Ullambana... time to repent, pay debts and be filial...

The month of Ullambana for a me is a special month... It is also a month of constant reality check on myself, What have I done wrong? Whom I have cause hurt and grief, through body, speech and mind actions. Every morning, I make a confession on wrong deeds I have done the previous day and atone for my mistakes. It is also a time for me to mindful at all times to make sure I do not repeat the same mistakes I made yesterday.

It is also a time for all monks and nuns in all Buddhist traditions to check with themselves what progress they have made in their cultivation, their errors committed and to seek forgiveness and repentance for their erred actions. It is encouraged by Sakyamuni Buddha to always seek repentance for mistakes done, to be mindful at all times and to do what is right, avoid what is not right and purify your mind so that the defiled mind can be transformed into the pure bright mind it originally was.

If all good Buddhists would take this special month to observe their precepts as pure as they can, take an hour off their daily schedule to meditate, chant sutras, perform merits and virtues, and dedicate their merits to all sentient beings, such auspicious karmic actions is wonderful. Use the month of Ullambana to be mindful, to bring auspiciousness, joy, reassurance and courage to those who need these qualities, Be compassionate as Avalokiteshvara, Be as brave as Ksitigarbha, Conduct yourself like Samanthabhadra, Be as wise as Manjushri. Everyday, we remind ourselves to have qualities like these great bodhisattvas so we can transform not only ourselves but others whom we have affinity with us.

Ullambana - The month of filial piety...

Come this monday, August 13th 2007 is the Chinese 7th lunar month 1st day. Traditionally, in the Taoist mythology, the 7th lunar month is the celebration of the Zhong Yuan (中元). There are 3 yuans in the Chinese lunar calender. The 1st, Shang Yuan (上元) is celebrated on 1st lunar month of the lunar calender, the 2nd is on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month. The 3rd and last, Xia Yuan (下元) is celebrated on the 15th day of the 11th lunar month. The 3 Yuan celebrations is to honor the Ancient emperor deities of the Heaven, Earth and Sea.



Coincidently, the 7th Month is also the Month of the Wondering and Lost Spirits. It is known as Yu Lan Pen Festival (于蘭盆) It is derived from the Buddhist holy month of Ullambana. According to Taoist traditions, On Monday, the Gates of Hell will be open as the Hell Ministers, Officials and security officers will commence their 1 month leave (Even the Underworld officials need a holiday too! :D) So, during this month, the Gates of Hell (鬼門開) will open and spirits will be roaming free in earth.



From a Buddhist teaching, The month of Ullambana is the month where the Noble Sanghan community will be in retreat for the rains. It is also at this time, the lay community will bring their offerings to the temples where the Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis reside. During this month of Buddhist lent, the Monks and Nuns will meditate and study and cultivate very rigorously.

Why the Taoist and Buddhist regard this month as holy? The Taoist believe that this is the month where the Jade Emperor will send his Imperial Edict to the Underworld to release the spirits so they can roam free and settle old debts to those who owe them. At the same, time, the Ancestors will be free to go back to their homes to see and reunite with their living descendants.



For the Buddhist, the month of Ullambana is to perform a lot of Dana (Giving) doing donations, releasing lives, volunteer work at Buddhist and Taoist temples, They recite sutras and mantras and hold Dharma activities and assemblies to liberate sentient beings. They cultivate to obtain merits on behalf of their departed ones. To increase one's virtues and to be filial to one's parents, ancestors and to admonish their wrong doings by going for repentance. All these practices and rituals done are to increase merits so the living can dedicate and transfer to the departed ones.

For the Chinese community, this is a month filled with horror stories, taboos and eerie encounters with the YIN (陰) community they call them the 'good brothers and sisters', (好兄第，好自妹) . Due to this misconception of this special occasion, A lot of people are very fearful and superstitious about the month of the 'Hungry Ghost'.

So don't be afraid, but at the same time, don't court their attention. These sentient brothers and sisters are real.. they are very real. However, they are also like us, revolving around the wheel of SAMSARA, so we shld take pity and have pure hearts and minds, do as much as you can so to help relieve and liberate them from their suffering as well as clearing your own karma.




