Ghost month, "Hungry Ghost Festival", Ullambana, "The Day of Filial Piety" - lots of expressions but do we know what it's all about? This time around, we see people on the streets burning joss papers, lighting candles-, incenses and placing food items (mostly sweets) outside their houses .
According to the Chinese belief the 7th month of the Lunar calendar is the Ghosts' month, when the gates of the hell open and the deceased ancestors come out of the lower realm.
"Ghosts are around every day. Who says that they only appear during the 7th month?"
Buddhism teaches, that everyone will reborn but in a different form of existence. There are six realms of existence, namely: "the realm of the gods, demigods, human beings, animals, hungry ghosts and hells". It depends on one's previous karma whether to reborn in a happier or miserable realm. Only people(human beings) are able to stop this cycle of birth and death by trying to attain Nirvana.
One of the six realms is the realm of the "hungry ghosts". Here the ghosts -those who have no merits in their past life- are suffering from constant hunger, and unable to obtain food,moreover flames burst out of their mouth due to extreme thirst.
Therefore, on the 15. Day of the 7th month, the act of making offerings to relieve the suffering of departed parents and other beings is the main observance of this festival. This is the reason why it can be called as The Day of Filial Piety" too.
"The offering must be placed before the Buddha, in a temple or pagoda. The food can be eaten after the members of the Sangha (community of Buddhist monks or nuns) have recited the mantras and prayers"- Ullambana Sutra
The origin of this Chinese tradition is based on a story of Maudgalyayana and his mother.
"..Maudgalyayana discovered through his meditative powers that his mother had been reborn in one of the realms of misery. Distressed over the tormented state of his mother, he approached the Buddha for help. The Buddha then advised him to make offerings to the Order. The merit if making this offering would help relieve the suffering not only of his mother, but also that of other beings in the realms of misery. It is said, that as a result of Maudgalyayana's offering, his mother was soon released from her unhappy state."
The pictures below have been taken at the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, on different days, from the preparations to the actual day of the "official" festival on 10 August 2014.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Mountain Gate:
 |
Hundred Dragons Hall:
Universal Wisdom Hall:
"Commencement of the 11th Ullambana Festival"
10 August 2014 :
My video of some part of the ceremony:
Decoration (a big heap of rice with offerings) on the street
in front of the main entrance:
Meanwhile, on the streets of Chinatown...:
Sources:
Kong Meng San Phot Kark See Monastery:
-Buddhism for Beginners
-The Buddha Speaks on the Ullambana Sutra, Is the 7th Lunar Month The Ghosts' Season?
0 comments :
Post a Comment
Kindly share your comments!