Bok Lean or
Mu Lian saves his mother
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.
These is one folklore passed down from my father. Going home to offer prayers for the
hungry ghost festivals in Sungai Bakap makes me recalled these very long ago
Mu Lian folklore.
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.
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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.
 Monk doing spiritual penance |
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 have 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 seek advise 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 be
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 all the
hungry ghost.
Hungry Ghost Festivals is considered one of the most important festivals for the Chinese
in Malaysia and Singapore. Read our version in Penang and Sungai Bakap in Malaysia
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