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

First posted on 11 August 2018

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, 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. Do take note that burning of offering is from Taoist practice. Generally Buddhists don't burn offering. 

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.

 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). Please do not eat these food offering  for the wandering spirits. 

(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.

Senses Can Be Illusionary

In Heart Sutra Lecture 5, Venerable Guan Cheng shared that our senses can be subjective and illusionary. When we perceive through our senses, getting sensation, we have three kinds of sensations-pleasant, unpleasant and neutral. Perceiving through our senses give empirical evidences. So we also call reality existent as empirical reality which is different from experiential thinking. 

When we use our senses, we attach to what we can touch, what we can see, what we can hear and taste. So empirical evidences could be illusory. Everybody could be a little different in the empirical senses. But we can generally agree that when we see red, it is red unless the person is colour blind. Or howling is from dog and other might say its from the wolf.  It depends on how you perceive. So senses are not really trustworthy. 

We have to go introspective to see what we are seeing. For example, people who see a half moon from the sky will just think the moon is semicircle if he has no knowledge on how the position of earth, sun and moon results on how we see the different shape of the round moon. 

The Buddha said we cannot totally trust our senses. The Buddha's teaching is not on what you are seeing but to research on how you see it. The process of seeing it. Is what you are seeing right or wrong. You have to know how you see it, then you know how right you are. 

Awaken Magazine May-August 2022

Click here to read more from Awaken Magazine here  by Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery Singapore here.  The following images are from the Awaken Magazine May-August 2022 issue. 

Guard Your Mind- Don't Follow Blindly. Question and Investigate First

We are constantly bombarded with lots of information from newspapers and advertisement that try to influence our lives and thoughts. 

Advertisements like to show people are happy because they own luxury items or you need to accomplish certain things to be successful or that loneliness is bad for health. Ironically, it was through quiet contemplation that Buddha became enlightened under the Bodhi tree. Instead, one should guide their minds from these influences. Question these information and investigate by questioning and from your own experiences. 

Kalama Sutta, Buddha had the following advice to the people from the town of Kalama  who seek his advice as they had received conflicting opinions and advice from the different 'holy teachers' on how to be happy and would like to know which teacher was speaking the truth.

Do Not Accept Any Doctrine From Reverence, But First Try it as Gold is tried by Fire.

From http://www.ling.upenn.edu/~beatrice/buddhist-practice/kalama-sutta.html

The people of Kalama asked the Buddha who to believe out of all the ascetics, sages, venerables, and holy ones who, like himself, passed through their town. They complained that they were confused by the many contradictions they discovered in what they heard. The Kalama Sutta is the Buddha's reply.

–	Do not believe anything on mere hearsay.
–	Do not believe in traditions merely because they are old and have been handed down for many generations and in many places.
–	Do not believe anything on account of rumors or because people talk a a great deal about it.
–	Do not believe anything because you are shown the written testimony of some ancient sage.
–	Do not believe in what you have fancied, thinking that, because it is extraordinary, it must have been inspired by a god or other wonderful being.
–	Do not believe anything merely because presumption is in its favor, or because the custom of many years inclines you to take it as true.
–	Do not believe anything merely on the authority of your teachers and priests.
–	But, whatever, after thorough investigation and reflection, you find to agree with reason and experience, as conducive to the good and benefit of one and all and of the world at large, accept only that as true, and shape your life in accordance with it.

The same text, said the Buddha, must be applied to his own teachings.

From Access to Insight

 https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html

As they sat there, the Kalamas of Kesaputta said to the Blessed One, "Lord, there are some brahmans & contemplatives who come to Kesaputta. They expound & glorify their own doctrines, but as for the doctrines of others, they deprecate them, revile them, show contempt for them, & disparage them. And then other brahmans & contemplatives come to Kesaputta. They expound & glorify their own doctrines, but as for the doctrines of others, they deprecate them, revile them, show contempt for them, & disparage them. They leave us absolutely uncertain & in doubt: Which of these venerable brahmans & contemplatives are speaking the truth, and which ones are lying?"

