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Abstract

Ullambana (Yü lan p’en) is a popular festival celebrated on The 15th day of the 7th lunar month by the Buddhists residing in various countries, such as Japan, Malaysia, India and other countries where Buddhism is practiced. China is one of the Buddhist Country in which this festival has a wide popularity. This festival is also known as All Souls’ festival. Yü lan p’en (Ullambana), is thought to have been derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Avalambana’. The dictionary of Chinese Buddhist terms says that Ullambana may be another form of ‘lambana’ or ‘avalambana’, ‘hanging down, depending, support; and the Ullambana is interpreted ‘to hang upside down’, or ‘to be in suspense’, referring to extreme suffering in purgatory. The Japanese scholar, Takakusu Junjiro, has suggested another word for Yü-lan-p'en, ullumpana, a Pali word meaning “salvation, saving, full of mercy,” which is derived from the word Ullumpati. The Pali form Ullumpati is found in Vinaya (2.279), where we read, ullumpatu bhavam Gotamo Brahmanim pajan (“let the Blessed Gotamo rescue the Brahman world”). Here the word Ullumpatu stands for ‘rescue’.