The Qingming Festival (also known as the Tomb-sweeping Day) falls on April 4 (the 23rd day of the 2nd month in Chinese lunar calendar), 2021. Lingyin Temple in Hanghzou held Dharma services to commemorate past venerable masters and beloved ancestors with due sacrifices. In the evening, the Yogacara Ulka-mukha Dharma Service (also known as the Releasing the Flaming-Mouths Ritual) was performed to feed the fire-spitting ghosts and brought the ceremony to a successful close.
At 9:00 am, the Lingyin Sangha gathered at the Mahavira Hall and bestowed flowers and fruits to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to pray for the ending of the epidemic and for good weather and Good fortune for the people at home and abroad.
After the offering ceremony at the Mahavira Hall, the Lingyin Sangha headed for Yueheng Hall (the Hall of Patriarchs), Elder Li’s Pagoda and Patriarchs’ Pagodas and other sites in the temple for remembrance, offering and prayer. They then worshiped the ancestors of all family names at Hanlian Hall. By offering flowers and fruits and chanting Buddhist sutras respectfully, the Lingyin Sangha commemorated and expressed gratitude to the past abbots of Lingyin Temple, who contributed to the establishment of the temple, the housing of the Sangha in it and the transmission of the Dharma. The transference of merits was dedicated to all sentient beings in the Dharma Realm. The Dharma services were performed in solemnity and reverence.
On the occasion of the Qingming Festival, the Lingyin Sangha would hold offering ceremonies to commemorate the ancestors. Days before the Qingming Festival, some lay Buddhists were entrusted by the temple to visit the tomb of Master Lianchi in Yunqi and pay respect to him. Such a practice can teach the younger generation to express gratitude to past patriarchs so that they will follow the footsteps of venerable masters in their study and practice of Buddhism. In this way, young Buddhists can better realize the spirits of being grateful, altruistic and benevolent.
At around 6:00 pm, the Lingyin Sangha performed the Yogacara Ulka-mukha at the Hall of Medicine Buddha. The hosting Buddhist masters of the ceremony concentrated on meditation and chanted mantras to liberate all hungry ghosts in the ten directions of the Dharma Realm from the hell of suffering and help with their rebirth in the Pure Land. After the Yogacara Ulka-mukha Dharma Service, the seven-day Lianghuang Dharma services during the Qingming Festival were successfully completed.
