Spread the season of filial piety

Huy Thu• August 15, 2019 06:29

(Baonghean) - Vu Lan festival aims to express the filial piety of children towards the great merit of their parents, in the spirit of gratitude and repayment, which is a beautiful feature in Buddhist culture in particular and the tradition of the Vietnamese people in general. On this occasion, pagodas in Nghe An solemnly organize Vu Lan festival to show gratitude.

The season of gratitude and filial piety brings humane feelings

In recent days, many pagodas in the province have also organized the Vu Lan Festival, Buddhist calendar 2563. Depending on specific conditions, pagodas organize it early or late.

Tu Pagoda (Nghi Loc) is one of the pagodas that held the Vu Lan ceremony the earliest in the province. Chi Linh Pagoda (Yen Thanh), Vien Quang Pagoda, Dai Tue Pagoda, Ha Pagoda (Nam Dan), Duc Hau Pagoda, Pho Mon Pagoda (Vinh City), Co Am Pagoda (Dien Chau), Pho Nghiem Pagoda (Nghi Loc)... were all held simultaneously in mid-July, attracting tens of thousands of participants.

In general, Vu Lan ceremonies at pagodas are solemnly organized with elaborate and thoughtful preparations by the organizing committee, from mobilizing human resources to reception, maintaining security and order, environmental sanitation, etc.

Rose pinning ceremony in Vu Lan ceremony. Photo: Huy Thu

Attending the Vu Lan ceremony at Chi Linh Pagoda (Gam Pagoda) in Xuan Thanh Commune, Yen Thanh District, Buddhists as well as many tourists from all over were impressed with a special Vu Lan program with many new features. From the sincere and profound sharing of the monks, the songs, the Buddhists' feelings about their parents, lingering in all emotions, is the immense gratitude of the parents.

The Vu Lan ceremony at Gam Pagoda attracted thousands of attendees, with more than 200 young Buddhists participating in the volunteer work. The program of the "innovative" ceremony, as shared by the abbot, was "changed in form to more effectively convey the content of gratitude for the birth and upbringing of parents".

The innovation in the organization not only makes the ceremony more emotional, but also deepens the feeling of Vu Lan in each person, contributing to changing the perception of July as a month of gratitude and filial piety with humane and noble feelings.

This year's Vu Lan Festival has given me so many emotions. Through the ceremony, I feel more deeply the merit of my parents' giving birth and raising me and realize that I need to live more responsibly, love and respect my parents more."

Duong Phuc Tuyen (18 years old) from Do Luong district

Vu Lan ceremony at Co Am pagoda (Dien Chau). Photo: Huy Thu

Coming to Co Am Pagoda in Dien Minh Commune, Dien Chau District on Vu Lan Festival, the feeling of Buddhists is to be immersed in a beautifully decorated and crowded space. On this occasion, more than 10 thousand Buddhists and tourists from inside and outside the province came here to attend the ceremony.

For the ceremony to be a complete success, the temple had prepared and arranged 2 weeks in advance, mobilizing hundreds of young Buddhists to participate in the work, including 120 young women in the ao dai procession alone.

Reading Vu Lan Sutra. Photo courtesy of Hai Vuong

The new feature of the Vu Lan ceremony at Co Am pagoda this year is to invite the souls of heroic martyrs from 39 communes and towns in the district to attend the ceremony; organize a buffet party with dozens of vegetarian dishes; a grand music program with the presence of many famous singers, singing about the theme of parents...

In the Vu Lan ceremony, there were touching “heartfelt words” for a female student who lost her parents and overcame difficulties to study well in Quy Chau district. At the ceremony, the pagoda also awarded scholarships to all three female students. Coming to the Vu Lan ceremony at Co Am pagoda, the impression left in the hearts of monks, nuns, and Buddhists was a deep feeling of gratitude for the kindness of the students.

Remembering the birth and upbringing of parents

This year's Vu Lan ceremony at Dai Tue Pagoda in Nam Anh Commune, Nam Dan District was held at night. The Vu Lan ceremony here was very sacred and solemn.

Candle lighting ceremony to pay tribute to Vu Lan season. Photo courtesy

The most impressive thing for those present that night was the candle lighting ceremony with thousands of candles flickering in the night, making the atmosphere of the ceremony even more emotional. From the podium, the red flame was passed around by the delegates, monks and Buddhists, lighting up a magical night of flower lanterns. The teachings of the monks deepened the Buddha's teachings on filial piety, filial piety, gratitude to parents, grandparents and ancestors. The ceremony of pinning a rose to the chest once again reminded everyone of their filial piety towards their parents.

The Vu Lan ceremony at Dai Tue Pagoda ended with deep emotions about the birth and upbringing of parents.

Although I am not a Buddhist, I often attend Vu Lan ceremonies at the temple and I was impressed with the Vu Lan ceremony at Dai Tue Pagoda. Through this, I know to cherish more the days my parents are still alive and will vow to live up to the filial duty of a filial child...

Nguyen Sy Hieu (25 years old) from Thanh Chuong district

In general, the ceremonies that take place bear the mark of Buddhist culture, in which the most typical is the ceremony of pinning roses on the chest to show the filial piety of children and grandchildren to their parents, lighting candles to pay tribute to the deceased, wishing to preserve and further spread the flame of love and filial piety.

The shimmering candles during Vu Lan ceremony. Photo courtesy of Dinh Anh

My parents have been gone for a long time, but every time Vu Lan comes around, I feel tears welling up in my eyes. The image of my parents working hard to earn a living to raise us siblings keeps appearing in my mind. The years of poverty have passed, and before I could repay them, my parents are no longer here. Now, I can only remember my father and mother and try to practice to maintain a filial heart.

Mr. Nguyen Van Tam (65 years old) in Nghi Phu commune, Vinh city

Many pagodas have been creative in their organization, such as Chi Linh Pagoda, Dai Tue Pagoda, and Vien Quang Pagoda, leaving deep impressions in the hearts of Buddhists.

Venerable Thich Tue Minh - abbot of Chi Linh pagoda affirmed: "Vu Lan festival is a festival of love for Buddhist children to send their full nostalgia for their parents' love and affection to their parents. If everyone attending Vu Lan festival can feel the goodness and beauty of Vu Lan, it means the ceremony was successful."