How to Satisfy Some of Your Karmic Debts by Making

Offerings to the Hungry Ghosts {Pretas) Every Evening

I always advise people to try to make merit wheneve r possible, and one practice you should take up is
to make a nightly offering to the hungry ghosts. celled the 'pretas" In Hinduism, ' hungry ghosts" In
Buddhism and Taoism, spirits in Confucianism, "souls. In purgatory" In Christianity and "suffering souls"
or ghosts In other re IlgIons.
Do they exist? You betcha. Gain just a little bit of superpowers by opening your third eye Just a
smidgen and you can see them and their suffering in being reborn with misshapen bodies fort heir
cravings, desires and having done evil deeds. If you want to know more about ' hungry ghosts." Just put
the term Into google and see what turns up. As Buddhism explains, the Realm of Desire, of which we
are denizens, has many types of beings that can be partitioned Into six levels: hell beings:, hungry
ghosts, animals, humans, asuras and heavenly beings. Hungry ghosts have It worse off than animals,
which Is why blessing food to make It possible for them to eat it Is performing an act of tremendous
merit. ABove the Desire Realm there are also the samadhi denizens of the Form Realm and Formless
Realm. but we cannot go into this here.

Every night you can make the following offering to the pretas or hungry ghosts so that they have food
to eat and water to drink. I fee l guilty for not having written this up previously, but it was only until a
friend produced the relevant picture files for this nightly procedure that I was able to finally put this
up on the website . By performing this cere mony by blessing and offering food and drink for'the
hungry ghosts, you will thereby relieve them of their sufferings and gain tremendous merit In turn.
Remember. it's hard to be a Buddha In trying to help other human beings, but It's easy to help those
lower than us on the spiritual scale of reincarnation .... namely the animals, hungry ghosts ,end hell
beings, Performing this ceremony to help the ghosts wherever you ere Is one way to help and actually
be a Buddha to others.
To perform the hungry ghost offering ce remony at night before bedtime (any time past twilight), do
the following (it take s about 5 minutes):

Hungry Ghost Offering

In a small glass (you can use a shot glass or a glass of similar size), put seven grains of rice (or
vegetarian food. never meat) and then fill the glass¾ full with clear drinking water. Hold the glass In
your left hand by supporting its bottom with your middle linger, and Its sides with your thumb, Index
and ring fingers :as shown In the picture below. THE l'ICTURE IS WRONG - the third finger(one next lo
the pinky) should be curled in but I have no one to make a picture for me,,

Now place the ring finger of your right hand on the edge of the glass. The finger juts out, but the
others are curled In and the thumb Is placed over them (for Instance, lhe first two fingers in the hand
are curled In and touch the palm, and the thumb is placed over them; the pinky Is just c urled In by
Itself) , The palm of your left hand should be facing you and the right hand palm should be facing the
glass. The glass should be held a little bit away from your body on a level equal with your heart,
You are now ready to recite for three sets the mantra string of seven "Ohm La' followed by 'So-ha"
over the glass and upon starting each round of the mantra "Ohm La', take your right fmge,r, trace the
figure "La" ab~ve ·the glass as shown In the picture below. Don't worry, the number or mantra
repetitions to purify the food and make it possible for them to partake of It wlll become c lear below.

You should keep your finger on the edge of the glass while reciting th! rema}nder of the o ffering .
Ari er reciting "Ohm Ah Hun9' near the end of the ceremony, trace the Hung syllable In the same way
as done for the ' La" syllable.
(Stroke order from starting point)

OMM LAM
01
., r 2.

CEREMONY FOR FEEDING ll'HE HUNGRY GHOSTS

[To Purify the Offering:)

1. [Draw \he "Ohm La" symbol over the glass while reciting:! Ohm La, Ohm La, Ohm La, Ohm La, Ohm La.
Ohm La, Ohm La, Soha.
2. [Draw the "Ohm La" symbol over the glass while reciting:] Ohm La, Ohm La, Ohm La, Ohm La, Ohm La,
Ohm La, Ohm La, Soha.
3. [Draw the ' Ohm La' symbol over !he glass while re citing:] Ohm La, Ohm La, Ohm La, Ohm La, Ohm La,
Ohm La, Ohm La, Soha.
[Pay Respect s to Manjursl Buddha who Is t he compassionate originator of thi s method)
4. Namo Da-Dze Wen-Su·Se·LI Puse Moho Sah [Homage 1.0 the One or Great wisdom. Manjursl
Bodhisattva)
5. Namo Da-Dze Wen-Su-Se-LI Pusa Moho Sah [Homage to the One of Great wisdom, Manjursl
Bodhisattva)
6. Namo Da•Dze Wen-Su-Se-LI Pusa Moho Sah (Homage to the One of Great wisdom. Manjursi
Bodhlsat tva)
[Recite 3 sets of the "Ohm Mani Bel Me Hon" mantra, 7 times It ;'s recited wit hin ea ch set)
7. Ohm Mani Bei Me Hon, Ohm Mani Bel Me Hon, Ohm Mani Bel Me Hon, Ohm Mani Bel Me Hon, Ohm
Mani Bel Me Hon, Ohm Mani Bel Me HOI\ Ohm Mani Bel Me Hon, So-ha.
8. Ohm Mani Bei Me Hon. Ohm Mani Bel Me Hon, Ohm Mani Bel Me Hon, Ohm Mani Bel Me Hon. Ohm
Mani Bel Me Hon, Ohm Manl Bel Me Hon, Ohm Mani Bel Me Hon. So-ha.
9. Ohm Mani Bel Me Hon, Ohm Mani Bel Me Hon, Ohm Mani Bel Me Hon, Ohm Mani Bel Me Hon, Ohm
Mani Bel Me Hon, Ohm Mani Bel Me Hon, Ohm Mani Bei Me Hon, So-ha.
[Recite the Zhuntl mantra 3 times)
10. Na-mo Sa-lo na, Sam-ya Sam-p1.Ho, Ju Oze Na, Oa Oza Tuo, Om, Je•LI, Ju-LI, Zwentl So-ha Om
Bllng.
11. Na-mo Sa-to na. Sam-ya Sam-pu-to, Ju Oze Na, Oa Oza Tuo, Om, Je-U, Ju-LI, Zwentl So-ha Om
Bllng.
12. Na-mo So-to na, Sam-ya Sam-pu-to, Ju Oze Na, Oa Oza Tuo, Om, Je•U, Ju·LI, Zwentl So-ha Om
Bllng.
[Recite the Heart Sutra for the benefi t of the hungry ghost s, ending with Gate Ga te Para gate
Parasamga t e Sodhi Sohe. Here's on tran slation of th e Heart Sutra (I'm working on a better
one):I

When Bodhisattva Avalo kltesvara was practicing the profound Prajna Paramita
[Wisdoml he saw that the five skandhas were e"l) ty thus securing his release
from all afflic tions and suffe rings.

Sariputra!

Form does not differ from emptiness, emptiness does not differ from form.
Form Is Identical with e"l) tiness and emptiness is Identical with form.
The same holds likewise for sensation, conception, volit ion and consciousness.

Sariputra, all things are charac terized by emptiness rather than birt h or
destruction, purity or impurity, complete ness or deficiency.
In emptiness there are no [five skandhas of) form. sensation, conception, volition,
and consciousness.
There are no [sense organs Including the] eye, ear. nose, tongue, body nor mind.
There are no [objects of perce ption such as] appearances, sounds, smells,
tastes, tactile feelings northought.
Furthermore, there are no elements or perception from the eye to conceptual
consc iousness.
There Is no twelve-fold linked chain of existence [spanning from ignorance to
aging and deathl nor is there extinction of any twelve-fold linked chain of
existence (beginning wit h ignorance and ending wit h aging-and-death].
There Is no such thing as the fo ur Noble truths. (Therefore there Is no suffering
and pain, no origin of suffering and pain, no cessation of suffering and pain, and
no Noble Path leading to the cessation of suffering and pain].
There Is no knowledge, no attainment and no non-attainment.

Because of Prajna Paramita, Bo dhlsattvas attain gainlessness and therefore have

no Obstructions or hindrances in their minds, and since they have no
obstructions, they have no fear, see through delusions and finally attain Nirvana.
All Buddhas past, present and future take re fuge in Prajna Paramita [Wisdom] to
attain Utmost and Perfect Enlightenment.
You should therefore know the great mantra of Prajna Paramita Is the great
transcendental mantra, the great radiant mantra, the supreme and unequalled
mantra which truly, unfailingly ellminates all sufferings and is true, not false . It is
spoken thus:

Gone, Gone, Gone Beyond, Altogether Beyond, Enlightenment fulfi lled!

Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasangate, Sodhi, Svaha!
[Rec ite your personal vows• Yes, you can expand upon this to make it more meaningful to yo u)
14. Sentient beings are boundless, but I vow to liberate them Ali.
Afflictions are endless, but I vow to cut !hem all off.
Ways to truth [dharma) are Infinite, but I vow to master them All.
Buddhahood is Supreme, but I vow to attain it.

I vow to constantly do all that Is good, and to stop doing all Ihat Is evil.
I vow to let any unborn good come Into being, and prevent all unbom evil from coming inl o being.
(Praise to the seven Tathagatas who oversee th is method)
15. Homage to Ihe Talhagata Immoveable
Homage to the TaI hagata Jewel Victory, Prabhutaratna
Homage to the Tathagata Wonderful Form Body, Surupakaya
Homage to the Tathagata Vast Body, Vipulakaya
Homage to the Tathag ata Courageous, Abhayankara
Homage to the Tathagata Necl arof Compassiol\ Amritaraja.
Homage to the Tathagata of Infinite Light, Amitabha.

[Note: Prabhutaratna Tathagata, the Abundant Treasures Buddha Is able to break the hungry ghosts
karma of greed so that they may rec eive perfecI blessings and merits.
Surupakaya Tathagata, the Rne Form Body Buddha Is able to remove the hungry ghosts form of
ugliness so that they may receive wholesome feature .s and forms.

Vipulakaya Tathagat a, the Broad Extensive Body Buddha Is able to enlarge the hungry ghosts throats
so that they may consume the offered food .

Abhayankara Tathagata, the Freed-from-Fear (Courageous) Buddha who is able to re move all the
hungry ghosts fears so that they may leave t he realm of ghosts.)

[Finishi ng Rec itation:]

16. By the supernatural power of this mantra this food and drink is purified, and I offer It to an Infinite
number of spiritual beings in all the ten directions. I pray that all the sentient beings who need It
obtain this offering of food and nectar, panake of It and be fully satisfied. I pray that they shall all
dissolve their cravings and greediness; that they shall all leave their abodes of darkness and be born
In t he blissful paths of existence; and funher that taking refuge In the Triple Treasure they shall
awaken the desire for supreme enlightenment and finally come to realize it. The merit they attain
from realizing the Tao is inexhaustible and will continue on t o the end of time, making all beings
equally share In this Oharma-food.

O you Infinite ho.s is of sp iritual beings, I make t his o f fering of food to you all, which I pray will fill all the
directions of space and Ihat all beings of your kind will partake of It.

By the practice of this meritorious deed I pray that I can repay the debts I owe to my parents, who
have done all they could for my sake, and accumulate a small measure of the merit needed for
enlightenment. May those who are still alive continue to enjoy their happy and prosperity endlessly,
while those who are no more with us may be released from suffering and bom In the Land of Bliss.

I pray that all sentient beings in t he triple world who are recipients of the auspicious modes of being,
together with those beings suffering in the three evil 1paths of existence and tormented with
calamities, may repent of all their sins and be cleansed of all their sores so that they may all be
released from the cyc le of transmigration and be borm in the Land of Purity.

We pray 10 all the Buddhas, all the Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas In the ten directions, of the past, present,
and future, and co the great transcendental wisdom Mahaprajna-paramita, that by virtue or this merit
universally prevailing, not only we but all beings shall equally attain Buddhahood.

(Recite "Ohm A.h Hung" mant ra and take your righ t finger, di p It Into the water and tra ce the
figure "Hung• a,bove the gl ass, as shown i n the picture below to finl sht he purifi cation of the
offering and enabllng the hungry ghost s l o partake of it)
17. Om Ah Hung
(Stroke order from stanlng point)

OMMAMMUWG
Q1
.. p 2

[Recite this co nfessio n:)

18. All the evil deeds committed by me In the past
On account of beginningless greed, anger and Ignorance
Bom of my actions, speech and thought
At this moment, i fully repent them all.

(Fina I pert of t lh e ceremony:)

At this time, bring the offering to a window s111 or a place outside (preferab ly not on the ground]. With
the right finger, trace a 'La' on the surface you have chosen to purify it. Next, pour out the contents
of the glass onto the purified offering spot. Trace a• Hung· over the offering with the same ringer and
Imagine the offering becomes enormous so as to reach all sent ient beings. Snap your fingers three
times to indicate It is ready for beings to partake of, and all ls complete .

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