How do I make the most out of this life? If stream entry is too far out of reach, how do we make the most out of this life? Does someone have a good Buddhist routine they could share that I could follow each day to live with as much happiness as possible and make as much merit as possible each day?
Everyday you get up and spend a few minutes taking refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha.
For me. I take the 3 refuges pretty much everyday.
I go to the Buddha for refuge from the sufffering of samsara
I go to the Dhamma for refuge from the suffering of samsara
I got to the Sangha for refuge from the suffering of samsara.
3 times.
Then undertake the 5 Precepts.
I undertake the precept to abstain from killing living beings. I give to all beings the freedom from fear of being killed.
I undertake the precept to abstain from stealing. I give to all beings the freedom from fear from being robbed.
I undertake the precept to abstain from sexual misconduct. I give to all beings the freedom from fear of being cheated on.
I undertake the precept to abstain from telling lies. I give to all beings the freedom from fear of bing lied to.
I undertake the precept to abstain from drinking alcohol or drugs. I give to all beings the freedom from fear of encountering intoxicated people.
Then I move onto sending metta, some compassion etc.
Then onto some 4 elements or 32 parts of the body.
In life you have to develop 3 things giving, virtue and mental development. All these things can be developed by spending a small amount of time each day and gradually you will increase that time and increase in knowlege. There are lots of other things you can play around with but these are the places to start. Make sure everyday you give something, develop virtue and some mind training and you can’t go too far wrong.
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dasapunnakiriyavatthu = 10 ways to get merit
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Make a habit of doing all of these.
"If one were to feed a community of monks headed by the Buddha, that would be more fruitful than… if one were to feed a Tathagata — a worthy one, rightly self-awakened.
"If one were to have a dwelling built and dedicated to the Community of the four directions, that would be more fruitful than… if one were to feed a community of monks headed by the Buddha.
"If one with a confident mind were to go to the Buddha, Dhamma, & Sangha for refuge, that would be more fruitful than… if one were to have a dwelling built and dedicated to the Community of the four directions.
"If one with a confident mind were to undertake the training rules — refraining from taking life, refraining from taking what is not given, refraining from illicit sex, refraining from lying, refraining from distilled & fermented drinks that cause heedlessness — that would be more fruitful than… if one with a confident mind were to go to the Buddha, Dhamma, & Sangha for refuge.
"If one were to develop even just one whiff of a heart of good will, that would be more fruitful than… if one with a confident mind were to undertake the training rules…
“If one were to develop even for just a finger-snap the perception of inconstancy, that would be more fruitful than the gift, the great gift, that Velāma the brahman gave, and [in addition to that] if one were to feed one person… 100 people consummate in view, and were to feed one once-returner… 100 once-returners, and were to feed one non-returner… 100 non-returners, and were to feed one arahant… 100 arahants, and were to feed one Private Buddha… 100 Private Buddhas, and were to feed a Tathagata — a worthy one, rightly self-awakened — and were to feed a community of monks headed by the Buddha, and were to have a dwelling built and dedicated to the Community of the four directions, and with a confident mind were to go to the Buddha, Dhamma, & Sangha for refuge, and with a confident mind were to undertake the training rules — refraining from taking life, refraining from taking what is not given, refraining from illicit sex, refraining from lying, refraining from distilled & fermented drinks that cause heedlessness — and were to develop even just one whiff of a heart of good will.”
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