盂蘭盆

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Chinese

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phonetic
trad. (盂蘭盆)
simp. (盂兰盆)
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Etymology

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Commonly thought to have been derived from Sanskrit उल्लम्बन (ullambana, hanging upside down), a word that was sparsely, if at all, attested (Ashikaga, 1951).

Alternatively, Junjirō Takakusu (apud Ashikaga, 1951) propounded that the origin was in fact Pali ullumbana, a colloquial corruption of Pali ullumpana (raising up; saving; helping), and that the etymology was mistakenly attributed to Sanskrit.

The second sense is a result of rebracketing of the word as 盂蘭 + (“basin”).

Pronunciation

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Rime
Character
Reading # 1/1 1/1 1/1
Initial () (35) (37) (3)
Final () (24) (61) (55)
Tone (調) Level (Ø) Level (Ø) Level (Ø)
Openness (開合) Closed Open Closed
Division () III I I
Fanqie
Baxter hju lan bwon
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang
Shangfang
/ɦɨo/ /lɑn/ /buən/
Pan
Wuyun
/ɦio/ /lɑn/ /buon/
Shao
Rongfen
/ɣio/ /lɑn/ /buən/
Edwin
Pulleyblank
/ɦuə̆/ /lan/ /bwən/
Li
Rong
/ɣio/ /lɑn/ /buən/
Wang
Li
/ɣĭu/ /lɑn/ /buən/
Bernard
Karlgren
/i̯u/ /lɑn/ /bʱuən/
Expected
Mandarin
Reflex
lán pén
Expected
Cantonese
Reflex
jyu4 laan4 pun4

Noun

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盂蘭盆

  1. (Buddhism) helping hungry ghosts who are suffering by offering them food
  2. basin for holding offerings to the deceased

Derived terms

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Further reading

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Japanese

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Kanji in this term

Hyōgai
らん > ら
Jinmeiyō
ぼん
Grade: S
on'yomi irregular goon

Etymology

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From Middle Chinese 盂蘭盆 (hju lan bwon) or 盂蘭盆會 (hju lan bwon hwajH) (compare modern Mandarin 盂蘭盆盂兰盆 (yúlánpén) or 盂蘭盆會盂兰盆会 (yúlánpénhuì)), a transcription of Pali ullumpana (raising, helping), present participle of Pali verb ullumpati (to raise up, to help).

A number of Japanese dictionaries state that this term derives from Sanskrit उल्लम्बन (ullambana), purportedly meaning “hanging upside-down” in reference to the souls of the dead being tortured in hell by being strung up by their feet.[1][2][3][4] However, the Sanskrit word was sparsely, if at all, attested (Ashikaga, 1951); in addition, it would be the present participle of verb उल्लम्ब् (ullamb, to hang, intransitive), with no inherent “upside-down” meaning.[5][6]

Moreover, neither the purported meaning of “hanging upside-down” nor the verifiable meaning of “hanging” match the semantics very well, given that the urabon ceremonies are about helping the dead, closer in meaning to the “helping” sense of the Pali verb.[7] This suggests that explanations of the dead hanging upside-down in hell are more likely to be folk etymologies based on a mistaken connection to the Sanskrit verb, rather than a more direct semantic link to the Pali. Alternatively, Junjirō Takakusu (apud Ashikaga, 1951) propounded that the origin was in fact Pali ullumbana, a colloquial corruption of Pali ullumpana (raising up; saving; helping), and that the etymology was mistakenly attributed to Sanskrit.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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()()(ぼん) (urabon

  1. a Buddhist observance honoring the spirits of ancestors

Usage notes

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More commonly referred to as お盆 (Obon) or (Bon).

References

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  1. ^ Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典(新装版) [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
  3. ^ Matsumura, Akira (1995) 大辞泉 [Daijisen] (in Japanese), First edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, →ISBN
  4. ^ Kindaichi, Kyōsuke et al., editors (1997), 新明解国語辞典 [Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten] (in Japanese), Fifth edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
  5. ^ ullamb-related entries at SpokenSanskrit.org website
  6. ^ ullamb entry at Sanskrit Dictionary website
  7. ^ ulllumpana entry at The Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary website