Every year in mid August, Japan has traditional period called Obon., in which families living separately get together at home and often visit the family's tomb to pray for ancestors.
In most cases, people have Buddhist monks/priests to chant a sutra for the family's ancestors in front of their at-home Buddhist alter and/or tombs outside during the Obon period. Therefore, those practices have been seen as Buddhist events among people in Japan.
It is half yes, but half no.
It's rather precise to say that the practices are done in Buddhist way, but its core comes from Shintoism-Japan's indigenous religion (to which I often refer in articles of "shrine hunting" in this blog). The point is "thank you, my ancestors!".
Buddhism way of Obon
In Buddhist dogma, Obon is formally called "ullambana" (Sanskrit: its meaning is "being hung upside down") which can be originated from a story of a monk who try to save his mother suffering in hell. The story goes as follows;
Once upon a time, a monk,-Buddha's apprentice envisioned his late mother was hung upside down and couldn't eat well in hell. He tried to save her many times but couldn't. Then he asked Buddha for advice. Buddha said; "Her suffering came from sins she committed while she was alive. The sins are too heavy for you to handle on your own. That said, if you serve dishes for other monks on the day they finish their training: July 15, she will be relieved by the good practice."
The monk followed the advice, then his mother was released and able to reach her nirvana. Buddha later said; just continue this habit, and others in need (ones in hell and others living in this world) will be helped and blessed.
The July 15 is on lunar calender and equivalent to August 15 (with some differences) on Gregorian calender. This is an origin of Obon in Buddhist way. Simply, it's purposed to "save" ancestors' soul and get rid of their pains through religious practices; visiting tombs, chanting a sutra, serving some foods.
Shinto way of Obon
Shinto has a faith that ancestors are guardians of their family and decedents, so the decedents has had festivals twice a year (in summer and in winter) for thanking them. However, as Buddhism influx, the habits were gradually customized and nowadays the summer festival is annexed to the Buddhism Obon and the winter festival was continued as "Hatsu-moude" （初詣：you may have seen millions of people get congested in shrines in New Years in Japan).
In Obon, people make a horse with a cucumber and a cow with an eggplant. The horse is believed to be a vehicle for ancestors to come home faster (as horses run fast) and a cow is for farewell (cows go slow reflecting people's wish to not say good-bye to ancestors so quickly).
Difference
Buddhist Obon (ullambana) is purposed for people living in the real world to "save" ancestors from having pains/difficulties in their world (nirvana/heaven or hell) with their wish to be happy as its reward. In the meantime, Shinto's Obon is an occasion to appreciate ancestors' guards and blessing by welcoming them at home with hospitality. It is also said that Obon is a practice to remind their selves that they are safely alive enough to have the moments of "Thank you, my ancestors!!".
In this way, Obon in Japan is a Shinto festival flavored by Buddhism as a result of combination of the two religions.
In most cases, people have Buddhist monks/priests to chant a sutra for the family's ancestors in front of their at-home Buddhist alter and/or tombs outside during the Obon period. Therefore, those practices have been seen as Buddhist events among people in Japan.
It is half yes, but half no.
It's rather precise to say that the practices are done in Buddhist way, but its core comes from Shintoism-Japan's indigenous religion (to which I often refer in articles of "shrine hunting" in this blog). The point is "thank you, my ancestors!".
Buddhism way of Obon
In Buddhist dogma, Obon is formally called "ullambana" (Sanskrit: its meaning is "being hung upside down") which can be originated from a story of a monk who try to save his mother suffering in hell. The story goes as follows;
Once upon a time, a monk,-Buddha's apprentice envisioned his late mother was hung upside down and couldn't eat well in hell. He tried to save her many times but couldn't. Then he asked Buddha for advice. Buddha said; "Her suffering came from sins she committed while she was alive. The sins are too heavy for you to handle on your own. That said, if you serve dishes for other monks on the day they finish their training: July 15, she will be relieved by the good practice."
The monk followed the advice, then his mother was released and able to reach her nirvana. Buddha later said; just continue this habit, and others in need (ones in hell and others living in this world) will be helped and blessed.
The July 15 is on lunar calender and equivalent to August 15 (with some differences) on Gregorian calender. This is an origin of Obon in Buddhist way. Simply, it's purposed to "save" ancestors' soul and get rid of their pains through religious practices; visiting tombs, chanting a sutra, serving some foods.
Shinto way of Obon
Shinto has a faith that ancestors are guardians of their family and decedents, so the decedents has had festivals twice a year (in summer and in winter) for thanking them. However, as Buddhism influx, the habits were gradually customized and nowadays the summer festival is annexed to the Buddhism Obon and the winter festival was continued as "Hatsu-moude" （初詣：you may have seen millions of people get congested in shrines in New Years in Japan).
In Obon, people make a horse with a cucumber and a cow with an eggplant. The horse is believed to be a vehicle for ancestors to come home faster (as horses run fast) and a cow is for farewell (cows go slow reflecting people's wish to not say good-bye to ancestors so quickly).
Difference
Buddhist Obon (ullambana) is purposed for people living in the real world to "save" ancestors from having pains/difficulties in their world (nirvana/heaven or hell) with their wish to be happy as its reward. In the meantime, Shinto's Obon is an occasion to appreciate ancestors' guards and blessing by welcoming them at home with hospitality. It is also said that Obon is a practice to remind their selves that they are safely alive enough to have the moments of "Thank you, my ancestors!!".
In this way, Obon in Japan is a Shinto festival flavored by Buddhism as a result of combination of the two religions.
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