Thousands of people eagerly attend the Buddha bathing ceremony at Yen Thai Pagoda
(Baonghean.vn) - On the morning of May 30, Yen Thai Pagoda (Son Hai Commune; Quynh Luu) solemnly held the Buddha's Birthday Ceremony (Buddhist calendar 2559 - Gregorian calendar 2015).
Attending the ceremony were representatives of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Department of Home Affairs; Provincial Police; leaders of the People's Committee of Quynh Luu district, Son Hai commune and neighboring communes, along with the Venerable Sangha of Vietnam Buddhist Sangha of Nghe An province and thousands of people and Buddhists attended.
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| Overview of the congress |
At the ceremony, Venerable Thich Minh Huong - Head of the Supervisory Board of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha Executive Committee in Nghe An province read the Buddha's Birthday Message from the Supreme Patriarch of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha to Vietnamese Buddhist monks and nuns at home and abroad. The message affirmed that after his birth more than 2,500 years ago, through the process of practicing, propagating the Dharma and saving lives, the Founder Shakyamuni Buddha left humanity a priceless system of doctrinal thoughts on wisdom, compassion, non-violence, harmony and development. Therefore, in 1999, the United Nations passed a Resolution recognizing Vesak Day as a World Cultural and Religious Festival for Humanity's Peace.
Venerable Thich Minh Hai - Deputy Chief of Office of the Provincial Executive Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha also read the Buddha's birthday speech of the Most Venerable President of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha.
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| Burn incense and pray to Buddha for national peace and prosperity. |
At the ceremony, traditional Buddha's Birthday rituals took place such as: National flag and religious flag salute; Buddha chanting for blessings, Buddha bathing ceremony, Thu An blessing ceremony, and chanting sutras to pray for national peace and prosperity.
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| A large number of guests, people and Buddhists attended the Buddha bathing ceremony. |
On this occasion, Yen Thai Pagoda and the Nguyen Quang Buddhist Charity Group (HCMC) organized the awarding of 20 scholarships to poor but studious students of Nguyen Duc Mau High School, each scholarship worth 500,000 VND, 10 gifts to members of the Association of Agent Orange/Dioxin Victims of Son Hai Commune, each gift worth 400,000 VND and 1 set of electric rice steamers worth 30 million VND to Son Hai Commune Kindergarten.
Previously, in the afternoon and evening of May 29, the delegation, monks, nuns, and Buddhists offered incense and flowers at the memorial of martyrs in Son Hai commune, organized a night of art performances to celebrate Buddha's birthday, and released animals and flower lanterns at Lach Thoi gate to pray for peace for their families and the country.
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