[Consoling a crying daughter, the Supreme Buddha gives advice after an alms giving.]
Unselfish people give gifts to virtuous people with the intention of sharing merits with departed relatives in the ghost world, or with deities who live in their own houses.
They will receive great benefit, those who share their merits with the deities Kuvera, Dhataraṭṭha, Virūpakkha and Virūḷhaka—the powerful Four Great Kings who guard this world.
Weeping, sorrow, and crying will not benefit departed relatives in any way. They will remain in the ghost world no matter how much we cry.
The merits shared from the donations given to the noble disciples of the Buddha will be received by the departed relatives right away. They will enjoy happiness for a long time.
Read this translation of Petavatthu 1.4 Piṭṭhadhītalika Sutta: Advice to a Daughter by Ven.Kiribathgoda Gnananda Thero on SuttaFriends.org. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.
Or read a translation in Deutsch, 日本語, සිංහල, or Tiếng Việt. Learn how to find your language.
You can find the entire translation of the Petavatthu: Stories of Ghosts available on SuttaFriends.org.