Departed Parent's Day: Transfer of Merits

Bhante Ven. Sumitta Mahathera (Lankarama Buddhist Institute), Editors, Wisdom Quarterly

I just won the jackpot: pregnant, soon to be blessed with a grateful family of my own!

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I like these Indian Buddhist traditions!

It was exactly three years ago that my mother passed away after living a memorable life of 80 years.

She had seven children and worked for 38 years as a dedicated instructor in many parts of rural Sri Lanka.

She started her career as a school teacher in Kurunegala Namalalanga Vidyalaya and retired from teaching after serving at Halkandaliya Vidyalaya, Nivitigala, Ratnapura.

She opened the eyes of many thousands of children and was known to about 1,000 Buddhist monks all over Sri Lanka as a staunch Theravada Buddhist upasikā (lay female devotee).

I am grateful and thankful to her, for she was an amazing mother. She is the one who is most responsible for most I am today, a longtime Buddhist monk and the abbot of Lankarama Buddhist Institute.

Meditation Hall, Lankarama Institute, L.A.

Like everyone with regard to his/her loving parents -- I, too, am short of words to express my gratitude to the mother in particular. She gave birth to me and took good care of me without complaint as if I were no burden at all.

I take this opportunity to transfer to her all the merits I have accrued so far in my life and throughout my sojourn in Samsara (the "cycle of rebirth" according to Buddhism).

May all these meritorious deeds become one united power to bless her, help her, protect her, and guide her towards her final Samsaric goal -- the supreme bliss of liberation, of nirvana (nibbana), a Buddhist's ultimate goal.

A Salutation to One's Mother

(Sri Lankan Buddhist tradition)

Dasa māse ure katvā

Posesi vuddhi kāraṇaṃ

Āyu dīghaṃ vassa sataṃ

Mātu pādaṃ namāmahaṃ.

"Having cherished me in your womb, divine

cradle, for nearly ten lunar months time,

you raised me up, wishing me all success.

Dear mother, please allow me to bow

at your feet, wishing you all the best!"

Transferring Merits to Departed Relatives

Idaṃ me ñātinaṃ hotu – Sukhitā hontu ñātayo. (x 3)

"Let this merit be with our relatives, and may they be well and happy!" (x 3)

This is not limited to children acting on behalf of their parents. Parents may also benefit their departed children. It is not too late in the long run, and one's relatives (in the larger sense of the word the Buddha stipulated extending out seven generations) are benefitted. And in any case one benefits from giving. More