John has so much talent in art he should use it to benefit many beings. If he paints a buddha image and just one person sees that holy image, that person creates an incredible amount of merit. It is equal to making offerings to the thousands of arhats (self-realizers) who have realized emptiness in universes equal in number to the grains of sand in the Pacific Ocean. An incredible amount of merit is created just by seeing that Buddha image. Normally it would take eons to create so much merit.

He would create the merit of offering 100 devas’ precious jewels and 100 devas’ cloths every day. Normally, it would take eons to make that many offerings. Merit is the cause of happiness in the future—you can get anything you want from it—it’s so profitable. By painting Buddha images that sentient beings can see, he is giving sentient beings an incredible opportunity. He is making his life so worthwhile. Just creating art to make money is a waste. Each time any being sees a buddha image he or she creates so much merit to realize the path of merit, realizations, liberation, and enlightenment.

Just by seeing one statue or photo of Buddha, you create more merit than those eons of merit that I explained. Even a being who doesn’t believe in the Dharma who sees the image receives incredible amounts of merit.

If you make prostrations and offerings to the images, it strengthens your faith and devotion. Also, remember the eight benefits of putting your palms together when seeing a holy image; it creates so many causes of happiness, even if you only do it once.