Tiro-kuḍḍa-kaṇḍa-sutta Gāthā
Hungry Shades Outside the Walls
Tiro-kuḍḍesu tiṭṭhanti
Sandhi-siṅghāṭakesu ca.
Dvāra-bāhāsu tiṭṭhanti
Āgantvāna sakaṁ gharaṁ.
Pahūte anna-pānamhi
Khajja-bhojje upaṭṭhite
Na tesaṁ koci sarati
Sattānaṁ kamma-paccayā.
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.
Evaṁ dadanti ñātīnaṁ
Ye honti anukampakā
Suciṁ paṇītaṁ kālena
Kappiyaṁ pāna-bhojanaṁ
Idaṁ vo ñātīnaṁ hotu
Sukhitā hontu ñātayo.
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!”
Te ca tattha samāgantvā
Ñāti-petā samāgatā
Pahūte anna-pānamhi
Sakkaccaṁ anumodare
Ciraṁ jīvantu no ñātī
Yesaṁ hetu labhāmase.
Amhākañ-ca katā pūjā
Dāyakā ca anipphalā.
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!”
Na hi tattha kasi atthi
Gorakkh’ettha na vijjati
Vaṇijjā tādisī n’atthi
Hiraññena kayākayaṁ.
Ito dinnena yāpenti
Petā kāla-katā tahiṁ.
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.
Uṇṇate udakaṁ vuṭṭhaṁ
Yathā ninnaṁ pavattati
Evam-eva ito dinnaṁ
Petānaṁ upakappati.
Yathā vārivahā pūrā
Paripūrenti sāgaraṁ
Evam-eva ito dinnaṁ
Petānaṁ upakappati.
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.
*Adāsi me akāsi me
Ñāti-mittā sakhā ca me
Petānaṁ dakkhiṇaṁ dajjā
Pubbe katam-anussaraṁ.
Na hi ruṇṇaṁ vā soko vā
Yā vaññā paridevanā
Na taṁ petānam-atthāya
Evaṁ tiṭṭhanti ñātayo.
“He gave to me, she acted on my behalf, they were my relatives, companions,
friends”: 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.
**Ayañ-ca kho dakkhiṇā dinnā
Saṅghamhi suppatiṭṭhitā
Dīgha-rattaṁ hitāyassa
Ṭhānaso upakappati.
But when this offering is given, well-placed in the Sangha,
it works for their long-term benefit and they profit immediately.
So ñāti-dhammo ca ayaṁ nidassito
Petāna-pūjā ca katā uḷārā.
Balañ-ca bhikkhūnam-anuppadinnaṁ
Tumhehi puññaṁ pasutaṁ anappakanti.
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.
