Hungry Ghost Month

last SG · 2011-08-04T01:05:41+00:00

since someone claimed that you are telling a tale, I take it that hell is just a tell-tale manifestation of your imagination.Look at his post again... It alr...

Leogirldreamer SG

lanthyan in that case don’t disturb me by throwing a question into my mailbox. At least i took the trouble to find the weblink and post here for all to read. What did you do ? Did you thank me for taking the trouble to answer your question? Why are you so arrogant and negative ?

Weychin SG

One thing about being born into a traditional polytheistic chinese family is that you never really questioned your beliefs and of the supernatural your family unless being questioned. Mine first association is the seventh month, where you are not to go out at night, or go swimming, sing or whistle, kick offerings or stand at the crossroads. Most are mainly admonishments not to do, not to do that! If you are to believe by your family, you just accept it, and even it doubt creep up later, it does’nt have much direct effect on our daily lives, but be mindful just to place safe, just in case….. Traditional chinese religion mirror the ancient government, you have the Jade Emperor, Tien Gong or Shangti, with his retinue presiding over all. What you have in the human realm also exist in heaven and hell. There is three realms, Heaven, Earth(Hell), Human realm. The Gods with the Jade Emperor preside over the heavens,which are different levels, with the Son of Heaven, the chinese emperor presiding over the middledom, and Yen Luo Wang, or Yama presiding over hell. In chinese beliefs, the departed will stay in in underworld for certain period, all will have judgement pass upon them,the virtuous will ascend to heaven, only those who are guilty are sent to hell to suffer punishment. After whichthey are made to drink a memory erasing elixir to forget before crossing the bridge of life and death(nine her chiao) to be reborn back as humans or animals.f

Weychin SG

One thing about taking refuge as a Buddhist is that you no longer seek Gods of other religion as refuge. But again, notable persons are deified owing to the virtuous acts. Some of these are also accepted as Worldly Dharma Protector owing to the great respect the chinese has for them. The average polytheistic has no discrimination against Gods of other religions, you will see chinese offering incense ai Indian temples. The only objection they have are those religions that an antagonistic views over chinese polytheistic beliefs. Traditionally, chinese visit and pray at Buddhist, Taoist, Shenistic temples. Buddhist and Taoist are consider “kong” or empty paths, where one renounces the worldly life.

Kosen pang SG

For what is already there for centuries . there is no need to question anything . real or not real is no longer the point . there is no harm in conducting traditional customs . there are certain things in this world we cannot comprehend or totally understand .

Weychin SG

To : Weychin

I think you got the meaning of 7th month mostly right.

But I think the translation Hungry Ghost is wrong. Hungry Ghost is too Western.

Any translation of Zhong Yuan Jie into English ?

Yes! You are correct, Hungry Ghost Festival is a termed recently! I remember there was an incident where is was termedy the"Hungary Ghost Festival"! Ha!Ha!

Weychin SG

Sometimes deep seated beliefs may be untrue due to ignorance, either the way it is presented or the way we see it. There is a need for quietude and also a confidence in one identity in association to these beliefs. One need to feel unthreatened when calling to question these beliefs. There is a need for respect when we review these beliefs.

Kosen pang SG

Traditional customs add richness in our culture . some look at the festival as supernatural . others look at it just as another cultural festival . say like during deepavali when our Indian friends are piercing their own body with needles and other tools . it adds richness to their Indian culture . to many it is fun to watch (fun without disrespect) . I think True or not true is not so important . if you look at the festival as something educational then the main purpose could be not about ghosts at all . the festival could be to teach us about respecting people and even the deceased . I think it depends on how we look at things and how we want to perceive them too .

Weychin SG

I being able to celebrate different festivals.But being a Buddhist, it is important to develop the right view, although I don’t aim to impose. I try my best to see the meaning behind each practice and significance beneath the symbolism.

I No Stupid SG

A grand dinner was organised by the owners of Zhilie Trading. The 6-course dinner was set for 88 tables complete with entertainment. But the seats were empty. After the dinner ended at 9pm, the food was all thrown away. The manager of Zhilie said they received instructions from the deities to set up 88 tables. They were taken ‘aback’.

Apart from the sumptuous meal, a Buddhist monk was hired to perform religious rites, a traditional puppet troupe, and a paper house with 150 cartons of offerings. The ghost banquet and all cost $25,000 and were done to help the hungry ghosts.

What was the Buddhist monk doing there? And deities giving instructions? Which deities?

Kosen pang SG

What was the Buddhist monk doing there? And deities giving instructions? Which deities?

What was the Buddhist monk doing there ?

a Buddhist monk was hired to perform religious rites

And deities giving instructions ? Which deities ?

the deities who asked them to set up 88 tables

Rock^Star SG

What about ang mos and muslims? Do they go to the same hell and heaven as the chinese? Do hungry ghosts appear in europe or south america?

sinweiy SG

A tale of Heaven and hell:

A curious man once asked to visit heaven and hell. Expecting hell to be a terrible, frightening place, he was amazed to find people seated around a lovely banquet table. The table was piled high with every delicious thing one could possibly want. The man thought, “Perhaps hell is not so bad after all.”

