Buddhist Hungry Ghost Preta Festival: Why it is a Compassionate and Important Annual Practice; the story of Mulian and his Mother

Venerable Maudgalyayana (Mulian) finds his mother as a hungry ghost and asks Buddha how he can save her from suffering. Image by Buddha Weekly @BuddhaWeekly.

First of all, let’s be clear — for those who are spooked by spooks: Hungry Ghosts (Pretas) are not evil ghosts or demons or monsters. They are suffering sentient beings, — our ancestors, grandmothers, grandfathers and friends — with karmic burdens from previous lives. It is our duty, as compassionate Buddhists to pray and care for these beings, as we would for any suffering being.

Traditionally the 7th Lunar month is “Ghost month” and the full moon or 15th day of the 7th month is annual Ghost Festival Day. This traditional arises from Sutra. Just like with other types of beings, there are thirty-six different types of hungry ghosts, according to the Saddharmasmṛtyupasthāna Sūtra.

NOTE: Ghost Month (7th lunar) 2024 is August 4th – September 2nd in 2024 with actual Ghost Festival Day on the full moon on August 18.

Making traditional street offerings to the Pretas or Hungry Ghosts during Hungry Ghost Festival on the 15th day (full moon) of the 7th Lunar Month. Making offerings properly (burning or blessing them) allows suffering Hungry Ghosts to be relieved from suffering. Illustration Buddha Weekly @BuddhaWeekly

The origin of the festival is also from Sutra, from the Ullambana Sutra, or story of Maudgalyayana (shortened to Mulian in China) who asks Buddha how to rescue his mother from suffering as a Hungry Ghost. (Story below.)

(For those who are spooked by Hungry Ghost month, see our list of ten things NOT to do in Ghost Month, below.)

Quick Facts

The Ullambana Sutra is a key Buddhist text associated with the festival. It is celebrated on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month. The Hungry Ghost Festival is also known as Zhongyuan Festival in China and Obon in Japan. The festival involves rituals to honor and appease the spirits of the deceased. Offerings of food, incense, and paper money are made to the hungry ghosts. The festival is believed to help alleviate the suffering of spirits in the afterlife. In some cultures, lanterns are lit to guide the spirits back to the underworld. The festival is a time for family reunions and honoring ancestors. Performances such as Chinese opera and puppet shows are common during the festival. (Although the front rows are always left vacant for the visiting Hungry Ghosts.) The concept of hungry ghosts represents beings who are driven by intense emotional needs. The festival is also seen as a time to reflect on one’s own actions and karma. In Japan, Obon involves cleaning graves and making offerings to ancestors. The festival has variations in different countries, including Vietnam and Malaysia. One old tradition during Ghost Festival is to do opera performances leaving rows of seats open (empty) for the Ghosts to enjoy. In this tradition you do NOT sit on any seat reserved for the ghosts (the front rows.) This tradition arises out of Filial piety as expressed in Sutra. We can help relieve their suffering by making offerings on this day or during this month (7th lunar month). Illustration Buddha Weekly @BuddhaWeekly

How we Feed the Hungry Ghosts and Alleviate their Suffering?

Buddha taught Mulian in the Ullambana Sutra, also known as Yulanpen Sutra, that making offerings is the main way to alleviate the suffering of loved ones suffering unfavorable rebirths, there are many other powerful methods taught in other Sutras.

One of the ways to purify the karma of suffering beings is perform recitations of Om Mani Padme Hum, the six syllable mantra, while visualizing purifying light going out to all six realms.

This mantra purifies the suffering of all six realms — with each syllable purifying one realm — and it is for this reason the Om Mani Padme Hum is in nearly every Prayer Wheel, from giant temple wheels to small hand prayer wheels. Spinning the prayer wheel helps release millions of suffering beings. By tradition, even if you place other mantras inside your prayer wheel, you must always have some Om Mani Padme Hum mantras for this reason.

Kyabje Garchen RInpoche with a prayer real containing millions of Om Mani Padme Hum mantras. His compassion for all beings is so vast, he is nearly always seen spinning the wheel. When we spin a Mani wheel or say Mani mantras we bless and purify the six realms.

The important aspect of this practice is to dedicate the benefit of the recitation to the benefit of all sentient beings (which includes Pretas or Hungry Ghosts.)

Specifically, the syllable “me” from “Pad-me” (Padme) purifies greed and possessiveness and blesses the Pretas or Hungry Ghosts, helping them to be born in the perfect Pureland of Potala. Om purifies the Deva realm, Ma purifies the Asura realm, Ni purifies the Human realm, Pad purifies the Animal realm, Me purifies the Preta Hungry Ghost realm, and Hum purifies the Naraka or “Hell” realm.

