King Bimbisara

This story teaches us how to share merit with loved one who have passed away. 

King Bimbisara was renowned for his generosity. He frequently offered food (meals and alms) to the Buddha and the Sangha (monastic community), along with other donations like monasteries (such as the famous Bamboo Grove, Veluvana). These acts generated great merit for him.

However, one night after making such a generous offering (including food to the monks), the king was troubled by disturbing sounds or disturbances—he heard wailing or cries in the night. In some accounts, this manifested as a bad dream or vision where his departed relatives (ancestors or family members reborn as petas, or hungry ghosts/preta) appeared suffering or complaining. The next day (or soon after), the king went to see the Buddha and described what had happened, expressing his confusion and fear.

The Buddha explained the reason: The king's generous donation had created immense merit, but because he had not shared or dedicated (transferred) any of that merit to his departed relatives/ancestors, they could not receive any benefit from it. In Buddhist cosmology, beings in lower realms (like hungry ghosts) often depend on merit transferred from living relatives through dedication after good deeds (especially dana to virtuous recipients like the Sangha). Without this sharing, the ancestors remained in suffering, leading to their unrest manifesting as those disturbing cries or the bad dream/vision. The Buddha taught that when laypeople perform acts of generosity (like offering food to the enlightened or the Sangha), they should mindfully dedicate the merit by saying something like: "May this merit go to my departed relatives; may they be happy and free from suffering." In this way, the petas (if present) can "rejoice" in the act (anumodanā), receive a share of the merit, experience relief or better rebirth, and in turn bless the giver with long life, happiness, and protection. Upon hearing this, King Bimbisara understood and began the practice of sharing merit after his donations. The disturbances ceased, and he gained even greater peace and merit.

This incident is referenced in commentaries on texts like the Tirokuḍḍa Sutta (Khuddaka Nikaya, Petavatthu) and related stories in the Vinaya/Atthakatha, which discuss merit transfer to ancestors. It's a key teaching on why Buddhists (especially in Theravada traditions) often dedicate merit to ancestors, parents, and all beings after dana, chanting, or good deeds—ensuring no one is "forgotten" due to past karma, and preventing such unrest.

Moral of the story: Generosity brings great merit, but to fully benefit oneself and others (including ancestors), share it mindfully. This prevents suffering for departed ones and brings blessings back to the giver. It's not that the donation caused "bad luck"—the merit was good—but incomplete without dedication.

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