According to Master Hsuan Hua's teachings, the "Buddhist seven retreat" (a concentrated practice where believers single-mindedly recite the Buddha's name and worship the Buddha for seven consecutive days) organized by humans can indeed help beings in the ghost realm to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is because Buddhism emphasizes "selflessness and universal compassion," and that "yin and yang are inherently one." When people in the mortal realm sincerely and purely recite the name of Amitabha Buddha during the seven-day Buddhist retreat, the powerful merit and immeasurable light generated can transcend boundaries and embrace and liberate invisible ghosts, spirits, and karmic creditors.
According to the teachings of Venerable Master Hsuan Hua and his Pure Land Dharma, the core principles and key points are as follows:
1. The Merits of Reciting the Buddha's Name and the Power of Amitabha Buddha's Vows
The Buddha's name possesses immeasurable light: Venerable Master Hsuan Hua once explained that reciting the Buddha's name is like "sending a telegram to the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss." Every time a person in the mortal realm recites a "Buddha's name," a seed of Buddha is planted, and at the same time, a ray of light is emitted.
Blessing all beings regardless of their spiritual path: Amitabha Buddha made a great vow in his past lives that all beings in the ten directions, whether human, heavenly, or in the evil realms, can receive the Buddha's light as long as they sincerely call upon his name and make the vow. In a seven-day Buddhist retreat, the collective magnetic field of chanting together is extremely powerful, directly benefiting the invisible beings gathered around the retreat.
2. Yin and Yang are one, and ghosts and spirits can also listen to the Dharma and practice together.
Ghosts and humans are not separate: Master Hsuan Hua pointed out: "Ghosts are in the underworld, and humans are in the world of the living, but Yin and Yang are one, without distinction of superiority or inferiority." Ghosts are ghosts because their excessive greed, anger, and ignorance cause them to fall into the body of Yin energy.
Seize this opportunity for liberation: When living people hold a seven-day Buddhist retreat, they often set up memorial tablets to invite karmic creditors from past lives, ancestors, and wandering ghosts to the venue. At this time, under the influence of the Buddha's name and scriptures, if these ghosts can follow the "mindful recitation" of the Buddha's name and let go of their anger and attachments, they can immediately transform their negative energy and be reborn in the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss through the power of Amitabha Buddha's vows.
3. If a person does not sincerely and diligently cultivate, they will instead hinder the liberation of ghosts.
Master Hsuan Hua once emphasized that during the seven-day Buddhist retreat, participants must sincerely and earnestly recite the Buddha's name with "true heart, sincere mind, and devout heart". This is because many unseen beings (such as aborted fetuses, deceased relatives, and karmic creditors) eagerly await the diligent practice of the living, hoping that the merits will be dedicated to them so they can be liberated from suffering and attain happiness. If one engages in idle thoughts, drowsiness, or quarrels with others during a seven-day Buddhist retreat, not only is time wasted, but the precious opportunity to liberate these ghostly friends is also lost.
Therefore, the seven-day Buddhist retreat held in Buddhist temples is not only a spiritual practice for the living, but also a crucible for the benefit of both the living and the deceased. As long as the public recites the Buddha's name until they are "single-minded and their mouth and mind are one," they will not only plant the seed of Buddhahood for themselves, but also help the invisible beings in the ghost realm around them to be reborn in the Pure Land together.