The breakdown by syllable is:

Syllable Six Pāramitās Purifies Samsaric realm Colors Symbol of the Deity (Wish them) To be born in Om Ma Ni Pad Me Hum

Generosity	Pride / Ego	Devas	White	Wisdom	Perfect Realm of Potala
Ethics	Jealousy / Lust for entertainment	Asuras	Green	Compassion	Perfect Realm of Potala
Patience	Passion / desire	Humans	Yellow	Body, speech, mind quality and activity	Dewachen or Sukhavati
Diligence	Ignorance / prejudice	Animals	Blue	Equanimity	the presence of Protector (Chenrezig)
Renunciation	Greed / possessiveness	Pretas (hungry ghosts)	Red	Bliss	Perfect Realm of Potala
Wisdom	Aggression / hatred	Naraka (Hell)	Black	Quality of Compassion	the presence of the Lotus Throne (of Chenrezig)

Food Offerings and Water

Another method — the one recommended by Buddha in the Ullambana Sutra  (see full sutra translated below)— is to actually make food and other offerings to hungry ghosts (Pretas) during Ghost month and especially Ghost Festival Day.

Chinese Buddhist Hungry Ghost Festival is usually in August. This year August 18.

Venerable Master Hsuan Hua taught:

Ullambana is the day for helping those beings who are suffering so that they can obtain liberation.

The Venerable Mahamaudgalyayana, one of the great disciples of the Buddha, was foremost in spiritual powers. When he obtained the six spiritual penetrations, he searched for his departed mother. He discovered that she had fallen into the hells. Although the Venerable Maudgalyayana had great spiritual powers, he could not save his mother. Thereupon he knelt before his teacher, the Buddha, and beseeched the World Honored One to help.

The Buddha explained that his mother was suffering in the hells because of her deep offenses and so the Venerable Maudgalyayana must rely on the united strength of the Sangha of the ten directions in order to save his mother.

The Buddha said, “On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you should make an offering of the finest vegetarian foods and drinks and offer it to the Buddha and the Sangha. By making this offering, the Way-virtue of the high Sanghas of the ten directions will then be able to save your mother.” [2]

Making vegetarian offerings to the Sangha also brings merit and positive karma, which blesses our ancestors, not only ourselves, according to tradition. Illustration by Buddha Weekly.

Blessing the Offerings

The main teaching is to make offerings to the Sangha and the Buddha. They must be vegetarian.

Another way to help Hungry Ghosts, from other Sutras is offering purified food and other offerings directly to the Hungy Ghosts in the month they are close to our world — the seventh lunar month. (August 4th – September 2nd in 2024 with actual Ghost Festival Day on the 15th or full moon on August 18)

It is important to bless the offering with the Hungry Ghost mantra that makes the offering available to the suffering Pretas, as recommended by Lama Zopa Rinpoche[1]:

OM JÑANA AVALOKITE SAMANTA SPHARANA RASMI BHAVA SAMAYA MAHAAMANI DURU DURU HRIDAYA JALANI SVAHA

In the story of Mulian from the Ullambana Sutra, his mother had been born as a hungry ghost because of her clinging and attachments in her life. As a hungry ghost, whenever Mulian gave her rice offerings, it would burn her like flames.

To overcome this, we chant the Hungry Ghost mantra above. Snap your fingers of your left hand as you say the above mantra seven times to make the offering palatable to the hungry ghosts, so that it will not burn.

Then, sprinkle some of the offerings with the offering mantra:

OM JVALA MIDAM SARVA PRETA BHYAH SVAHA

Which means

Om JVALA (shining) MIDAM (gently) SARVA (all) PRETA (Hungry Ghosts) BHYAH (without fear) SVAHA (make offering) 

During Ghost month, or Ghost Day, it is traditional in many parts of Asia to burn “paper money” and other offerings for the ghosts, to relieve their suffering.

Burning Offerings

Alternately, in many traditions, the offerings are burned, making them available for the hungry ghosts, in which case your intention as you burn the offering will bless your offering. This is the basis of burning paper offerings.

Another alternative method of blessing recommended by Lama Zopa, is to bless a small cup of water with the above mantras, then pour the blessed water into a lake, pond, stream or body of water — which makes the stream, lake or spring available to the hungry ghosts. (Normally, by tradition, due to their karma, they cannot drink water in our world without it burning them.)

Finally, we can dedicate the merit of our daily Dharma practice, and especially any recitations of Om Mani Padme Hum, to the benefit of Pretas or Hungry Ghosts.

