In the previous post, we learned how Kassapa Buddha told the petas that they would only receive happiness during the era of Sakyamuni Buddha, when King Bimbisara—who was related to them—would dedicate merit on their behalf. Now, let us examine a few questions before diving into the sutta.

Why must the petas wait for the appearance of King Bimbisara to assist them? Is it because these petas were directly related to him and specifically required merit from their own kin? Would unrelated people be unable to help them? Or could it be that King Bimbisara once employed these wicked individuals, giving them the very opportunity to steal, and therefore only he could help them find peace?

I believe the answer lies in karma. When karma is especially heavy, it takes time to wear off. Only when its force is exhausted can new conditions and possibilities arise.

In a recent story, a highly realized monk recounted the suffering of a female peta. When her relatives shared merit with her, she felt a cool stream of water extinguishing the fire that burned her. But moments later, the flames would return to torment her once more. Although the relief was brief, she still looked forward to the dedication of merit, for even a few minutes of freedom from pain was precious. This illustrates another scenario in which negative karma has not yet been exhausted, and merit can offer only temporary relief.

This leads to two points:

First, even the Buddha cannot intercept or stop the functioning of karma. That is why karma is a universal law. No god or goddess can override it either; if such a wholesome being existed, the world would be entirely free from suffering.

Second, the ripening of good karma and the diminishing of bad karma takes time. As in the case of the petas, the right conditions must align before new possibilities can arise.

Okay, let us dive into the Tirokutta Sutta now. (translated from the Pali by Ajahn Thanissaro Bhikkhu)

Outside the walls they stand, & at crossroads. At door posts they stand, returning to their old homes. But when a meal with plentiful food & drink is served, no one remembers them: Such is the kamma of living beings.

This stanza describes the typical petas (hungry ghosts) and their state of suffering. In ordinary circumstances, they are pitiful and helpless. They wander about as nobody sees or remembers them.

Imagine ourselves in the predicament of a peta. It must be deeply painful to be ignored and forgotten by our loved ones as they move on with their lives. On top of this emotional despair, they endure various torments. Some petas are bullied by more powerful beings. Some suffer from flames in addition to hunger and thirst. Their suffering is multi-layered.

Thus those who feel sympathy for their dead relatives give timely donations of proper food & drink — exquisite, clean — [thinking:] “May this be for our relatives. May our relatives be happy!”

Note: The stanza does not specify the recipients of the donation.
Some people misunderstand it as an instruction to offer food directly to the petas.

This verse must not be misunderstood. Making offerings directly to the petas would be equivalent to taunting them. Imagine being extremely hungry and thirsty, handicapped so that you cannot feed yourself, and someone repeatedly places delicious food in front of you and urges you to eat. It would drive anyone mad.

According to the story of King Bimbisara, to help the petas, one must offer food and drink to the Sangha (monks and nuns), and then dedicate the merit by thinking,
“May this (meritorious deed) be for our relatives. May our relatives be happy!”

If you visit a Thai temple in Thailand, you will see this practice still alive today. Some temples even provide pre-packed offerings in small plastic pails. One simply purchases the pack and offers it to the monks.

Alternatively, if you know any monks or nuns personally, you may offer them food or drinks and then dedicate the merit accordingly.

Tip: When making an offering, it is best to think that the offering is to the Sangha, not limited to the person (monk or nun) physically receiving your offering. When we offer to the Sangha it means the entire community of Buddha’s monastic disciples. The physical person who receives your offering is just a representation of the Sangha.

And those who have gathered there, the assembled shades of the relatives, with appreciation give their blessing for the plentiful food & drink: “May our relatives live long because of whom we have gained [this gift]. We have been honored, and the donors are not without reward!”

Without knowing the story of King Bimbisara, some readers misunderstand these two aforesaid stanzas as teaching direct offerings to petas. This is incorrect.

In the story, when King Bimbisara offered water to the Buddha and dedicated the merit, water appeared to the petas. The same occurred with food, clothing, shelter, and other necessities. Thus, the verse expresses the gratitude of the petas when these things reach them via merit transfer—not through direct offerings.

For there [in their realm] there’s no farming, no herding of cattle, no commerce, no trading with money. They live on what is given here, hungry shades whose time here is done.

In Chinese folk belief, people burn joss paper—gold ingots, ghost money, mantra money, and so on—for the deceased. But from a Buddhist perspective, these items cannot benefit beings in the peta realm, because such objects do not exist there.

The “here” in this sutta refers specifically to the event of offering food to the Sangha.

As water raining on a hill flows down to the valley, even so does what is given here benefit the dead. As rivers full of water fill the ocean full, even so does what is given here benefit the dead.

“He gave to me, she acted on my behalf, they were my relatives, companions, friends”:

Thus, it becomes clear that offerings need not be restricted to relatives alone. Friends, companions, colleagues—anyone—may offer to the Sangha and dedicate the merit to the departed.

Offerings should be given for the dead when one reflects thus on things done in the past. For no weeping, no sorrowing, no other lamentation benefits the dead whose relatives persist in that way.

This means that offerings should be made to the Sangha on behalf of the deceased. Doing charity in their name, out of remembrance, benefits them far more than tears and lamentation.

But when this offering is given, well-placed in the Sangha, it works for their long-term benefit and they profit immediately. In this way the proper duty to relatives has been shown, great honor has been done to the dead, and monks have been given strength: The merit you’ve acquired isn’t small.

This final verse clarifies everything and dissolves any misunderstandings. Some people quote the earlier two verses and claim the Buddha instructed people to make direct offerings to the deceased. But when the entire sutta is read in full, it is unmistakably clear that this is not the teaching.

So, the next time you encounter someone claiming that the Buddha taught ancestor offerings in the manner of other traditions, you can help them understand that they have overlooked the fuller context of the sutta.

May all be well and happy.