The spirit of Vu Lan filial piety is spreading more and more. Not only within the scope of an individual or family, many groups and social organizations also spread and together perform acts of gratitude. Without a good heart and good deeds, no matter how many lavish feasts or how much votive paper money is burned, it is useless.
Holiday of returning to the roots
The Vu Lan Festival originated from the story of Maudgalyayana saving his mother. In that story, the Buddha taught that on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month, invite monks to perform the ceremony. Maudgalyayana did so and helped his mother escape from the realm of hungry ghosts. Since then, every Vu Lan season, Maudgalyayana has performed a ceremony to dedicate merits to his parents, to show gratitude to monks, and to pray for the souls and the dead to escape the sea of suffering. The Vu Lan Festival was born from that and has become a symbol of filial piety and gratitude.
The spirit of filial piety during Vu Lan season in Vietnam not only reminds us of filial piety towards our parents, but also implies the meaning of returning to our roots to be grateful and repay our kindness. This idea is consistent with the mindset and morality of remembering the source of water, repaying kindness, etc. in the Vietnamese mind. During the filial piety season, people return to their roots, showing respect to their grandparents and ancestors.
Most Venerable Thich Gia Quang, Vice President of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS), Head of the Information and Communications Department of the VBS Central Committee, affirmed that the three most important cultural pillars in Vietnam are family, village community and nation. The virtues of gratitude and filial piety in Buddhism create the glue that binds these pillars together. “For thousands of years, filial piety has always been a noble moral value, the foundation for all developments in life. Vu Lan festival is not simply a sacred religious festival, but also a festival of humanity with special meaning, guiding each person to return to the roots of the nation, to the morality of drinking water and remembering its source,” Most Venerable Thich Gia Quang affirmed.
In recent years, during the Vu Lan season of filial piety, the VBS has called for avoiding organizations that collect money to buy offerings in the form of spiritual services, performing rituals that are not in accordance with the Dharma and traditional rituals, and not Burning votive paper. The announcement of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha on the organization of the Vu Lan Festival of filial piety in 2024 encourages everyone to do practical charity work, help people in difficult circumstances to transform into good karma to show filial piety to ancestors and parents.
Many pagodas and monasteries have restricted and are moving towards eliminating the burning of votive paper. From July 1, 2024, the relics of Con Dao district (Ba Ria - Vung Tau province) will implement the "Say no to the burning of votive paper". For many years, the Tay Ho Palace Management Board has restricted the burning of votive paper. Each visitor to the palace is encouraged to light one incense stick. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism also guides the management and organization of religious and belief festivals in accordance with the provisions of law, ensuring security, order, safety, and savings in accordance with the civilized lifestyle, traditions, culture, and good customs and practices of the nation.
Think well, live beautifully, go deep
According to the folk beliefs about the 15th day of the 7th lunar month and the forgiveness of the dead, many families choose to buy mansions, cars, and votive paper money to burn as a “send” to the deceased, considering it a way to show filial piety. Many families invest tens of millions of dong in buying offerings and setting up elaborate feasts to pray. This goes against the teachings and spirit of Buddhism. In fact, the value and spirit of Vu Lan does not lie in the lavish feasts and burning of lots of votive paper money.
Associate Professor Dr. Pham Ngoc Trung, former Head of the Department of Culture and Development (Academy of Journalism and Communication) affirmed that the Party and State respect freedom of belief but encourage people to save and practice a modern civilized lifestyle. “Vu Lan shows the cultural exchange between Buddhist concepts and Vietnamese folk beliefs. In recent years, many people have made great progress in their awareness during Vu Lan season. Instead of focusing on the form of worship and burning votive paper, charitable activities and gratitude have been widely promoted,” said Associate Professor Dr. Pham Ngoc Trung.
In fact, the spirit of Buddhism does not mention elaborate rituals or expensive offerings. Good deeds that come from the heart are welcomed. Sometimes just a bowl of water or a flower can demonstrate sincerity. According to Buddha's teachings, there are different ways to express gratitude. Buddhists often hold offerings, prayers for the dead, do charity, release animals to accumulate blessings and pray for peace, pray for parents to have more blessings and longevity, and resolve bad karma.
Many people express their sincerity through volunteer activities, visiting martyrs' graves, giving gifts to families with revolutionary contributions or helping those in difficult circumstances. Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Ngoc Trung commented that the most meaningful thing to do is to live ethically, think well, and be willing to contribute to society. "The spirit of Vu Lan filial piety is increasingly expanding. Not only within the scope of an individual or family, many groups and social organizations also spread and encourage each other to perform good acts of gratitude," the expert expressed.
Associate Professor, Dr. Bui Hoai Son, Standing Member of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Education, affirmed that many propaganda measures are needed to minimize the burning of votive paper - a variation of the perception "as in this world, so in the afterlife", causing environmental pollution and waste. One of the causes of this confusion and variation is said to be due to the lack of understanding of religion and beliefs of a part of the population.
He believes that people burn a lot of votive paper not only due to traditional habits but also due to the crowd effect and social pressure. In some cases, participating in activities such as burning votive paper is due to pressure from social habits or comparison and imitation. The money spent on buying and burning votive paper, pursuing superstitious services can be used to visit and give gifts to meritorious people, doing good deeds to add meaning to Vu Lan. Without a good heart and good deeds, no matter how many lavish feasts or how much votive paper money is burned, it is useless.
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