People often think the Ullambana Festival is none other than a “ghost month”, but is it really a festival for the deceased? What is the profound meaning behind this mysterious festival? What reflection on life does it bring us? And how can we stay safe and protect ourselves during the Ullambana Festival?
Legends of the Ullambana Festival
According to legend, deceased loved ones will enter hell, which is governed by the underworld king.
The Ullambana Festival is also known as the “Buddha’s Joyful Day”; on this day, monks finish their practices and emerge from their retreats. In ancient times, the emperor and his people would make offerings and donations to the great monks and congratulate them on their enlightenment. It is also on this day that the underworld king visits the human world to pay respect to the Buddha and celebrate the enlightenment of the great monks, and sentient beings in hell are allowed to travel to the living world to celebrate the joyous occasion.
The Origin of the Ullambana Festival
The Ullambana Festival originated in ancient India. According to legend, King Vessavana once made an offering of 500 golden basins to the Buddha and the monks after he was inspired by the Ullambana Sutra. All the offerings, including daily food, clothing, money, treasures, and even residences, were placed in the golden basins to provide enough resources for the monks to concentrate on their practice. This practice was continued by Emperor Wu of Liang during the Northern and Southern dynasties who supported many practitioners in the palace. Since then, the practices of the Ullambana Festival have been passed down in the imperial court.
Another explanation of the Ullambana Festival is that it is an occasion to “rescue the ones who are hung upside-down”. “Hung upside down” is used to describe the suffering of sentient beings, and the “basins” symbolize caring and safety, used to keep offerings for sentient beings. There is also a saying that the Ullambana Festival is a day where the compassionate Buddha and bodhisattvas benefit all sentient beings in hell or wandering in the world of ignorance, leading them to liberation.
The Story of Maudgalyayana
Among the disciples of the Buddha, Maudgalyayana was known as the most powerful. One day, he discovered his mother suffering in hell. He tried to help her by sending food, but all the food turned into ashes and water turned into molten steel when it reached his mother’s mouth.
Maudgalyayana had no idea what to do, so he sought the Buddha’s help. The Buddha told Maudgalyayana that he must rely on the collective power of many great monks, using their cultivation, compassion, and merits to help in saving his mother. Only with the merits gained from the chanting of great monks on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month could save Maudgalyayana’s parents from the past and the present. Maudgalyayana followed the Buddha’s advice and finally freed his mother.
The Month of Filial Piety
On this auspicious day of the Ullambana Festival, it is possible for deceased loved ones to receive the blessings and protection of the Buddha and bodhisattvas, and for them to be reborn in paradise. With a heart full of repentance, gratitude, and praise, let us dedicate our merits to our deceased parents and ancestors and pray for the compassionate guidance of the Buddha and bodhisattvas. The month of the Ullambana Festival is not a frightening ghost month, but a month of filial piety and auspiciousness where we express gratitude for our ancestors’ nurturing over generations. People will no longer fear and worry, but rather be kind and content in every moment of their lives, which is the true meaning of the Ullambana Festival: Let people show their filial piety to repay the grace of their ancestors’ nurturing, accumulate blessings, and cultivate merits.
Grandmaster JinBodhi once said, “Only when we accumulate merits on this auspicious Buddha’s Joyful Day and think of our parents and ancestors who gave birth to us, wishing for them to receive the blessings and guidance of the Buddha and bodhisattvas can we find peace of mind. If our loved ones are suffering, not to mention in hell or prison, can our hearts be at ease? For example, if your child is living abroad and not doing well, you will not be calm, and you may feel your heart beating irregularly. Why is that? When your child is experiencing afflictions, anger, fear, or being bullied, your heart aches. This is why some people often experience rapid heartbeats. Here, we’re only talking about our loved ones who are still alive; if our parents who gave birth to us are suffering in hell, how much impact would it have on us?”
Ullambana Festival: Worshipping Ancestors
Worshipping our ancestors is a way to show them remembrance, gratitude, and filial piety. When our ancestors and loved ones receive blessings from the Buddha and are reborn in paradise, they will bring protection, blessings, and peace to their descendants.
What do we do during the Ullambana Festival?
On the auspicious day of the Ullambana Festival, we can pray to the Buddha and accumulate merits for our deceased loved ones so that our parents and our ancestors from the past and future may receive the guidance and blessings of the Buddha and be freed from suffering. For this, light offerings and chanting are two good ways.
