Most of us know the rules for investing in your retirement:
1. Start early.
2. Make continual installments over the long term.
3. Delay making early withdrawals.
Sure there are other ways to invest your money, but in this scenario time is your friend.
The Buddha also taught this type of investing in your long term happiness and welfare, he called it the accumulation of merit. It is based on the principle that right now you probably don't have the resources or opportunity to achieve or maintain the full result, but that you have some resources and opportunity available to you.
So you should invest and dedicate your merit to achieving the full result in the future. The result can be a better life, more peace of mind and confidence. It could be a higher birth in the world, or to be able to bring benefit to yourself and others. It could be to achieve complete and utter buddhahood, but we don't have to worry about that.
Either way, the rules for investing your merit stay the same:
1. Start early.
Now preferably. I mean what are you waiting for?
2. Make continuous installments over the long term.
The accumulation of merit doesn't need to be grandiose or impressive. It can be small acts of generosity, random acts of kindness. It can be tiny acts of virtue, or even a moment of patience. Whatever it is, have the intention that it bears its fruit in the future and brings countless benefit to yourself and others. Let compound interest** work in your favor.
3. Delay making early withdrawals.
Resist those rash temptations and short-term vision. Don't give up and cash out in a moment of anger or desperation. Don't get caught up in the daily highs and lows, resist the urge to respond to dramatic swings.
Following these three simple rules, you can be sure that you will achieve your aims and the aims of others. You will live a life of great purpose and there is no limit to the wealth and well-being that you will experience.
**Compound interest- your own and others interests
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