Tirokuṭṭesu tiṭṭhanti,
sandhisiṅghāṭakesu ca;
Dvārabāhāsu tiṭṭhanti,
āgantvāna sakaṁ gharaṁ.
They stand outside the walls,
and at intersections and crossroads;
having returned to their own homes,
they stand at the doorposts.
Pahūte annapānamhi,
khajjabhojje upaṭṭhite;
Na tesaṁ koci sarati,
sattānaṁ kammapaccayā.
When abundant food and drink,
both hard and soft, is prepared;
no one remembers those beings,
because of their past |kamma::action, deed, doing, volitional act [kamma]|.
Evaṁ dadanti ñātīnaṁ,
ye honti anukampakā;
Suciṁ paṇītaṁ kālena,
kappiyaṁ pānabhojanaṁ.
Those who are |compassionate::kind (to), concerned (for) [anukampaka]|,
give to their relatives in this way;
pure, excellent, and allowable
food and drink at the proper time:
Idaṁ vo ñātīnaṁ hotu,
sukhitā hontu ñātayo;
Te ca tattha samāgantvā,
ñātipetā samāgatā.
“May this be for our relatives,
may our relatives be happy.”
And those departed relatives,
have gathered and assembled there;
Pahūte annapānamhi,
sakkaccaṁ anumodare;
Ciraṁ jīvantu no ñātī,
yesaṁ hetu labhāmase.
In the abundant food and drink,
they respectfully rejoice:
“May our relatives live long,
through whom we receive this;
Amhākañca katā pūjā,
dāyakā ca anipphalā;
Na hi tattha kasī atthi,
gorakkhettha na vijjati.
honor has been done to us,
and the |donors::givers, sponsors [dāyakā]| are |not without fruit::not without reward, not without success [anipphala]|.”
For there is no |farming::agriculture, ploughing [kasī]| there,
nor is |cattle-rearing::cow herding [gorakkha]| found.
Vaṇijjā tādisī natthi,
hiraññena kayākayaṁ;
Ito dinnena yāpenti,
petā kālagatā tahiṁ.
Similarly, there is no trading,
nor buying and selling with gold;
the |departed ones::afflicted spirits; lit. gone on [petā]| who |have died::are dead; lit. time gone [kālagata]|,
subsist there on what is given from here.
Unname udakaṁ vuṭṭhaṁ,
yathā ninnaṁ pavattati;
Evamevaṁ ito dinnaṁ,
petānaṁ upakappati.
Just as water raining on the |highlands::high ground; lit. bent up [unnama]|
flows down to the |lowlands::valley; lit. bent down [ninna]|;
in exactly the same way,
what is given from here benefits the departed.
Yathā vārivahā pūrā,
paripūrenti sāgaraṁ;
Evamevaṁ ito dinnaṁ,
petānaṁ upakappati.
Just as full rivers
flow to fill the ocean;
in exactly the same way,
what is given from here benefits the departed.
Adāsi me akāsi me,
ñāti mittā sakhā ca me;
Petānaṁ dakkhiṇaṁ dajjā,
pubbe katamanussaraṁ.
“He gave to me, he did things for me,
they were my relatives, friends, and companions.”
Remembering what was done in the past,
one should give |offerings::donations, gifts [dakkhiṇā]| to the departed.
Na hi ruṇṇaṁ vā soko vā,
yā caññā paridevanā;
Na taṁ petānamatthāya,
evaṁ tiṭṭhanti ñātayo.
For weeping, or sorrow,
or any other lamentation,
is of no benefit to the departed,
while their relatives remain like that.
Ayañca kho dakkhiṇā dinnā,
saṅghamhi suppatiṭṭhitā;
Dīgharattaṁ hitāyassa,
ṭhānaso upakappati.
But when this offering is given,
well-established in the |Saṅgha::The community of monks and nuns practicing in line with the Buddha’s teachings. In the broader sense, this is the community of disciples who have realized the noble path and fruition through the Buddha’s teachings [saṅgha]|,
it |benefits them::leads to their welfare [hitāyassa]| for a long time,
taking effect immediately.
So ñātidhammo ca ayaṁ nidassito,
Petāna pūjā ca katā uḷārā;
Balañca bhikkhūnamanuppadinnaṁ,
Tumhehi puññaṁ pasutaṁ anappakanti.
This duty to relatives has been demonstrated,
and excellent |homage::veneration [pūjā]| has been paid to the departed;
strength has been provided to the bhikkhus,
and |great::considerable, not insignificant [anappaka]| |merit::good deed, spiritual wealth [puñña]| has been generated by you.