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Buddhists/food offerings to the dead

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Expert: - 5/19/2009


Question
my husband passed. when we put food and essence on the alter should we put only one dish or should we put three dishes of food as an offering. if three why? thanks in advance

Answer
Hi Joe,
Sorry it's taken a while to reply!
I have never heard of the use of three dishes. In the systems that I know, food is not put out for the dead, though small amounts are sometimes used as offerings to Buddhas or other deities.
What particular tradition are you talking about? If I knew that, it is possible that I might help you a bit more.
All the best
AW

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Alex Wilding

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I have practiced and studied Tibetan Buddhism in the Kagyu and Nyingma traditions since the early 1970s, and have a good knowledge of theory, history and of the struggles of trying to practice the teachings, including meditation, while leading a normal, modern life. I am also available to provide background information for journalists.

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I have been a practitioner since the early 1970s; have run a small Buddhist centre in the English Midlands and was vice-president of Kagyu Benchen Ling e.V. in Germany, for whom I managed three large Buddhist summer-camps. More importantly, I maintain a habit of personal practice. I am the "owner" of the Kagyu list at Yahoo.

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My first degree was an M.A. from Oxford. I later obtained a Master of Philosophy degree for a research thesis in "Initiation in Tibetan Buddhism" from Leicester University. I also have engineering and educational qualifications.

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