The Vu Lan Sutra narrates that Thanh De, the mother of Maudgalyayana, was a greedy, cruel woman who did not believe in the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha). She would often prepare abundant food and carelessly scatter it across the ground.

In contrast, Maudgalyayana was gentle and hardworking, earning the love and admiration of those around him.

After Thanh De passed away, Maudgalyayana became a disciple of the Buddha. Through rigorous practice, he gained supernatural powers, allowing him to see across the heavens and the earth.

He saw his mother suffering in hell, tormented by hunger and thirst. Driven by filial piety, Maudgalyayana brought food to hell to offer to his mother.

However, due to her long-lasting hunger, his mother covered her bowl of rice with one hand to prevent other hungry spirits from taking it. As a result, the food turned into flames as she tried to eat it.

Seeing this, Maudgalyayana sought the Buddha's advice on how to save his mother. The Buddha advised him that despite his great supernatural powers, he alone could not save his mother. The only way was to rely on the collective strength of the monks across the ten directions.

The 15th day of the 7th lunar month is a suitable time to invite the monks for a special offering. Following the Buddha's guidance, Maudgalyayana was able to free his mother. The Buddha then taught that anyone wishing to show filial piety to their parents should do the same. Thus, the Vu Lan Festival was born.

This year, the Vu Lan Festival falls on Sunday, August 18th.

PV