The History and Meaning of The Sharing Merit Ritual (Pattidāna)

Sharing Merit | Pāḷi- pattidāna | Myanmar- ahmyar wai (အမျှဝေ) | Sri Lanka- pin deema (පිං දීම).
Ashin Sarana explains all details related to sharing merit with deceased relatives (departed spirits), the history of this ritual, Sri Lanka and Myanmar version of the ritual, and its benefits.
The Pāḷi book Milindapañhapāḷi mentions that it is possible to share merit only with one of the four kinds of ghosts and not with anybody else. It specifically mentions that it is not possible to share merits with gods (deities) - "saggagatā nappaṭilabhanti." (Milindapañha 5.4. Pubbapetādisapañha, MM Mil. 283)
However, the Buddha is reported to say the opposite - according to the Buddha, not only that gods can receive shared merit, but he explicitly recommends to laypeople to share their merits with gods. Maybe the Milindapañha statement refers to obtaining the results immediately (food and clothes immediately appear for the ghosts at the moment when the merit is shared with them), whereas sharing merits with gods (deities) provides the gods only with "merit," which also requires that the gods rejoice in that merit, say sādhu, without any miraculous, immediate results. (See DN 3.3. Mahāparinibbāna Sutta - Pāṭaliputtanagaramāpanaṃ, MM 2.75 par.153, and also Udāna 8.6. Pāṭaligāmiyasuttaṃ, MM Udāna 170 for exact citation.)
Filmed by Ko Aung Pye Phyo in a home in Yangon, Myanmar, on the 2nd of February, 2020. Subtitles prepared Ko Aung Chan Min. Video equipment was donated by Sayalay Daw Ayukalyani.
May all beings be happy and healthy.