Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s5.t8: Ullambana Sutra
Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s5.t8
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Ullambana Sutra
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Ullambana Sutra is the name of a Buddhist sutra. The full name is "The Buddha Ullambana Sutra". There is only one volume and the translator has not been known. The time of translation into Chinese should be no later than 5^th century CE. According to the sutra, after Maudgalyayana obtained six kinds of supernatural power, he intended to convert his mother to Buddhism, in order to pay a debt of gratitude of breastfeeding. With the powers he saw his mother suffering in hell without anything to eat so he was very sad. He fed his mother meals, but the food became charcoal fire near mouth. Maudgalyayana wept loudly from sorrow and told Buddha. Buddha told him to prepare Ullambana on July 15 with delicious food, to provide for monks with great virtue in 10 directions and by this his merits and virtues would liberate the secular parents and relieve kinsfolks. Maudgalyayana complied with Buddha’s words and his mother was immediately relieved.
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Because the content of the Sutra is in accordance with filial piety of Chinese traditional morality, it was specially popular with ruling class and the public. Soon after its translation and distribution, there appeared Obon Festival in China. This Sutra is short and easy to recite. It has been popular for 1,500 years without fading and after Tang Dynasty, it was constant recomposed and deduced to a variety of novels and play scripts popular in the folk.
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*(Xue Keqiao)*