August 14, 2011 | 21:07 (GMT+7)
Thousands of Buddhist monks and followers attend Vu Lan Festival
Thousands of Buddhist monks and followers nationwide have expressed their gratitude and filial piety to their parents and ancestors during Vu Lan Festival which falls on the seventh month of the lunar calendar...
Thousands of Buddhist monks and followers nationwide have expressed their gratitude and filial piety to their parents and ancestors during Vu Lan Festival which falls on the seventh month of the lunar calendar.
On August 13th, the Suoi Tien Cultural Tourism Site in Ho Chi Minh City was crowded with over 500 Buddhist monks and followers, where various rituals were solemnly and meaningfully organised.
On the occasion, a free vegetarian party was offered to more than 15,000 visitors and followers nationwide, who took part in rituals held in Suoi Tien.
On the same day, other followers in Ho Chi Minh City gathered at pagodas to give incense offerings to, and recall great contributions of their parents.
In other provinces and cities across Vietnam, the same Festival was held with the participation of a great number of followers and Buddhist monks.
In these days many Pagodas in Hanoi, namely Quan Su, Hoe Nhai and Tran Quoc, are constantly full of followers.
According to Superior Buddhist Monk Thich Thanh Tu, Vu Lan Festival is for monks and nuns to show repentance and the spirit of mending their manners, and for followers to express their filial piety and for wandering souls and living beings to ask for forgiveness.
Source: Vnexpress
Translated by Mai Huong