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!