Is the hungry ghost festival a buddhist celebration?

Question

if so how does it relate to the beliefs of the religion?

Answer 1

No, it is not. It was traditionally a folk ritual in china for paying respects to the ancestor. It was then adapted into Taoism, and when Buddhism began to grow and flourish in China, it was incorporated into the practice as well.

Some Buddhist traditions also have a similar ceremony called the Ulambama festival, where the common folk will make offerings of robes , food and ncessities to the Monks and Temples as a way to collect merit, and organise prayers to be dedicated to deceased loved ones, as a show of gratitude for their kindness and love.

Answer 2

It is a Buddhist belief that there are several Hell Realms and one of these Realms contain Beings known as Hungry Ghosts. These Realms are inhabited by various types of Beings and luckily their lifespans are relatively short. Buddhists do not celebrate any Hell Realm or Hell Being as it is considered a very negative Rebirth to be reborn into one of these Realms. Generally speaking, it is considered very unlikely that a person who is on the Buddhist Noble Eightfold Path as one of the Noble Persons will not be reborn to these Realms, although Beings from these Realms can and sometimes do try to have influence in this Realm to improve their Karma.

When Buddhism reached China, the Chinese incorporated Buddhist tradition into their Taoist and Animist Beliefs. The Festival of the Hungry Ghost is a Chinese Festival with Taoist and Animist origins and has no bearing on buddhist traditional festivals or the Lord Buddha's Dharma or Teaching. The only relevence is as stated in the traditions of Beings of the Lower Hell Realms to which we of the Human Realm have nothing to offer except compassion and the offering of merit for those Being's benefit.

Peace from a Buddhist of the Theravada tradition...

Answer 3

competition in Malaysia are as under:- Chap Goh Meh chinese language New 3 hundred and sixty 5 days Christmas Deepavali Hari Raya Aidiladha Hari Raya Puasa Hungry Ghost competition Mooncake competition Pesta Kaamatan Thaipusam you may verify on the source hyperlink under for extra techniques approximately each and each competition stated above.

Answer 4

Depend of the countries. It's a common ritual which both Taoists and Buddhists commonly practice in S'pore/M'sia.

Answer 5

For thousands of years, chinese have been deluded and superstitious. Ghosts are beings in one of the six realms of existence. Their suffering is too acute to be verbalized. Thus, there are neither festivals nor celebrations, in the realm of Hungry Ghost.
Ironically, in the 7th lunar month every year, chinese arrange special programmes and celebrate on behalf of the ghosts, calling this month "Hungry Ghost Festival".

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The Origin & meaning of Ullambana Festival:
Ullambana, translated as "to hang upside down" or "to be in suspense," connotes the extreme sufferings of hungry ghosts, which can only be alleviated by making offerings of exquisite delicacies to the Buddha and roviding meals for the Sangha. According to the Ullambanapatra Sutra, Maudgalyayana, a disciple of Sakyamuni Buddha, turned to the Buddha for guidance when he was unable to lessen the miseries suffered by his mother who had descended into the realm of hungry ghosts upon her death. The Buddha told Maudgalyayana that the only way to deliver his mother from the pains of suffering is to rely upon the power acquired by monastics of the ten directions in their cultivation of meritorious virtues. The Buddha instructed his chief disciple to dedicate an elaborate oblation of dainties and fruits to all Sangha members in the names of his parents from the past seven lifetimes as well as the present lifetime. For the merits thus acquired could emancipate the deceased from the three suffering realms and allow the presently living to enjoy a life of abundance, good fortune and longevity because the practice of Sangha offering is a skillful mean that benefits both the deceased and the living with its power to deliver and transform all sentient beings. After listening to the Buddha's words, Maudgalyayana made the required oblations and his mother was finally liberated from the realm of hungry ghost and ascended to the realm of heavenly beings. The Buddha then reaffirmed the merit of Sangha offering to Maudgalyayana: all Buddhist could deliver their parents from the miseries of the three lower realm as long as they observe the practice of Ullambana Sangha Offering.

In China, Emperor Wu of Liang Dynasty (502C.E.-549C.E.) established the Ullambana Sangha Offering Ceremony to formally make oblations to monastics of the ten directions and to promote the spirit of filial piety. Thenceforth, the ceremony was deemed very important by successive emperors and the general public. In time, it became a widely practiced Chinese custom. For it not only provides protections from the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha, it also coincides with the popular Chinese practice of feeding the spirits in the month of July. By making offerings to the Sangha, not only will the deceased be liberated, the living will also be protected from harm.

Ullambana Sangha Offering Ceremony is for Buddhist laity to offer exquisite delicacies to the Buddha and the Sangha as an act of reverence. According to the Ullambanapatra Sutra, When Maudgalyayana, a chief disciple of Sakyamuni Buddha, was unable to lessen the miseries suffered by his mother in the realm of hungry ghosts, the World Honored One told him that the only way to deliver his mother from the pains of suffering is to rely upon the power acquired by monastics of the ten directions in their cultivation of meritorious virtues. The Buddha instructed his chief disciple to dedicate an elaborate oblation of dainties and fruits to all Sangha members in the names of his parents from the past seven lifetimes as well as the present lifetime because the practice of Sangha offering has the power to transform and deliver all sentient beings. The merits thus acquired could emancipate the deceased from the three suffering realms and allow the living to enjoy a life of abundance, good fortune and longevity. Therefore, by observing the practice of Ullambana Sangha Offering, all Buddhists can deliver their parents from the miseries of the three lower realms.
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The Chinese, however, believed that the gates of Hell are opened on the first day of the seventh lunar month and they will close on the last day of the seventh lunar month. The ghosts may visit the world between these days. Food offerings are made during this time to relieve the sufferings of these ghosts. On the fifteenth day, Ullambana or Ancestor Day, people visit cemeteries to make offerings to the departed ancestors. It is said that people who are not careful at night or down in luck are likely to meet ghosts and get into trouble as a result. Thus, many activities are taboo in the seventh month. These including leaving the house, having an operation, getting married, buying a house, moving house and having a baby. The 7th Month is indeed a scary month for the Chinese society.

Ullambana is also a Japanese Buddhist festival known as Obon, beginning on the thirteenth of July and lasting for three days, which celebrates the reunion of family ancestors with the living.

Many Theravadins from Cambodia, Laos and Thailand also observe this festival.

Answer 6

No, it's a chinese celebration.