Hungry Ghost Festival

According to the Chinese or Buddhist folklore, Mu Lian or Bok Lean was a filial son. He lived and took care of his widowed mother. One day he told his mother his intention to be a monk.

His mother wasn't happy with the decision as that will leave her being alone. Despite mum pleading, he went on to do his spiritual training leaving his mum by herself.

Years went by before he finished his training. He got home to find that his mum had passed on. Feeling so sad that he had not done enough for his mum, he meditated hoping to see how his mother was doing. He saw his mother in the deepest hell, hungry and in deep terrible training.

He realized that his mother had done deeds which were not good when she was alive and that account for her doing horrible training. His mother begged him for food as she was so hungry even in hell; one cannot steal food as the punishment will be another few hundred years. The mother has not being taking food as no one offered or pray to her when she died. As he fed her water and food, none reaches her mouth; all were turn into fire or blood.

Anyway, he was so sad and seeks advice from his master how he could save his mother. He told the master that his mother is in the deepest or lowest part of hell. Based on that, he was advised to feed or served thousands of people on earth before his mum could be save or have the opportunity to eat. He did as advised and his mother was able to receive the food given as an offering to her.

But it was not enough to get her out of deeper hell. For one of the most wicked things his mother did was offer dog meat to vegetarian monk when she was alive. His master then advised him now go vegetarian and perform his spiritual training cleaning temples and holy places.

After years of performing this spiritual training was Mu Lian able to rescue his mum from the deepest hell. On the Chinese lunar 15th day, seventh month marked the day he was able to save his mother from hell. His mother was no longer a hungry ghost, and was able to do lighter training due to the son compensating for her.

Reports of his good meritorious deed reached Buddha and he too was touched by Mu Lian's compassion. Thus Buddha decreed that once a year, the gates of hell is opened so that the lost souls will be able to roam the earth and be fed.

Till this day, Mu Lian lives in our memory for saving his mother and the entire hungry ghost. Hungry Ghost Festival is considered one of the most important festivals for the Chinese in Singapore.