Tirokuṭṭasutta
Tirokuṭṭesu tiṭṭhanti, sandhisiṅghāṭakesu ca;Outside the walls they stand, & at crossroads. Dvārabāhāsu tiṭṭhanti, āgantvāna sakaṁ gharaṁ.At doorposts they stand, returning to their old homes.
Pahūte annapānamhi, khajjabhojje upaṭṭhite;But when a meal with plentiful food & drink is served, Na tesaṁ koci sarati, sattānaṁ kammapaccayā.no one remembers them: such is the kamma of living beings.
Evaṁ dadanti ñātīnaṁ, ye honti anukampakā;So those who feel sympathy for their dead relatives give timely donations of proper food & drink Suciṁ paṇītaṁ kālena, kappiyaṁ pānabhojanaṁ.—exquisite, clean— [thinking:]
Idaṁ vo ñātīnaṁ hotu, sukhitā hontu ñātayo;“May this be for our relatives. may our relatives be happy!” Te ca tattha samāgantvā, ñātipetā samāgatā.And those who have gathered there, the assembled shades of the relatives,
Pahūte annapānamhi, sakkaccaṁ anumodare;with appreciation, give their blessing for the plentiful food & drink: Ciraṁ jīvantu no ñātī, yesaṁ hetu labhāmase.“May our relatives live long because of whom we have gained [this gift].
Amhākañca katā pūjā, dāyakā ca anipphalā;We have been honored, and the donors are not without reward!” Na hi tattha kasī atthi, gorakkhettha na vijjati.For there [in their realm] there’s no farming, no herding of cattle,
Vaṇijjā tādisī natthi, hiraññena kayākayaṁ;no commerce, no trading with money. Ito dinnena yāpenti, petā kālagatā tahiṁ.They live on what is given here, hungry ghosts whose time here is done.
Unname udakaṁ vuṭṭhaṁ, yathā ninnaṁ pavattati;As water raining on a hill flows down to the valley, Evamevaṁ ito dinnaṁ, petānaṁ upakappati.even so does what is given here benefit the dead.
Yathā vārivahā pūrā, paripūrenti sāgaraṁ;As rivers full of water fill the ocean full, Evamevaṁ ito dinnaṁ, petānaṁ upakappati.even so does what is given here benefit the dead.
Adāsi me akāsi me, ñāti mittā sakhā ca me;“He gave to me, she acted on my behalf, they were my relatives, companions, friends”: Petānaṁ dakkhiṇaṁ dajjā, pubbe katamanussaraṁ.Offerings should be given for the dead when one reflects thus on things done in the past.
Na hi ruṇṇaṁ vā soko vā, yā caññā paridevanā;For no weeping, no sorrowing no other lamentation Na taṁ petānamatthāya, evaṁ tiṭṭhanti ñātayo.benefits the dead whose relatives persist in that way.
Ayañca kho dakkhiṇā dinnā, saṅghamhi suppatiṭṭhitā;But when this offering is given, well-placed in the Saṅgha, Dīgharattaṁ hitāyassa, ṭhānaso upakappati.it works for their long-term benefit and they profit immediately.
So ñātidhammo ca ayaṁ nidassito, petāna pūjā ca katā uḷārā;In this way the proper duty to relatives has been shown, great honor has been done to the dead, Balañca bhikkhūnamanuppadinnaṁ, tumhehi puññaṁ pasutaṁ anappakanti.and monks have been given strength: the merit you’ve acquired isn’t small.
