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Tirokuṭṭasutta

Outside the Walls

Tirokuṭṭesu tiṭṭhanti,
Outside the walls they stand and wait,

sandhisiṅghāṭakesu ca;
at the junctions and the crossroads.

Dvārabāhāsu tiṭṭhanti,
Returning to their former homes

āgantvāna sakaṁ gharaṁ.
they wait beside the door posts.

Pahūte annapānamhi,
But when lavish food and drink

khajjabhojje upaṭṭhite;
of many kinds is set out,

Na tesaṁ koci sarati,
no-one remembers them at all,

sattānaṁ kammapaccayā.
because of those beings’s deeds.

Evaṁ dadanti ñātīnaṁ,
That’s why those who have compassion

ye honti anukampakā;
give to their relatives

Suciṁ paṇītaṁ kālena,
food and drink at the right time,

kappiyaṁ pānabhojanaṁ.
that’s clean, delicious, and suitable.

Idaṁ vo ñātīnaṁ hotu,
“May this be for our relatives!

sukhitā hontu ñātayo;
May our relatives be happy!”

Te ca tattha samāgantvā,
Those ghosts who have gathered there,

ñātipetā samāgatā.
the departed relatives who have come

Pahūte annapānamhi,
for the lavish food and drink

sakkaccaṁ anumodare;
gratefully express appreciation:

Ciraṁ jīvantu no ñātī,
“May our relatives live long!

yesaṁ hetu labhāmase.
For those to whom we owe this gain,

Amhākañca katā pūjā,
who have given honor to us,

dāyakā ca anipphalā;
it will not be fruitless for the donor.”

Na hi tattha kasī atthi,
There is no farming there,

gorakkhettha na vijjati.
no cow pasture can be found;

Vaṇijjā tādisī natthi,
likewise there’s no trading,

hiraññena kayākayaṁ;
and no commerce in gold.

Ito dinnena yāpenti,
The departed, the dead in that place

petā kālagatā tahiṁ.
live on what is given here.

Unname udakaṁ vuṭṭhaṁ,
Just as water that rains on high

yathā ninnaṁ pavattati;
flows down to the plains,

Evamevaṁ ito dinnaṁ,
so too what is given here

petānaṁ upakappati.
aids the departed ghosts.

Yathā vārivahā pūrā,
Just as the rivers full

paripūrenti sāgaraṁ;
swell the ocean seas

Evamevaṁ ito dinnaṁ,
so too what is given here

petānaṁ upakappati.
aids the departed ghosts.

Adāsi me akāsi me,
Thinking: “They gave to me, they did for me,

ñāti mittā sakhā ca me;
they were my family, friend, companion”,

Petānaṁ dakkhiṇaṁ dajjā,
give offerings to departed kin,

pubbe katamanussaraṁ.
remembering past deeds.

Na hi ruṇṇaṁ vā soko vā,
For neither tears nor grief

yā caññā paridevanā;
or other lamentations

Na taṁ petānamatthāya,
are of any use to the departed,

evaṁ tiṭṭhanti ñātayo.
so long as their relatives stay like this.

Ayañca kho dakkhiṇā dinnā,
This offering that has been given,

saṅghamhi suppatiṭṭhitā;
well placed in the Saṅgha,

Dīgharattaṁ hitāyassa,
is for their lasting welfare,

ṭhānaso upakappati.
and aids them right away.

So ñātidhammo ca ayaṁ nidassito,
The relative’s duty has now been shown:

Petāna pūjā ca katā uḷārā;
how high honor to departed is performed,

Balañca bhikkhūnamanuppadinnaṁ,
how the mendicants can be kept healthy,

Tumhehi puññaṁ pasutaṁ anappakanti.
and how no little merit is produced by you.

Tirokuṭṭasuttaṁ.