A meaningful and warm festive season

Update: 22-05-2024 | 14:04:32

In recent days, the atmosphere to celebrate Buddha's 2568^th birthday has become more joyful and warmer with colorful flags, flowers and birthday platforms decorated throughout pagodas in the province. Along with the ceremonies to celebrate Buddha's birthday, the local pagodas and Buddhist followers have carried out many volunteer activities with the desire of celebrating a meaningful, solemn festive season, spreading love in life.

Animated to celebrate Buddha's birthday

Most Venerable Thich Hue Thong, Vice-Chairman of the Executive Council, Head of the Legal Department of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha Central Committee, Head of provincial Buddhist Sangha’s Executive Board said that this year's ceremony to Buddha's birthday takes place in a series of important holidays in the country. These are events for Buddhism to demonstrate its spirit of accompanying the nation in the motto of “Dharma - Nation - Socialism", through contributions from social welfare work, mobilization of nuns, monks and Buddhist followers to well comply with the Party’s policies and guidelines, the State’s laws and especially charity work.

Most Venerable Thich Tac An donates gifts to disadvantaged people at the "Zero-dong market" organized by Dau Tieng district’s Red Cross Association

In that spirit, provincial Buddhist Sangha has guided the local pagodas to organize meaningful and thrifty ceremonies in celebration of Buddha's birthday, actively doing charity work and complying with the spirit of Buddhism to integrate into common events of the country and the Buddist community. In recent days, preparations for holding ceremonies in celebration of the Buddha's birthday have been carefully prepared by provincial Buddhist Sangha, its branches as well as pagodas across the province. In localities, activities commemorating the Buddha's birthday have taken place in a joyful and colorful atmosphere, contributing to honoring and spreading the beauty of "good life, good religion" of Buddhism in the community.

Most Venerable Thich Hue Thong added that this year's Buddha's birthday ceremony was hosted by Di An city’s Buddhist Sangha on May 20 and 21 (the 13th and 14th of the 4th lunar month) at the city’s Cultural Center. The program of the grand ceremony herein included many activities in celebration of Buddha's birth such as exhibition of pagodas in Di An city; talkshow on Buddhism; ceremony to light candles and flower lanterns; birth procession; parade; vegetarian cuisine; art performance; ritual to release doves to pray for peaceful national, happy people; ceremony giving scholarships for poor-but-excellent students...with the participation of numerous people.

On the 15th day of the 4th lunar month, provincial Buddhist Sangha will also celebrate Buddha's birthday with traditional rituals of the Buddhism at Hoi Khanh pagoda in Thu Dau Mot city. Flags, flowers and ceremonial platforms are beautifully decorated to welcome Buddhist followers and people to worship Buddha and take beautiful pictures next to the ancient Hoi Khanh pagoda, next to the famous Buddha statue entering Nirvana in Binh Duong.

Many meaningful charity activities

Hoi Khanh pagoda has just organized the 4th free medical examination and medicine distribution program of 2024. With the support of retired doctors and nurses working at hospitals in the province, more than 160 elderly people, those with difficult circumstances and lonely people in Thu Dau Mot city were given free medical check-ups and medicine. This was one of the social charity activities done by the pagoda over the past time, actively contributing to the local social welfare. In addition to the above volunteer activities, on May 22, the Social Charity Board of provincial Buddhist Sangha will coordinate with provincial Red Cross Society to organize a "zero-dong market" to give gifts for 500 disadvantaged people at the pagoda.

During this Buddha's birthday season, many pagodas have actively participated in many social charity activities in localities. Along with volunteer activities during the Buddha's birthday season, Most Venerable Thich Tac An, Head of Dau Tieng district’s Buddhist Sangha cum Head of Thai Son pagoda in Cau Mountain supported the district’s Red Cross Society with 10 bicycles, vegetables and fruits worth VND 60 million in order to give them for students and people in need during the Humanitarian Month.

Most Venerable Thich Tac An shared: "These gifts given are not of much value, but they will help us transport dreams and good feelings to people with difficult circumstances. And we are still bringing joy and peace to everyone, helping difficult situations and contributing to making this life more meaningful and beautiful".

With the motto of "Dharma - Nation - Socialism", volunteer activities during the Buddha's birthday season continue to bring love to many difficult situations. Most Venerable Thich Hue Thong said that provincial Buddhist Sangha will continue mobilizing monks, nuns, Buddhists followers and people to well implement the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's policies and laws; actively respond to patriotic emulation movements, live in harmony, solidarity, love and together build up a more and more prosperous and beautiful homeland.

On the occasion of Buddha's birthday this year, Buddhist followers and pagodas across the province, especially provincial Buddhist Sangha, have organized many meaningful charity programs, comprising of holding "Zero-dong market", providing free medical check-up and medicine for people in need, giving water for people affected by drought and saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta region and many other activities to celebrate Buddha's Birthday.

Reported by Hong Thuan-Translated by Kim Tin

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A meaningful and warm festive season

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