In these times, if we can accomplish truly positive activities, they will have a special power to benefit ourselves and others. For this reason, we need to have faith in the efficacy of virtuous actions. In general, we should be trying to make everything that we do a virtuous action. Especially when things are going well, we should remember to make an extra effort to benefit others. This is important because all things have the nature of arising in interdependence. There is no phenomenon that does not come about in this way. Seeing how everything is inter-related, we should be aware of how we can help others. It is good to reflect on this.

According to Buddhist thought, happiness comes about due to a cause, and that cause is virtuous activity. The cause is dependent on many different conditions, and in order to gather all of them together, it is important to know the stages of wholesome activity, its causes and results, and how they are accomplished.

What is the key for attaining the result of any positive action? Rejoicing. Rejoicing means that in witnessing or hearing about  wholesome activity, our minds are naturally happy and delighted. Just at the sight of a positive action, we are joyous.

There are two ways of looking at rejoicing: rejoicing in the virtue functioning as a cause and rejoicing in virtue as a result. If you wish to attain the level of omniscience, what is the cause? Giving up the ten unvirtuous activities and accomplishing the ten virtuous activities.

If we practice these positive actions ourselves, we feel good about it, and if we see someone else practicing them, we think, “That’s great,” and take real delight in what they have done. This is rejoicing in virtue as a cause. Rejoicing in virtue as a result means that causal virtue has come to fruition, which might be bliss or omniscience, and we rejoice in this fruition of wholesome activity.

Our rejoicing can be expressed through body, speech, and mind. In many different ways, our body can reflect the joy that is in our mind: sometimes tears come, sometimes we may even tremble. With our speech we can praise: “What you’re doing is wonderful. That was great.” Mentally, joy arises in our minds naturally in response to any wholesome activity, ours or another’s. In this context, rejoicing is a wonderful antidote for jealousy as well.

What are the benefits of expressing this sympathetic joy? In terms of others’ virtuous actions and their results—which could even be liberation—if we sincerely rejoice in their achievement, we will receive a result that is even greater than what is attained by the person who actually performed the activity. If we rejoice in the fruition of our own activity, the result will become immeasurable.

This explanation of rejoicing is based on the vast Mahayana point of view. Usually, when we perform a virtuous act, we receive the appropriate result, it stays as just that. However, if we rejoice in the activities of others, then we attain not just the result of our activity, but also the virtue that is a result of the activity. Therefore, rejoicing has a special expansive power, and it is therefore one of the seven fundamental aspects of practice that make up the seven-branch prayer, some form of which appears in almost every
practice.

This has been a brief explanation of the essential nature, the categories, the practice, and the benefits of rejoicing. It is my hope that you will accomplish many virtuous acts and I hope that you will swiftly attain its result of joy—and not only this, but that through this joy, you will be able to benefit many living beings.