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I also learned about the history of the next life. Because of this, he was commentary and the Vimānavatthu,
colonialism, and how that impacts reborn as a preta. His family also did with minor variances. Dhammapāla
the way we think about religion not believe in the benefit of giving himself acknowledged that some
today. Going to graduate school to alms to the dead, but fortunately for stories in the Petavatthu were later
specialize in Buddhism was one Nandaka, his daughter did believe additions—for example, he says
way to explore those interests. As a in karma. She donated rice cakes that the events in the Uttaramātu
result, my scholarship on Buddhism and water to a monk and dedicated Petavatthu (Preta Tale About
tends to focus on postcolonial them to Nandaka. Once he receives Uttara’s Mother, PVA II.10), occurred
approaches to the study of religion, the food, he learns his lesson about during the First Council and that the
and the way that Buddhism his false views. He then goes on story was included in the Petavatthu
intersects with race, gender, to teach King Piṅgala about the at the Second Council.
sexuality, and caste. Buddhist understanding of karma.
In early Buddhism the term
For sceptics and nihilists, this story
In your book Ancestors and would have acted as proof of the ‘peta” refers simply to departed
Ghosts, you mentioned that the veracity of the Buddha’s teaching on ancestors. But in the Jāṇussoṇin
literature on pretas (Pāli: Petas) karma and that it was possible—or Sutta, AN 10.177, the Buddha
helped develop and articulate even necessary—to give alms to explained that offerings made to
the Buddhist understandings of assist individuals in their next life. departed ones were only effective
actions and their fruits. Is the if they were born specifically
Buddha using stories of petas to You also mentioned in your book in the peta realm. Why is it that
teach the law of karma? that cosmologies are not laid only those born in the peta realm
down fully formed in doctrinal can partake of the offerings made

Yes, I propose that preta tales argue treatises but cumulatively built by humans?
for the Buddhist understanding of over time. Does this mean that a
karma. Pretas are evidence that our text like Petavatthu had evolved The Jāṇussoṇi Sutta, as you note,
actions bear fruit in future lives. through different versions over a features a group of Brahmans who
As a result, these narratives, with long period? ask the Buddha if the śrāddha rite is
their focus on specific concrete effective. Śrāddha rites were used by
circumstances, are rich sources for Yes, the Petavatthu was originally Brahmans to facilitate the transition
exploring and expanding on the circulated orally. It is generally of the disembodied departed (also
teachings of karma. Many tales in considered a later addition to known as a preta!) to the ancestral
the Petavatthu position their lessons the Pāli Canon. It is possible realm. The question that the
about karma against other schools that individual verses circulated Brahmans ask is not only about
of interpretation, particularly those throughout Buddhist communities, ritual procedure. It is also about
who do not believe that karma became solidified at different what happens to us after we die,
determines our next life, or who do times, and, at various stages of and if it is possible to assist those
not believe in the idea of rebirth at this process, were given prose in the next world. For Buddhists,
all. Both were examples of wrong narrative frames. Eventually some the departed are reborn in one
views. Pretas often teach lessons of these tales were compiled into of multiple realms based on their
themselves about karma. One the collection now known as the karma. For this reason, they reject
example is in the story of Nandaka Petavatthu and given a prose the Brahman idea that all deceased
(PvA IV.3). Nandaka was a nihilist commentary by Dhammapāla. individuals who receive the śrāddha
(nāstika) who did not believe that Dhammapāla himself relied on rites go to the ancestral realm. This
actions influence our rebirth. He prior commentaries. Some verses sutta suggests that what Brahmans
was also sceptical about our ability in the Petavatthu appear in other think of as pretas are, in reality,
to give offerings to help pretas in collections, like the Dhammapada (typically miserable) creatures