10 things to avoid when going on spring trips and visiting pagodas at the beginning of the new year

1. Do not take photos carelessly

When going on a spring outing, you should not take photos carelessly, especially if your camera or phone records a lot of pictures of statues of gods, you have accidentally invited many gods into your home. This will lead to interactions and consequences that only we mortals will have to bear. Your own fortune will be affected.

2. Do not touch the worship objects without permission.

When going on a spring trip, there are often many places that have areas dedicated to religion. You may not worship the gods there, but you must believe. Therefore, you must not arbitrarily touch the objects of worship there.

3. Follow the rules of walking in the temple

According to ancient beliefs, when entering a temple, one should enter on the right (Gia Quan door) and exit on the left (Khong Quan door). One should not enter through the main door because according to legend, this is the entrance and exit of the Buddha, the Jade Emperor, and the King. Absolutely do not wear shoes or sandals inside the Buddha hall or the Three Jewels, and do not smoke, walk, or talk loudly in this place.

4. Burn incense at the temple

Burning incense is an act that shows cultural behavior in the Buddhist temple. When burning incense at the temple, to avoid affecting the Buddha statues, as well as the temple's sacred objects, you should burn incense at the large incense burner placed outside. We only need to burn 1 incense stick - the heart incense, to show our sincerity, that's enough, avoid burning too many incense sticks in one place.

5. Perform rituals at the temple

When entering a temple, one should use the Buddhist name “Amitabha Buddha” instead of one’s name to greet the abbot and monks in the temple. When leaving, one should also use this phrase to say goodbye. The merit it brings is immeasurable, for both visitors and the temple.

6. No entertainment or recreation in the temple

Temples are sacred places, so going to the temple should not be considered as entertainment, recreation, sightseeing, or a normal stroll. When performing ceremonies and praying, one should avoid the Three Poisons (Greed, Anger, and Delusion), because if the mind is not pure, going to the temple is meaningless.

7. Do not offer salty food

When offering incense at a temple, absolutely do not offer meat. According to the Buddhist perspective, especially the Mahayana Zen sect in the North, when entering a temple, you can only offer vegetarian food. This is extremely important, but many people still do not pay attention.

8. Types of flowers for Buddha worship

Fresh flowers for Buddha offerings are usually lotus, lily, peony, plum blossom, rose, chrysanthemum... Absolutely do not use mixed flowers or wild flowers. - The best ripe fruits to offer on the altar are bananas, dragon fruit, grapes, grapefruit, apples, persimmons, papaya, sapodilla...

9. What to wear when going to the temple

The temple is a pure place, not entangled with worldly affairs, so when going to the temple you must dress simply and cleanly, do not wear short or revealing clothes because it is disrespectful, causing uncleanness in the place of meditation. Personal belongings such as hats, scarves, handbags, gloves, etc. should not be brought when entering the temple. You should dress neatly to show respect, not causing entanglement or cumbersomeness.

10. Do not put money on the altar or statue.

Joss paper and hell money are offerings that should not be brought to the temple. Regarding merit, if you want to offer real money, you should put it in the donation box located at the temple. Do not place money on the altar or on the Buddha statues, as it is not only unsightly but also offends the Buddha and disturbs the atmosphere of the shrine.