瑜伽焰口法會

大乘佛教強調修行菩薩的慈悲心，並以行動來利益所有眾生，如施食的行為。施食的目的是為了向飢餓的眾生傳播佛法教義。通過提供饮食的儀式上，讓他們解脫痛苦和跟佛法結緣，從而有機會往生到更好的境界。

瑜伽焰口是一種為餓鬼界的眾生提供食物的佛教法會。「瑜伽」為印度語，是互相呼應的意思。焰口法會採用手印配合咒語及純淨地觀想心，身(手勢)、口(嘴巴)、意(心念)三者密切的結合，就能感應到諸佛菩薩，而解脫餓鬼道眾生的痛苦。這是無遮法會，不只超渡六道亡靈，還能達到冥陽兩利。。

根據《增一阿含經》,眾生得餓鬼報的業因有十種：身行輕惡業、口行輕惡業、意行輕惡業、起於多貪、起於惡貪、嫉妒、邪見、愛著資生即便而終、因飢而亡、枯渴而死。惡業又造成餓鬼不能食：水化血，食不下；它們狹窄的喉嚨和灼熱的嘴阻止了吞嚥；他們試圖吃的任何東西都會變成木炭。只有依止佛法（或滅苦輪迴），這些眾生才能得救而出界。

焰口的起源來自于《佛說救焰拔口餓鬼陀羅尼經》。佛陀的十大弟子之一的阿難某個晚上去樹林裡打坐，入定時身心起了變化，進入餓鬼道的世界，看見了「焰口」鬼王。鬼王說，三天之內，阿難會死亡而投胎到我們餓鬼道的世界來。阿難出定後，趕緊跑去找佛陀救他。佛陀要阿難請諸佛菩薩一起來幫忙，誦念咒語解除餓鬼道眾生的痛苦，讓他們能吃到飽足的食物，同時也教導他們了解佛法，往生到西方極樂世界去。

以觀想結手印的方法誦念咒語，屬於密宗的法門，這個法會是由不空法師記述下來的，保存在西藏；傳到中原以後，由蘇東坡等大德把超渡的內容，用優美的文字加以翻譯，再經佛教的高僧將儀式重新整理，而在中國流傳下來。

救火口餓鬼陀羅尼經 (BL Or.8210/S.4119) Noc

瑜伽行供養的基本內容是《救火口餓鬼陀羅尼經》和《甘露經》（梵文：Amṛta-rāja；Chi：甘露經），由釋禪南陀法師（梵文）譯成中文。 : Śikṣānanda; Chi: 實叉難陀) (652-710) 在唐代 (618-907)。然而，由於社會動盪和佛教不同流派的興起等各種因素，直到明朝（1368-1644），一些流行的分支才開始記錄更多標準的供餐服務程序並附有評論。 .此書的著名版本之一是天機禪師所編，俗稱天機火口。其後，朱宏大師（袾宏大師）（1535-1615）在《瑜珈儀祭壇禮儀》中對天極本加註解說。清代，德基大師（Chi：德基大師）刪除了朱宏大師版本的部分內容，並根據自己的學校進行了一些修改。這就是俗稱的華山火口（Chi: 華山焰口）。天極和華山版本都很普遍，可能是當今流通的主要實踐來源。
Altar Etiquette of Yogacara Falming-Mouth FooAltar Etiquette of Yogacara Food Offering (BL 15101.c.24)
Altar Etiquette of Yogacara Food Offering (BL 15101.c.24) Noc

Although different schools might have different approaches to the food offering Dharma service, the central core of the content is mostly fixed. The principle components are as follows:

    • Purifying the altar (灑淨): Purifying the venue is necessary at the beginning of a big Dharma service. This section sometimes comes with restricting the area (結界) to set up the boundary for the service. Only those who are invited can come within this platform.
    • Inviting the Triple Gem (奉請三寶): The Triple Gem – consisting of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha – is the main principle that Buddhists need to follow. The Buddha and Boddhisattvas are the teachers, the Dharma is the vehicle for delivering the principle doctrines to all sentient beings, and the Sangha is the medium for expressing the spirit of the Buddha and the Dharma. It is essential that all parts of the Triple Gem attend the service.
    • Opening the gates to hell (破地獄): There are eighteen hells, and beings endure different forms of suffering in each of them. Opening the gates to hell is not easy – only Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are powerful enough to approach the boundary.
  • Summoning (召請): In order to invite the hungry souls, permission from the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and Ten Kings of hell is compulsory. After their agreement, the service can welcome the souls to the altar.
  • Opening the throat (開咽喉): It is crucial to open the ghosts’ throats. Otherwise, they cannot eat food.
  • Encouraging the Bodhi mind (勸發菩提心): After the meal comes the primary purpose. In this section, the Venerables will encourage the hungry ghosts to listen to the Dharma and hope that they can cultivate their Bodhi mind (the mind striving toward awakening and compassion) which will lead them to liberation.
  • Completion & Sending Off (圓滿奉送): This informs everyone that the service is approaching the end. Everyone should return to their original realms.
  • Taking refuge in the Triple Gem (皈依三寶): This is a reminder to take refuge in the Triple Gem: Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. The Triple Gem is the light shining in the dark ocean of suffering which we need to follow, practice and remind ourselves not to lose our way on the path to liberation.
  • Dedication of merits (迴向): In Mahayana Buddhism, although the individual can earn merit from practicing, the Dharma also teaches practitioners to embrace all sentient beings in their mind. In this way, the participants dedicate the merit they have earned during the service to all beings, not just themselves. Opening the throat section in the Altar Etiquette of Yogacara Offering Service demonstrating the hand gestures (mudra) and mantras Opening the throat section in the Altar Etiquette of Yogacara Offering Service demonstrating the hand gestures (mudra) and mantras (BL Or.2179) Noc

It is evident that the purpose of this Dharma service is to feed the hungry ghosts. However, the deeper significance is giving those who are suffering a chance to listen to the Dharma, initiate their Bodhi mind and liberate themselves from the realm. In addition, the service also gives the opportunity for practitioners to cultivate their Bodhi mind. This is an embodiment of the great compassion from all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas that Buddhists need to learn about and practice as well.

Further reading:
Venerable Tzu Chuang & Robert Smitheram, Faxiang: A Buddhist Practitioner’s Encyclopedia. Los Angeles: Buddha’s Light Publishing, 2012.

Han-Lin Hsieh, Curator, British Library Chinese Collections, with thanks to Emma Harrison

Quoted from Buddhism in Practice: The Yogacara Food Offering Service