• When Praying for the Deceased, we vow to cultivate on behalf of these spirits. For example, we make vows to chant and to sincerely bow in the Amitabha Repentance, the Earth Treasury Repentance, and the Kwan Yin Repentance. Or we vow to recite Buddha’s name for many days, many months; or practice dharma cultivation, do good deeds, make offerings, and do volunteer work. All these endeavors are very important to the spirits because these acts express our sincerity and loving-kindness, showing that we sincerely practice on the behalf of the Deceased.
• During the WPG, we write the name of the spirit on the Plaque (color Yellow). Each Plaque represents the body of one spirit.
• Every time we practice repentance repentant bowing or chanting, we place the Plaque(s) next to us or wear it in a pouch. This is to show our respect to the spirit(s) and our awareness that the spirit(s) has the capacity to play an active role in practicing with the great assembly and to become enlightened.
• When entering the Mandala assembly, we should also bring the Plaque(s) with us. We invite the spirit(s) to practice with our great assembly and to enter the Buddhas’ lights. We will constantly remind the spirit(s): “All of us possess the innate Buddha nature, as with this bright light in our mind. This uncreated eternal light is our true home (the soul), it is the true and indestructible body of the spirit(s).”
• When the great assembly recites the Pure Land Rebirth Mantra, we should relay a message to the spirits: “Dear spirit(s), please become this uncreated, eternal, and boundless light!”
• When all the Plaques are placed into the White Inner Circle of the Mandala, into the Innate Light of the True Nature, this is the moment all spirits integrate with the Buddhas’ lights to become liberated and free. Therefore, we always concentrate and pray for the spirit(s) to practice diligently alongside with our great assembly.

Being fortunate to have the means to practice the dharma, let us dedicate our merits and share our blessings, happiness, joy, and loving-kindness with all those in our karmic web, alive or deceased. We should always think: “I practice on behalf of everyone in our entire karmic web.” Foremost, let’s dedicate our practices to all the babies that died before they were born, to those who died suddenly, and to those who could not control their awareness in their final moments.

When we pray for their spirits to be liberated, we likewise pray for the Hungry Ghosts.

With  regarding  Regarding the realm of Hungry Ghosts, not only are these beings are deprived of food for their sustenance; they also lack any light to nurture their character. These are the lights that radiate warmth, empathy, loving-kindness, forgiveness, tenderness, patience, caring, and letting go of anger and resentment.