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To the devas there he dedicates the offering. According to the Kṣitigarbha Sūtra , only two to three-
Honored, they honor him; cherished, they cherish him; tenths of the merits from chanting sūtras can be
Thence they have sympathy for him, as a mother her transferred to the deceased, with the rest going to the
own child. person who is chanting the sūtra.
One who has the sympathy of the devas, always sees the
auspicious. 11 Therefore, the best way to accumulate merit is while we
are still living and strong rather than waiting for others
However, in Petavatthu, specific benefits are assigned to chant sūtras for us upon our death.
to the recipients of the dedication. The commentaries
justify this apparent kammic anomaly by explaining Geshe Dadul: The great Indian master Atīśa said that
that when the recipient of the dedication rejoices in it, our merits, when dedicated to those who have died
then that is the wholesome kamma that can bring about would touch them, so long as we can still recall their
instantaneous specific benefits. So it seems that if the names. However, not everyone can share merits with
recipient (a) is not aware of the dedication, or (b) does everyone. We share our merits, through dedication and
not rejoice in it, then he will not get any benefits. This prayers, only with those to whom we are related either
explanation holds for the offering of material objects. biologically, economically, or spiritually. It is therefore
important to establish relations with others through
On the other hand, some contemporary anecdotal any of the above three modes, to be able to dedicate and
testimonies seem to suggest that benefits can still benefit others or be benefitted by others’ dedication
be gained through the dedication of the merits of of their merits. In the Tibetan culture, we make sure
meditation without the recipient fulfilling the above that any amount of money in the name of the deceased
two conditions, even in the case of the living and hell or some belonging of the deceased is offered with a
12
beings. I would think that in the latter case, it is due request for prayer to a high lama or a congregation
to the power of the developed meditative mind that is of ordained members. This explains why even the
able to bring about the desired benefits, NOT to the act Buddhas and bodhisattvas of the past, though equally
of sharing / transferring / dedicating merits per se. This compassionate to everyone without exception, are
is somewhat like what the Vinaya Commentary calls able to tame some and not others; or why sometimes
“the psychic power of resolution” (adhiṭṭhāniddhi), i.e. a disciple of the Buddha succeeds in taming someone
making a determined aspiration after emerging from while the Buddha himself didn’t; or why the adepts of
deep meditation. the present day are effective to some and not others. It
takes a karmic connection through either of the above
Min Wei: Practices of merit transfer are common in all three modes for someone’s dedication and prayer to
major Buddhist traditions, and are typically performed benefit others. In the absence of such a connection, our
to help deceased family members, deities, or all beings. efforts of dedication and making prayers only result in
Transferring merit to another person, usually deceased accruing our own merit, though not benefitting the other.
relatives, is simply done by a mental wish. Transfer of
merit is also an essential aspect in Mahāyāna Buddhist Has modern science been able to provide evidence
understandings of the Bodhisattva path, who uses his on the existence of such unseen beings?
merits to help all living beings.
Aggacitta: There are psychical research organizations
in various countries which try to do so, but there
are also hard-core sceptics who try to debunk every
11 Mahāparinibbāna Sutta (DN 2) & Pāṭaligāmiya Sutta (KN 3.76 / Ud
possible attempt.
8.6).
12 E.g. see accounts related by Phra Rājsuddhiñāṇamongkol
(Luang Poh Jarun of Wat Ambhavan, Singburi, Thailand) in The Law Min Wei: As far as I know, there is no scientific evidence
of Kamma: Dhamma Practice Series. https://tinyurl.com/y8wsrcjl regarding the existence of such unseen beings. In the
& Suchitra Onkom (2000), The Story of Old Man Tiow, Bangkok:
past, everything was hearsay.
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