Greetings,
wonderful viewers.
Once again
it is the middle of
the seventh lunar month.
Once again
it is time to rejoice
in the Ullambana Festival,
an occasion to celebrate
the Divine love that helps
and saves humanity.
The Ullambana Festival
has long been a tradition
wherever
Buddhism is cherished,
and is particularly
well-known in India,
Âu Lạc (Vietnam),
China, Japan, Singapore,
Formosa (Taiwan)
and South Korea.
The word Ullambana is
a Sanskrit term
literally meaning
“rescue those who are
hanging upside down,”
and translates to mean
“deliverance
from suffering.”
It originates from the tale
of Maudgalyanana,
a disciple
of Shakyamanu Buddha
who wished to save
his mother from hell.
The filial practitioner
was only able to do so
through
the compassionate help
of his Master and other
spiritual practitioners.
Ms. Joyce Lye,
co-founder of the charity
group Kampung Senang
in Singapore,
shared the story
of Maudgalyayana
in more detail.
He was diligent
in spiritual practice and
had great magical power.
After his mother
passed away,
he missed her very much,
and therefore
used his magical power
to look for her.
When his mother was alive
she was often greedy.
Therefore, after she died,
she entered into the state
of a hungry ghost.
Maudgalyayana found
his mother in this state
and so he really wished
to relieve her hunger.
So he used
his magical power
to manifest some food
for his mother.
Unfortunately, his
mother’s greedy thoughts
arose again.
She was afraid
that other beings
would share her food.
As soon as
this thought arose,
all the food turned into fire
and she couldn’t eat it.
So Maudgalyayana
returned to the Buddha,
asking for his advice
on how to help his mother.
The Buddha reminded him
of the collective
spiritual power
of the sangha (spiritual
practitioner community).
Mr. Takuji Iizuka is a
respected Buddhist monk
from the Zojyoji
Buddhist Temple in Japan.
In Japan we call this
Obon or Bon Festival,
but it comes from
the Ullambana sutra
of Buddhism.
When Maudgalyayana,
who was
a Buddha’s disciple, used
his supernatural power
to search
how his mother was doing
after passing on,
he saw her suffering
after she had fallen
into the realm of Preta,
or realm of hungry ghosts.
She was hung
upside down there.
Then, honorable Mokuren
begged his Master Buddha
to tell him
how to release his mother.
Buddha instructed him
to make offerings to many
Buddhist ascetic monks,
such as various delicacies,
food to drink,
which is called ango.
This act of charity
would become a merit
which enables him
to save his mother.
Based on this legend,
Obon takes place
every year in July
or August in summer
in the Japanese culture.
At Ullambana, people
pray and offer fruits
at the temples or at home,
chant sutras, make lanterns
to put on the rivers,
dance, and/or gather
with parents.
In Japan, Ullambana
is one the nation’s
most important festivals.
In the temple,
a Buddhist memorial
service is performed.
In addition, we display
a family's Buddhist altar
at home and make an altar
for the ancestral spirits
of the deceased.
I understand
that it is our custom that
relatives gather at home
on this occasion
in order for a priest
to hold a service
with sutra chanting,
and to make offerings
of food and flowers.
During Obon,
many events are
performed all over Japan
in order to
console and cheer up
the ancestral spirits
of the deceased,
including Bon dance,
bonfire of Kyoto,
and floating a straw boat
or lanterns or offerings
on the water at the end
of the Bon Festival.
Inspired
by Maudgalyayana’s
filial piety to his mother,
some countries
like Âu Lạc (Vietnam)
celebrate Ullambana
in thanksgiving to
the mother or both parents.
We spoke with some
Aulacese (Vietnamese)
citizens about how
they observe the festival,
which they call Lễ Vu Lan.
On Lễ Vu Lan Day, one
often goes to the pagoda.
Children
whose parents are alive
often pin a red rose
on their chest
and white roses are
for those whose parents
are deceased.
When going to the temple,
we can commemorate
our parents’ favor
of raising us.
We can do charity work
or do good deeds
as a dutiful child.
The Lễ Vu Lan Festival
is very meaningful to
the Aulacese (Vietnamese).
There’s a saying:
“Father’s favor
is as high as
the tallest mountain.
Mother’s kindness
is like the water flowing
from the source.”
We should always
remember our parents’
favor of raising us.
It is a day for children
to have a chance
to show gratitude to our
parents and ancestors.
One can go to the pagoda
or stay at home
to get together
with one’s family,
parents, grandparents.
Such days are to give
the descendants a chance
to know more about their
ancestors and parents.
Lễ Vu Lan is the day
when children can show
their filial piety
to their parents
who gave birth
and bring them up.
Usually,
our Aulacese people
celebrate Lễ Vu Lan
by activities such as
going to the pagoda,
praying for the liberation
of our parents’ souls,
floating paper lanterns
to pray for the salvation
of the dead.
I think that
the Lễ Vu Lan festival
is the day to fulfill our
filial duty to our mother.
If our mother is alive,
we pray
for our mother’s peace.
If our mother is not alive,
we also pray
for the salvation
of our mother’s soul.
