the end it tells us that the first way [is good], yes, to offer to a perceived object, you will obtain a vast store of merit but the second way produces an even greater store of merit. To offer to a nonperceived object will give you a greater store of merit! Then the third way gives you even greater [merits]! Therefore, we should not be saying something such as, “Ah, we can no longer perceive Buddha [with our own sensory faculties]!” No. This is a not an issue of whether the Buddha is perceived by you or not. It does not matter whether the Buddha is present or not, as long as you can offer, there will be one type merit when you offer to a perceived object, a greater one if it is unperceived, and an even greater one by the third way! Why is it that we have not obtained this type of merit? This is the issue of whether the mind of the person who makes the offering truly concords.

SOURCE 来源 :

47B 16’43” Vol 6 of Master Jih-Chang’s Discourse P236 LL5
English Lamrim Vol 1 P198

日常师父法语📡47B 16’43” 手抄稿第6册P236 LL5

皈依 : 俱供现不现前，获最大福

那么不管是现前供养、不现前供养，供养的时候，我们这样的意念观想去供养—说这个法性，一即一切，一切即一，所以眼前供养这个佛跟塔，就等于供养十方三世一切的无边。

【此是俱供现不现前。】

等于现不现，乃至于十方三世都供了，这样的供养方法功德最大。所以引论上面：

【论说初者，获广大福，第二较前获大大福，等三较前获最大福，】

这一点看一看喔！我们总觉得，哎呀，最好遇见佛啊，这最好，这是现前供养。结果他告诉我们哪，“初者”，是的！现前供养是得到绝大的福报，但是第二还要大，非现前还要大哦！然后呢第三是更大哦！所以我们不要说，啊，现在佛不现前了！不是，现在不是佛不现前，佛不管他现前不现前，你去供的话，现前一种福，不现前是更大，第三种更大！那么为什么我们得不到？就是我们能供者的心是不是真的相应。