"Of course you are uncertain, Kalamas. Of course you are in doubt. When there are reasons for doubt, uncertainty is born. So in this case, Kalamas, don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, 'This contemplative is our teacher.' When you know for yourselves that, 'These qualities are unskillful; these qualities are blameworthy; these qualities are criticized by the wise; these qualities, when adopted & carried out, lead to harm & to suffering' — then you should abandon them.

"What do you think, Kalamas? When greed arises in a person, does it arise for welfare or for harm?"

"For harm, lord."

"And this greedy person, overcome by greed, his mind possessed by greed, kills living beings, takes what is not given, goes after another person's wife, tells lies, and induces others to do likewise, all of which is for long-term harm & suffering."

"Yes, lord."

"Now, what do you think, Kalamas? When aversion arises in a person, does it arise for welfare or for harm?"

"For harm, lord."

"And this aversive person, overcome by aversion, his mind possessed by aversion, kills living beings, takes what is not given, goes after another person's wife, tells lies, and induces others to do likewise, all of which is for long-term harm & suffering."

"Yes, lord."

"Now, what do you think, Kalamas? When delusion arises in a person, does it arise for welfare or for harm?"

"For harm, lord."

"And this deluded person, overcome by delusion, his mind possessed by delusion, kills living beings, takes what is not given, goes after another person's wife, tells lies, and induces others to do likewise, all of which is for long-term harm & suffering."

"Yes, lord."

"So what do you think, Kalamas: Are these qualities skillful or unskillful?"

"Unskillful, lord."

"Blameworthy or blameless?"

"Blameworthy, lord."

"Criticized by the wise or praised by the wise?"

"Criticized by the wise, lord."

"When adopted & carried out, do they lead to harm & to suffering, or not?"

"When adopted & carried out, they lead to harm & to suffering. That is how it appears to us."

"So, as I said, Kalamas: 'Don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, "This contemplative is our teacher." When you know for yourselves that, "These qualities are unskillful; these qualities are blameworthy; these qualities are criticized by the wise; these qualities, when adopted & carried out, lead to harm & to suffering" — then you should abandon them.' Thus was it said. And in reference to this was it said.

"Now, Kalamas, don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, 'This contemplative is our teacher.' When you know for yourselves that, 'These qualities are skillful; these qualities are blameless; these qualities are praised by the wise; these qualities, when adopted & carried out, lead to welfare & to happiness' — then you should enter & remain in them.

Prajna Paramita Hrdaya Sutram 般若波罗密多心经

I like listening to listen Imee Ooi's rendition of the Heart Sutra as it has this calming effect. This is the Sanskrit version.

