Namdrol wrote:AlexanderS wrote:Is negative karma cannot be taken, how can merit then be giving and shared?
Merit is not shared in a real sense, but by sharing your merit you create much more for yourself.
If the transfer of merit could rescue beings from samsara, then considering that no one has greater merit than a Buddha, and no greater generosity, why have we not all been liberated?
From this point of view, If karma (even if I use the term here only with the sense of consequences of the action), can not be taken/transferred, and the merit can not be shared in the real sense, than, it's completely useless to do a long life practice for someone who is ill. Because, essentially I waist my time (in the sense that i don't help him). I only do something that helps me, in fact, which is not what I want to do, especially in that situation.. Even if someone is sick (in a coma, for example), and I want to help him, in reality, based on what you sad, doing tonglen practice, longevity practice, etc, I help only myself. Which is pretty sad..
Then why it is recommended that, if you want to help someone who is very ill, to buy animals which are to be slaughtered, and liberate them, and dedicate the merit to that person?
For example, here:
http://www.animalliberationfront.com/Pr ... etreat.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
"Experience has shown that liberating animals is one of the important ways in which people who have cancer or other life-threatening diseases can heal themsleves, and have a long life." "Animal liberation doesn't have to be done for only yourself. You can also dedicate the practice to others—family members or anyone else". " In that way, there are a great many benefits" - Lama Zopa Rinpoche
What benefits, if the suffering karma of that person could not be modified/influenced/transferred, and merit could not be shared in a real sense?