ULLAMBANA SUTRA FILIAL PIETY IN BUDHISM(FD14072020-1)(under progress)

*MANDARIN WORDS*
ULLAMBANA SUTRA

*MANDARIN WORDS*

*MANDARIN WORDS*
FILIAL PEITY IN BUDDHISM

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VENERABLE MAHAMAUDGALYAYANA

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*ALL IN MANDARIN WORDS*
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ULLAMBANA SUTRA
- translated into chinese from sanskrit by Tripitaka Master Dharmaraksha

Thus it was heard (by me) : AT one time the BUddha dwelt at Srasvati, in the Jeta-grove in the garden of Anathapindaka.

Mahamudgalyayana, having just attained the Six Spiritual Penetrations (1), wished to delvier his parents (from the realm of Samsara) to offer his gratitude to them for upbringing him. He used his deva vision to survey the world and saw that his deceased mother had fallen into the realm of hungry ghost (2). With no food nor drink, she (became very thin and )nearly had only bones left.

Maudgalyayana was very sorrowful, he immediately carried some rice in his almsbowl and went forth to feed his mother. When the mother received the almsbowl of rice, she used her left hand to hide the bowl, with the right hand she grasped the food. Before she could eat, the food hard turned into charcoal, she therefore had no food to eat.

Maudgalyayana cried and wept bitterly. He rushed to the Buddha and related to Him the incidence.

The Buddha said, "your mother's offences were very deep, with your individual effort she could not be saved. Even though you may have filial piety great as to be able to shake heaven and earth; all the gods  in heaven and on earth, heretical priests and the four deva of kings of the four heaven (3) could offer on help. What is necessary is the meritorious and miraculous power of the sangha members in the ten directions. I shall now

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tell you the dharma to deliver all those in great sufferings".

The Buddha said to Maudgalyayana, "On the 15th day of the 7th month, while all the Sangha members in ten directions observe confession (4), you should for the parents of seven previous births as well as present birth who might be suffering (in the lower realms), prepare rice, all kinds of delicacies available and five types of fruits, in thoroughly clean bowls and other containers. ALl the delicacies in the world thus prepared shall be contained in this tray, together with incense, oils, lamps, candles, robes and other requisites. These should be offered to the members of the Sangha in the ten directions who are so pure in conduct.

"On that day, all the siantly (Author note: *saintly*?)assemblies - be they the ones who had gained deep Samadhi in the mountains, or ones who had attained the four paths and fruits (5), or ones practising with diligence, or ones endowed with the six spiritual penetrations who are further helping the Sravakas and the Pratyeka-Buddhas, or Bodhisattvas of the tenth ground who are appearing as Bhikshus. living within the great assemblies - will accept the offerings. They all possess complete and pure precepts and good conducts as vast as the ocean.

"For anyone who makes such offering to the monks observing the confession (in this day), his present parents and all six types of relatives (viz. Father and mother, husband and wife, son and daughter) will be delivered from the suffering in the three lower realms. They will never be deficient of clothing and food. If the parents are living, they will enjoy happiness for years to come. All the deceased parents of the seven precious

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births will enjoy great happiness when they are reborned in the deva realm.

"At that time, then the Buddha will ask the assemblies in the ten directions to firstly make a vow for the donor's family, to vow for their parents of seven lives (to receive the merits). The assemblies will enter into Samadhi. They will first place the offering in front of the Buddha, in front of a  Buddha in a stupa and in a vihara. After the vow, the assemblies will take the offered food".

 Hearing that the Venerable Maudgalyayana and the great assembly of Bodhisattvas were very pleased. Maudgalyayana stopped his crying and weeping.

It was thus on this day when Maudgalyayana's mother was delivered from the sufferings in the realm of the hungry ghosts.

Maudgalyayana afterwards asked the Buddha, "The disciple's mother had been delivered by the meritorous power of the Triple Gem and the miraculous power of the Sangha members, in future, should the Buddha's followers offer Ullambana (6) to deliver their parents of present and past births?"

The Buddha replied, "Well asked I was going to talk on this when you asked."

