ABHIDHAMMA IN DAILY LIFE - Abhidhamma.com

deciding factor is your volition, we can be sure that great benefits will be realized. If your
volition is projected onto the Buddha, it is decidedly wholesome, so there is no reason not to gain
any merit.
Example - On hundred and eighteen aeons, kappa (worlds) ago, the Atthadassi Buddha
attained Enlightenment. One day a layman saw the Buddha and his Arahat disciples traveling
through the air by supernormal power, he offered flowers and scents from a distance. Due to his
single good deed he was never reborn in the four woeful states for thousand of years and became
an Arahat in the time of our Gotama Buddha. He was then known as Desapujaka Thera.
6.2 Three types of Volition - Cetana
Three types of volitional charities
a. prior volition - Pubba cetana
b. current volition - Munca cetana
c. post-charity volition - Apara cetana
6.2.1 . Prior Volition - Pubba Cetana
The good volition, which occurs while procuring and preparing for charity, is prior volition..
Your volition must be free from vain pride or selfishness such as, "I am the builder of this
pagoda, I am the donor of this monastery; I am the donor of offertories" etc. While you are
preparing for the charity, you and members of your family must not indulge in quarrels and
disagreements. You must not be hesitant in carrying on with the good deed once you have
already decided. When you feel delighted and cheerful during our preparations throughout, you
may then rest assured pure and sincere prior volition will prevail.
6.2.2 Current or Prevailing - Munca Cetana
In the act of giving charity, you must renounce the offertories from your possession completely.
In offering alms-food to a bhikkhu your thought should be "I renounce this alms-food from my
possession" and then physically offer alms to the recipient. This is prevailing volition. While
performing good deeds, no bad minds such as greed, pride, anger, or attachment to the recipient,
etc. should interfere. You should not crave for future benefits. Just freely let go the offertory
generously.
6.2.3 . Post-Volition - Apara Cetana
At the completion of the deed of the merit, the bliss of accomplishment you enjoy for having
done a virtuous act. You feel joyous for your accomplishment of the deed, recall it often and
wish to repeat it soon. This is the burgeoning of your post-charity volition.
However later your post volition can be contaminated if you feel dissatisfied at the loss of the
property donated or if you feel disappointed with the abbot for whom you have donated a
monastery. Then you might ponder, "May be I should not have given that charity." If so, not only
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