The Myth of 7th Month Hungry Ghosts

Rooney9 SG

If you are jailed for murder or fraud, will you get a month off to go home or go have fun before coming back to the cell?

Let say you are reborn to hell as a result of the evil and wicked things you done, do you think you will be released for 1 month ie 7th month before coming back to hell? No, you will be remain in hell until you have reaped the fruits of your actions and then seek rebirth in another realm.

What are the odds of the beings in hell, let say they are released on the 7th month every year, do you think they will willingly go back to hell when the time is up? Those who did wicked deeds when they were alive, do u think they will behave themselves while on earth for the entire duration of 1 month?

Think about it. The 7th month ghost festival is folk beliefs and religion really. They are not the beliefs of Buddhism and Taoism.

2009novice SG

Think about it. The 7th month ghost festival is folk beliefs and religion really. They are not the beliefs of Buddhism and Taoism.

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Not sure have u heard about Mu Lian saving his mother?

Rooney9 SG

Think about it. The 7th month ghost festival is folk beliefs and religion really. They are not the beliefs of Buddhism and Taoism.

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Not sure have u heard about Mu Lian saving his mother?

thats the Buddha's chief disciple, Maudgalyayana. that is not hungry ghost festival, but Ulambana in Buddhism. This is an occasion when people transfer merits to their departed relatives by offering to the triple gem.

Weychin SG

The chinese seventh month, from what I read somewhere, has buddhist origins put in context of chinese beliefs of afterlife.

The afterlife mirrors our normal life, which why paper money , houses, cars and amenties are burned as offerings. "Adminstrative fees" are also to hell officials to ensure smooth transition. Not all ghost need to be punished, some reside as like our world prior to rebirth.

During the seventh month, the ghost are allowed to visit our world, offerings are made to the homeless and unworshipped spirits, the "good brothers", to placate them and maintain harmony. To maintain order, the ghost king, a manifestation of Kuan Yin and his retinue, will preside over the hungry ghost presence in our realm.

At the end of the festival, the effigy of ghost king is burned, signifying his return to the spirit realm.

Weychin SG

If you are jailed for murder or fraud, will you get a month off to go home or go have fun before coming back to the cell?

Think about it. The 7th month ghost festival is folk beliefs and religion really. They are not the beliefs of Buddhism and Taoism.

Generally, chinese belief in the supernatural is collectively lumped as Taoism. Chinese beliefs is predominately polytheistic, mixture of confucianism, taoism and buddhism and local folk belief which varies in different regions.

There are three realms, heaven, underworld and human realm, with different levels. I am not sure which realm does the denizens of the sea belongs to!

I prefer the term Shenism, but it is not commonly used.

Arapahoe SG

I think the biggerest lesson that is missing in this Hungry Ghost Month is not "Feeding the Hungry Ghost " But rather thinking about why they become Hungry Ghost.

What human action resulted their after life to become "Hungry Ghost" -- Human Greed. And for those people who pray and ask for 4D number during this month continue to perpetual the "Human Greed"

So instead of praying for the dead. Remember what human action that lead to Hungry Ghost that is most important.

Phantomnite SG

I find this Hungry Ghost Month thing a little flawed. Its being portrayed till human have to fear and show respects. The paper money and all is just a psychological thing. My friend who was brought up in a Buddhist family once told me, burning of joss sticks and burning paper money is just a psychological effect to believe that something has been "given" to the dead.

All that is needed is respect, and praying of fruits for them by displaying them at the altar. But till now, temples have not abolish the joss stick thingy is cos of public perception. The general public still can't accept these things. Plus our believes has integrated so much with the taoist ones already.

Confusing ._.

An Eternal Now SG

http://www.jenchen.org.sg/vol5no1a.htm

Volume 5 no 1
Feature
Ullambana Dharma - not Festival of Hungry Ghosts
By Venerable Shen-Kai
According to a popular Chinese superstition, ghosts are released from hell in the 7th month of the Chinese calendar for a one-month break in the human world. In order to appease them, animals are slaughtered and offered to these 'hungry ghosts', together with other food. Big feasts and other festivities are held during this month and the most 'auspicious day' is the 15th day of the month. It is so widespread that this yearly affair is dubbed the Month or Festival of the Hungry Ghosts. What is this all about?

Among the chief disciples of the Buddha was one named Maudgalyayana. He had immense supernatural powers: Deva-foot ubiquity which made it possible for him to appear at any place at will, the divine sight of Deva-eye to have unlimited vision of all things, large and normal, near and distant; Deva-ear to hear all sounds regardless of the distance. Furthermore, he had the ability to read and understand whatever was in a person's mind. He also had the ability to see clearly the events that occurred in a person's many past lives aeons ago. Thus, Maudgalyayana is considered to be a Maha-Bodhisattva who is foremost in supernatural powers.