- Light Offerings for Family
Grandmaster JinBodhi once said, “Fire can eliminate all obstacles in the practice of self-cultivation.” Fire represents light, heat, and energy which is crucial for all living beings. Light always comes with fire – when there is fire, the world is filled with light and warmth, and all living things can grow. On the other hand, even the hardest materials can be destroyed by fire, and fire can also transform negative feelings and depression.
In the Buddha’s teachings, there is a method for quick liberation: light offerings. There are various sutras that state that all sins can be repented through hundreds and thousands of lights, and that the light of wisdom can vanquish all darkness. When we offer lights to the Buddha on behalf of our loved ones, we can convey our wishes through the light to free them from darkness and suffering, while allowing them to receive illumination and the Buddha’s guidance.
- Chanting for Family
The most direct way to earn merits for deceased loved ones is to chant the Buddha’s name, allowing them to be guided by Buddha’s illumination, have their bad karma eliminated, and be reborn in paradise. Not only that, but it can also bring wisdom and energy to the person who is chanting. The following is a testimony from Chen from Malaysia:
My name is Chen Hui. My husband and I attend every class the meditation center holds, and we always benefit from each class. On the day before I started a chanting class, my daughter called and said she had dreamt of her deceased brother. In the dream, her brother gestured for help , not saying a word. So, on the first day of the chanting class, I made a light offering for my deceased son, hoping that he could be blessed and reborn in paradise.
On the fifth day of the class, as I was chanting, I suddenly saw my deceased son smiling at me. He was wearing beautiful clothes. His head was surrounded by golden light. Seeing that, I was so moved I couldn’t help but cry. My son passed away suddenly years ago, and I have been very sad and unable to let go for the past 10 years. This was the first time I saw my son when chanting, and I believe he has followed the Buddha and has been reborn in paradise. My heart was relieved, and I finally found peace. When I finished chanting, I was filled with infinite joy and extreme gratitude!
Ullambana Festival: Dharma Treasures to Wear
On special occasions such as the Ullambana Festival, wearing protective accessories not only helps ward off evil spirits, but also brings peace and blessings.
- The Benefits of Heavenly Beads
It is said that Manjushri Bodhisattva once sprinkled heavenly beads (dzi beads) from the sky to help people in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau get rid of the plague. Therefore, many Tibetans see the beads as a treasure that attracts spiritual power from Heaven and Earth to bring them happiness and wealth. The “eye” on the heavenly bead is particularly powerful and contains powerful universal energy that can ward off evil, strengthen the energy field around the wearer, and bring good luck and fortune.
- The Benefits of Jade
Since ancient times, jade has been regarded as an auspicious treasure. Practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) believe that jade is a natural work of art and can be used for medicinal purposes. The Compendium of Materia Medica and The Inner Canon of Huangdi both claim that jade has the effects of calming the soul and mind, promoting blood circulation, nourishing the lungs and heart, improving hearing and vision, and strengthening tendons and bones. Jade contains various trace elements such as zinc, iron, magnesium, calcium, and sodium, has the functions of promoting cardiovascular health and repairing skin texture. In addition, jade with Buddha carvings can keep the wearer safe from danger and ensure their safety and health.
- The Benefits of Aloeswood
It is believed that aloeswood can help connect with the Buddha and open the pathway to the three realms. In the “Surangama Sutra”, the fragrance-adorned youth became enlightened when he smelled the scent of aloeswood. As a treasure of Nature, aloeswood also has the effects of purifying the home, warding off evil, accumulating energy, and generating wealth. Wearing aloeswood bracelets or necklaces not only improves health but also calms the mind, aids sleep, nourishes the skin, and promotes relaxation.
- The Benefits of Sandalwood
The natural scent of sandalwood can effectively purify the energy field of any space, improve feng shui, and bring good luck. It also comes with other benefits such as sterilization, preventing plagues, and avoiding diseases. In addition, according to The Compendium of Materia Medica, sandalwood can relax tendons, improve blood circulation, calm the mind, regulate qi, reduce inflammation and relieve pain. Wearing sandalwood bracelets or necklaces can also enhance immunity, stabilize heart rates, and boost spiritual powers.
Conclusion
On the day of the Ullambana Festival, we should take a moment to remember our ancestors, recall the kindness of our parents and understand the importance of repaying our parents. In addition, we should always pay attention to our speech, intentions, and actions. We should also learn to repent for what we did wrong, be a person who refrains from doing evil and practices good deeds. By accumulating merits as such, we can gradually become a kinder and more compassionate person.
