Hi Paul,
Bhante Yuttadhammo gave you an excellent answer. I could just add a few
words.
Daana is not only giving material things. There are spiritual ways of
giving. When you appreciate someone else's kusala you can express this in
words, such as anumodana or saadhu. Then you have kusala citta, and you
respond with muditaa to others' kusala. There is generosity coming from the
heart.
Also, when you have done a generous deed you can give others, dead or alive,
an opportunity to have kusala citta as well. This is also a way of daana.
In the Kuddhakapatha we read in <Without the Walls> about a king who at
first omitted to extend merit, and then his relatives who were ghosts
wailed. Later on he extended merit.
The expression the extension of merit is confusing, but we should take it as
Bhante explained. It is a way of sharing.
Nina.

op 16-04-2005 01:06 schreef paulocuana op paulocuana@...:

>It has been explained to me that the practice
> transfers one's own merit to a person, alive or dead, of one's choosing.