Lastly, the 30th day of the 7th lunar month is also the anniversary of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva (Di Zang Wang PuSa: 地藏王菩薩) the Bodhisattva who is the ruler of the 6 realms, guardian of the Saha (Samsara) World. Therefore, we should be mindful, keep our precepts pure and perform as much meritorious deeds and cultivate harder so that all the merits and virtues accrued can be dedicated to the sentient beings.

Namah Samanta Buddhanam, Om Ha Ha Ha Vismaye Svaha!

Namah Arya Ksitigarbha Bodhisattvaya Mahasattvaya!

Om Pra Mani Dani Svaha!

It's all in your Mind....

I've been having a good chat with a fellow cultivator, Vivian and we came across a few realizations. The wonders of the human civilization, inventions and technologies all are created by the mind. The very worst aspects of human behavior, traits and the inauspiciousness we see now in our world is also caused by our very own mind. The mind it self is actually pure, But because of our views, be it positive or negative; it becomes so. When we both realized this, we had a astounded look on our face, and we both suddenly nod at each other, silently we agreed with the principles as discovered by our Master, Shakyamuni Buddha.

Our mind is the same like the mind of the Buddha, It has always been with the Buddhas of the Past and the future Tathagathas (Thus Come Ones). Since we possess the same nature and is originally pure, we also came to understand why it is tainted. Our mind becomes defiled when we have wrong views (or perceptions) of our true self (our mind) We become 'Prisoners' of our own creations, our own cages.

And as the mind is the most dynamic wonderful nature, we can create, destroy, nourish and protect all things. If we can train our minds and use it for the good cause, then this earth that we live in will be come a Utopia, a Pure land (Heaven to some) paradise to others.

We ourselves are responsible for our own destiny, our karma, our future, our very own happiness. Each of us have our 'karma' and role to play and fulfill in this and future lives, What matters most is to do what is right now.....

We both nod in silent agreement.

The Ten Dharma-Realms

The Ten Dharma-Realms
By Ch'an Master Hsuan Hua

The Ten Dharma-Realms
Are Not Beyond A Single Thought

The Ten Dharma-Realms

If there are people who wish to understand
All Buddhas of the three periods of time,
They should contemplate the nature of the Dharmarealm:
The Tathagatas are made from mind alone.

The Dharmarealm of Buddhas

Neither great nor small,
Neither gone nor come,
In world systems like motes of dust
They shine upon each others' lotus thrones.

The Dharmarealm of Bodhisattvas

Sentient beings when enlightened
Leap out of the dust.
Their six perfections and ten thousand practices
At all times are nurtured.

The Dharmarealm of Those Enlightened to Conditions

The holy sage enlightened to conditions
Doze high on mountain peaks alone.
Springtime's flowers wither in the fall
In an interconnected cycle of twelve links.

The Dharmarealm of Sound-Hearers

The Sravaka Sangha
Both men and women
Contemplate and practice the four holy truths,
Concealing the real and displaying the provisional.

The Dharmarealm of Gods

The six desire and brahma gods,
With five precepts and ten good acts,
Plant seeds that have outflows
So the turning wheel is hard to stop.

The Dharmarealm of Asuras

Asuras have a violent nature,
Laden with blessings, lacking power.
Absolutely determined to fight,
They bob along in karma's tow.

The Dharmarealm of People

The way of men is harmony,
With merit and error interspersed.
On virtuous deeds you rise, offenses make you fall,
It has nothing to do with anyone else at all.

The Dharmarealm of Animals

Eager animals feed on greed,
Never sated by a lot,
Because they make what's black white
They don't distinguish wrong from right.

The Dharmarealm of Hungry Ghosts

The ghostly crew delights in hate,
Deluded by effects, confused about cause.
Their ignorance and upsidedownness
Grows greater each day, deeper each month.

The Dharmarealm of Hells

The hell's anxiety and suffering Is devoid of doors, yet one bores right in.
Giving rise to delusion, deeds are done.
The retribution is borne in due accord.

All these ten realms a single thought,
Are not apart from your present thought.
Being able to awake to that thought,
Is climbing to stand on the other shores.