How to make the right offering for the 15th day of the first lunar month?

(Baonghean.vn) - The full moon day of January (Tet Nguyen Tieu) has long become a traditional cultural feature in the lives of Vietnamese people. However, how to properly prepare the offering tray for the full moon day of January?not everyone knows

On the 15th day of the first lunar month, Vietnamese people attach great importance to worshiping at home. Illustrative photo

What is the best time to worship on the 15th day of the first lunar month?

The Full Moon Festival in January is usually held on the full moon day (the 15th day of the first lunar month).

The “standard” time to worship on the 15th day of the first lunar month according to the ancient custom of our ancestors is usually at noon (ie from 11am to 1pm). Many people believe that this is the time when Buddha descends. Therefore, on the 15th day of the first lunar month, Vietnamese people attach great importance to worshiping at home.

However, due to living conditions, each family now flexibly customizes the worship on different days and times. They believe that worship only needs to show the respect and gratitude of descendants to their ancestors, grandparents, and gods.

Worship only needs to show the respect and gratitude of descendants towards their ancestors. Illustration photo

How to prepare offerings on the full moon day of January

Depending on economic conditions or customs, each family prepares different offerings for the full moon of January. However, they all want to express the respect and gratitude of children and grandchildren towards grandparents, ancestors, Buddha and saints and pray for a peaceful and lucky year.

Besides Buddhist families, many families also believe that the full moon of January is a day to avoid killing, so they should be vegetarian to pray for luck and ward off bad luck for the whole year.

Vegetarian offerings to Buddha:

Vegetarian offering tray for the Full Moon Festival of January. Illustration photo

Vegetarian offerings are usually fruits, sticky rice, bean dishes, stir-fried soup without much added flavoring. Vegetarian dishes vary depending on the type. The special thing about vegetarian dishes is the presence of colors symbolizing the five elements. Red symbolizes the fire element, green the wood element, black the earth element, white the water element, yellow the metal element. Eating vegetarian food is a way to achieve balance and peace of mind.

If the homeowner is a Buddhist, they can sit in front of the Buddha altar and recite the Universal Gate Sutra or the Medicine Master Sutra to pray for peace for the family. If they cannot recite sutras, they can offer incense and recite the Three Jewels prayer.

Savory food tray for ancestors:

Savory food tray to worship ancestors on the 15th day of the first lunar month. Illustration photo

For families who do not follow Buddhism, the ancestral altar is usually a savory offering at noon. The savory offering usually includes dishes such as bamboo shoot soup, vermicelli, meatballs, chicken or pork, ham or sausage, nem thinh (fried pork roll) which can be replaced by stir-fried dishes, pickled vegetables, sticky rice or banh chung (square sticky rice cake) and a bowl of dipping sauce.

The offering tray on the 15th day of the first lunar month must also have all the flavors. The salty taste of the dipping sauce, the spicy taste of the chili, the sour taste of the pickled onions, the sweet taste of the cake, all create a full offering tray, praying for peace and prosperity, driving away any bad luck that may come in the new year.

Nowadays, on the vegetarian offering tray on the 15th day of the first lunar month of many people, there is also a dish of floating rice cakes with the meaning of praying for a year of success, smooth sailing, and full happiness.

Going to the temple on the 15th day of the first lunar month:

Going to the pagoda at the beginning of the year has long become a traditional cultural feature in the lives of Vietnamese people, especially on the 15th day of the first lunar month.

People go to the pagoda on the first full moon day of the year not only to pray for peace and good things for themselves and their families in the new year, but also to find moments of relaxation in the peaceful and solemn temple.

Going to the pagoda on the 15th day of the first lunar month has long become a traditional cultural feature of the people. Illustrative photo

In addition, the ancients also had taboos on the 15th day of the first lunar month.

The full moon of January is the first important holiday of the year, so the ancients also had some taboos, please refer to learn more:

- Avoid breaking or damaging furniture in the house.

- Avoid going to places with heavy negative energy such as graves and deserted places, especially for people with poor health.

- Avoid carrying a lot of money or valuables with you. If you lose any property on this day, your fortune will be worse this year.

- Avoid lending money to others on this day.

- Do not leave the bottom of the rice bin exposed in the house.

- Be careful not to tear your clothes. According to ancient beliefs, if your clothes are torn, you will have bad luck next year.

- Do not kill on this day.

- Avoid wearing white and black clothes.

- Avoid fishing on this day because according to Vietnamese spiritual beliefs, fishing on the full moon day will bring bad luck to that person.

- Swearing and cursing on this day will bring about much trouble.

Thu Tra

(synthetic)