Spread the season of filial piety
(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.
Season of gratitude and filial piety with humane sentiments
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 organized 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)... all organized it 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.
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| Rose pinning ceremony in Vu Lan festival. Photo: Huy Thu |
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 Vu Lan is the 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' birth and upbringing and realize that I need to live more responsibly, love and respect my parents more."
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| Vu Lan ceremony at Co Am pagoda (Dien Chau). Photo: Huy Thu |
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.
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| Reading Vu Lan Sutra. Photo courtesy of Hai Vuong |
In the Vu Lan ceremony, there were touching “heartfelt words” from a female student who had 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 that remained 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.
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| Candle lighting ceremony in gratitude for Vu Lan season. Photo: Document |
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 sermons of the monks and nuns deepened the Buddha's teachings on filial piety, filial piety, gratitude to parents, grandparents and ancestors. The ceremony of pinning roses 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.
Not a Buddhist, but I often attend Vu Lan ceremonies at the temple and I am 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...
In general, the ceremonies are marked by Buddhist culture, the most typical of which 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.
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| 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 struggling to make a living to raise us siblings keeps coming back to me. The years of poverty have passed, and before I could repay them, my parents are gone. Now, I can only remember my father and mother and try to practice to maintain a filial heart.
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. Attending Vu Lan festival and feeling the goodness and beauty of Vu Lan, means the ceremony was successful".
