Ullambana Festival - Ullambana

This refers to the Buddhist memorial service or memorial service held during Obon, and is often abbreviated to Bon-kai, Bon-ku, or Bon, or Tamamatsuri. Ullambana is a transliteration of the Sanskrit word ullambana (hanging). The direct basis of this Buddhist event is the Ullambana Sutra, which was probably created in China (or the Western Regions) around the 5th century. According to this sutra, Mokuren, a Buddhist monk, tried to save his mother who had fallen into the realm of hungry ghosts, and following the teachings of the Buddha, on July 15th, the day of self-sufficiency (the day when the three-month summer training ends), he arranged a hundred kinds of food and drink on a tray and offered them to the monks who had completed their training. As a result, he was able to save his mother thanks to the great merit of the monks (Mokuren Saves His Mother). Based on this story, it is believed that the Bon memorial service on July 15th can save not only the current parents, but also the parents of the seventh generation. In China, the Ullambana Festival was established at Tongtai Temple as early as the time of Emperor Wu of the Southern Liang Dynasty (reigned 502-549), and it is said that it became one of the annual events in China and became very popular. It was introduced to Japan sometime before the middle of the 7th century, and it is said that Obon was held in a place shaped like Mount Sumeru to the west of Asukadera Temple. In 733 (Tenpyo 5), Obon memorial services were held at the Imperial Palace, and thereafter it became an Imperial Court event. Obon also became an important annual event for the general public, on a par with New Year's Day, which was likely the result of Buddhism being successfully integrated into agricultural rituals and the associated ancestral beliefs.

The way Bon memorial services are held varies slightly depending on the region, but the most common events include building a Bon shelf or a spirit shelf, inviting the spirits of ancestors there and having a monk recite a shelf sutra, visiting graves and temples, lighting welcoming and sending off fires, and performing Bon dances. The connection between Bon and Chugen has existed in China since ancient times, and has even come to be assimilated with the Segaki ceremony. There is no equivalent ritual for this event in Southern Buddhism or Tibetan Buddhism.

[Kazuo Okabe]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

お盆の仏事供養(くよう)または供養のための法要・儀式のことで、略して盆会、盆供(ぼんく)、盆といわれ、魂祭(たままつり)ともよばれる。盂蘭盆はサンスクリット語ウランバナullambana（倒懸(とうけん)）の音訳とされる。おそらく5世紀前後に中国（あるいは西域(せいいき)）でつくられたと思われる『盂蘭盆経(ぎょう)』が、この仏教行事の直接のよりどころである。この経によれば、目連(もくれん)尊者が、餓鬼道(がきどう)に落ちて苦しむ母親を救おうとし、仏陀(ぶっだ)（釈迦(しゃか)）の教えに従い7月15日の自恣(じし)の日（夏3か月の修行の終わる日）に百味(ひゃくみ)の飲食(おんじき)を盆に盛り、修行を終えた僧たちに供養したところ、その僧たちの偉大な功徳(くどく)によって母親を救うことができたという説話（目連救母）に基づく。この故事によって、7月15日の盆供養は現在の父母のみならず7世の父母をも救いうると考えられ、中国では早くも南朝梁(りょう)の武帝（在位502～549）の時代に同泰寺で盂蘭盆斎が設けられ、以後、中国の年中行事の一つとなって大いに流行したという。日本にも7世紀のなかば以前に伝わり、飛鳥寺(あすかでら)の西に須弥山(しゅみせん)の形をつくって盂蘭盆会が催されたと伝えられる。733年（天平5）には宮中で盂蘭盆供養が催されており、以後、宮中の行事ともなった。また民間でもお盆の行事は正月と並ぶ重要な年中行事となったが、これは、農耕儀礼やそれにまつわる祖霊信仰のなかに仏教がうまく溶け込んだ結果であろう。

　盆供養の仕方は地方により多少異なる点があるが、盆棚(ぼんだな)、精霊棚(しょうりょうだな)をつくり、そこに祖先の霊を招いて僧侶(そうりょ)に棚経(たなぎょう)をあげてもらい、墓参り、寺参りをし、迎え火・送り火を焚(た)き、あるいは盆踊りをするという行事が広く行われている。お盆と中元との結び付きは中国で古くからあり、さらに施餓鬼会(せがきえ)とも習合するに至った。南方仏教、チベット仏教にはこの行事に相当する儀礼はない。

［岡部和雄］

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