Buddha's Birthday Ceremony at Minh Chat ashram at Can Tho

Joining the 2647th anniversary of Buddha's Birthday, solar calendar on May 28th, 2023 (April 10th, LC), Minh Chat ashram (Can Tho province) solemnly held the great ceremony of Buddha's Birthday.

The ceremony witnessed and attended with the presence of Most Thich Minh Thanh - member of Central Propagation Board of Vietnamese Buddhist Sangha, Head of Can Tho City’s Buddhist Propagation Department, Abbot of Buu Lien Pagoda, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho City; Junior Thich Tam Hue - Head of Charity Department of Hoang Phap Pagoda, Head of Minh Chat ashram; Monks at Hoang Phap Pagoda, Hoc Mon, Ho Chi Minh City; Buddhist men and women participated together.

In the ceremony, Most Thich Minh Thanh had dharma words about the birth of Shakyamuni Buddha, stating the meaning of six steps walking on seven lotus flowers; nine dragons spraying water symbolizes the whole world contemplating Ten Good Karmas, the meaning of form, and the meaning of the Buddha Bathing Day. “Although the World-Honored One entered Nirvana for 2567 years, His dharma-body is forever present in the minds of the Buddha's disciples. When in our hearts we still think Buddha is the Buddha still present. What is Buddha? Buddha is the Compassionate One." The Master advised Buddhists to "connect with love, form a brilliant, peaceful and pure lotus to make offerings to the Buddha". Before bathing the Buddha, every Buddhist must clean himself first to be clean and pure. Cleansing the body by practicing ten good karmas of the body not killing, not stealing, not committing adultery is the love material; Thought is not greedy, not angry, not stupid is the love material; A speech that does not lie, is not flowery, does not weave, and does not use evil language is the material of love.” We should practice loving-kindness. Compassion is an important quality in Buddhism, loving, respecting and protecting lives from humans to all sentient beings in the spirit of non-discrimination. All things in this world share an equal heart, so we can also become a Buddha when we live with true love like Buddha; next, it is the Buddha Bathing ritual.

The ceremony was completed in the joy of the mass.

In the afternoon, Junior Thich Tam Hue presented 200 gifts to 200 households with difficult circumstances, lonely without support. Total value of 66,000,000 VND (Sixty six million VND). Each gift includes: 10 kg of rice, 1 envelope of 100,000 VND, 1 warm shirt, 1 pair of sandals, 1 string of beads, 1 Buddha necklace, cake and milk.

At the same time, the monk gave each of them a gift of dharma (including the book: Practice at Home, The Retribution of Killing Lives, Repayment for Parents,...composed by Most Thich Chan Tinh).

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