Once upon a time, there was a disciple of the Buddha named Maudgalyayana. He was cheerful, brave, and always stood up to injustice. He was also known as foremost in supernatural powers. Though the Buddha discouraged his disciples from revealing their divine powers, which could possibly frighten others, he always praised Maudgalyayana for using his supernatural powers appropriately. With his ability to hear any sound and see through any obstacle, Maudgalyayana could understand why beings were reborn in different realms.

One day, Maudgalyayana suddenly thought of his deceased mother. Using his powers, he found his mother residing in the realm of hungry ghosts. Her face was gaunt and gray, and she was as thin as a needle.

Maudgalyayana was very sad to discover his mother in such a state. Being the filial son that he was, he immediately filled his alms bowl with rice and gave it to his mother. However, when his mother tried to eat the rice, it turned to ash before she could put it in her mouth. It was simply impossible for her to eat anything. When Maudgalyayana saw this, he burst into tears and muttered, “Why?!”

He refocused his thoughts and tried to find out why his mother was in the realm of hungry ghosts. However, no matter how hard he tried, he could not see what was the cause of his mother’s karmic retribution.

With a heavy heart, Maudgalyayana went to see the Buddha. After paying his respects, he said, “Buddha, I used my powers to see my deceased mother. I am sad that she has fallen into the realm of hungry ghosts. I tried to give her rice, but it turned to ash before she could eat it. It was heartbreaking to see her in such a state. What did she do to suffer so much? Though I understand the karmic retribution of all beings, why am I unable to determine the cause of my own mother’s karma? Please, Buddha, help me make sense of all this.”

The Buddha replied kindly, “Maudgalyayana, your mother, in her previous lives, slandered the Buddha and Sangha. She did not believe in the law of cause and effect. She was greedy, bad-tempered, and had mistaken views. As a result, she did many bad deeds. This is the reason for her current suffering. You are unable to see the cause of her karma because your powers are obstructed by the mutual attachment and love for your mother.”

“But Buddha, is there anything I can do to help my mother be free from the realm of hungry ghosts?” Maudgalyayana pleaded.

“The root of your mother’s karma is too deep. I am afraid that you alone do not have enough power to save her. While your filial piety can shake heaven and earth, the gods can do nothing for those who slander the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha,” the Buddha replied.

Maudgalyayana remained silent with tears streaming down his cheeks.

“There is only one way to help your mother, and that is with the majestic powers of the Sangha,” the Buddha continued.

“Buddha, I am ready to do anything. Please let me know what I must do for the Sangha,” Maudgalyayana begged.

The Buddha replied, “You can make offerings to everyone in the Sangha on the day of Pravāraṇa. However, not only must you make offerings on behalf of your mother in this life, but you must also think about your parents from your previous lives, going back seven generations. All monastics in the Sangha have attained pure morality and virtues as vast as the ocean. The outcome of making offerings to them is inconceivable. Parents and relatives in this life would be liberated from the suffering of the Three Destinies. They would be fed, clothed, and eventually liberated. If one’s parents are still alive, they will be blessed and auspicious for years to come. This is the wondrous way to help them transcend and be liberated.”

After listening to the Buddha, Maudgalyayana joyfully followed the Buddha’s instructions. On the day of Pravāraṇa, he made offerings to the whole Sangha. Soon after this, his mother was freed from the realm of hungry ghosts.

Knowing that his mother was now free, Maudgalyayana was most grateful to the Buddha. He praised the virtues and merits of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. Since then, he encouraged everyone to participate in making offerings to the Sangha as a way to repay the kindness of our parents. This is the origin of the Ullambana Festival.

This story highlights the merits of making offerings to the Sangha community. During the Buddha’s time, the last day of summer retreat for all monastics was on the 15th day of Lunar July each year. On this day, there would be a confessional ceremony known as pravāraṇa. It was said that the best time to make offerings was after this retreat, when many of the Buddha’s disciples had attained enlightenment.