One day, his Deva-eye saw that his deceased mother had transmigrated to the realm of the hungry ghost. Her stomach was enlarged and she had tiny limbs. Her throat was as normal as the eye of a needle, and as a result, it was impossible for her to eat any food or even to swallow a drop of water. Maudgalyayana could not bear the sight of his mother in such an extreme state of suffering. He immediately filled his alms bowl with food and with the immense power that he possessed, he sent it to his mother. However, she could not have the food because each time it turned into charcoal before she could put it in her mouth. It hurt Maudgalyayana to see what was happening and because of his strong emotion for his mother, it hindered his ability to see the karma that she had committed in her past lives. He went to Buddha for advice. The Buddha closed his eyes and entered into pure contemplation. With great compassion and gentleness, he said: "Maudgalyayana, your mother did not believe in the retributions arising from the law of cause and effect. She committed many evil deeds. She dishonoured the Buddha and insulted the Sangha [1], had no respect for the Three Treasures (Buddha, Dharma and Sangha), was greedy, filled with hatred, ignorant and arrogant. She was a wicked person who committed many evils, and she teased others giving them no peace. Therefore, she is suffering such a bitter consequence. Even though you are her son and your filial piety touches the heavens, these are still not able to save a person who had committed such serious evil karma." On hearing this, Maudgalyayana wept in pain.

Notes 1. Sangha
The corporate assembly of at least 3 monks; in general the term has come to mean a monk, or monks. 2. Bodhi
From budh; knowledge, understanding; perfect wisdom; the illuminated or enlightened mind.

The Buddha continued to console him, "It is impossible to rely solely on your own effort to save your mother from the realm of the hungry ghost. The only way is to use the combined merits of the Sangha. The 15th day of the 7th month of each year is designated "Buddha's Joy Day". This is the last day of the Sangha's summer retreat, and because of the purity with which the Sangha observed the precepts and practised cultivation, many attain the Bodhi [2]. The merits that they accumulate are immense beyond imagination, and the Buddha is most delighted. If you make an offering to these Sangha during this time, you can liberate your deceased parents and relatives from the suffering of the three evil realms (realms of animal, hungry ghost and hell) through their immense merits. If the parents are still living, then they shall be blessed with good health, happiness and a life of abundance. This is the truly marvellous method of giving salvation to the deceased." Maudgalyayana was delighted to hear this, and carried out the Buddha's advice accordingly. Thus, on the 15th of the 7th month after the offering to the Sangha, Maudgalyayana's mother was liberated from the suffering of the realm of the hungry ghost.

To give offering to the Sangha in this way is called the 'Ullambana' method. After Maudgalyayana received the benefits from this Dharma, he was very grateful to the Buddha and praised the merits of the Three Treasures. He advised people to promote the 'Ullambana Dharma'. This day, the 15th of the 7th month, can also be considered an occasion to express our gratitude and filial piety to our parents and ancestors. Unfortunately, the passage of time saw a gradual erosion in its understanding and purpose, so much so that this special occasion is not performed in accordance to the Dharma. Today, this auspicious celebration has become a day of widespread slaughter of animals to be used as offering to the hungry ghosts. The original act of performing offerings to the Sangha has become a day for feasting and making offerings to the hungry ghosts, often referred to as 'to invite the good brothers to a feast'. These practices are not only against the compassion of the Buddha, but also a let down to Maudgalyayana who had advised the world to be filial and to perform good deeds.

When we refrain from killing and protect all lives, we actually accumulate the merit of longevity and good health. It is meaningless to kill other living beings and offer them to the ghost, because they cannot benefit from these at all. Instead, those who kill shall have to repay for their action by suffering endlessly in hell. Unless we put an end to all forms of killing, the world forever shall not have peace. If the tradition of offering to the ghosts and the deceased on this day cannot be changed, the least we could do is to replace the slaughter and offer of meat with vegetarian food, flowers or fruits. It does not matter if we are not able to make offerings to the Sangha on this day, but at least we could invite them to chant the sutra for the purpose of liberating the deceased. In this way, it benefits both the living and the deceased.

Dawnfirstlight SG

http://www.jenchen.org.sg/vol5no1a.htm

Must the offerings to the monks be on 15th of the 7th month or anyday in 7th month ? Thanks.

An Eternal Now SG

Must the offerings to the monks be on 15th of the 7th month or anyday in 7th month ? Thanks.

Actually you can dedicate merits at any time of the year, no need 7th month. The reason Ullambana Dharma is held at 7th month is because in the past, there was a period where monks go into retreat in the forest, and when they come out, many of them attain Arhantship. And we know that dedicating merits to Arhants results in very very immense merits (much much more than the merits from giving things to other non Arhant beings) and is thus able to liberate a deceased being from the lower realm by that amount of merits.