Aniduan asked: “If the followers instead made the food with the intention of offering it to the Buddha, not handing the food to the Buddha but keeping in mind when the food is being prepared that it will be offered to the Buddha by their guru Saccaka. In this case will they earn merits?”
Yes. I have highlighted the key part.
– If they had the intention, that is what counts.
– Even if they did not offer that food to the Buddha, they MADE AN EFFORT in preparing the food with the INTENTION that food will be offered to the Buddha.
The easiest way to remember is the following: Kammic energy is created in citta (one’s thoughts), specifically in javana citta.
– Javana cittas arise with intention. Here if the intention includes good mental factors (non-greed, compassion, etc) then those give rise to good kamma. If the intention includes bad mental factors (greed, anger, etc) then those give rise to bad kamma.
– Those are also vaci sankhara and kaya sankhara: “Saṅkhāra – What It Really Means” Good sankhara (punnabhi sankhara create good kamma. Bad sankhara (apunnabhi sankhara create bad kamma.