Fine food, delicacies, fresh fruits, and all the best provisions may be offered. All offerings are placed in containers before being distributed to all monastics of the Ten Directions. These monastics, all noble practitioners, include those who meditated in the mountains or near rivers, who attained the fruits of arhatship, who did walking meditation under the trees, those who mastered the six supernatural powers, those who taught, and even those who were bodhisattvas of the Ten Directions, as well as those who had taken on the form of monastics. With unity and unanimity of thought, they had all gathered to receive the pravāraṇa offering.

Making offerings to the Sangha community was originally Maudgalyayana’s intention to help his mother be released from the realm of hungry ghosts. However, many people today associate this with praying to the gods and worshiping ghosts. Unfortunately, many of us have forgotten the universal compassion of Buddha and Maudgalyayana in helping beings be liberated from their suffering. We must remember that Maudgalyayana was not only well known for his supernatural powers, but also for his filial piety.

Just as Venerable Master Hsing Yun says,

“Cultivate the merits of filial piety for your parents.

Cultivate the merits of respect for your teachers.

Cultivate the merits of caring for the sick.

Cultivate the merits of offering to the Triple Gem.”

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《星雲說喻》英文有聲書

Storyteller：妙光法師

盂蘭盆會

目犍連尊者能以天眼通知道眾鬼的罪業報應因緣。有一天，他忽然想起死去的母親，於是運用神通力見到母親墮在餓鬼道中受苦，咽喉像針縫似的細小，皮骨連結在一起。目犍連見狀，不禁傷感萬分，孝心油然而生，即刻用缽盛裝了飯菜，藉神通力往饗老母。但是他的母親取飯尚未入口，便化為火炭，不能飲食。目犍連悲號涕泣，不能自已。他能知道眾鬼的因緣業報，但卻不知道母親究竟以什麼罪業因緣而受如此苦痛。因此，帶著沉重的心情，前去請示佛陀：「佛陀！弟子今日以神通力見到我此生的母親墮在餓鬼道中受苦，取食成火，不知是何因緣？弟子的神通能夠觀察眾鬼的罪業因緣，何以對自己的生身之母竟不知情？懇求佛陀慈悲開導。」

佛陀面上流露出憐憫的慈光，回答道：「目犍連！你的母親因為在世之時謗佛謗僧，不信因果正法，貪瞋邪見，所以受此苦報。你因母子情深，神通為親情所掩，所以不知母親罪業。」

「佛陀有什麼妙法能使弟子的母親脫離餓鬼的苦痛呢？」目犍連向佛陀哀求。

「目犍連！你母親的罪根深結，不是你一個人的力量可以救拔。你的孝心雖然感動天地，但天地神祇對毀謗三寶的人也無可奈何。你現在唯有仰仗十方僧眾威神之力，才能令你母親脫離餓鬼之苦。

「每年的七月十五日是十方僧眾的解安居自恣日，於此日，做子女的人應當為七世父母以及現在父母設百味珍餚飯食，新鮮果品，盡世甘美，放在盆中，供養十方大德僧眾。因為七月十五日是僧自恣日，一切聖眾，或在山間水邊禪定，或得四阿羅漢果，或在樹下經行，或得六通，自在教化。甚至更有十方菩薩大人權現比丘，皆同一心受食，所有聖眾均具清淨戒行，其德如汪洋大海，不可思議，如能供養此等自恣僧眾，現世父母、六親眷屬定能出離三塗之苦，應時解脫，衣食自然。若父母健在者，福樂百年，萬事吉祥順利。這就是真正的超薦拔度的妙法。」

目犍連聽佛陀說後，歡喜奉行，在僧自恣日供養聖僧大眾以後，其母即於是日脫離餓鬼之苦。

目犍連知道母親脫離了餓鬼道，十分感激佛陀，並讚歎三寶功德，奉勸世間應行盂蘭盆之法，供佛及僧，以報父母生養撫育慈愛的恩惠。

奉勸世人舉行盂蘭盆法會，這本是目犍連利人的苦心，但現在每逢七月十五日，盂蘭盆訛為拜神祭鬼之日，真是辜負佛陀及目犍連的慈悲了。目犍連尊者不但神通第一，大慈大孝更是聞名。

就如星雲大師所言：

父母田中種植孝養，師長田中種植恭敬，病患田中種植救護，三寶田中種植供養。