Those…well i think its more like they’re partaking in the essence of the offerings, not the actual physical offerings. At least, from what i’ve seen in some supernatural-ly animes or novels or such, that’s what it seems like.

I always wondered.. how long does the food/offerings sit there... does it go bad or does someone eat it after so long? o3o,

food offerings should generally be gotten rid of right away/day of offering after all the prayers/blessings are asked for, unless its like fruit or certain types of snacks or candy.

like whenever we go visit my paternal grandparents at the cemetery, we would bring small food offerings and then take them back when we leave. granted, we're not allowed to have food or live plants indoors bc rodents/pests.

offerings to the gods are a similar concept. normally, when we go to temple, we would bring potted flowers, fruit and oil (because when lighting incense, they usually put the wicks in bowls of oil). after we've made all our prayers/asked for blessings, we'd take some of the fruit back, because they're considered "blessed by buddha" and eating it would be like partaking in those blessings.

So you are allowed to eat it? o3o Even though it was suppose to be for the spirits?

How interesting. Now I don't feel so bad eating those candy bars I'd place in front of mom's photo after so many days. xD

Yes. Better than to let the food go bad. I’m not sure if food gets wasted after offerings, since we always take most if not some of it back.

Yeah its okay. Better than wasting food when food is already so expensive.

Thank you for this. >w<

I wanted to get one of those spirit tablets that buddists have on their family alters for mom. We spoke of it at one point.. I wanted mine to be hollow inside, so I could put some of her ashes in it.

I'm not religious, but I really love the family alters they have in Japan. I have a candle in front of mom's picture too.. instead of incense, my asthma doesn't do incense too well..

No problem lol. I’m just talking from first hand experience. XD;;

We don’t do family altars here. My paternal grandparents’s ashes are in display cases at the cemetery. We go to the cemetery on certain days to pay respects.
I know my great aunt has a small buddhist altar thing that has the Sanxing worshipped on it. They’re the 3 main gods of worship for Fortune, Prosperity and Longevity. I’d see some small offerings of fruit and candy on it. Not sure if there was an incense pot. But yeah we don’t do that stuff lol.

First hand experience is the best to learn from! ovo


Mom wanted her ashes spred out on a native american reservation down in South Carolina but there's no way I can get out there. She also use to want to go to Texas... maybe if I ship her ashes to Moi, Moi can put mom in her backyard that way mom would be in Texas finally. o3o

yeah i suppose so lol.

i dunno...i guess you could attempt it. xD;;

I'd be too scared to. >A< what if the shipping company lost mom?!