The Ullambana Festival at Ba Vang Pagoda
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- The ceremony of taking refuge in the Three Jewels and the eight Precepts observance
- Thay Thich Truc Thai Minh gave a Dharma talk on how to repay the debt of gratitude we owe to our parents the righteous way
- Opening observances of the Ullambana Festival at Ba Vang Pagoda
- Praying ceremony for the dead
In essence, Buddhism started from the virtue of filial piety. Buddhists should always prioritise the practice of filial piety. Ullambana Festival is a good opportunity for people to repay the debt of gratitude to their parents in both current and many lives.
In the morning of August 8, 2019 (the 8th day of the 7th month in the Year of the Pig), the Ullambana Festival was ceremonially held at Ba Vang Pagoda, Uong Bi, Quang Ninh Province. The religious ceremony was attended by Thay Thich Truc Thai Minh—the Abbot of Ba Vang Pagoda, all Monks, and Nuns, together with more than 20,000 Buddhists and local residents from many parts of the country.
Thay Thich Truc Thai Minh, all Monks and Nuns, and Buddhists at the Ullambana Festival.
The ceremony of taking refuge in the Three Jewels and the eight Precepts observance
At 8:30 A.M, thousands of Buddhists assembled at Ba Vang Pagoda to attend the ceremony of taking refuge in the Three Jewels as well as the liturgy for observing the eight precepts—Uposatha observance. In the solemn atmosphere of the ceremony, Venerable Thich Truc Bao Tien transmitted the eight precepts (also known as “Uposatha vows”). This was a good chance for them to obtain great blessings by strictly observing those precepts for the whole day.
Buddhists taking refuge in the Three Jewels at the Ullambana Festival.
Thay Thich Truc Thai Minh gave a Dharma talk on how to repay the debt of gratitude we owe to our parents the righteous way
For every Buddhist, the virtue of filial piety is not only the foundation but also the seed which awakens and nurtures the Bodhi mind. It is very necessary to deeply understand our parents merit and to repay them based on Dharma lessons. Therefore, Thay Thich Truc Thai Minh gave a sermon on “The Sutra: “Hungry shades outside the walls” in relation to practicing filial piety”.
During the Dharma talk, Thay Thich Truc Thai Minh taught, “As Buddhists, we need to practice the virtue of filial piety first. Filial piety truly is Buddhism”
“As Buddhists, we need to practice the virtue of filial piety first. Filial piety truly is Buddhism”, taught Thay Thich Truc Thai Minh at the Ullambana Festival.
Through this Dharma talk, Thay Thich Truc Thai Minh hoped that all Monks, Nuns, and Buddhists would sincerely repent their sins and continually cultivated themselves and that each would strongly vow to bring salvation to themselves and to their parents in many lives.
In order to do so, Buddhists need to do good deeds, improve themselves, observe the precepts, learn the Dharma, and help their parents to plant good seeds in the field of Buddhism so that they will also have a chance to practice true Buddha Dharma. Only then shall they have the true virtue of filial piety, just as that of Bodhisattva Maudgalyayana.
Opening observances of the Ullambana Festival at Ba Vang Pagoda
On this occasion, Buddhists had the chance to offer fresh flowers, which represent their gratitude and reverence, to the Three Jewels. Upon offering flowers, they could wish that with the aid of the Three Jewels, their ancestors, and parents would receive more blessings.
Buddhists offering flowers to the Three Jewels at the Ullambana Festival.
After the flower offering procession, Buddhists made offerings to the Sangha—one of the Three Jewels—to show their gratitude towards the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha as well as to practice the virtue of offering to the Monks according to the Buddhas teachings about how to repay our parents merit in Ullambana Sutra.
Buddhists making offerings to the Sangha at Ullambana Festival.
Afterward, Thay Thich Truc Thai Minh and the Great Assembly recited together the Ullambana Repentance sutra in order to repent for having been unfilial in this current life as well as their previous ones. Accordingly, everyone vows to do good deeds diligently to become dutiful children and a better person, who will contribute to society.
The assembly reciting the Ullambana Sutra at the Ullambana Festival.
Praying ceremony for the dead
In the afternoon, Thay Thich Truc Thai Minh and the Sangha of Ba Vang Pagoda conducted the praying ceremony for the deceased.
The Sangha of Ba Vang Pagoda conducted the praying ceremony for the deceased.
In the ceremony, Monks guided all the hungry ghosts, who used to be parents or grandparents of the Buddhists, to repent and take refuge in the Three Jewels. Since then, they would suffer from less misery and have a place to take refuge in, which is the Three Jewels: the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. After that, Thay Thich Truc Thai Minh gave all the hungry ghosts a Dharma name: Thanh Tinh, which means purity. On giving them this name, Thay wished that they would practice Dharma to achieve a pure mind so as to be reborn to higher realms.
Hopefully, after the Ullambana Festival at Ba Vang Pagoda, the mind of filial piety of every Buddhist will be awakened and fostered. In that way, every day in our life will be the Ullambana Day. Every day will be the day for repaying our debts of gratitude to our parents.
