The Correct Way to Have Things by Wishing: According to the Supreme Buddha | Calm Mind

The Correct Way to Have Things by Wishing: According to the Supreme Buddha

    Have you ever wondered if there’s a way to get what you truly desire without praying to an unseen power or relying on luck? What if the Supreme Buddha himself taught us a method to fulfill our wishes? What if your deepest desires could become reality not by begging, but by practicing a powerful path? Let’s dive into this fascinating truth.

What Does “Ijjhati Bhikkhave Silavato Cetopanidhi” Mean?

These beautiful Pali words come directly from the Supreme Buddha’s discourses. “Ijjhati bhikkhave silavato cetopanidhi” means, "Monks, the mental resolve of a virtuous one succeeds." In simple words, if you are virtuous, your wholesome wishes can be fulfilled.

This teaching is not fantasy. It's a tested formula laid out by the Buddha himself. You don’t need to chant to unseen gods or perform rituals. Instead, you need virtue (sīla) the foundation of spiritual success.

Let’s break it down.

Why Precepts Are More Powerful Than Prayers

Most people think that asking or praying is the key to success. But the Buddha gave a completely different perspective. He didn’t ask us to pray; he asked us to train our mind and protect our actions.

Virtue (Sīla) is like a fertile field. Without it, no matter how many seeds (wishes) you plant, they won’t grow. But with good soil (precepts), water (merit), and sunlight (right effort), your wishes can bear fruit.

Different Levels of Virtue: Lay People and Monastics

For Lay Devotees: The Five Precepts

If you're a lay person, Buddha taught that you must protect five precepts at all costs. Not casually, but even more seriously than protecting your own life:

1. Refrain from killing living beings.

2. Refrain from stealing.

3. Refrain from sexual misconduct.

4. Refrain from false speech.

5. Refrain from intoxicating drinks and drugs.

These aren't just rules they are gateways to incredible merit. Each time you protect one, you open a river of blessings.

For Novice Monks: The Ten Samanera Precepts

For novice monks (sāmaṇeras), the discipline is higher. These ten rules guide them to a life of purity and simplicity. Each precept strengthens the river of merits.

For Fully Ordained Monks: Upasampadā Sīla

Ordained monks must live under 227 rules, maintaining complete discipline under the Vinaya. The level of merit and spiritual power here is vast. Protecting this sīla becomes a golden bridge between wishes and reality.

The Abhisanda Sutta: A River of Merits

In the Abhisanda Sutta, the Supreme Buddha explained something breathtaking: Even protecting a single precept results in an unbroken flow of merit, like a river that never stops.

Imagine this:

If you stop killing, that merit flows endlessly like a river that never dries up. Even when you're sleeping, if you’re protecting precepts, you're collecting invisible wealth. And with that wealth, you can “purchase” your wishes.

Let that sink in.

What Happens If You Break a Precept?

You may ask, “What if I break a precept by mistake?”

That’s okay. The moment you realize it, you should return to virtue immediately. It's like a tap of water if you close it, the river stops. But as soon as you open it again, it flows.

Never delay. The sooner you restore your virtue, the quicker the merit begins flowing again.

Merits Are Like Currency for Your Wishes

Here’s a mind-blowing thought: Merits are your spiritual currency.

Without virtue, your spiritual wallet is empty. You can wish all you want, but you can’t pay for what you desire. But if you're rich in merit, you have everything you need to manifest your dreams.

So How Do You Wish Correctly?

Wishing is not about asking the universe blindly. It's about making a clear, wholesome mental resolve, backed by virtue and merit.

Here’s how:

1. Purify your virtue. Protect your precepts like your life.

2. Make a mental wish (Cetopanidhi): Something wholesome, good, and aligned with Dhamma.

3. Dedicate the merit towards it.

4. Live in line with your wish. Don’t contradict it with wrong actions.

5. Have faith in cause and effect.

This is not superstition. This is Dhamma science.

Why You Should Wish for Nibbāna

The ultimate goal is not just cars, houses, or fame. These are short-term. The real success is liberation from suffering Nibbāna.

That’s the best wish you can make. And yes, it is possible. The path is clear. The Supreme Buddha didn’t hide it. He opened it for all of us.

Dedication Is the Key

This path isn’t easy. Protecting precepts in this chaotic world takes courage. It takes dedication stronger than steel. But it is possible. And it’s worth it.

Your mind becomes peaceful. Your wishes become powerful. Your heart becomes bright. And your life becomes meaningful.

A Short Story to Inspire You

A lay devotee once asked a great monk, “Bhante, how can I get what I want without asking gods?”

The monk replied, “Protect one precept like your life, and you will see results. Protect five, and you will become a light in the world. When your virtue overflows, your wishes will not only come true they will bless others too.”

Let that be you.

Key Takeaways for Practice

• Don’t underestimate precepts. They are more powerful than any mantra.

• Precepts → Merit → Power to wish → Results.

• Break a precept? Restore it immediately.

• Make a wholesome wish with a clean heart.

• Best wish? Nibbāna—the end of all suffering.

The Final Message from a Noble Friend

Dear noble friend,

This life is rare. You’ve found the Dhamma. You’ve heard the Supreme Buddha’s words. Now live them.

Let your life be your wish.

Let your virtue be your offering.

Let your merit be your wealth.

And let your mind aim at Nibbāna the real comfort.

May you protect your precepts.

May your wishes succeed.

May you attain the Four Noble Truths in this very life.

Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!

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FAQs

1. What is the meaning of “Ijjhati Bhikkhave Silavato Cetopanidhi”?

It means "Monks, the mental wish of a virtuous one succeeds." The Supreme Buddha said that if your virtue is strong, your wholesome thoughts can manifest.

2. Can lay people really get results just by following five precepts?

Yes. Even a single precept followed purely results in a river of merit. Five precepts create a powerful force of blessings.

3. What if I accidentally break a precept?

Return to it immediately. Don’t delay. Sīla is like a flowing tap turn it off, it stops. Turn it back on, it flows.

4. Can I wish for worldly things like wealth or a house?

You can, but it's wiser to wish for things that support your path, like health, wisdom, and conditions to practice Dhamma.

5. Why should I wish for Nibbāna?

Because it's the only wish that brings lasting peace and freedom. Everything else is temporary. Nibbāna is forever.

Namo Buddhaya!