Karma? Merit?

The idea of either karma and/or merit is an interesting one and easily misunderstood.

If we view this question from a 'me' perspective then it makes sense that we would expect the fruits of good deeds and have to pay for bad ones. However, self realization reveals that the 'me' is nothing but an illusion and hense there is in fact no individual 'me' to benefit or lose on either count.

This does not mean there is no karma or that merit isn't needed to gain understanding. Karma exists as cause & effect, but not for an individual. Cause & effect functions immediately. Put your finger in the fire and it burns now, not in some future life.

If the question is seen from an 'I AM' perspective then karma is seen every day as the way life unfolds, and will continue to unfold until it is due to stop. And merit is a destiny with 'understanding'.

As Ramesh Balsekar once said "there is nothing you can do to become enlightened - because there is no you".

There being no 'you/me/I' doesn't mean enlightenment doesn't happen - it does, but not to the 'me'. Enlightenment is the realization that there is no me - and there never was. This is the untimate freedom, not freedom for the individual but freedom from the individual - from the idea of 'me'.