Offerings are given by the laity to the monastic community, the Buddha and even the dead. These can be given as part of a specific festival or ritual. In China food was offered to ghosts and the deceased as part of the Ghost Month Festival. In Laos baskets of food are given to the dead, via the Sangha, during the Boun Khau Salak festival. It is also common to see food and robes offered to monks at funerals in Thailand, Laos and Sri Lanka. The act of giving (dana) these items generates merit which can then be transferred to the deceased in order to help them achieve a better rebirth.
Images depicting offerings, dana, festivals for the dead and merit making are available to download.
