Peace-wishing ceremony – Opening The Medicine Buddha Sutra and releasing lives at the beginning of Lunar year at Hoa Phuc pagoda

When the spring comes, people’s hearts are filled with joy

  There are fragrant yellow apricot blossom and red peach blossom

  Everybody gives each other joyful words and smiles

Spring in our hearts is gorgeous spring.

(Venerable Thich Tam Hoa)

Spring sunshine spread cozily. Spring rain is light and gentle. It is the feeling of spring in the countryside of Son Tay province - Quoc Oai, Hanoi which is away from the city center, but possesses the romantic beauty of the gentle Tich river and the majestic Tan Vien mountain. Hoa Phuc pagoda is an indispensable spiritual destination in the spring journey of visitors from all over the country.

With the motto "bringing the soul of the homeland back in the breath of Buddhism" monks and nearly   3000 Buddhists in Bodhi-mandala organized solemnly the " the great peace-wishing ceremony for national and civil safety " on January 9th , Dog year -2018.

Each word of the Sutra resounded as a reminder "to stay away from evil deeds, to do good deeds" and it is also a motive to change and refresh ourselves in the hope of a prosperous country, a just society, happy and well-off families.

In the afternoon of that day, setting up an altar for bestowing food on wandering souls and releasing lives at the beginning of the spring were performed with all the power of gratitude in the hope of “the salvation of the underworld and prosperity of the world”.

At the end of the ceremony, the monks of the pagoda thanked and encouraged the Buddhists to attend the opening Dharma at the beginning of spring ceremony – one-day blissful cultivating at 7:30 am on January 17th, Dog year with presence, proving and giving a dharma talk of the Senior Venerable Thich Tien Dat - Master of the Bodhi Mandala.

 Below are recorded pictures: