Buddhists lay ghosts of the past

By Rebecca Fraser
HUNGRY ghosts have been roaming Greater Dandenong (Casey) this month, during a time of heightened superstition.
On Sunday, local Buddhists held a Hungry Ghost Festival at the Springvale Necropolis.
They offered their dead ancestors prayers, chants, food and incense in the hope of attracting good fortune and mending any animosity with the dead.
The festival, a key event for Buddhists, is conducted in the belief that ghosts are allowed out from heaven to roam the earth during the current lunar month.
Traditional beliefs also hold that these ghosts should be satisfied during this time to secure a prosperous future.
Venerable Master Ru Sun from the Yun Yang Temple in Narre Warren North conducted the fourhour ceremony, including two lengthy chanting sessions, in the Buddhist section of the Necropolis.
As part of the day’s offerings, paper representations of what might be useful in heaven, such as paper mache houses, paper cars, paper clothing and hell fire money, were burned in a specially built burner made from granite pieces.
Necropolis chief executive officer Russ Allison said that while Hungry Ghost Festivals were celebrated widely in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and parts of South East Asia, this year’s event was the first to be held in a cemetery in Australia.
“Participants will have the opportunity to repay their debt of gratitude to their departed parents, relatives and ancestors and resolve any animosity between enemies, which improves karma and fortune.
“Participating families will revert to their traditional customs and seek to make communal offerings to the gods,” he said.
On Sunday, Master Ru Sun said the Transference of Merits Dharma Ceremony would generate good fortunes for roaming ghosts from the past, and also for the living who took part.
“This festival has generated an immeasurable amount of merits to our ancestors and the deceased.
“Some of our deceased parents and ancestors will now be liberated and those still with us will receive happiness and blessings from Buddha.
“From participating in this ceremony, your fortunes and the fortunes of your ancestors will improve,” he said.
Jason Tai, of Narre Warren North, a former general manager of Yun Yang Temple, also took part in Sunday’s ceremony and said the day would benefit both the living and the “beings of the nether world”.
He said Buddhists believed there were six realms people could go to, or turn into, in their afterlife.
“We believe people can go to hell, go to the hungry ghost realm, turn into animals, come back as human beings, or become ‘asula’ – higher beings with supernatural powers – or heavenly beings.
“We conduct Dharma ceremonies to transfer merits to our ancestors and deceased ones and invite all our ancestors in hell or the hungry ghost realm to participate and possibly attain liberation and move to a higher realm.
“The chanting and the ceremony opens hell, releases the spirits and opens up the throats of the hungry ghosts so that they can accept our offerings.
“The day can help spirits with bad karma take refuge and worship the Buddha and repent and receive the Dharma talks and eventually attain liberation.
“It will also make this cemetery a very peaceful place – even a paradise,” he said.