The
Nomo
homage to the Ullambana Assembly of
Thus I have heard, at
one time, the Buddha dwelt at Shravarsti in the
Garden of the Benefactor of Orphans and the Solitary. Mahamaudgalyayana
had just obtained the six penetrations and wished to cross over his father and
mother to repay their kindness for raising him.
Thus, using his way eye, he regarded the world and saw that his deceased mother
had been born among the hungry ghosts, having neither food nor drink, she was but skin and bones. Mahaudgalayana
felt deep pity and sadness, filled a bowl with food and went to provide for his
mother. She got the bowl, screened it with her left hand, and with her right
hand made a fist of food. But, before it entered her mouth, it turned into
burning coals which could not be eaten. Mahamaudgalyayana
called out and wept sorrowfully, and hastened to return to the Buddha to set
forth all of this.
The
I shall now speak a dharma of rescue, which causes all those in difficulty to
leave worry and suffering, and to eradicate obstacles from offenses. The
Buddha told Maudgalyayana: "The fifteenth day of
the seventh month is the Pravarana day for the
assembled Sangha of the ten directions. For the sake
of fathers and mothers of seven generations past, as well as for fathers and
mothers of the present who are in distress, you should prepare an offering of
clean basins full of hundreds of flavors and the five fruits, and other
offerings of incense, oil, lamps, candles, beds, and bedding, all the best of
the world, to the greatly virtuous assembled Sangha
of the ten directions. On that day, all the holy assembly, whether in the
mountains practicing dhyana samadhi,
or obtaining the four fruits of the way, or walking beneath trees, or using the
independence of the six penetrations, to teach and transform sound hearers and
those enlightened to conditions. Or provisionally manifesting as bhikshus when in fact they are great Bodhisattvas on the
tenth ground--all complete in pure precepts and oceanlike
virtue of the holy way--should gather in a great assembly and all of like mind
receive the pravarana food.
If one thus makes offerings to these Provarana Sangha, one's present father and mother, parents of seven
generations, as well as the six kinds of close relatives, will escape from the
three paths of sufferings. And at that time attain release. Their clothing and
food will spontaneously appear. If the parents are still alive, they will have
wealth and blessings for a hundred years. Parents of seven generations will be
born in the heavens. Transformationally born, they
will independently enter the celestial flower light, and experience limitless
bliss. At that time the Buddha commanded the assembled Sangha
of the ten directions to recite mantras and vows for the sake of the donor's
family, for parents of seven generations.
After practicing dhyana concentration, they then may
accept the food. When first receiving the basin, place it before the Buddha in
the stupa. When the assembled sangha
has finished the mantras and vows, then they may accept it.
At that time the bhikshu Maudgalyayana
and the assembly of great Bodhisattvas were all extremely delighted and the
sorrowful sound of Maudgalyayana's crying ceased.
At that time Maudgalyayana's mother obtained
liberation from one kalpa of suffering as a hungry
ghost. Maudgalyayana addressed the
If in the future the Buddha's disciples practice filiality
by offering up the Ullambana basins, will they be
able to cross over their present fathers and mothers as well as those of seven
generations past?" The Buddha replied "good indeed, I am happy you
asked that question. I just wanted to speak about that and now you have also
asked about it.
Good man, if bhikshus, bhikshunis,
kings, crown princes, great ministers, great
officials, cabinet members, the hundreds of officers, and the tens of thousands
of citizens wish to practice compassionate filial conduct, for the sake of the
parents who bore them, as well as for the sake of fathers and mothers of seven
lives past, on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, the day of the buddhas' delight, the day of the Sangha's
Pravarana, they all should place hundreds of flavors
of foods in the Ullambana basins, and offer them to
the Pravarana Sangha of the
ten directions.
They should vow to
cause the length of life of the present father and mother to reach a hundred
years without illness, without sufferings, afflictions, or worries, and also
vow to cause seven generations of fathers and mothers to leave the sufferings
of the hungry ghosts, to be born among men and gods, and to have blessings and
bliss without limit.
The Buddha told all the good men and good women, "those disciples of the
Buddha who cultivate filial conduct should in thought after thought, constantly
recall their present fathers and mothers when making offerings, as well as the
fathers and mothers of seven lives past. Every year, on the fifteenth day of
the seventh month, they should always, out of filial compassion, recall their
parents who bore them and those of seven lives past, and for their sakes
perform the offering of the Ullambana basin to the
Buddha and the Sangha and thus repay the loving
kindness of the parents who raised and nourished them. All Buddhas'
disciples should respectfully receive this dharma."
At that time the bhikshu Maudgalyayana
and the four-fold assembly of disciples, hearing what the Buddha said,
practiced it with delight.
Na
mwo mi li dwo dwo pe
ye swo he.