『盂兰盆会』又叫供僧法会，因为这个法会的性质是以供僧为核心的。这一法会的来源，出自於《佛说盂兰盆经》。每年农历的七月十五这一天，正是『佛欢喜日』、『僧自恣日』。在这一天当中，举行隆重盛大的供佛斋僧仪式。藉此供佛斋僧的功德力，可以为现世的父母祈求健康长寿、身心自在、六时吉祥。也可以为过去的父母，他们如果在三恶道当中，通过供佛斋僧的功德力，让他们速速脱离三恶道之苦。

据《佛说盂兰盆经》的记载：『盂兰盆』是梵语来的，『盂兰』的意思是倒悬、倒挂的意思。形容三恶道众生受苦的一种情形，整天被倒挂着，倒挂金钟，苦不堪言。『盆』的意思是救器，拯救的仪器和用具。所以『盂兰盆』的意思就是：用来救度倒悬、痛苦众生的器物。引申出来的意思就是：用盆子装满百味五果，各种美食的佳肴，供养诸佛菩萨，以及十方大德僧众。然后达到拯救三恶道众生的苦难，让他们脱离三恶道之苦，这麽一个目的。为甚麽目犍连尊者供养十方大德僧众的功德，就可以达到让他的母亲出离鬼道的痛苦呢？大家有没有想过？为甚麽他的供养功德如此之大？这个在《盂兰盆经》里面解释得非常清楚。那是因为诸佛菩萨，来自於十方大德僧众。

换句话说，诸佛菩萨就是在十方大德僧众之中。当我们供养十方大德僧众，那我们就是等於供养十方的诸佛菩萨。虽说我们现在是处於末法时代，鱼龙混杂，难免良莠不齐，假和尚很多，职业的和尚也不少，混吃的就更多了。但我跟诸位同修讲，大修行人、大成就人、大菩萨，他们都是在十方众僧当中，他们权现比丘。所以供养的功德就很大。唐朝的皇帝唐太宗，曾经问玄奘大师，他问道：『我想供僧，但听说许多僧人没有修行，我当如何供养？』大家猜玄奘大师是如何回答的？玄奘大师回答说：『昆山有玉，但是混杂泥沙；丽水产金，岂能没有瓦砾？土木雕成的罗汉，敬奉就能培福；铜铁铸成的佛像，毁坏则会造罪；泥龙虽不能降雨，但祈雨必须祈祷泥龙；凡僧虽不能降福，但修福必须恭敬凡僧。』唐太宗听了玄奘大师的一番开示，恍然大悟。从此之后他见到所有的出家法师，都会尊重恭敬。即使见到小沙弥，也会如同见佛一般。印度的阿育王，他对於佛教的护持和发展，贡献很大。

在印度的历史上，可以说是无人能够出其右05.56。他对出家法师都极其地恭敬，每每看到出家法师，都会至诚顶礼膜拜。有这麽一次，他跟大臣们出去巡游。在巡游的途中，遇到一个小沙弥。这个阿育王，他很想向这个小沙弥礼拜。可是一想到自己是一个堂堂的帝王，又有众多的大臣跟随着，在众人面前如果向一位小沙弥顶礼膜拜，这个有失他的尊严，有失他的威严。於是他就把小沙弥请到一个没有人的地方，向他礼拜。礼拜之后便嘱咐这个小沙弥说：『请你不要向别人说，今天我阿育王向你顶礼这麽一件事情。』这个时候，小沙弥看到路边有一个小瓶子，就以他的那种神通力，将自己变进小瓶子里面。过了一会儿，又变现出来。

进进出出，非常地自如。然后小沙弥也拉着阿育王的手说：『请大王也不要向别人说，我小沙弥能从小瓶子进出自如的事。』这个阿育王当下看得目瞪口呆，恍然大悟。即使是小沙弥，也是不可轻视的。沙弥虽小，如果他精进用功办道，那也可以成就佛道。从此之后，他对於出家人，对所有的出家法师，都一一以最高的礼节，不敢怠慢之心。我们现在的很多的居士，喜欢说出家人的坏话，或者只看出家人的毛病。我跟诸位同修讲，这个对你自己损失很大，对你自己伤害很大，会耽误你自己的法身慧命的。这个是极度愚蠢和愚痴的一种行为。作为一个在家居士，诸位同修，无论我们有多大的成就，我们做多大的善事，不管你今生的职位有多高，名望有多重，我们作为一个在家居士，我们见到出家人，乃至一个持戒不清净的出家人，我们都要恭敬，不要毁谤出家法师，更不要看不起穿袈裟的法师。纵然有些法师持戒不清净，但光是这一身的袈裟，就值得我们大家顶礼膜拜。

因为袈裟是代表解脱的形象，袈裟是三世诸佛的传承。出家法师虽然不是真罗汉，但他们也搭如来三顶衣。凡是剃发、染衣、出家的法师，所有的出家法师，都值得我们每一位在家居士去尊重、去供养。《地藏十轮经》上说：如果在末法时代，众生都看不到佛了，突然间有一个疯子，发疯了，把他的头发剃掉，穿起我们出家人的衣服，在街道上走一圈，大家说这个人的功德大不大？佛陀说：『此人功德不可思议。』为甚麽？因为这个人虽然是疯子，但是他的形象是一个解脱者的形象，所代表的是一个出家人的形象，所表现出来的是一个解脱轮回的这麽一个形象。这麽一位疯子，功德都如此大，更何况一位在菩提道上修行的出家法师。讲到这里，所有的出家法师，不管修行如何，不管持戒是否清净，凡是今生能够出家的，都值得我们所有的佛弟子去尊重、去供养。感恩所有的诸位同修，阿弥陀佛！

