A simple method to help the hungry ghosts

fragment from my book 

Worshipping Amida Buddha - liturgies and ceremonies 

of Amidaji temple 

Click here to read about the state of hungry ghosts 

Click here to return to the main 
page of ceremonies for nonhuman beings

If you find the ceremony for hungry ghosts too difficult or too long, you can simply offer food (boiled rice, cookies, fruits or vegetables) and water to Amida Buddha and say the following words:

Amida Buddha, I offer you this food and water in the name of all hungry ghosts who suffer from hunger and thirst. Please receive it like it is offered by them. May they receive infinite food to forever satisfy their hunger and an infinite quantity of clear water to forever satisfy their thirst. May they be healthy in body and mind, make indestructible connections with you, entrust to you, say your Name and wish to be born in your Pure Land. Namo Amida Bu

Various ways to help non-human beings make connections with Amida Buddha and entrust to Him

a Buddhist priest and a hungry ghost

fragment from my book 

Worshipping Amida Buddha - liturgies and ceremonies 

of Amidaji temple 

Many people asked me how they can help hungry ghosts, bardo beings and other types of nonhuman beings entrust to Amida Buddha, and if trying to help them goes against the Jodo Shinshu Buddhist teaching.

For people interested in such matters, myself included, I devised two type of ceremonies and a few instructions,. I am convinced 100% that because these ceremonies have the single goal of helping non-human beings to make a connection with Amida Buddha, listen to the Dharma about Him and entrust to Him, they are not in contradiction with the Jodo Shinshu teaching.  

Aroma offering ceremony to help hungry spirits and beings in the intermediate state (bardo) to make connections with Amida Buddha and receive faith in Him

                                                                

             

            

Buddhist monk helping a hungry ghost

fragment from my book 

Worshipping Amida Buddha - liturgies and ceremonies 

of Amidaji temple 

         Click here to return to the main page

       of ceremonies for nonhuman beings

 

            I.  Arguments for this ceremony
Because this ceremony has the single goal of helping all beings, especially the hungry ghosts and intermediate beings, to make a connection with Amida Buddha, listen to the Dharma about Him and entrust to Him, it is not in contradiction with the Jodo Shinshu teaching. 
Although we offer them something to eat in the form of aroma, this is only a skillful means to make them more receptive.  It is like you see a hungry person on the street and offer him food, shelter and a Buddhist book. When he is satisfied and safe under your roof he might be more open, due to your kind gesture, to read a few lines from the book. It’s the same with these non-human beings who are in a very difficult karmic situation and who actually feed (according to the sacred texts) on aroma. By satisfying them with the offering they might become open to Amida’s message of salvation.