Transferring of Merit(pin anumodan Kireema): Is it Possible ?

The answer is "no"!.Merit is a mental formation. (sanskara) So are your self and the person to whom you are going to transfer the merit.There is no person (anattta) in Buddhism and Buddha never spoke of rebirth but only of re being ."Punabbhavo" was the Pali word.There is no merit or demerit in Buddhas doctrine for these too are mental formations. Concept of dualism ,two extremes eg .good/bad, near/far, (ubhaya antho) too is not referred to in the Buddhas doctrine ,just like the "person".What is referred to is skill and non skill (kusal/akusal).

This does not mean not to offer food or not to help people.Do them for the sake of doing them, without strings attached (avyakrutha) but not for your benefit or the benefit of your relation.Do not make it like crediting funds to your bank account or your beneficiaries account.Buddhas teaching is so profound that "your" benefit or the "beneficiaries" benefit is too trivial to be considered within the scope of Buddhas profound teachings.

The priests promote these activities for their benefit or due to ignorance of the teachings.Most priests do not respect the intelligence of the audience when preaching.Intelligence is not being educated or sophisticated.Buddha regarded Sopaka ,the town scavenger intelligent enough to realise the ultimate truth (nibbana) and addressed him with respect.Despite these short comings we must unconditionally look after the priests by making food, clothing shelter and medicine available to them.

Buddha had great compassion (maha karuna) for each one of us ,without exception.His parting remark was appamadena sampadetha, strive without delay to seek truth which means end of suffering.He never remarked about the kind of life you lives up to now.There is no discrimination whatsoever!Just like "self" merits/demerits ,duality time too does not exist in Buddhas doctrine(akalika). Therefore what you have been up to now is immaterial.