The Ullambana ceremony of pious gratitude at Hoa Phuc Pagoda – Ha Noi

With the spirit of gratitude and grace in the filial season, on September 8th, 2017 (July 18th, Rooster Year) Hoa Phuc Pagoda in Hoa Truc Village, Hoa Thach Commune, Quoc Oai District, Hanoi City solemnly celebrated the Ullambana ceremony for pious gratitude in Buddhist Calendar of 2561 – Solar Calendar of 2017.

Witness in the ceremony presented the deputies, such as Venerable Thich Tam Hoa - the abbot of Hoa Phuc Pagoda with monks and nearly 2000 Buddhists far and near. 

At the beginning of the ceremony, Buddhist songs on the parents were performed by Buddhist singers and the Hoa Phuc Buddhist Youth Union in a warm and solemn atmosphere.

 This year, The Ullambana ceremony was followed by two short reportages two lives, two circumstances but the same love – Parents’ love.

 The first reportage recorded Nguyen Van Sang’s hardship livelihood - a disabled  has sold lottery tickets to help her mother every day.

 The second reportage was Nguyen Bich Dao’s deep repentance for her parents that the mother has died of an diabolic sickness and the mother has been in a 5- year prison sentence. With will and devotion, Bich Dao strived to overcome adversity. She has been   more matured while taking care of herself like a father, a mother and a sister, and completing her studies well.

 The repentant words were filled with tears of regret, the sentences contain the passionate feelings “Whatever the father has been treated, he is still our father. Please make a good renovation to come back to us and I apologize you much." She desires to use love of Buddhism to eradicate hatred, uses her love to convert and to find her father’s honesty.

 This is also the enlightenment for those who have not fulfilled their responsibilities as parents, as well as a good example of the righteous behavior of the filial child following to the spirit of Buddhism.

The ceremony was officially ended after Vu Lan chanting and encouraging words of the Venerable. 

 In the afternoon, at Pure Land Ashram – Hoa Phuc pagoda offered the Sanghas with scared reverence. On this occasion, the pagoda would also like to invite Ashrams to participate in the ceremony praying for peace of the great ancestors on July 27th, Rooster Year (September 17th, 2017).

 Here are some recorded images:

Translated into English by Huynh Thi Minh Trang