The Vu Lan Festival coincides with the Full Moon of the 7th lunar month. Let's explore this day with Miss VietSpice through the following article!
The Vu Lan Festival, the Full Moon Festival of the 7th lunar month, is one of the most sacred days in Buddhist culture and Vietnamese folk traditions. It is a special occasion for people to express their gratitude and honor the nurturing and upbringing provided by their parents, both in this life and previous lives.
What is the Vu Lan Festival?
The Vu Lan Festival is one of the major celebrations in Mahayana Buddhism (Northern Tradition) and Chinese customs, serving as a day for sons and daughters to express their filial piety towards their parents and ancestors. On this day, offspring demonstrate their sincerity by performing good deeds, releasing animals, and praying for their parents' peace and blessings.
According to the history text "Dai Viet Su Ky Toan Thu" by Ngo Si Lien, the Vu Lan festival was introduced to Vietnam as early as 1072, when Emperor Ly Nhan Tong established a memorial service for his parents. Over time, the festival has evolved from a Buddhist tradition to a day of filial piety celebrated by all Vietnamese people.
The term "Vu Lan" is an abbreviated form of "Vu Lan Bon," which is derived from the Sanskrit word "Ullambana," meaning "liberation." This meaning refers to the act of freeing souls who are suffering intensely in hell from their torment.
Vu Lan Festival in 2024
In 2024, the Vu Lan Festival will be observed on Sunday, August 18th, coinciding with the 15th day of the 7th lunar month.
The origin of the Vu Lan festival
The origin of the Vu Lan Festival comes from a moving story about Dai Duc Muc Kien Lien, one of the two great disciples of Buddha Shakyamuni. The story tells that after Muc Kien Lien achieved enlightenment, he used his divine eyes to search for his deceased mother across the three realms. He painfully discovered that his mother was suffering as a hungry ghost, enduring hunger and torment in hell due to the negative karma she had accumulated during her lifetime.
Muc Kien Lien used his supernatural powers to offer food to his mother, but when the food reached her, it immediately turned into red flames and became inedible. In desperation, he sought Buddha’s guidance. The Buddha explained that despite his great powers, Muc Kien Lien could not save his mother on his own and would need the support of monks from all directions. The Buddha advised Muc Kien Lien to prepare offerings for the monks on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month (the Full Moon) to accumulate merit and help liberate his mother.
The Buddha also reminded him, "Anyone who wishes to show filial piety to their parents should follow this method." Thus, the Vu Lan Festival was born.
The significance of the Vu Lan festival
From the touching story of Bodhisattva Muc Kien Lien rescuing his mother from the hungry ghost realm, the Vu Lan Festival has become a day to honor parents and ancestors, not only in this life but also through many previous lives. During this time, Buddhist followers often perform rituals to pray for the deceased, as well as engage in good deeds and accumulate merit, wishing for peace, increased blessings, long life, and liberation from negative karma for their living parents.
The Vu Lan Festival carries both religious significance and serves as a reminder of cultural roots, traditional filial piety, and respect for ancestors. It is an occasion to express gratitude and a spirit of repaying kindness, becoming an important part of the spiritual and cultural life of the Vietnamese people.
Preparing the offering tray for the Vu Lan Festival with Miss VietSpice
The Vu Lan Festival is an occasion for us to remember our roots, express gratitude for the contributions of our parents and ancestors, and continue to uphold the noble ethical and cultural values of our nation. Despite the changing world, the profound significance of this festival remains intact, helping each person remember their duties and responsibilities toward their parents and ancestors.
During the Vu Lan Festival, the offering tray presented to the ancestors is more than just food, it symbolizes the affection and reverence of descendants for their parents. Preparing a delicious and well-arranged offering is a way to demonstrate filial piety.
Miss VietSpice aims to be your partner in creating well-prepared offerings for the Vu Lan Festival. With natural, safe, and high-quality spices such as pepper, chili, onion, and turmeric, Miss VietSpice will help you prepare impeccably arranged dishes, reflecting the care and filial piety of family members.
Join Miss Vietspice to enjoy a delicious meal
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