South East Asia Art History, Article Review Example

The introduction was intriguing and could have been reinforced by a little comparison and contrast. The description of ‘merits’ could have easily alluded to the sins of thought, word, and deed mentioned in the Bible; the description of the weighing ceremony could have alluded to the similar notions of the Egyptians, who weighed the heart of the deceased against a feather. Yet even in the introduction Malalasekera chooses to stay strictly within the realm of Buddhism.

The transference of merit is very artfully and simply told. Still, if transference of merit is achieved, then it follows that the recipient is the only person who experiences a change in merit because the performance of the good deed would replace the merit lost to the transferor. Instead, it is asserted that the joy of the recipient makes the merit increase upon its transference. Interestingly enough, the use of the intellect to appreciate this gift is considered a bestowal of honor upon the merit one is receiving.

The author later illustrates that even spirits can receive transference of merit, and thus the importance of both good deeds and the remembrance of the spirits is considered sacred. Malalasekera argues instead that the remembrance of the spirits mainly has Hindu customs to thank for its observance. Still, it is written on page 88 that even the gods have a life cycle which is continued only as a result of doing good- for which there are few opportunities in the heavenly spheres. The author could have pressed this point more by explaining the development from Hindu custom to its slightly-altered form in Buddhism and how the new forms are influenced by Ceylonese-specific Buddhist beliefs, such as this human-spirit-god connection implied in the transference of merit. Malalsekera asserts that when rivals offer their sacrifice of merit to the gods, then it is unknown how the outcome is decided. What remains to be seen is the temperament of the gods themselves. Are they fickle and greedy as the humans themselves? If so, then the transference of merit could be seen as a power transaction between god and man. During the paper as a whole, we are led to believe that the gods are great and benevolent, but the author acknowledges the transitional nature of Ceylonese Buddhism from primitive to Mahayana Buddhism and thus leads the audience to believe that the exact principles of Ceylonese Buddhism may be as transferable as their merits.