Looking closely, however, he noticed that everyone at the table was miserable.
They were starving, because, although there was a mountain of food before them, they had been given three-foot-long chopsticks. There was no way to carry the food to their mouths with such long chopsticks, and so no one could eat a bite.

The man was then taken to heaven. To his surprise, he found the exact same situation as he had seen in hell. People were gathered around a banquet table piled with food. All the diners held a pair of three-foot-long chopsticks in their hands. But here in heaven, everyone was happily eating the delicious food, for the residents of heaven were using their extra-long chopsticks to feed one another.

Dawnfirstlight SG

What about ang mos and muslims? Do they go to the same hell and heaven as the chinese? Do hungry ghosts appear in europe or south america?

Of course there are hungry ghosts in Europe and U.S. I did not encounter them but someone in my tour group stayed in the haunted hotel room in U.S. There are many ghosts stories in the westen countries.

Buddha said there are 33 levels of heavens (if I remember the number correctly). There are many heavenly gods staying in heavens. Which heaven a person goes to depends on which god do you believe and of course faith alone does not guarantee you a place in heaven. Heaven is just a temporary place. If you read the sutra, you will realise there are many hells. Which hell a person goes to depends on your deeds.

Rock^Star SG

So how do we make sure that the money we burn, it goes to the chinese and not the ang mos muslims nor non-whites?

realization SG

So how do we make sure that the money we burn, it goes to the chinese and not the ang mos muslims nor non-whites?

The paper money you burn simply becomes ash. Will not give them extra currency to spend.

If you wish to in some way benefit departed relatives (whichever realm they may have gone to), performing meritorious deeds and radiating loving-kindness to them will be more advisable.

Read this chapter to find out more...

http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/307.htm

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I personally know of a diplomat who was at one point posted to Bangkok as ambassador. Many of his predecessors before him also occupied the same bungalow house reserved for ambassadors from his country.

They all saw a Thai woman in traditional Thai costume in a particular level of that house, at various points in time. I'm sure you would already have guessed that this Thai woman was not human, but from another realm.

This diplomat, whom I had the chance to get to know over dinner a few years ago, told us that he too often caught glimpses of this Thai woman. He described the appearance of this other-worldly figure to his predecessors and all confirmed that what he'd glimpsed was also what they had seen.

Therefore, he decided to radiate loving-kindness (metta) to this woman and soon he stopped seeing this woman floating around. Nevertheless, he said that he continued to sense her presence, but that he knew she was not malevolent.

Believe it or not is up to you... but that was the first time I came to know about the concept of radiating loving-kindness (metta) and how powerful goodwill can be.

Domo Kun SG

Don’t burn incense, air pollution.

I was shocked to see ash particles flying up until the level I lived in.

The smell is very jialat.

I think at the end of ghost month the last day alot of burning too.

The first day, fifteen day and last day many ppl burn.

Rock^Star SG

The paper money you burn simply becomes ash. Will not give them extra currency to spend.

If you wish to in some way benefit departed relatives (whichever realm they may have gone to), performing meritorious deeds and radiating loving-kindness to them will be more advisable.

Read this chapter to find out more...

http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/307.htm

-----------------------------

Believe it or not is up to you... but that was the first time I came to know about the concept of radiating loving-kindness (metta) and how powerful goodwill can be.

Thanks for sharing :) Since the paper burned becomes ash and not extra currency, so why do people still burn these things?

If one burns a nice "bungalow" for the dead, would it realise manifest itself in the other realm?

And I'm catholic :) Just some curious thoughts.

realization SG

Thanks for sharing :) Since the paper burned becomes ash and not extra currency, so why do people still burn these things?

If one burns a nice "bungalow" for the dead, would it realise manifest itself in the other realm?

And I'm catholic :) Just some curious thoughts.

Burning paper houses, paper money, even paper maids etc. is more a Taoist practice. I suppose they hope to give their departed relatives a better life in the netherworld?

Buddhists don't believe that burning of these things will cause them to manifest in another realm. However, dedication of merit and sending loving thoughts to friends and relatives in other realms will benefit them.

My Dharma teacher was talking in class last week about how thoughts and mental energy can bring about healing if one is sincere enough. He said this can come about because of the non-locality of mind (he was speaking in Chinese, so I'm just roughly translating). He gave the example that, if your child is sick in the USA and you are in Singapore, you can actually send loving thoughts to help speed up his healing.

Of course, healing and telepathy is not the main aim of Buddhism... but he happened to mention the possibility of such things.

My family member is Catholic too :)

An Eternal Now SG

Burning paper stuff are not going to help the deceased. Only the dedication of merits help. See the article on the first page.

Rock^Star SG

Burning paper houses, paper money, even paper maids etc. is more a Taoist practice. I suppose they hope to give their departed relatives a better life in the netherworld?

Of course, healing and telepathy is not the main aim of Buddhism... but he happened to mention the possibility of such things.

My family member is Catholic too :)

I see....so the difference lies there. What about taoists......Can any taoist clarify my questions?

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