Significance of Ulambana Festival

Ullambana is a Sanskrit word which means "Rescuing those who are hanging upside-down." This refers to the extreme suffering of the ghosts in the hells who are as tormented as one hanging upside-down would be. So the Ullambana is performed especially for releasing those undergoing the painful suffering of being hungry ghosts and enabling them to be reborn in the heavens.

The fifteenth day of the seventh month is the Day of the Buddha's Rejoicing, and the Sangha's pravarana. So on that day, the merit and virtue derived from making offerings to the Triple Jewel is several million times greater than that derived from offerings made on ordinary days. Why does one do good deeds and make offerings on such a day? In order to rescue one's father and mother from the hells and secure for them rebirth in the heavens.

When Mahamaudgalyayana (one of Buddha's disciples) first obtained the six spiritual penetrations, he went exploring to find out where his mother was and discovered that she had fallen into the hells. Why had his mother fallen into the hells? It was because when she was alive she liked to eat seafood, and most especially enjoyed fish-eggs. How many lives do you suppose there are in a mess of fish-eggs? A vast number. Because she ate quantities of fish-eggs, thereby taking a vast number of lives, and because she did not believe in the Triple Jewel - because she did not believe in the Buddha, did not believe in the Dharma, and did not respect the Sangha, she fell into the hells when she died. Even Mahamaudgalyayana with his six spiritual penetrations could not save her.

It upset Mahamaudgalyayana to see his mother in the hells enduring so much suffering. His samadhi-power was shaken. So he used his spiritual penetrations to go to the hells, and to take with him a bowl of rice, which he gave to his mother. When his mother was alive, she had been very stingy. If she was asked to give a little money, her heart and liver began to ache and her very flesh hurt. It is said that parting with money is like cutting off a piece of one's own flesh. That's the way it was with her. She couldn't bear to give it up. As a result of her stingy habits, when her son brought her the bowl of food, what do you suppose she did? She grabbed it with her left hand and covered it with her right arm. Why did she cover it? She was afraid someone would steal her food. The place was full of ghosts but she found a spot where there were none, and she stealthily took a bite of the food. Who would have guessed that as soon as she put the food in her mouth, it would turn to burning coals so that she couldn't eat it? Why was this? Hungry ghosts have stomachs as big as base drums and throat as narrow as needles. So they can't eat. Even when she tried, her karmic obstacles caused the food to turn to fire. Confronted with this situation, Mahamaudgalyayana, despite his spiritual penetrations, was powerless. He had no mantra to recite. So, he returned to his master. He used his spiritual penetrations to bring himself before the Buddha to kneel and say, "My mother has fallen into the hells. I have come seeking the Buddha's compassion to help rescue her."

The Buddha answered, "Your mother has fallen into the hells because she slandered the Triple Jewel, was not respectful toward the Triple Jewel, and did not believe in the Triple Jewel. Her rescue is not something which you alone can bring about, Mahamaudgalyayana. You must apply the united strength of the Sangha of the ten directions in order to save your mother. On the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month you should make offering of the finest vegetarian foods and drinks which have not been tasted by anyone before being offered to the Buddha and the Sangha. By making this offering, the Way-karma of the virtuous high Sangha-members of the ten directions will then be able to save your mother. Otherwise there is no way you can save her."

On the appointed day Mahamaudgalyayana did as the Buddha had instructed; he asked the great virtuous high Sangha-members of the ten directions to come to rescue his mother. He prepared a vast array of superb delicacies, unsurpassed wonderful flavours, and make offerings to the Buddha. His mother was reborn into the heavens as a result of the strength of the greatly virtuous ones of the ten directions. Since that time, the Ullambana Festival has become an annual celebration, a day upon which anyone can rescue his parents from seven lives past.

(Extracted from the Shurangama Sutra with Commentary)