Ullambana Festival Ceremony (City Campus)
2025-09-05 - 2025-09-06 | NY
Ullambana Festival Ceremony
Date: September 5 (Friday) – September 6 (Saturday), 2025Location: Mahayana Temple (City Campus)133 Canal Street, New York, NY 10002
We sincerely invite you to join the Ullambana Festival Ceremony at Mahayana Temple, a sacred event dedicated to honoring and liberating ancestors and all sentient beings. Rooted in the profound compassion of Maudgalyayana’s filial piety, the Ullambana Festival emphasizes gratitude, remembrance, and the power of collective merit through Buddhist practice.
Through chanting, offering, and sincere repentance, we seek to generate blessings for the living and liberation for the departed. Let us come together in compassion to cultivate merit and wisdom, and to dedicate this goodness to our ancestors, parents, and all beings in need.
The Origins of the Ullambana Festival
The Ullambana Festival, known as the Ghost Festival in Chinese Buddhism, originates from the story of Maudgalyayana (also known as Mahāmaudgalyāyana), one of the Buddha’s foremost disciples renowned for his supernatural powers. After attaining enlightenment, Maudgalyayana sought to repay the kindness of his deceased mother. Using his clairvoyant abilities, he discovered that she had been reborn in the realm of hungry ghosts (preta) and was suffering immensely. He attempted to offer her food, but it transformed into flames upon reaching her mouth.​
Distressed, Maudgalyayana approached the Buddha for guidance. The Buddha explained that individual efforts were insufficient to alleviate his mother’s suffering. He advised Maudgalyayana to make offerings to the monastic community on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month, coinciding with the end of the monks’ summer retreat. By doing so, the collective merit generated would liberate his mother from her torment. Maudgalyayana followed this instruction, and his mother was released from the realm of hungry ghosts.
This event established the Ullambana Festival as a time for Buddhists to honor their ancestors and perform acts of generosity, particularly towards the monastic community, to transfer merit to deceased relatives and all sentient beings. The festival embodies themes of filial piety, compassion, and the transformative power of collective merit.
Overview of Ullambana Festival Customs

The Ullambana Festival is typically celebrated on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month, though in regions like Guangdong and Hong Kong, it may occur on the 14th.

Key customs include offering sacrifices, burning joss paper, releasing river lanterns, and conducting rituals.

The festival emphasizes filial piety, honoring ancestors, and appeasing spirits, with variations across regions.

Timing and Significance

The Ullambana Festival, also known as the Ghost Festival, is a significant traditional event usually observed on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month. In parts of southern China, such as Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau, celebrations may take place on the 14th (Ullambana Festival). Rooted in Buddhist and Taoist traditions, it focuses on commemorating ancestors and ensuring the well-being of wandering spirits, reflecting deep cultural values of respect for family.
Main Customs
During the festival, various activities are performed to honor the deceased and pacify spirits:

Offering Sacrifices: Families prepare food, incense, candles, and paper money, either placed on altars or burned to provide for ancestors.

Burning Joss Paper: Especially in Hong Kong and Macau, burning joss paper or “street clothes” is common from the 1st to the 14th of the seventh month to benefit wandering spirits (Ullambana Festival).

Releasing River Lanterns: Small lanterns are set afloat on rivers to guide spirits or bring good fortune, a practice particularly popular in southern China (Ghost Festival).

Rituals and Ceremonies: Buddhist chanting or Taoist rites are conducted to appease spirits and ensure peace for the living.

Regional and Cultural Variations
Customs vary by region, showcasing China’s cultural diversity:

In northern China, the festival is strictly observed on the 15th, while southern areas like Guangdong may celebrate a day earlier.

Urban areas focus on burning paper offerings and releasing lanterns, whereas rural regions may include roadside sacrifices or communal rituals.

Recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage in China, the festival highlights its enduring importance (Ghost Festival).