"Listen man of good family. If a Bhikshu or a Bhikshuni, a king or a prince, a minister to the court at all levels or an ordinary citizen who wished to prastise filial piety, he should for his parents, presents as well as past seven births, on the 15th day of the 7th month, an auspicious day for the BUddha, a day of the Sangha member to confess, he should offer to the confessing sangha members in the ten directions a Ullambana containing the various delicate food. He should vow for his

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living parents to live long and to be without sickness and other sufferings. THe vow should be made for the parents of past seven births, vowing for them to be delivered from the realm of hungry ghosts and be reborned in either the human or deva realm.

"A buddha's follower, practising filial peity, should always remember and recollect his present presents, parents of seven past births. On the 15th day of the 7th month of every year, he should with filial piety and compassion, recollect his parents. Preparing a Ullambana to offer to the Buddha and the Sangha to offer his gratitude for his parent's upbringing, caring and loving.

"All followers of the Buddha should keep this practice."

Hearing thus, the Venerable Maudgalyayana and the fourfold assemblies were filled with delights and followed the teachings accordingly.

Merit Transference

May the merit gained be transfered to my parents past as well as present. To all sentient beings who had all been my parents. May all gain full Enlightenment!

- translated at the Kulim Buddhist SOciety by Upasaka Neoh Shin Yung.
- edited by Upasaka Khoo Poh Kong.

Notes: (1) Sadabhjina , sometimes rendered as six supernormal powers
(2) Preta
(3) Catur Maharajas
(4) Chinese 'Che Chir' (自恣), 'confession' is a very inadequate translation. Buddhist

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monk stayed in one place for a three month period rainy season retreat (Varsa). At the end of this retreat ona full moon day (Chinese Buddhist tradition renders this as the 15th day of the 7th lunar month, the Theravada tradition makes this to be a few months later). Monks gathered together for a confession. A monk first confessed all shortcomings of his that he was aware of and later requested other members of the Sangha to point out other shortcomings that he had not been aware of; these he then confessed also. This practice is 'Che Chir'. Making a resolution not to repeat the shortcomings, a monk became purified. After this, the monks would go wandering from place to place until the next rainy season retreat.

(5) Marga (path) and Phala (fruit), the four pairs of Holy Persons viz. srotapattimarga and srotapatti-phala, sakradagama-marga and sakradagama-phala, anagama-marga and anagama-phala, and arahant-marga and arahant-phala.

(6) Offerings as described in the sutra contained in the tray. From this term the sutra derives its name. The chinese sometimes explains the term to mean 'hanging upside down' - this expresses extreme suffering in lowering realms.

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FILIAL PIETY IN BUDDHISM
(or Month of the Hungry Ghost)

UPASAKA NEOH SHIN YUNG

According to Chinese beliefs, the seventh lunar month is a bad one. The hell gate is opened and hungry ghosts are released. Those who are unfortunate may come across these hungry ghosts and meet with unpleasant incidence.

This is also a month when Chinese pray to their deceased relatives and make all sorts of offering to them. Chinese everywhere celebrate a festival which they call 'Ur Lam Phun', street operas are staged everywhere. Animals are slaughtered for offerings, giant-size joss sticks and paper money are burnt. All these are familiar to our local readers.

There are a few motives for people celebrating the 'Ur Lam Phun' festival. Firstly, many people do it out of fear, they are afraid of ghosts. They may offend people but they do not like to offend ghosts. Some of them are not sure whether it is true that ghosts exist and are released on this month; but just in case his is so, it is safer to be on good term with them. Secondly , many people do it out of respect for their deceased relatives. They are afraid that their deceased relatives may not have enough to 'live comfortably' in the after death realm. So they prepare favorite foods of the deceased and offer these to them. They see all sorts of other tings being offered (maybe they had seen their elders doing this before) and so they follow suit. For fear that the deceased may not have enough 'new clothes' to wear, they burn paper shoes and clothes for them. They

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burn paper money so that the deceased may have enough to spend! We may say that this second type of motive is quite commendable, these people still keep the Chinese tradition of filial piety although they really do not understand a lot of things that are being practised. Many people follow these rites are conformists, they do not want to be left out. We then come to a very small group of Chinese Buddhists who really understand the significance of this 'Ur Lam Phun' celebration.





















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Author got this book for free in year 2018.

Author note: seem to have wrong spelling in the book. for the word saint.