【農曆七月是吉祥月 是改變我們命運、吉祥的日子】／海濤法師

【The Seventh Month of the Lunar Calendar is an Auspicious Month for Us to Change Our Destiny】／Master Hai Tao

Amitabha! It's the first day of the 7th lunar month today. Based on Buddhism, the 7th lunar month is known as “the Month of Filial Piety." During the whole 7th lunar month, hoping to repay parents' loving-kindness, may the parents in this life be healthy, may the parents in the past seven lives be transited from three lower realms to the Pure Land, and may all ancestors of the past generations be relieved from the sufferings, we make infinite merits in the 7th month every lunar year.

In addition to contributing offerings to Buddhas and monks/nuns, expressing compassion and mercy to all creatures by releasing lives and relieving suffering beings is a must do. That's why we pick up today to hold the ceremony. The seventh lunar month is regarded as the Month of Filial Piety, the Month of Repaying Debts of Gratitude, the Month of Compassion, or Pudu Month (the Month of Universal Deliverance and Liberation) in China.

However, it's such a pity that "Pudu Month" (the Month of Universal Deliverance and Liberation) is usually mistaken for Ghost Month though it makes sense as well. Since Maudgalyayana's mother was condemned to be a ghost, in order to help liberate his mom from purgatory to heaven, he consulted the Buddha about what he could do. The Buddha replied, "On the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month, you dedicate offerings to Buddhas and all monks, and with the merits could your mom be liberated from Hungry Ghost Realm." Because of the merits Maudgalyayana did for his mother, his mom was granted to heaven.

Therefore, the 7th lunar month is named Ghost Month in China because of Maudgalyayana's mom falling into Hungry Ghost Realm. In fact, The seventh lunar month is also known as "Auspicious Month" because Maudgalyayana's mom was finally rescued.

By embracing a plant-based diet in the 7th lunar month, giving offerings to the Buddhas, and doing good deeds, not only do we gain the merits, but our present parents could also be healthy, live longer, and attain prosperity. To those who are obedient to ancestors, even if their ancestors and parents are still suffering in pain, they could give offerings to the Buddhas in the 7th lunar month, dedicate supplies to monks/nuns, have a plant-based diet, and do good deeds to help deceased parents and ancestors get relieved and upgraded to heaven.

Therefore, the 7th lunar month is regarded as "The Buddha's Joyful Month." During the seventh lunar month, we Buddhists could practice the precepts and make donations, so the destiny will be changed and the places of rebirth will be in Deva Realm or the Pure Land. Being obedient to parents and being able to liberate ancestors please the Buddha most. Thus, Buddhist disciples cultivating earnestly make the best offerings to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

I have to explain all these to the people questioning "Why do you hold eye-opening ceremony in the 7th lunar month?" How could an eye-opening rite be held in the 7th lunar month? The days in the 7th lunar month are actually the lucky days. The ones who are not familiar with Buddha-Dharma may consider the 7th lunar month an unfortunate one. Rumor has it that reciting "Diamond Prajna Paramita Sutra" leads to money losing, and chanting "Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Fundamental Vow Sutra" may attract ghosts. These are sayings from those who don't understand Buddha-Dharma at all. It's such a pity in the society that rare people realize what the Buddha teaches.

Many people regard the 7th lunar month, the most important month among all, the month of repaying debts of gratitude, the auspicious month, as an inauspicious one. Nevertheless, the truth is that we'd better not get married in the 7th lunar month and not go singing and dancing, because during the days in the 7th lunar month, we should move heaven and earth to express filial piety to parents and do our best to cultivate without indulging in eating, drinking, brothels, and gambling. Eating, drinking, prostituting, gambling, and being a wrongdoer in the 7th lunar month are viewed as unfilial things to do.

Moreover, we don't eat meat in the 7th lunar month, because the elder Dharma master advises us that having meat in the 7th lunar month means eating your parents and the parents in the past lives. Therefore, we name the 7th lunar month the Month of Compassion and Mercy.

We stay good tempered in this month, keep from doing the wrongs, and stop ourselves from eating meat. Furthermore, we cultivate every day, practice the Eight Precepts, and do good deeds. That's why the days of the 7th lunar month are the most auspicious days for us to change our destiny.