Prajna Paramita Hrdaya Sutram 般若波罗密多心经

《般若波羅蜜多心經》(I took the following from a comment posted in youtube) 觀自在菩薩，行深般若波羅蜜多時，照見五蘊皆空，度一切苦厄。舍利子，色不異空，空不異色；色即是空，空即是色。受、想、行、識，亦復如是。舍利子，是諸法空相，不生不滅，不垢不淨，不增不減，是故空中無色，無受、想、行、識；無眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意；無色、聲、香、味、觸、法；無眼界，乃至無意識界；無無明，亦無無明盡；乃至無老死，亦無老死盡。無苦、集、滅、道，無智亦無得。以無所得故，菩提薩埵，依般若波羅蜜多故，心無罣礙，無罣礙故，無有恐怖，遠離顛倒夢想，究竟涅槃。三世諸佛，依般若波羅蜜多故，得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。故知般若波羅蜜多，是大神咒，是大明咒，是無上咒，是無等等咒，能除一切苦，真實不虛。故說般若波羅蜜多咒，即說咒曰：「揭諦、揭諦，波羅揭諦，波羅僧揭諦，菩提薩婆訶。」 禮敬（namaḥ）所有智者（sarva-jñāya） 聖（ārya）觀 自在（avalokite-śvaro）菩薩（bodhisattvo） 深入（gaṃbhīrāyāṃ）般若波羅蜜多（prajñā-pāramitāyāṃ） 行（caryāṃ）的時候（caramāṇo） 照見（vyavalokayati sma）五蘊（paṃca-skandhāḥ ） 那些和（tāṃś ca）自性（svabhāva） 空（śūnyān）現（paśyati sma） 啊！（iha）舍利子（śāriputra） 色（rūpaṃ）空（śūnyatā）空性是（śūnyataiva）色（rūpaṃ） 色（rūpān）不（na）異（pṛthak）空（śūnyatā） 空亦（śunyatāyā）不（na）異（pṛthag）色（rūpaṃ） 是（yad）色（rūpaṃ）就是（sā）空（śūnyatā） 是（ya）空（śūnyatā）就是（tad）色（rūpaṃ） 如是（evam）如是（eva） 受（vedanā）想（saṃjñā）行（saṃskāra）識（vijñānāni） 啊！（iha）舍利子（śāriputra） 一切諸法（sarva-dharmāḥ）空相（śūnyatā-lakṣaṇā） 不生（anut-pannā）不滅（ani-ruddhā） 不淨（a-malā）不垢（na-vimalā） 不增（a-nonā）不減（na-paripūrṇāḥ） 是故（tasmāc）舍利子（chāriputra） 空狀態中（śūnya-tayāṃ）無（na）色（rūpaṃ） 無（na）受（vedanā）無（na）想（saṃjñā） 無（na）行（saṃskārāḥ）無（na）識（vijñānam） 無（na）眼（cakṣuḥ）耳（śrotra）鼻（ghrāna）舌（jihvā） 身（kāya）意（manāṃsi） 無（na）色（rūpa）聲（śabda）香（gandha）味（rasa） 觸（spraṣṭavaya）法（dharmāh） 無（na）眼（cakṣūr）界（dhātur） 乃至（yāvan）無（na）意識（mano-vijñāna）界（dhātuḥ） 無（na）明（vidyā）無（na）明盡（vidyāk-ṣayo） 乃至（yāvan）無（na）老死（jarā-maraṇaṃ） 無（na）老死盡（jarā-maraṇak-ṣayo） 無（na）苦（duhkha）集（samudaya） 滅（nirodha）道（mārgā） 無（na）智（jñānaṃ）無（na）得（prāptiḥ） 因（tasmād）無得故（a-prāptit-vād） 菩提 薩埵（bodhisattvāṇāṃ） 般若波羅蜜多（prajñā-pāramitām）依（āśritya） 住心於（viharaty）無（a）念（cittā）無罣礙（va-raṇaḥ） 心（cittā）無罣礙（va-raṇaḥ） 離有相（nāstitvād ）離 恐怖（atrastro） 顛 倒 遠 行（viparyāsātikrānto） 究竟（niṣṭhā）涅槃（nirvāṇaḥ） 三 世 所 經 （tryadhva-vyavasthitāḥ） 一切（sarva）佛（buddhāḥ） 般若波羅蜜多（prajñā-pāramitām） 依無上（āśrityā-nuttarāṃ）正等正覺（samyaksambodhim） 究竟正佛果（abhisaṃbuddhāḥ） 是故（tasmāj）應知（jñātavyaṃ） 般若波羅蜜多（prajñā-pāramitā） 大（mahā）咒（mantro） 大（mahā）明（vidyā）咒（mantro） 無上（'nuttara）咒（mantro）無等等（'samasama）咒（mantraḥ） 一切（sarva）苦（duḥkha）外息除滅（praśamanaḥ） 真實 (satyam) 不虛由於（amithyatāt） 般若波羅蜜多（prajña-pāramitāyām） 說（ukto）咒（mantraḥ） 即 說 咒 曰（tadyathā） 前往 （gate）前往（gate）彼岸前往（pāragate） 彼岸全前往（pārasaṃgate）覺悟（bodhi）圓滿（svāhā） 前說（iti）般若波羅蜜多心經（prajñā-pāramitā-hṛdayam） 圓滿（samāptam）