These practices underscore the festival’s role in fostering familial bonds and spiritual harmony, with adaptations reflecting local traditions.
For more information, please email: info@mahayana.usVisit our website: http://en.mahayana.us

Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva Birthday Dharma Assembly（Temple Retreat）
2025-09-21 10:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Mahayana Temple Retreat, 700 Ira Vail Road, Leeds, NY, 12451, United States
Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva Birthday Dharma Assembly

Date: September 21, 2025 (Sunday, Lunar July 29th)
Location: Mahayana Temple Retreat
710 Ira Vail Rd, Leeds, NY 12451

We warmly invite you to join the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva Birthday Dharma Assembly to honor his great vow and boundless compassion. Known for his profound vow, “If hell is not empty, I shall not attain Buddhahood,” Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva is revered for his dedication to liberating sentient beings from suffering and guiding them toward enlightenment. During this sacred assembly, we will chant sutras, make offerings, and dedicate merit, expressing gratitude and devotion to the Bodhisattva while praying for peace and liberation for all beings.
The Significance of the Dharma Assembly
Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva’s Birthday is a profound opportunity to accumulate merit and cultivate virtue. Through the recitation of the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva Sutra, participants can purify their minds, dedicate merit to their ancestors and departed loved ones, and pray for their liberation and rebirth in the Pure Land. It is also a chance to generate blessings for the living, wishing all beings peace, happiness, and freedom from suffering.
Join us at Mahayana Temple Retreat to immerse yourself in this solemn ceremony, cultivate wisdom and compassion, and experience the radiant vow and kindness of Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva.
For more information, please contact us at info@mahayana.us or visit our website.

Chongyang Dharma Assembly（Temple Retreat）
2025-10-29 10:00 - 17:00 | Mahayana Temple, 133 Canal Street, New York, NY, 10002, United States
Chongyang Dharma Assembly

Date: October 29, 2025 (Wednesday, Lunar September 9th)
Location: Mahayana Temple Retreat
710 Ira Vail Rd, Leeds, NY 12451

We warmly invite you to join the solemn Chongyang Dharma Assembly to pray for the liberation of all sentient beings from suffering and to cultivate wisdom and blessings. The Chongyang Festival is a meaningful occasion to honor parental love, express gratitude, and pray for health and well-being. It is also a special opportunity to practice compassion and filial piety. On this day, through Buddhist practice, we express our gratitude to parents and elders while extending our aspirations to benefit all beings, bringing harmony and peace to the world.
The Spirit of the Chongyang Festival in Buddhism
Buddhism emphasizes “compassion as the foundation and filial piety as the root.” Filial piety is not only about repaying the kindness of one’s parents but also extends to caring for and liberating all sentient beings. The Chongyang Festival, as a time to reflect on life, reminds us to cherish our present opportunities, cultivate virtue, and sow seeds of goodness for ourselves and others. Through chanting and bowing to the Buddha, we pray for the liberation of departed loved ones, the health and well-being of elders, and dedicate merit to all beings for their peace and liberation.
You are warmly welcome to join us at Mahayana Temple Retreat, where we will gather in a serene and sacred setting to practice together, share the joy of Dharma, and pray for world peace and the happiness of all beings!
For more information, please contact us at info@mahayana.us or visit our website.

Guan Yin Dharma Assembly · Lunar September 19 （City Campus）
2025-11-08 | Mahayana Temple, 133 Canal Street, New York, NY, 10002, United States
Dates:

Lunar February 19 (March 18, 2025, Tuesday)
Lunar June 19 (July 13, 2025, Sunday)
Lunar September 19 (November 8, 2025, Saturday)

Location: Mahayana Temple City Campus
133 Canal Street, New York, NY 10002

Guan Yin Bodhisattva is one of the most revered figures in Chinese Buddhism. The three Guan Yin Dharma Assemblies each year commemorate the Bodhisattva’s birth, ordination, and enlightenment. These events symbolize the emergence of wisdom and compassion in the world, guiding sentient beings from ignorance to liberation.
The Origins of Guan Yin’s Three Holy Days
Lunar February 19: Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s Birthday
This marks the day when Guan Yin descended into the human world, symbolizing the Bodhisattva’s great compassion to aid all sentient beings. According to the Great Compassion Dharani Sutra, Guan Yin was already enlightened as a Buddha named “Righteous Dharma Bright Tathagata” in immeasurable eons past. Out of compassion, Guan Yin took the form of a Bodhisattva to guide beings to liberation. Many devotees observe this day by practicing vegetarianism and attending Dharma assemblies, a tradition known as “Guan Yin Fast.”
Lunar June 19: Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s Enlightenment Day
This day celebrates the Bodhisattva’s attainment of Buddhahood, becoming the “Greatly Compassionate Avalokiteshvara.” According to The Sutra of the Buddha’s Garland of Jewels (Bhadrakalpika Sutra), Guan Yin was once a prince named Bu Xun who renounced his royal life to cultivate the path of liberation. In Chinese folklore, the story of Princess Miao Shan, who sacrificed her hands and eyes to save her father, is also connected to this day. These tales remind devotees of Guan Yin’s boundless compassion and resolve to save all beings.
Lunar September 19: Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s Ordination Day
This day signifies Guan Yin’s renunciation and entry into monastic life, taking the first step on the Bodhisattva path to relieve sentient beings from suffering. The Bhadrakalpika Sutra records that Prince Bu Xun vowed before the Buddha of Jeweled Treasures to practice the Bodhisattva path and offer refuge to all beings.
The Significance of Participating in the Guan Yin Dharma Assembly
The Guan Yin Dharma Assembly is a time to honor the Bodhisattva’s virtues and align with her compassionate vows. Through chanting, offering lamps, and making prayers, devotees can connect with Guan Yin’s boundless wisdom and compassion. The assembly is an opportunity to pray for peace, prosperity, and the liberation of all beings.
For more information, please contact us at info@mahayana.us or visit our website.

