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一九九八年九月五日星期六，從三藩市灣區及他方遠處有近一千位信眾來到萬佛城，參加盛大的盂蘭盆法會。
依北傳大乘佛教的傳統，盂蘭盆節在陰曆四月十五日至七月十五日的結夏安居的最後一天。
盂蘭盆意指解救在娑婆世界惡道中受苦的眾生。佛陀告訴信徒在結夏安居的最後一天供養三寶，其功德與善業是很大的。將此清淨功德迴向給今生及往世的父母可幫助他們解除現世的苦厄。
聖城法會內容包括誦《盂蘭盆經》、禮佛、放生，讓即將被殺的動物重獲自由。
午齋時，曾在泰國烏邦，由住山派大師阿姜查創辦的著名的國際寺任方丈之職的紅木谷無畏寺的方丈之一——柏沙諾尊者講了開示。柏沙諾尊者先與大家分享了一些自己從住山派傳統中學習到的經驗，然後提到南傳佛教中也有類似的佛事。其時間安排在雨季共修之後，稱作 Kathina。那時在家眾供養僧團袈裟及生活必需品，藉此累積無量功德、善業，當然也可以迴向來幫助苦難的眾生。
其他幾位法師也開示了盂蘭盆節的重要意義，在這一天回顧父母的恩德，並努力為其作功德以示感激之情。不管怎麼講，對來自不同種族背景的人而言，這都是很有意義的一天。大家藉此因緣，共同誦經，禮拜佛菩薩，積累善業迴向給父母乃至全世界的眾生。
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On Saturday, September 5, 1998, nearly a thousand Buddhist devotees from the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond came to join in the Ullambana ceremonies at the City of 10,000 Buddhas.
Ullambana occurs on the last day of the traditional three-month Buddhist monastic retreat which, according to the Mahayana or Northern School, is held from April 15 to July 15 (lunar calendar).
The term Ullambana refers to rescuing living beings who are suffering in the lower states of existence within Samsara. The Buddha instructed his followers that to make offerings to the Buddhist monastic order (the Sangha) on this final day of the retreat generates an exceptional degree of merit and good karma. One should dedicate or transfer the merit from these acts of pure giving to one's parents in this present life, as well as to parents from previous lives. The merit and good karma so dedicated can help them to escape from states of suffering that they may be experiencing at the present time.
The ceremonies at the City included recitation of the
Ullambana Sutra, bowing practices, and a liberating life ceremony, in which creatures destined for slaughter were set free.
The speakers of Dharma at the noon vegetarian meal included the Co-abbot of Abhaygiri Monastery in the Redwood Valley, Venerable Ajahn Pasanno, who was formerly the abbot of the renowned International Forest Monastery in Ubon, Thailand, founded by the late great master of the forest traditation, Venerable Ajahn Chah. Ajahn Pasanno shared some of his experience in the Thai forest monastic tradition, and explained that in the Theravada or Southern School of Buddhism there is a similar event held shortly after the three-month monastic rains retreat, which occurs a few months later. At this time after the retreat, which is called the Kathina, lay-followers also make offerings of robes and the other essentials of life to monastic community. In the Theravada School making offerings at this time is also an event that generates tremendous merit and good karma, that may be dedicated to help beings who are undergoing suffering.
Other monks and nuns expounded on the importance of Ullambana as being a day to recollect the profound kindness of our parents and to seek to show our gratitude by creating merit on their behalf.
It was certainly an auspicious day for people from numerous ethnic background to come together and participate in the recitation of sacred texts and to venerate the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, thereby accumulating much wholesome karma for the benefit of parents and the entire world.
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