Dedication and aspiration 念念不忘，必有回响

Dedication and aspiration

Dedication is made to where our true aspiration lies. It is an echo to our aspiration. Aspiration is made before avirtuous act, as a motivation, while dedication is to strengthen that aspiration.

It’s like when we want to obtain something and make money for it. Rather than squander the money, we keep the goal in mind and save up the money for that purpose. Without dedication, a lot of virtues and merits may be lost.

The meaning of dedication is to remind ourselves the original vows we’ve made, which is to conduct good deeds and to cultivate our mind. Dedication is also to enlarge our heart. When we dedicate our merits to others, it is like holding a mirror to reflect the sunlight to other places. It’s also like lighting a lamp so that many more lamps can be lit.

念念不忘，必有回响

内心中真实的希愿处就是回向。

 回向与发愿是一致的，发愿是在做善行之前，策励自己为了什么去做；回向是做善行之后，再一次稳固这个愿力、这个方向。就好比你想去做某件事，为此去赚钱，赚钱之后不要随便花掉，而是心心念念记得自己的目标是什么，把钱都攒起来用于这件事。如果不回向，我们的很多善行功德就会散失掉。

回向的意义，在于提醒自己不要忘记了行善、修行的初发心，在于培养我们广大的心量。

回向给他人，就好比自己持了镜子，将太阳光反射至别处；又比如点了一盏灯，再用这盏灯去点亮其他许许多多的灯。