Rectifying some religious activities at Buddhist worship facilities
Recently, especially during the Lunar New Year 2019, a number of religious activities held at Buddhist places of worship such as: Offering prayers to ward off bad luck (pray for peace); burning votive paper; performing spirit mediumship... are creating multi-dimensional public opinions, affecting the image of Vietnamese Buddhism.
To rectify a number of religious activities at Buddhist worship establishments, the Head of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs signed Official Dispatch No. 121/TGCP-PG dated February 18, 2019 to the People's Committees of provinces and centrally run cities.
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| Lam Son Pagoda. Photo: Huu Tinh documents |
The content of the document clearly states: the management of activities at Buddhist worship facilities is heavily dependent on the attitude and awareness of abbots in complying with the law and religious rules, leading to many variations in religious activities at Buddhist worship facilities that are not in accordance with Buddhist traditions, causing a decline in the faith of monks, nuns, Buddhist followers and the masses, creating public opinion, directly affecting the image, position and role of Vietnamese Buddhism, and in the long term, possibly causing social instability, affecting economic and social development and national security protection.
In the face of the above situation, implementing the Prime Minister's direction, the Government Committee for Religious Affairs and related ministries, branches and sectors have had many forms of information, exchange and coordination with authorities at all levels to mobilize and propagate to the people and Buddhist followers, and guide the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha at all levels to direct the abbots of Buddhist worship establishments to properly implement the provisions of law in organizing festivals, limiting superstitious phenomena, contrary to good customs and traditions, and inconsistent with Buddhist teachings and traditions.
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| Venerable Thich Quang Bao - Standing Member - Head of the Cultural Committee of the Buddhist Sangha of Nghe An province discussed with delegates and Buddhists about Buddha's Enlightenment Day, Buddhist teachings, the spread of Buddhism in the world... Photo: Document |
To better manage and organize religious activities of people and Buddhist followers at Buddhist worship facilities, the Government Committee for Religious Affairs requests the People's Committees of provinces and centrally run cities to pay attention to:
- Directing relevant agencies to guide the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in localities to strengthen the work of mobilizing and propagating to monks, nuns, Buddhist followers and people to strictly implement the provisions of the law on organizing festivals and religious activities in Buddhist places of worship; limit and gradually eliminate forms of superstition in Buddhist places of worship.
- Pursuant to the Law on Beliefs and Religions, Joint Circular No. 04/2014/TTLT-BVHTTDL - BNV dated May 30, 2014 between the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Home Affairs guiding the implementation of civilized lifestyles at religious establishments and belief establishments to have written instructions, requesting the abbots of Buddhist worship establishments not to organize forms of belief that are not in the Buddhist tradition, to rectify and solemnize worship establishments, and to closely coordinate with local cultural and religious belief management agencies to organize festivals and belief and religious activities at Buddhist worship establishments.
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| Panorama of Co Am Pagoda. Photo: Document |
- Assign relevant functional sectors to urge and remind local Buddhist establishments to seriously implement cultural regulations at the grassroots level, cultural and civilized lifestyle at religious and belief establishments; promptly encourage, motivate and commend Buddhist worship establishments to properly implement legal regulations on organizing festivals and religious and belief activities.
On the same day, February 18, 2019, the Government Committee for Religious Affairs sent Official Dispatch No. 120/TGCP-PG requesting the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha to provide guidance and rectify the above activities in Buddhist worship establishments in localities according to the regulations of the Sangha and the laws of the State.