Guan Yin Dharma Assembly · Lunar September 19 （Temple Retreat）
2025-11-08 | Mahayana Temple, 133 Canal Street, New York, NY, 10002, United States
Dates:

Lunar February 19 (March 18, 2025, Tuesday)
Lunar June 19 (July 13, 2025, Sunday)
Lunar September 19 (November 8, 2025, Saturday)

Location: Mahayana Temple Retreat
710 Ira Vail Rd, Leeds, NY 12451

Guan Yin Bodhisattva is one of the most revered figures in Chinese Buddhism. The three Guan Yin Dharma Assemblies each year commemorate the Bodhisattva’s birth, ordination, and enlightenment. These events symbolize the emergence of wisdom and compassion in the world, guiding sentient beings from ignorance to liberation.
The Origins of Guan Yin’s Three Holy Days
Lunar February 19: Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s Birthday
This marks the day when Guan Yin descended into the human world, symbolizing the Bodhisattva’s great compassion to aid all sentient beings. According to the Great Compassion Dharani Sutra, Guan Yin was already enlightened as a Buddha named “Righteous Dharma Bright Tathagata” in immeasurable eons past. Out of compassion, Guan Yin took the form of a Bodhisattva to guide beings to liberation. Many devotees observe this day by practicing vegetarianism and attending Dharma assemblies, a tradition known as “Guan Yin Fast.”
Lunar June 19: Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s Enlightenment Day
This day celebrates the Bodhisattva’s attainment of Buddhahood, becoming the “Greatly Compassionate Avalokiteshvara.” According to The Sutra of the Buddha’s Garland of Jewels (Bhadrakalpika Sutra), Guan Yin was once a prince named Bu Xun who renounced his royal life to cultivate the path of liberation. In Chinese folklore, the story of Princess Miao Shan, who sacrificed her hands and eyes to save her father, is also connected to this day. These tales remind devotees of Guan Yin’s boundless compassion and resolve to save all beings.
Lunar September 19: Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s Ordination Day
This day signifies Guan Yin’s renunciation and entry into monastic life, taking the first step on the Bodhisattva path to relieve sentient beings from suffering. The Bhadrakalpika Sutra records that Prince Bu Xun vowed before the Buddha of Jeweled Treasures to practice the Bodhisattva path and offer refuge to all beings.
The Significance of Participating in the Guan Yin Dharma Assembly
The Guan Yin Dharma Assembly is a time to honor the Bodhisattva’s virtues and align with her compassionate vows. Through chanting, offering lamps, and making prayers, devotees can connect with Guan Yin’s boundless wisdom and compassion. The assembly is an opportunity to pray for peace, prosperity, and the liberation of all beings.
For more information, please contact us at info@mahayana.us or visit our website.

Dongzhi Winter Solstice
2025-12-21 10:00 - 2025-12-22 15:00 | NY
Dongzhi Ritual

Date: December 21 (Sunday) – December 22 (Monday), 2025
Location: Mahayana Temple City Campus
Address: 133 Canal Street, New York, NY 10002

Dongzhi is a traditional Chinese holiday occurring during the Winter Solstice to pay respects to deceased ancestors. The Mahayana Temple invites you to join us in our two-day Dongzhi ritual. Worshippers will gather with monastics to chant the Ksitigarbha Sutra and pray for their ancestors. As stated in Chapter 7 of the Ksitigarbha Sutra, reciting the sutra with a sincere heart of gratitude will generate seven parts of merit; one of these merit parts goes to the ancestor, and six go to the praying descendant. In addition to paying respects to the deceased, worshippers can also dedicate gratitude toward living loved ones through this ceremony.
