Ullambana ceremony at Dong Cao pagoda in Thanh Hoa province

In harmony with the Ullambana atmosphere of remembering and paying gratitude of the Buddha’s children, on August 26th -27th, 2017 (lunar July 5th- 6th, Rooster Year) Dong Cao Pagoda at Yen Khoai Ham Let, Nga Yen Commune, Nga Son District, Thanh Hoa Province organized the great Ceremony of Ullambana.

At 9 P.M in the evening of August 26th, 2017 (lunar July 5th, Rooster Year), on behalf of the monks, Junior Ven. Thich Tam Hung explained “the Ullambana Significance” and adviced the mass who should transfer their mind and body to be peaceful and happy for themselves, then they could give their merits to their ancestor. Next, he and all Buddhists officially chanted the sutra of praying for their ancestors, martyrs, and guiltless foetus.

In the evening of August 27th, 2017 (lunar July 6th, Rooster Year) after the singing performance on parents’ merit from Dong Cao Pagodas’ young Buddhists, all good man and believing woman respectly welcomed all venerable Sanghas who came to the mail hall to witness and celebrate the great ceremony.

The attendance deputies were Junior Ven. Thich, Tam Hieu, Permanent Committee of Director Board (the D.B) of Viet Nam Buddhism Associastion (V.B.A) in Nghe An Province, Abbot  of Can Mon Pagoda ; Junior Ven. Thich Thanh Dat , Committee of the D.B of  V.B.A in Thanh Hoa Province, The Chief of the D.B of V.B.A in Hau Loc District, Abbot of Tam Giao Pagoda; Junior Ven. Thich Tam Hung, Abbot of Dong Cao Pagoda, the Chief of D.B of the great ceremony; as well as all Sanghas Ven.  of Hoang Phap Pagoda in HCMC. The deputies of noble guests were Mr. Pham Tri But, Committee of District, Secretary of Nga Yen Commune, and the guest on other levels of local authorities.

 After declaring the reason, introducing guests and young Buddhist children of Dong Cao, on behalf of all mandala, the young Buddhists of Dong Cao Pagoda offered six parts of offering to ten directions of Triratna and current Venerables to create good conditions in the great Ullambana.

Next, it was the rite of rose flower pinning. All of mandala listened to Buddhist Nghiem Thi Hoa reading its significance. On that sacred moment, all mass had one minute of quietness to remember the Buddha’s great merit, the master’s gratitude of initial   instructing and teaching, parents’ merit of giving birth and bringing up, as well as, the gratitude to the nation, people, the other kinds of beings, martyrs’ soul who had sacrificed for the nation’s happiness and peacefulness.

By the deep and sweet tones of song “The Rose Pinning of Shirt”, singer Chien Thang harmonying with the repentant rite for offering to parents. Ven Thich Tam Hoc explained more people about their parents’ great merits, fault‘s repentance and then pinning rose flower on their chest. Continuously, the mass enjoyed the song “the Dad’s Advice” performed by singer Trung Kien.

Specially in this great ceremony, little Buddhist Mai Thu Ngan told the story of pious deeds in friendly and simple words, which helps all attendees understand more the parents’ great merit.

A part of the program included in the rite of offering Rope. Young Buddhist of Dong Cao Pagoda deputized the mass respectly offered alms to the venerables. On behalf of Ven. Sanghas, Junior Thich Tam Hung praised the spirit of all mass’d behavior and mind and accepted alms. He had some encouragement to the mass on the Ullambana of pious gratitude. After that, all mass began the course of chanting Ullambana.

In this ceremony, the organizers gave participants a book “Re-examining.”   

Here are some recorded images:

BBT Website