Obon season has come. “Obon (お盆)” is an abbreviation of “Urabon”. There are three theories about the origin of “Urabon”.
• ullambana or avalambana (Sanskrit) which means “hanging upside down”
• urvan (ancient Iranian, Avestan) which means “spirit”.
• “Ura” came from odana or olaha (Sanskrit) rice / food. “bon” means tray. “Urabon” originally means “a tray to serve food/rice to monks”.
Seattle Betsuin Buddhist Temple
Practicing in the Jodo Shinshu Tradition
