Here's a small good deed in the name of Dungrath Sutabutra (the mother of a friend of Pinky who died this week.) Pinky emailed the local Buddhist temple to find out how to do something for a deceased Buddhist. Pinky and wife are going this Sunday, but also thought their audience could learn from what the monks emailed back about death:
Hello Pinky, Let me explain to you what is going on and how it works. When we do good things Good Actions Karma means action so when we are doing good karma and we generate right effort. We earn what Thais call boon or Merits. Dana is the pali word for the art of giving. So when you give food to the monks as they take only 1 meal a day, which they depend on the lay people for food, you in turn receive merit or boon. Now in order for us not to attach or become greedy in creating merit, we in turn give the merit away, or pass on our good will. Now when we have a loved one or a friend
that we lose to the cycle of birth and rebirth, it is a special time to do good things and dedicate it the effort to the ones we have lost. This passing on of
good will means a lot to someone who can no longer do good things because they no longer have a physical body to do it in. So this good effort will help to determine the person's destination rebirth--or in the case of a monk for them to reach nibbana and end rebirth. Pinky, you can come to the temple on Sunday and bring Alms food for the monks. The dish must be fresh cooked that day, or if you wish to make a donation of money that is fine as well. But if you participate in the ceremony of transferance of merit in the name of your friend's mother, this would be the best thing you can do to help her. Your good merit and what you do in her name will help her on her way.
The Monks must eat before 12:00 so if you come come at around 10:00 - 10:30 the monks will have lunch and after it is like pot luck and you can have lunch with the rest of the people. If you have more questions please e-mail me back.
