Where does the spirit of repaying gratitude on Vu Lan Day come from? How should Buddhist monks and nuns hold Yulanpen Festival in accordance with the Buddha's teaching?VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=THICH CHAN TANH.

The Yulanpen Festival , a traditional Buddhist holiday, has been deeply harmonious with the Vietnamese nation's activities for ages. This ceremony has become a familiar way of thinking among our folk through the saying: "In July, the day is full of the sins of death".

Together we find out where the spirit of cherishing gratitude and repaying the gratitude expressed on Yulanpen Festival comes from. And monks and nuns, how should we celebrate Yulanpen Festival in accordance with the Buddha's teaching.

Yulanpen says enough is Yulanpen, which means to save the hypotenuse. Yulanpen from the Yulanpen Sutra (Ullumpana Sutra) translated by Dunhuang Bo-slapped Truc Phap Ho (Dharmaraksa) in 265, the Vo De dynasty, the Tay Tan dynasty, China.

In order   to properly celebrate prayer and offerings on Yulanpen Festival, we need to review the Yulanpen Sutra. The content of the Yulanpen Sutra tells the story of Muc Kien Lien obtained Luc Thong, using the wisdom eye to observe his mother falling into the hungry ghost species. He brought rice for his mother, but she couldn't eat it, because she opened her mouth, fire spilled from her mouth. Muc Lien Lien prayed to the Buddha for help.

The Buddha taught Muc Lien Lien that he could not save his mother alone, even with first-class divine powers. It took the ten directions of the Sangha to pray, because their virtue was like a sea, a pure trend on the fourth day, to be saved: "... To save lives, it must be thanks to the power of the ten directions. Nearly, transmitting the necessary magic magic exam. The full moon in July is Tu Tu day, ten Phuong Tang attended this ceremony. Must purchase and repair, food with hundred dishes, fruits of five colors ... "

After that, the Buddha explained the reason for making offerings on the Fourteenth Day: “… Because that day the Holy Sangha was enough, everywhere gathered. Like Son Khe Meditation, avoid afflictions, care about Zen na. Or people to four paths of results, the practice of vow to satisfy No birth. Or business life, not greedy, anonymity Lam Tong. Or people who have to go to the Luc news agency to distribute, and the goods of Duyen-Sensory, Thanh-Van. Or the Bodhisattvas of the ten directions, appearing near sentient beings ... ".

Through the above passage, the Buddha introduces us to the Holy Sangha, the Arahants, the Bich-chi-Buddha, and the Bodhisattva. They are meditating in the mountains, or are meditating on the Buddha's teachings, or teaching sentient beings. They are not present in the Sangha, who are settling down in the fantasies with the Buddha. Therefore, the Buddha told Muc Lien Lien to wait until the Four-Self Day to have enough of these venerations. When the masses are full of morality and pure virtue, prayers will have results.

The above-mentioned Saints represent Buddhist disciples of a kind in life. However, whether it is Thanh-Van, Duyen-sensory or Bodhisattva, these three yanas have a common characteristic of virtue: “Maintaining the precepts is very pure, thick morality and righteousness concentration. All saints, unanimously receive a bowl of green rice ”.

Thus, the model given by the Buddha who is able to do the prayer must be the pedagogical, pure, liberating ones. Because people are defiled and sinful, virtuous precepts are incomplete, unable to convince people in the world, let alone that they are qualified to act on behalf of believers, to make offerings, to relate to living Buddhas. spiritual circles.

While settling down, the monks urged themselves on the body and mind, cultivated morality, and endeavored to study. Thanks to the refinement, the elimination of greed, afflictions, pure emotions, and living according to the precepts, they are liberated, peaceful, and wise. During the three months of retreat, daily immersed in teachings, reflecting on the Buddha's teachings, the morality and wisdom of the masses, sublimated, accumulating to a high degree on the Tu Tu. At that time, the saints of the Sangha and divine beings joined together very peacefully, focusing their attention towards the deceased who is suffering, forming an active force to lead them back to a peaceful state.

In addition, in order for the  Yulanpen offering to be  successful, not only the pure and solemn monks, but also the devotees, must also sincerely pray: seems to the Buddhas, monks ”.

With all his sincerity, Buddhists offer offerings and pray. However, it should be noted, for monks who still have the normal five aggregates, it is inevitable to receive offerings. But for the Buddhas, or Sages of the Sangha, who do not need material nourishment, they are living in meditation, dwelling in the spiritual world. At that time, the Buddhists' pure sincerity offering up offerings became important.

Ancient people have said that the Buddha used his heart, did not use the real food, or the Buddha used his kindness, to use the money to practice evil karma. That means the Buddha didn't need food, didn't use money. He only uses our honest, kind mind. If people do sinful deeds and use sinful coins to give them to Buddha is no different from defaming Buddha.

Not only must the mind of the donor be pure, but the offering must also be pure, no need to be expensive or cumbersome. Money comes from unrighteous deeds, robbery, deception ... just unclean things, never the Sages and Buddhas pay attention, let alone receive them.

Wanting to pray, make offerings, the donor himself needs to have an honest and moral life in accordance with the Buddha's teachings for lay Buddhists. If you do not meet the three above conditions, praying and making offerings on Yu Lan's day will not only be in vain, but also create more sin.

In short, to fully realize the Yulanpen spirit, it is necessary to combine the pure virtue and liberation of the monks with the devotion of the devotion, together with the pure offering, at the time of meeting. the pure time of the Fourth Tu.

By doing so, it will bring about very beneficial results as Buddha taught that: “Those who purchase real things to make offerings to the Four Sangha, currently their relatives, all of their relatives are thanks. Tam map hard to make sure out, peaceful scene enjoy natural life. Like the current parents, thanks to that, also the longevity year. Like parents in the past seven generations, will fall into the Heavenly Palace realm, people of the past, visualize, the light shines throughout the same continent ”.

We hope that during the Yulanpen season of filial piety, monks and nuns, Buddhists should set up the Yulanpen ceremony exactly as taught by the Buddha, so as not to foster the teachings of Lord Tu Ton.END=NAM MO SHAKYAMUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).GOLDEN AMITABHA MONASTERY=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=THICH CHAN TANH.AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.27/8/2020.