Tirokuḍḍa Sutta - Discourse About Departed Ones

Tirokuḍḍa Sutta - Discourse About Departed Ones

(Most of us are so scared of ghosts and spirits and many want to get rid of them. But in fact, they are our own relatives. Once they were our own mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, children, relatives and friends. 

So, do we need to fear them and treat them badly? If we think of them with a compassionate mind, and transfer merit to them, they will definitely be happier and will not harm anyone. Once again, the power of compassion (metta) can make such a big difference. Please read this sutta and try to understand that these departed relatives are with us and we don't have to worry or fear. If they need our help, let us help them by transferring merit. If we help them there will be no problem from them. If we disturb or intend to harm them, they might try to harm us as well. Hence, it is time to co-exist with everyone peacefully and with compassion. May all beings be well and happy!)

Here is the Pali & English version of one of the most important Buddhist suttas regarding departed ones:- 

Tirokuṭṭesu tiṭṭhanti, sandhisiṅghāṭakesu ca;

Dvārabāhāsu tiṭṭhanti, āgantvāna sakaṃ gharaṃ.

They stand beyond the walls, and at the junctions and crossroads, they stand at the door-posts, having come to their former homes.

Pahūte annapānamhi, khajjabhojje upaṭṭhite;

Na tesaṃ koci sarati, sattānaṃ kammapaccayā.

But when abundant food and drink, both staple and non-staple, is prepared, no one remembers these

beings, because of their past unwholesome deeds,

Evaṃ dadanti ñātīnaṃ, ye honti anukampakā;

Suciṃ paṇītaṃ kālena, kappiyaṃ pānabhojanaṃ.

Thus those who are compassionate give to their departed relatives, at the right time, pure, excellent, suitable drink and food.

Idaṃ vo ñātīnaṃ hotu, sukhitā hontu ñātayo;

Te ca tattha samāgantvā, ñātipetā samāgatā.

Thinking: “May this go to our relatives, may our relatives be happy!” Those who have gathered, the departed relatives who have assembled

Pahūte annapānamhi, sakkaccaṃ anumodare;

Ciraṃ jīvantu no ñātī, yesaṃ hetu labhāmase.

Around the food and drink, respectfully offer their thanks:  saying: “ May our relatives live long! Those to whom we owe this gain,

Amhākañca katā pūjā, dāyakā ca anipphalā;

Na hi tattha kasī atthi, gorakkhettha na vijjati.

For we have been honoured, those who give are not without reward!” For in that place there is no ploughing, and cattle-rearing is not found there,

Vaṇijjā tādisī natthi, hiraññena kayākayaṃ;

Ito dinnena yāpenti, petā kālagatā tahiṃ.

Similarly there is no trading, or buying and selling of gold. The departed in that place who have died, have to subsist on gifts.

Unname udakaṃ vuṭṭhaṃ, yathā ninnaṃ pavattati;

Evamevaṃ ito dinnaṃ, petānaṃ upakappati.

Just as water that rains on the highlands,  flows down to the lowlands, so too what has been given here is  of benefit to the departed.

Yathā vārivahā pūrā, paripūrenti sāgaraṃ;

Evamevaṃ ito dinnaṃ, petānaṃ upakappati.

Just as rivers that are full flow and fill up the ocean, so too what has been given here is of benefit to the departed.

Adāsi me akāsi me, ñāti mittā sakhā ca me;

Petānaṃ dakkhiṇaṃ dajjā, pubbe katamanussaraṃ.

Thinking: “He gave to me, he worked for me, he was my relative, my friend, my companion,” he should give gifts for the departed, remembering what they have done before.

Na hi ruṇṇaṃ vā soko vā, yā caññā paridevanā;

Na taṃ petānamatthāya, evaṃ tiṭṭhanti ñātayo.

For no tears, or grief, or any other lamentations, are of any use to the departed, as long as their relatives continue grieving in this way.

Ayañca kho dakkhiṇā dinnā, saṃghamhi suppatiṭṭhitā;

Dīgharattaṃ hitāyassa, ṭhānaso upakappati.

But that gift that has been given, and well placed in the Sangha, is of benefit to them for a long time, immediately it is of benefit.

So ñātidhammo ca ayaṃ nidassito, Petāna pūjā ca katā uḷārā;

Balañca bhikkhūnamanuppadinnaṃ, Tumhehi puññaṃ pasutaṃ anappakanti.

This then is the definition of a relative’s duties—and by this great honour has been done to the departed, strength has also been given to the monks, and no little merit has been produced by you!

This sutta is about departed relatives who return to their homes only to find that because of their past bad kamma, they cannot gain access into the house as their relatives have not remembered them.

The living must have the heart to remember the departed and make offerings to them. If they see this, they rejoice and in turn offer their good wishes for their relatives’ well-being.

During the seventh month of the lunar calendar, people have reported seeing these spirits helping themselves to the food offered to them. Although the food remains intact after these spirits have helped themselves to it, they have been seen eating the food. Possibly they extract the qi from the food.

So the Tirokutta Sutta enjoins us to remember to make offerings to our departed relatives and they will, in return, make their wishes for us.

In the sutta, the Buddha uses a simile to describe the offerings. He said that just as the river water flows downstream into the sea, so these offerings that you make reach the departed. 

This is the meaning of the verse Yatha varivaha pur, that we used to recite every time before we transfer merits.

This Tirokutta Sutta, we realised that the sutta actually mentions two types of offerings. 

Besides teaching us to make offerings to the departed, it also tells us to make offerings to the Sangha and then share the merits with the departed.

Further, this offering that has been given to

and firmly established in the Sangha

for (the departed) one’s long-term benefit

is immediately appropriate / reaches the departed one immediately.

The duty of relatives has been shown;

lofty puja has been made to the departed ones;

strength has been given to the bhikkhus;

and much merit has been accumulated by you.

According to the commentary to this sutta, if the relatives are aware of the offerings made to the Sangha on their behalf and as such, rejoice (by saying sadhu, for example), then merits also accrue to them. This will help them to be relieved of suffering and perhaps reborn into a better existence.

When a person dies, his spirit is still around and he can see his relatives crying. He feels frustrated and sad as he cannot convey to them that he is still alive and well and that they should not cry. If he hasn’t enough good kamma to bring him rebirth immediately, then at the end of the first seven days he will experience another death similar to that which he experienced when he departed from the human realm. This is repeated every seventh day if he is still unable to have rebirth. If, at the end of the forty-ninth day, his kamma has not generated rebirth, he can be considered a hungry ghost or wandering spirit.

When a person offers food, he is also offering five other things. He is giving life, strength and good looks because one needs sustenance to live, be strong and to look good. He is also giving wisdom and happiness as one who is hungry cannot study/meditate and is unhappy. After a person has consumed what has been offered, he gets all the above things as well. You too collect merits that will produce similar benefits in return.

Some people say that they are too poor to give. Yet, without giving any material offerings, they can still get the benefits of longevity, beauty, happiness and strength. How? This is found in what we recite after every dana:

Abhivadanasilassa, niccam vuddhapacayino;

Cattaro dhamma vaddhanti, ayu vanno sukham balam.

This means that if they habitually respect and honour their superiors (such as parents, teachers, elders, those who have higher moral virtues and spiritual attainments), they will grow in longevity, beauty, happiness and strength. This is, in fact, a practice of humility. All of you who come here to make offerings respectfully are already practising generosity as well as respect and humility. So you will be receiving these benefits in abundance. 

Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!

https://www.dhammausa.com/2017/05/tirokudda-sutta-discourse-about.html

5 April 2023