FGS South Island’s Ullambana Festival Closing Ceremony
After the first “Ullambana Filial Piety Festival” dharma function on the 11th of August, a second one was held on the 17th of August. Venerable Abbess Manshin and all the other Venerables led 70 followers to recite the “Sutra on the Past Vows of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva”. For three hours, the devotees solemnly chanted and worshiped under a blissful scene.
Venerable Abbess in her speech later reflected that the seventh month in the lunar calendar is when monks would go to seek alms. It is also the filial piety month in Buddhism, and devotees will pray for their relatives and ancestors, transferring the merits to them in the hope that they will reborn in the holy world. When we chant, we are reciting holy words which have the ability to open up our wisdom. In our daily lives, it is hard not to be troubled or suffer from various things that happen. So by chanting, especially in this filial piety month, we can develop our potential wisdom, and calm down any disturbance in our hearts.
Abbess adds that “Although Maudgalyayana wanted to use his supernatural powers to save his mother, his powers could not overcome karma. As a result, the Buddha allowed Maudgalyayana to serve many monks, so that they have no worries. With the merits obtained, they were transferred to his mother, and so she was able to escape the hungry ghost realm.” Every year this month, every FGS branch around the world will also host a Sangha Day festival. We hope that devotees will cherish this opportunity and participate in the Sangha Day event.