In the previous post, we learned the former identity of King Bimbisara and the pretas haunting him. So the next question is, “Why did the pretas latch on to Bimbisara?”

During the time of Kassapa Buddha (before Sakyamuni Buddha’s time), the wicked relatives of the chief minister were reborn as hungry ghosts (Petas). They saw other ghosts receiving happiness when living relatives shared the merits of good deeds with them by saying: “Idaṁ amhākaṁ ñātinaṁ hotu, “ or “let this deed of merit be for the benefit of our relatives.”

The wicked relatives asked Buddha Kassapa, “Will we ever enjoy similar prosperity too?”

Kassapa Buddha replied, “Not yet, but in a future age, Buddha Gotama will appear. Your old relative will be reborn as King Bimbisāra. After making a great offering to Buddha Gotama, he will share the merit with you, and only then will you find happiness.” Hearing this, the Petas were filled with joy. In that manner, they waited patiently for a long period of time for King Bimbisara and Sakyamuni Buddha to appear in the world.

When King Bimbisara did not dedicate his merits to the waiting petas (His former wicked relatives), they wailed in despair during the night.

After learning about the origin and reason of the wailing pretas from Shakyamuni Buddha, King Bimbisara asked if he could dedicate merits to them if he offered alms to Buddha and the sangha again. Shakyamuni Buddha said that it was possible. Therefore, King Bimbisara invited the Buddha and his sangha for alms again.

When the time for the grand offerings neared, all the Petas, who were the king’s former relatives, also went to the palace but waited outside the palace walls.

The Buddha exercised his supernormal powers in such a way that the king saw all the Petas who were his former relatives. The king, pouring water on the hands of the Buddha, said: “Idaṁ me ñātinaṁ hotu“, “may this alms meal given by a pouring of clear water be for the well-being of my relatives.”

King Bimbisāra’s story offers a crucial insight: hauntings need not be motivated by revenge. The spirits haunting him were ancient relatives who sought to profit from his virtuous deeds, not to punish him for a wrong. This illustrates that a karmic tie, however old—even one from billions of lifetimes ago—can be a powerful enough cause for such an attachment.

At that moment, ponds with five kinds of lotus appeared in front of the pretas for their enjoyment. They drank the water of the ponds, and took a bath in them; freed from miseries, worries, weariness and thirst; they acquired a golden complexion.

Hungry ghost or petas suffer from various torments such as hunger, thirst, and various physical torments. In this story, a pond with lotuses appeared when King Bimbisara offered washing water to Buddha and dedicated merits to the petas. Thus, relieving them of thirst.

Next, the king offered various food to Buddha and his Sangha. Similarly, he dedicated the merits to his old relatives. At that moment, various kinds of celestial food appeared to the pretas for their consumption. After eating the celestial food, their hunger stopped and they assumed a pleasant appearance, complete with all the sense faculties of eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body.

Then the king proceeded to offer robes, sleeping and dwelling places to the community of monastics headed by the Buddha and as before made known the distribution of his merits. Similarly, divine garments, divine carriages and celestial mansions also appeared for the pretas’ enjoyment. Due to Buddha’s power, King Bimbisāra could see the happiness and prosperity being enjoyed by the pretas. On seeing them thus enjoying, King Bimbisāra was overjoyed.

In appreciation of the alms, Buddha delivered a sermon entitled “Beyond the Walls Sutta”

We shall explore the sutta in the next post.

Meanwhile, it is good to note that we can practice dedication of merits to our past relatives by repeating “Idaṁ me ñātinaṁ hotu” or in any language, saying ” May this benefit my past relatives.” We need to perform our meritorious deeds with full awareness of our intentions. Like King Bimbisara, we need not be aware of our past relatives. I mean, who knows their uncles and aunts from billions of years back? And if we think carefully, through the endless cycle of existences, all of us may be related in our past lives.

Later on, dedication prayers became more complicated, and various versions began to appear. Besides, sharing merits with past relatives, we also specifically share merits with hell beings, petas, animals, humans, and even the devas.

May all be well and happy.