The Origin and Passing of the World-12 links of Dependent Origination.

This Sotapanna handbook is really informative. It covers the essence of Buddha's teaching like the Noble Eightfold path and the 12 links of dependent origination.

“When this does not exist, that does not come to be,

With the cessation of this, that ceases.

When there is no consciousness, name-and-form does not come to be. 

When there is no name-and-form, the six senses bases do not come to be.

When there is no six senses bases, contact does not come to be. 

When there is no contact, feeling does not come to be. 

Whern there is no feeling, craving does not come to be. 

When there is no craving, clinging does not come to be.

When there is no clinging, existence does not come to be. 

When there is no existence, birth does not come to be.

When there is no birth, aging-and-death does not come to be.

He understands thus, “ In such a way the world ceases.”

Introduction to Agama Sutra: The First Buddhist Scripture by Thomas Tam, Ph.D., M.P.H
(Click above link to read more)

'The Buddha told him: "What is this world? It is the receptacles of matter, feelings, thoughts, actions, and consciousness. The world is formed when we fastened to these receptacles because of our desire. It disappears when we can give them up, and leave them alone.... When you understand suffering, and how they come about, know how they can cease, and practice ways to cease them, you would have overcome your desire and crossed the edge of the world."' 

The five receptacles that the Buddha mentioned: matter, feelings, thoughts, actions, and consciousness, are what constitute the external and internal world of every sentient being. Through our sense organs, we take note of the external and internal world. For example, let us focus on only the interaction between matter and us, the sentient being. Our eyes see an image, our ears hear a sound, our nose smells a scent, our tongue perceives a taste, our body sense a touch, our mind recognizes an event. All these become consciousness and stored in that receptacle. How the sentient being handle the interaction makes all the difference between imprisonment in, and liberation from, Samsara, the endless cycle of births and deaths. Failing to understand the transient nature of what we perceive or interact with, we may like and enjoy them to the point of clinging onto them, thinking that they are eternally lasting. This may lead to actions that have all kinds of dire consequences, including getting stuck in Samsara. So, to stay away from trouble and become liberated, we should learn to sever our greed, and control our desire. The crux is in understanding the interrelatedness of all things, and to be constantly aware of the falsehood induced by our ego.

Maudgalyayana Saves His Mother 目犍連尊者救母 and Hungry Ghost Festival

In Singapore and East Asia countries, on the 7th Lunar month of the year, most Chinese will observe the Hungry Ghost Festival by making food offering to their deceased ancestors. On the 15th day of 7th Lunar month (25th August 2018), the gate of hell is opened for the hungry ghosts to roam the living world. 

In Singapore, there will be getai performance where singers will dressed up and performed on temporary stages in the heartlands. Front row seats will be empty as they are reserved for the wandering spirits. 

The origin of the Hungry Ghost Festival is influenced by Buddhism, from the  Ullambana Sutra on how Maudgalyayana Mujian Nian目犍連尊者saves his mother from suffering in the hungry ghost realm.

Among Buddha's disciples, venerable Maudgalyāyana (目犍連尊者) is foremost in psychic powers. Using his psychic power, he found that his mother was in the hungry ghost realm. Maudgalyāyana tried to offer her food, but the food burst into flames each time she tried to eat. Maudgalyāyana therefore seek the help of Buddha, who advised him to make merit to the Saṃgha and transfer it to his mother. This helped his mother to be reborn in heaven.

Click here to read 11 things to avoid during Hungry Ghost Festival. 

 Image from the straits time.

Front row seats reserved for the wandering spirits. Image from the straits times.

Making food offering to the spirits. (Image from wikipedia) 

(From Wikipedia) 

In teaching, Maudgalyāyana relies much on such powers. Varying accounts in the Pali Canon show Maudgalyāyana travelling to and speaking with pretas (spirits in unhappy destinations) in order to explain to them their horrific conditions. He helps them understand their own suffering, so they can be released from it or come to terms with it. 

Maudgalyāyana is able to use his powers of mind-reading in order to give good and fitting advice to his students, so they can attain spiritual fruits quickly.^[64] He is described as using his psychic powers to discipline not only monks, but also devas and other beings. 

