divine grace; blessing; answer to a prayer
Refers to spiritual or religious benefits received from deities, buddhas, or sacred objects. Often used in the context of prayers being answered.
After praying at the shrine, I received a divine blessing.
Extended use for practical or worldly benefits, often still with a nuance of something granted by a higher power or through good fortune.
このお守りの御利益で、試験に合格できた。
Thanks to the benefit of this charm, I passed the exam.
御利益 is divine favor or blessing granted for good deeds or faith, the positive opposite of 罰 (ばち), which is divine punishment for wrongdoing.
御利益 is the honorific form used for divine grace or blessing, while 利益 (read りやく) is the same concept without the polite ご prefix.
Standard kanji spelling with honorific prefix 御.
Common kana-mixed spelling; often used in everyday writing.
Combination of the honorific prefix 御 (ご) and 利益 (りやく), meaning benefit or grace. The reading りやく is the go-on reading of 利益, commonly used in Buddhist contexts.