One of the 17 “do nots” for Ghost Festival Day is to take the last bus of the night. You might find yourself alone with bus-load of ghostly passengers. If you do, just say your Mani Mantras. Art by Buddha Weekly @buddhaweekly

Psychological Pretas

If you tend toward the rational, non-supernatural or psychological metaphor view, you can view Hungry Ghosts as not other than our own unfulfilled selves, our desires. By honoring Hungry ghosts on Hungry Ghost Day and month, we are paying attention to that suffering hungry ghost (desire) inside all of us. In the same way we view the animal and hell beings as aspects of our own “desires” hungry ghosts represent strong attachments and desires. If you believe in the psychological view, if we already have strong attachments that make us suffer in this life, we’re already embodiments of hungry ghosts. If you take the “supernatural” view, hungry ghosts are those beings who are reborn into the Preta realm due to these same strong attachments.

Either way, major suffering. The Hungry Ghost festival is our opportunity to help those suffering (in their current life and in the Preta world) with offerings and practices that alleviate their insatiable hunger for more, more more.

SEVENTEEN Things NOT to Do During Ghost Month

By tradition, and especially to honour the ancient hungry ghost tradition (even if you aren’t spooked by ghosts) these are the ten things to avoid during Ghost month:

NEVER disturb the offerings. Traditionally offerings are placed out in Buddhist and Daoist areas on the street. Avoid disturbing them. If you accidentally knock them or step over them, always apologize. NEVER whistle at night unless you want to attract a hungry ghost. NEVER sit in the front row of a theatrical or movie performance during Ghost Month. The front row is for the Hungry Ghosts. AVOID swimming at sea, lake, pond or river during Ghost month. Ghosts like yin areas, water, fog, darkness. DO NOT pick up any object, especially money, from the ground or street. You may bring home a ghost. DO NOT Stay out too late, or if you can’t avoid night, stay with other people. REFRAIN from wearing red clothing during Ghost month. NEVER mention ghosts or death, especially at night. AVOID making negative comments, gossip or other negative speech. DO NOT tap someone on the shoulder. If you feel someone tap on your shoulder, ignore it. REFRAIN from moving into a new house or other large life milestone events during Ghost Month NEVER Open an umbrella indoors. DO NOT take photos at night. DO NOT hang up wet laundry at night during Ghost Month. NEVER take the last bus or train during Ghost Month. NEVER point your slippers at your bed. Always point them away. (Pointing them at your bed is an invitation for a “ghost” to join you.) DO NOT SING or WHISTLE when out alone at night — ghosts are attracted by the sound. Mulian finds his mother suffering but even with his great Siddhis of accomplishment doesn’t know how to purify her karma that has her suffering as a Preta or Hungry Ghost. (From Sutra.)
Illustration Buddha Weekly @buddhaweekly

Ullambana Sutra 

Yulanpen Sutra

The Ullambana Sutra is not only the origin of the Ghost Festival and offerings, but it is the ultimate short Sutra on the importance of Filiality. 

Thus I have heard, at one time, the Buddha dwelt at Shravasti 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.

Mahamaudgalyayana 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 Buddha said, “Your mother’s offenses are deep and firmly rooted. You alone do not have enough power. Although your filial sounds move heaven and earth, the heaven spirits, the earth spirits, twisted demons, and those outside the way, Brahmans, and the Four Heavenly King Gods are also without sufficient strength. The awesome spiritual power of the assembled Sangha of the ten directions is necessary for liberation to be attained. 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 with pure precepts and ocean-like 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 Pravarana Sanghans, one’s present father and mother, parents of seven generations past, as well as the six kinds of close relatives will escape from the three paths of suffering, 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 past 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, the Sangha accepted the food. When they first received the basin, they placed it before the Buddha in the stupa. When the assembled Sangha had finished the mantras and vows they received the food.

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 Buddha and said, “This disciple’s parents have received the power of the merit and virtue of the Triple Jewel, because of the awesome spiritual power of the assembled Sangha. If in the future the Buddha’s disciples practice filiality by offerings up the Ullambana basins, will they be able to cross over their present fathers and mothers as well us 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 hundred ministers, 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 Buddha’s 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 their present fathers’ and mothers’ lives to reach a hundred years without illnesses, 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 humans 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, 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.”

At that time the Bhikshu Maudgalyayana and the four-fold assembly of disciples, hearing what the Buddha said, practiced it with delight.

End Ullambana Sutra.

NOTES

[1] Lama Zopa’s advice to a student in the Lama Yeshe Archive: https://www.lamayeshe.com/advice/making-offerings-pretas

[2] City of 10,000 Buddhas: https://www.cttbusa.org/ullambana/ullambana_celebration.asp.html