The "Sūtra of Saving the Hungry Ghost King Yama" teaches that offering nectar-food to hungry ghosts lets them momentarily be filled and their obscurations gradually fade. On the plateau, the smoke offering (Sang / Sur) turns this compassion into a smellable, visible cloud—carried by wind across valleys and the ten directions.

Sakya's smoke offering rests on the Lamdré view: smoke is not truly existent; giver, receiver, and gift are empty of inherent nature, yet compassion excludes no one. The lama intones the Hevajra heart mantra, seeing the cloud transform into measureless nectar-food—upward to the Three Jewels, midway to protectors, downward to all hungry ghosts and bardo beings. One dedication and even karmic creditors are filled.

• **Relieves hungry ghosts.** Starving spirits may not hear "water" for eons; one wisp of food-smoke is a great cause of liberation.
• **Releases karmic knots.** Offering widely to all karmic creditors dissolves old enmity; the home's air grows clear too.
• **Purifies one's own obscurations.** Upward gift to Jewels and protectors grows one's field of merit and lightens obscurations.

The smoke offering proceeds thus:

• **Prepare and burn.** The lama lawfully compounds food offering, aromatic herbs, and pure water, burning them into a cloud in a clean place.
• **Mantra and visualization.** Intoning the Hevajra heart mantra and smoke-offering mantra, he sees the cloud become measureless nectar-food.
• **Threefold dedication.** Upward to Jewels, midway to protectors, downward to the six realms—especially dedicating to the dead and all karmic creditors.
• **Peaceful completion.** A complete dedication lets all recipients be free of suffering and find joy.

You need not be present—only join that one thought of compassion in your heart; the cloud carries your vow to the ten directions.