On that day,
Aulacese people
go to the pagoda,
setting free animals,
praying for
our mother’s peace,
and doing good deeds
to pray for blessings.
The 10th Vice President
of Formosa (Taiwan)
Annette Lu also shared
precious memory
of her late mother,
while expanding the love
for her biological mother
to embrace Mother Earth,
the planet.
My mother,
for her background,
she was a very typical
Formosan (Taiwanese)
woman.
She was adopted
since little,
so in that environment,
she was not able to receive
a very good education
like we modern women.
Nevertheless,
she had a strong sense
of independence.
She and my father
fell in love
and married each other
in that kind of era.
They worked very hard.
Her daughter went as far
as being a vice president.
I think
they never expected that.
I feel that all women
are very hard working
and very amazing.
When there’s something
good, they always
think of their daughters,
their husbands,
and their children first.
And they take up the
hardest work themselves.
Of course,
our shared mother
is the Earth, so I also hope
everyone together takes
good care of the Earth.
In Formosa (Taiwan),
China, and Singapore,
the Ullambana Festival
has found affinity with
non-Buddhist traditions
and has become one of
the most auspicious festivals
during the year.
In Singapore, the festival
in July is usually
not called Ullambana,
it’s called
the Middle Yuan Festival.
Historically,
people started to celebrate
the Middle Yuan Festival
after the Wei Dynasty.
According to
the historical record,
it says that there are
three Yuans in a year:
the first one is
the Upper Yuan,
which is January 15
of the Lunar Calendar,
the Middle Yuan
falls on July 15,
and October 15
is the Lower Yuan.
To celebrate
the Upper Yuan Festival,
people express
their gratitude
to the Lord of Heaven.
Then in July,
they show gratitude
to the Lord of the Earth.
Why should we thank
the Lord of the Earth?
It’s because
the Earth is our mother
who nourishes all the crops
to ensure harvests and
to provide bountiful food
for us to eat.
Therefore, it’s a festival
to show respect to Heaven
and gratitude to the Earth.
And that’s the meaning
of this festival
from the Wei Dynasty.
Here in Singapore,
we have Indian culture,
the Buddhist culture,
and folk traditions,
or the local customs.
Therefore,
the celebrations of
the Middle Yuan Festival
can be completely different
depending on
the organizer.
The Buddhists celebrate
the Middle Yuan Festival
in their own way.
They think about
all the beings
who are like their mother,
and deliver them.
Then the Taoists
make offerings
to thank the Earth.
For major cities,
Ullambana is an occasion
for many eateries to
offer vegan cuisine.
Many people, Buddhist
and non-Buddhist,
are able to enjoy
the lighter feeling
of consuming food
that is free of suffering.
According to the teachings
of the Buddha,
all sentient beings
in all realms and in nature
are like our mothers.
They were once
our mother.
Therefore,
on such a festive day,
also known as
the Ullambana Day,
they would
help sentient beings
to recognize the Truth.
They would spread
the nectar water,
and even give medicines
to relieve pains
caused by people’s greed,
hatred and ignorance.
Therefore, it’s a very
meaningful festival and
a very auspicious day,
because many
spiritual practitioners
would gather together
and many hearts
would become sincere.
The Ullambana Festival
also reminds us
about the merits
of offering vegetarian or
vegan food to the Buddha,
Bodhisattvas and others.
During a February 2011
videoconference
Supreme Master Ching Hai
revealed that food is
a significant medium
through which
spiritual Masters
can assist humanity,
and shared new insights
about food and merits
through
the Maudgalyayana story.
So, food, drinks
are a convenient tool
for masters to intervene
in the give-and-take drama
of this world.
It connects almost all
members of our society,
from farmers, harvesters,
etc., down to
machine operators,
refinery workers, and
even builders for storage,
for road, for transport,
you see?
So, as we consume
even vegan food,
we have to also
practice diligently
in order to
have enough merit
to repay the kindness of
all the workers involved,
as well as to cleanse
the bad karma (retribution)
of the things
that we use in this world,
and to bless
whichever trees or plants
that give us food, or
their groups, for example,
so that they also can elevate
in the spiritual evolution.
Remember when
the Buddha’s disciple,
Maudgalyāyana,
his mother was punished
in hell because she
because she made meat
to feed the sangha
and lied to them,
saying it was vegetarian.
So after Maudgalyāyana
brought the food and fruit
offering to
the whole congregation
of monks there,
then his mother was
liberated immediately.
Yes, because when
they partake of this food,
then they partake
of the connection
with the humankind
in this world –
you see what I mean? –
(Yes, Master.)
including the mother
of Maudgalyāyana.
That’s why
she was liberated.
So it took a lot of monks,
everybody took
a little bit of
bad karma (retribution),
so she was liberated.
We wish everyone
who is celebrating,
a joyful and meaningful
Ullambana Festival.
May it be for everyone
a time to reflect
on Heaven’s grace
and the virtuous, filial,
and spiritual way of life.
Cherished viewers,
thank you
for your company today.
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Wishing you
and your loved ones
Heaven’s
all-encompassing grace.