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宣讲於洛杉矶美佛寺

2020年08月30日

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An Ullambana ceremony is also called an Offering Sangha ceremony, because the nature of this ceremony is to support monastics. The ceremony sourced from The Ullambana Sutra by The Buddha. Lunar July 15th in every year is Buddha's Day and Pavarana Day. On this day, grand ceremonies to offer Buddhas and monastics are held. With the merits from offering Buddhas and monastics, we may pray for our present parents for good health and longevity, physical and mental well-being, and auspiciousness all the time. We can also pray for our parents in the past lives. If they are in the three evil realms, with the merit from offering Buddhas and monastics, they can quickly leave the suffering of the three evil realms. According to The Ullambana Sutra by The Buddha, "Ullambana Basin" comes from Sanskrit, and "Ullambana" means hanging upside down. It describes a situation how beings suffer in the three evil realms. They are hung upside down all day long, like bells, and the suffering is unspeakable. "Basin" means rescuing equipment and utensils. Therefore, the meaning of "Ullambana Basin" is an object used to rescue beings hanging upside down from suffering.

The extended meaning is to fill a basin with hundreds of kinds of food and fruits, a variety of delicacies, to offer Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, as well as virtuous monastics in all places, to achieve the goal of rescuing beings from the three evil realms and freeing them from the suffering of the three evil realms. Why could Venerable Maudgalyayana use the merit from offering virtuous monastics in all places to rescue his mother from the suffering of the ghosts realm? Have you ever thought about it? Why was his merit from offering so great? This is explained very clearly in The Ullambana Sutra. Because Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are from virtuous monastics. In other words, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are among virtuous monastics. Our offering virtuous monastics in all places is equivalent to offering Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in all places.

Although we are now in the age of the Degenerate Dharma, good and bad people are mixed up, and it is inevitable that some are good and some are bad. There are many fake monastics and many part-time monastics, and there are even more who just come for food. But I tell you fellow practitioners that great practitioners, great achievers, and great bodhisattvas are all among virtuous monastics, and they show up as monastics. So the merit from offering is great. Emperor Taizong of Tang, one of emperors of the Tang Dynasty, once asked Master Xuanzang, and he asked, "I want to make offerings to monastics, but I heard that many monastics did not cultivate, how should I make offerings?" Guess how Master Xuanzang answered? Master Xuanzang replied, "Mountain Kun has jade, but it is mixed with sand; River Li produces gold, how can it not be mixed with rubble? Worshiping soil or wooden Arahants can cultivate blessings; destroying bronze or iron Buddha statues causes negative karma; although mud dragons cannot rain, people must pray to them for rain; ordinary monastics cannot bless, people must respect them for blessings."

After listening to Master Xuanzang's lecture, Emperor Taizong of Tang immediately was awaken. Since then, he respected all monastics, even treated a little novice monastic like a Buddha. King Asoka of India, contributed and supported a lot to the development of Buddhism. In Indian history, no one can beat him in terms of contribution. He was extremely respectful to monastics, and he would worship sincerely whenever he saw a monastic. Once, he went on a patrol with his ministers. On the patrol, he met a little novice monk. King Asoka wanted to worship the little novice. But when he thought that he was a majestic emperor, and there were many ministers following him, if he worshiped a little novice in front of everyone, this would hurt his dignity and majesty. So he invited the little novice to a place where there was no one else and worshiped him. After worshiping, he asked the little novice, he said, "Please do not tell others that I, Asoka, worshiped you today." At that time, the little novice saw a small bottle by the road, and with his supernatural power, he made himself into the small bottle. After a while, he came out again. He went in and out, very freely.

Then the little novice also took Asoka's hand and said, "Please do not tell others that I, a little novice, can get in and out of the bottle freely." This King Asoka was stunned at the moment and suddenly realized that even a little novice should not be underestimated. Although a novice monk is young, if he is diligent in practicing on the Bodhi path, he can also achieve Buddhahood. From then on, for monastics, for all monastics, he treated with the highest etiquette and never neglected. Many of our lay people now like to speak bad things about monastics, or only look at the problems of monastics. I tell you fellow practitioners that this is a huge loss to yourself, it hurts you a lot, and it delays the development of your own Dharma body and wisdom. This is an extremely stupid and foolish behavior. As lay people, fellow practitioners, no matter how great the achievements we have made, how great the good deeds we have done, no matter how high our positions in this life are, how great our reputation is, as lay people, when we meet a monastic, even a monastic who does not abide by precepts well, we still must respect. Do not slander monastics, let alone look down on monastics in robes.

Even though some monastics do not abide by their precepts well, the robes they wear alone are worthy of our worship. Because robes represent liberation, robes are the inheritance of Buddhas at all times. Although the monastics are not true Arahants, they too wear the three kinds of Tathagata's robes. All monastics who shave their hair and dye their clothes, all monastics, are worthy of respect and support by every lay person. The Sutra of Ten Wheels of Ksitigarbha says: In the age of the Degenerate Dharma, nobody sees Buddhas. If a lunatic who all of a sudden goes crazy, shaves his hair, puts on monastics' clothes, and walks on the street, is this person's merit great? The Buddha said, "This person has incredible merit." Why? Because although this person is a lunatic, his appearance is of a liberated person, he manifests a monk, and what he shows is an image of liberating from the reincarnation. Such a lunatic can have such great merit, not to mention a monastic who practices on the Bodhi path. Now we have learned that, all monastics, no matter how well they practice or abide by their percepts, as long as they can become monastics in this life, they are worthy of all our Buddhist disciples' respect and support. Namaste, Amitabha!