Mulian Rescues His Mother 

Maudgalyāyana Mulian Rescues His Mother  or Mulian Saves His Mother From Hell is a popular Chinese Buddhist tale originating in the 3rd century CE, inspired by tales from India of Maudgalyayana, who becomes Mulian in the Chinese stories. Mulian, a virtuous monk, seeks the help of the Buddha to rescue his mother, who has been condemned to the lowest and most painful purgatory in karmic retribution for her transgressions. Mulian cannot rescue her by his individual effort, however, but is instructed by the Buddha to offer food and gifts to monks and monasteries on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month, which established the Ghost Festival (Chinese: 鬼 節; pinyin: guijie)

The account of Maudgalyāyana looking for his mother after her death is widespread. Apart from being used to illustrate the principles of karmic retribution and rebirth,in China, the story developed a new emphasis. There Maudgalyāyana was known as "Mulian", and his story was taught in a mixture of religious instruction and entertainment, to remind people of their duties to deceased relatives. Its earliest version being the Sanskrit Ullambana Sutra.

Guan Yin Vow Verse- Great Compassion Mantra by Chyi Yu

Guan Yin Vow Verse by Chyi Yu. 

Sweep and Clean 周利盘陀伽 - 扫尘除垢

Buddha said everyone can achieve enlightenment, even for slow learner. The story is one that illustrated how Buddha taught Ksudrapanthaka to the path of awakening. Buddha had different teaching strategies for different disciples based on their abilities. 

The following Buddha stories is from Fo Guang Shan.

One day, while the Buddha was walking past the door of the monk’s quarters, he heard Ksudrapanthaka sobbing loudly. Near him, a circle of monks had gathered to laugh at him for being so foolish. The Buddha approached Ksudrapanthaka and asked him why he was crying.

        “What has made you cry so hard?” he asked.

        “Oh, Lord Buddha,” He said. “I am just a stupid person. I followed my brother into the monastic life, but I seem to be unable to remember anything I am taught. My brother has tried to teach me the Dharma many times, but I always forget what he tells me. Today he told me that since I have such a bad memory, I should leave the monastery and go back home. Oh, Lord Buddha! I don’t want to leave. Please help me!”

        When he was finished speaking, the Buddha replied very softly, “Don’t worry about how much you know or don’t know. That’s not important. It is a form of wisdom to realize that one is ignorant, and it is a form of ignorance to believe one is wise. Come with me now.”

        Following this exchange, the Buddha began spending extra time with Ksudrapanthaka. He began to teach him to repeat the phrase, “Sweep and clean, sweep and clean.” Ksudrapanthaka, however, proved unable to remember even these simple words. When the other monks learned of this, they decided that Ksudrapanthaka was beyond all hope. The Buddha, however, having unending compassion, continued trying to teach him the phrase.

        “Take this broom,” the Buddha said to him. “As you sweep the ground, say the words I have taught you over and over again.”

        Ksudrapanthaka did as the Buddha told him, but the other monks were not happy with the way he wandered around with his broom all day mumbling to himself. They said he was disturbing them and told him to stop what he was doing.

        With the added support of the other monks, Ksudrapanthaka was able to try even harder to learn the phrase Buddha had taught him. He worked at it day after day until he was able to say it without any help from anyone. Then, slowly, he began to really think about the words as he swept back and forth across the grounds of the monastery. He thought to himself, “There are really two things that must be swept and cleaned. One of them is outside and the other is inside. The dirt and dust outside of us is easy to clean away, but the dust and dirt inside of us requires great wisdom to clean away. The dirt and dust inside us is nothing other than our suffering, our greed, our anger and our selfishness.”

        Ksudrapanthaka continued sweeping and he continued thinking. And as he continued, his mind gradually started becoming brighter. Things he had been unable to understand before gradually became understandable to him. He thought, “All of the dust inside of human beings originally is caused by only one thing: desire. Only wisdom can overcome desire. If desire is not overcome, then the cycle of birth and death cannot be escaped and suffering can never end. Desire causes suffering and it causes karma, which keeps us lashed to the wheel of birth and death. As long as we are victims of our own desires, we can never be free.

        “As soon as we get rid ourselves of all desire, however, our minds will be pure. We will see the Truth and we will be free forever.”

        As Ksudrapanthaka continued sweeping and thinking like that, he slowly managed to clean his mind of all its impurities. Gradually, he entered a state of complete equanimity wherein he had neither desire nor aversion, wherein he saw neither good nor bad, and wherein all his previous ignorance was entirely eradicated.

        Ksudrapanthaka became enlightened.

        With his new understanding, he went joyfully to the Buddha and said, “Lord Buddha, I am liberated! I have swept and cleaned just as you told me, and by doing so I have swept away all the impurities in my mind!”

        Buddha was full of joy to hear that Ksudrapanthaka had said, and from that day on Ksudrapanthaka became one of Buddha’s most respected disciples. Even still, Ksudrapanthaka did not change his usual routine. Every day after that he could still be seen slowly sweeping the grounds of the monastery as he chanted softly to himself, “Sweep and clean, sweep and clean.”