The Ullambana Festival falls on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month, which for 2021 was August 21st. On this day of celebration, Grandmaster JinBodhi hosted a grand ceremony from Vancouver, Canada. Tens of thousands of people from countries around the world gathered together on YouTube and Facebook livestreams to participate in this auspicious event.
Ullambana Festival The Ullambana Festival is a time to show respect and gratitude to relatives and ancestors. This is an important day to help departed loved ones escape the sea of suffering and be guided to the Pure Land to forever live in peace and happiness. For the ceremony, the altar was filled with flowers, sandalwood, lamps, purified water, fruit, and various items for the Buddha. Colorful gold and silver ingots were neatly arranged in front of the Buddha statue, bathed and blessed by Buddha light. Also bathed in the light of the Buddha and the ancient Earth Store Bodhisattva thangka were thousands of Lotus Plaques from people around the world, sincerely wishing their parents and ancestors auspiciousness.
Thousands of Lotus Plaques on the Altar At the beginning of the ceremony, Grandmaster JinBodhi guided everyone to light candles and incense, respectfully honoring the buddhas and bodhisattvas, respectfully honoring the Earth Store Bodhisattva, sincerely wishing for the world to be free from disasters, and for all sentient beings to be enlightened by the Buddha. May everyone have food, may karma be eliminated, may there be no more suffering, no more fear, no more hunger or thirst, may everyone be illuminated and gain liberation, health, and good fortune.
Lighting Incense Blessings Grandmaster JinBodhi also explained chapters 5 and 6 of the Earth Store Bodhisattva’s Sutra, explaining the merits and benefits of chanting the Earth Store Bodhisattva’s Heart Mantra, why we should respect and make offerings to the Earth Store Bodhisattva, and how we can gain incredible merits. Only by doing this can we receive immeasurable merits, joy, longevity, and happiness, thereby enjoying a prosperous and auspicious life.
Grandmaster’s Teaching Grandmaster JinBodhi said, “In the special month of the seventh lunar calendar, the effect and merit of chanting to the Buddha is greatest. I believe that the buddhas and bodhisattvas will fulfill the wishes of every person who is truly committed. In this world, karmic fate produced by wrong doings makes life difficult. There are indeed many people who have been working hard, but they just don’t understand, do the wrong thing, say the wrong thing, invest in the wrong thing, buy the wrong house, go into the wrong business, marry the wrong person, eat the wrong food…. In fact, these misfortunes are caused by a lack of merit. Some people may not appear to be clever, but when undertaking important decisions, their minds are particularly clear. This is good fortune, the result of merits from the buddhas and bodhisattvas, and the result of cultivation. Often, people can’t deal with the troubles of life because of karma, which is due to a lack of merits. It is necessary to do good deeds, make offerings, and give with a compassionate heart in order to receive merits.”
Chanting Grandmaster JinBodhi then guided everyone to chant the Earth Store Bodhisattva’s Heart Mantra. The mantra sent immeasurable light to parents, ancestors, and ancestors from past lives, dispelling suffering and bringing hope and happiness. At the conclusion of the chanting, Grandmaster JinBodhi guided everyone in a dedication:
We dedicate our merits to all sentient beings. May all those suffering souls and those souls in the three evil realms be liberated and guided to the Pure Land. May all those who died because of the pandemic be liberated from suffering. With the help of the buddhas and bodhisattvas, may everyone live a long and healthy life free from disasters, full of auspiciousness, good fortune, wish fulfillment, and harmony within the family.
We were truly blessed to have Grandmaster JinBodhi create a sacred ceremony in which we could participate and connect to the power of the Earth Store Bodhisattva’s blessings.
