No more burning votive paper in temples on Vu Lan festival

According to Lao Dong Newspaper, this year's Vu Lan festival, many temples and pagodas in Ninh Binh no longer burn votive paper, which is both wasteful and pollutes the environment and landscape of sacred places in particular. Many people who come to the pagoda say no to burning votive paper and have practical activities to find the true values of the Vu Lan festival, spreading the spirit of filial piety.

Present at some large pagodas in Ninh Binh on August 18 (July 15 of the lunar calendar), according to the reporter of Lao Dong Newspaper, there were many people coming to the pagoda to pray for peace, find relaxation and serenity on Vu Lan festival.

Instead of buying votive offerings to go to the temple to worship on Vu Lan festival, many people choose to buy vegetarian offerings, candy, and fruit. Photo: Nguyen Truong

Instead of bringing votive offerings as before, many people have found the true values of the Vu Lan festival, such as chanting sutras, Vu Lan repentance, and filial piety prayers...

At Phuc Chinh Pagoda (Ninh Binh City), from early morning, many people came to the pagoda to worship. However, there is no longer the practice of worshiping and burning votive paper like every year.

Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Duyen (Nam Thanh ward, Ninh Binh city) shared that this year, on Vu Lan festival, she prepared offerings including flowers, fruits, candies, went to the pagoda to burn incense and chant Buddhist sutras... praying for her parents to be safe.

Similarly, at Non Nuoc Pagoda (Dong Thanh Ward, Ninh Binh City), people coming to the pagoda only bring vegetarian offerings, candies, and fruits to place on the altar and then chant Buddhist prayers. Among the hundreds of people coming here, almost no one brings paper offerings.

The area where votive papers are burned at the temple is deserted, there is no longer a situation of people lining up to burn votive papers like before.

Most Venerable Thich Minh Quang - Member of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, Witness of the Executive Board of the Buddhist Sangha of Ninh Binh province shared that Vu Lan festival is a day to remember the merits of parents and ancestors and is considered by Buddhism as an important holiday in the 7th lunar month every year.

This is an opportunity for everyone to reflect on the tradition of filial piety and gratitude to ancestors, grandparents, parents; becoming an indispensable part of Vietnamese culture and beliefs.

No more queuing to burn votive papers at Non Nuoc Pagoda (Ninh Binh City). Photo: Nguyen Truong

Venerable Thich Minh Quang said that this year, Bai Dinh Pagoda coordinated with the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha of Ninh Binh province to organize the Vu Lan Dharma Assembly program to show filial piety in Buddhist calendar 2568 - Gregorian calendar 2024 with the theme "Filial piety and nation".

At the ceremony, delegates, Buddhists and visitors from all over the world performed traditional Buddhist rituals such as: gratitude for the grace of birth, rose pinning ceremony, Vu Lan repentance ceremony, praying for national peace and prosperity, family happiness...

"The act of showing filial piety should not only take place in the 7th lunar month but should be done regularly and continuously throughout life to repay the "Fourfold Graces" according to the teachings of Buddhism. Not only performing "spiritual filial piety" such as burning votive paper and worshipping ancestors, but each person should also "show filial piety" through practical actions such as taking care of parents, doing volunteer work, supporting the less fortunate, so that "filial piety" can have its full and beautiful meaning".

Source: https://laodong.vn/van-hoa-giai-tri/khong-con-dot-vang-ma-o-cac-den-chua-dip-le-vu-lan-1381378.ldo