Why is the Zhongyuan Festival also called the Yulan Festival? The Origin of the Ullambana Festival
Why is the Ghost Festival on July 15 also called the Yulan Festival? Taoism calls the festival for ancestor worship in the middle of July the "Zhongyuan Festival"; Buddhism calls it the "Yulanpen Festival". In July, melons and fruits are fragrant, so we also call the seventh month of the lunar calendar the "Melon Month". Follow Mr. Shui Mo's website and let us learn more about the seventh month of the lunar calendar in 2019!Why is the Ghost Festival on July 15 also called the Yulan Festival?The Ghost Festival on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month is also known as the Ghost Festival, the Ghost Festival, the Zhaigu Festival, the Earth God Festival, and the Yulan Festival. In fact, in a certain sense, the Ghost Festival belongs to Taoism, and the Yulan Festival belongs to Buddhism. In Indian Buddhist rituals, Buddhists hold the "Yulanpen Festival" to commemorate their ancestors. The "Yulanpen Sutra" in the Buddhist scriptures encourages Buddhist disciples to cultivate filial piety, which is in line with the Chinese folk belief of respecting the dead and remembering ancestors, and thus it has become increasingly popular. China began to follow this practice during the Liang Dynasty and it became the Zhongyuan Festival. However, later on, in addition to setting up vegetarian meals for monks, other activities such as repentance and releasing hungry ghosts were also added.Origin of the Ullambana Festival:Yulan is actually a Buddhist festival. "Yulan" is a Sanskrit word, which means to save the upside-down and relieve suffering. According to the "Ullambana Sutra", at that time, Buddha's disciple Maudgalyayana used his supernatural powers to discover that his deceased mother was suffering in the realm of hungry ghosts. Maudgalyayana was deeply filial to his mother, and used his supernatural powers to send food to his mother's mouth. However, the food turned into burning charcoal in her throat, making her inedible and in great pain. Maudgalyayana was anxious and worried, so he went to ask the Buddha how to save him. The Buddha told Venerable Maudgalyayana that the 15th day of July was the day when summer ended, the "Buddha's Joyful Day", and the day for the monks to indulge themselves. At this time, offering vegetarian food to monks will bring the most extraordinary merit. Therefore, the Buddha instructed the Venerable Zhumulakanlian to prepare a hundred kinds of food and five kinds of fruits, fill the basins and utensils, burn incense and light lamps on the fifteenth day of the seventh month. He should place the most precious food in the world in the Ullambana basin to offer to the great monks from all directions. When the monks in public chant mantras and bless, they pray for blessings and eliminate disasters, so that the living can increase their blessings and wisdom, and the deceased can be liberated. Later, Venerable Maudgalyayana received Buddha's teachings and set up a basin for offering and provided food to monks on the 15th day of the seventh month. With the combined power of great virtues, his mother was able to be freed from the suffering of hungry ghosts.What is the significance of the Ullambana Festival?According to what the Buddha taught in the sutras, if one can make great offerings to the Buddha and monks in meritorious deeds and grand gatherings, one can enable one's present parents and relatives to escape the three evil paths and have adequate food and clothing. Even parents of seven generations can be freed from the suffering of hungry ghosts, and be born in the human or heavenly realms, enjoying infinite happiness. If our parents were still alive, they would be able to enjoy a hundred years of happiness, a long life without illness, and free from all suffering. Therefore, as a child of Buddha, in order to cultivate filial piety, we should always think of our ancestors who have not yet been liberated. During the Ullambana Assembly, we should offer offerings to the great gurus, light lamps and offer sacrifices to the Buddha, and perform great merits to repay our parents' kindness, which will benefit and liberate all lonely souls and hungry ghosts in the ten directions.The arrival of 2019 proves that your fortune has changed. Calculate your fortune in advance, correct your mistakes if any, and encourage yourself if there are none, so that the new year will be smooth and safe. If you want to know more detailed fortunes for 2019, please click on the [ Premium Calculation ] below. I wish you peace and happiness in the new year! |
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