Today is 15th day of the 7th Chinese lunar month.

The 7th month of the Chinese Lunar calendar celebrate the month of the Hungry Ghost and yesterday was the closing day of the Hell gate according to the Cantonese while today was 15th day where the Buddhist temples conduct chants to pacify the loose spirits and ghost.  My family took a short trip to a Buddhist temple to pray for my late father in law. It was a noble deed.

When I reach the temple, it was crowded and the morning prayer session have just  finished and the next session was going to start. We took a seat facing the prayer hall and we were quite surprise that there was nobody booked the space. We seat down to pray and meditate in silence following the prayer which was praying on a tape recorder. The chanting was very soothing and calming. Then, there was an announcement that the next prayer session will be starting soon. Then, one lady approach us and told us that the seat was booked and for new devotees, we will need to move to the back.  Well , I was a bit annoyed but since we are new, we better follow. However, the lady told us that they are chanting for the whole day until 9pm and for us, we only want to pray for one session. So, off we go to the back portion and my wife got a prayer book for herself and my daughter. I shared one copy with my daughter.  We thought it would be easy but when the chanting start , the Chinese characters are so different and only certain words can be read by us.
The chants go into repetitions and paused with bows and short pauses.

For new comers, it was totally at a lost and we can only clapse our hands in prayer and enjoy the chants which have a stilling effect on our nerves and thoughts.For an hour, we follow the prayer and do not know the meaning of the prayer and off we go.

Looking at the literature and prayer book, it has a very long history and millions of  people have been chanting the same prayer through the years or across the globe. These prayer chants have gone into the Universe and because it has been repeated in harmony for millions of times, the prayer have become very strong.  By repeating these chants will will wake the thousands of Buddhas in the past and present to give you help or change the fate of the prayer group or the condition in the Universe.  Yes, it has powerful healing effect and brings lots of positivity.

I have read a chapter in the joy of living where when a great monk passed on, there is calming effect on the passing as if a brand new day is beginning. Full of positivity and energy.

Namaste.