During this year's festival, the venerables conducted a ritual to pray for the 11,000 souls, seeking the Three Jewels' blessings and protection to help them reach liberation. At the same time, they also prayed for peace and well-being for over 5,000 people and for the world to be peaceful and all sentient beings to be happy.

The Great Ceremony of Purification - Saving sentient beings on the path of ghosts

Under the Venerable Abbot’s presiding, the Great Monastic Community solemnly performed the Great Ceremony of Purification to deliver the lost souls, seek transcendent blessings for all spiritual beings, burning incense sticks to pray for the salvation of the deceased and for peace, attend the Dharma Assembly of Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha, and offer prayers for those who lost their lives during the COVID-19 pandemic on the evening of August 28th, 2022 (Lunar August 2nd, the year of the Tiger). 

On the same morning, the monks and Buddhists solemnly and devotedly prepared for the Great Ceremony of Purification

The whole scene of the solemn Great Ceremony of Purification looks magnificent and impressive from above

In the afternoon of the same day, the official ritual of the Great Ceremony of Purification for the spirits was held. Venerable Monk Thich Minh Thanh - the abbot of Thang Nghiem Meditation presided over the ceremony. 

The presiding abbot and the assembly of venerable monks attend the ceremony of the Great Purification

The presiding abbot Thich Minh Thanh leads the ceremony of the ceremony of the Great Purification

In the cycle of birth and death, there is no one who does not have relatives. For those who have not encountered the Buddha's teachings and do not understand the law of cause and effect, when they pass away from the mortal world, they cannot escape the suffering in the realm of misery, hunger, and thirst, and wander from place to place, wandering aimlessly. 

In the past two years, Vietnam has experienced an unprecedented loss and sorrow due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with tens of thousands of lives lost forever... However, can their souls be liberated from the cycle of rebirth when they still have attachments to the earthly life, to their families and loved ones? That is the loneliness and finality of the departed, as well as the anguish and sorrow of those who are left behind, because they have not been able to send their loved ones to the eternal realm.

The entire assembly is solemnly gathered in of the moment when the presiding abbot and revered monks conduct the ceremony of the Great Purification

Therefore, within the framework of the Memorial Service for the victims of Covid-19 at Dai Tung Lam Hoa Sen Pagoda, the solemn Great Ceremony of Purification for the deceased is a manifestation of the compassionate and merciful spirit of Buddhist practitioners, relying on the Dharma and the power of the prayers of the monastic community to spread the heartfelt prayers for the departed souls to be reborn in a peaceful realm, while comforting the grieving families who have lost loved ones in the pandemic. 

Moreover, the Buddha, with a compassionate and empathetic heart for all beings, has taught many Dharma methods to alleviate the suffering of all sentient beings, including the ritual of Ch'an Tea to deliver souls from the realm of hungry ghosts. Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha always carries boundless compassion, without distinguishing any limit of suffering, saying "All beings, without exception, suffer. May I be their liberator," and "Only by saving all beings can one become a Buddha”.

The presiding abbot Thich Minh Thanh leads the ceremony of the ceremony of the Great Purification

The sentient beings in the path of the hungry ghosts must endure a very painful life. On the one hand, because of the karma they have created, even though they have left the earthly world, they still keep holding on to hatred, attached to worldly life, greed for property...; On the one hand, there are no people to worship or remember, so they live in a lost species, helpless, have no one to love, have no place to rely on, no one to sacrifice… Therefore, sentient beings in the hungry ghost path are both hungry and thirsty for both material and spiritual things.

The compatriots and relatives who have passed away are comforted by the sincere prayers and stanzas 

During the Great Ceremony of Purification at Dai Tung Lam Hoa Sen Pagoda, the powerful presence of the Three Jewels and the blessings from the offerings of the Buddhist followers comfort and console the spirits of those who died tragically. The suffering beings in the ghost realm are comforted by the profound and philosophical verses of Buddha's teachings, while also enjoying a full vegetarian feast after months or years of hunger and thirst. With the compassion and power of the Buddhas, the Great Ceremony of Purification can multiply seven bowls of rice to feed ten, satisfying the hunger of countless beings. 

As a result, all beings in the spiritual realm, including deities, ancestors, and generations of past lives, along with restless spirits, all have the chance to connect with Buddhist practitioners and receive blessings, enlightenment, and the opportunity to reach the Pure Land.

Praying for over 11,000 Souls to Escape from the Cycle of Reincarnation

Thousands of Buddhists, practitioners, and people from all regions gathered to Dai Tung Lam Hoa Sen pagoda to attend the Dharma conference to respectfully pay respects and commemorate the immeasurable merits and vows of Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha, and mentioned raise the spirit of guru, return to the origin, and remember the grace of ancestors. 

The Praying Ceremony was held on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and on the occasion of Vu Lan month, which has a special spiritual meaning for those attending the Dharma Assembly, especially those who have unfortunately passed away. go to relatives during the recent pandemic. 

The whole ashram chants the Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra to pray for the departed compatriots and relatives

At this assembly, the presiding abbot performed a ceremony to pray for more than 11,000 incense souls, hoping that the spirits would rely on Buddha's power, sutras, and prayers to soon be reborn. Everyone sat down in the shadow of Buddhism, reciting the Ksitigarbha Sutra with one heart praying and dedicating merit to the unfortunate souls who passed away during the recent pandemic, suffering, sentient beings, and their deceased relatives to be reborn in the good realm.  

Panoramic lighting of lanterns in front of the altar of the Four-Faced Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva statue - The light illuminates so that the spirits can rely on them to be reborn in the land of Ultimate Bliss

Hundreds of lanterns tied into the mantra "Om Mani Padme Hum" shine brightly in front of the main hall, helping the incense spirits not be born in the three lower realms but be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss in the Pure Land itself

In the evening of the same day, monks and Buddhists together lit lanterns to commemorate the deceased compatriots and relatives right in front of the altar of the Four-Faced Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara Statue. Hundreds of lanterns formed the Sanskrit mantra "Om Mani Padme Hum" - Bodhi mind bloomed in people's hearts and were arranged in the word Siddham, a form of handwriting developed in the last the sixth century. This was also the mantra Om Mani Padme Hum that Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara used when he vowed to return to the cycle of reincarnation to save sentient beings from suffering and from deluded berths. The shimmering lamps were lit in the gloom of the night, like a bright light, erasing all sufferings, afflictions, and attachments so that the spirits could be reborn in a good land.  

Each lantern is a good recitation to the living and peaceful energy is directed to the deceased to be reborn in the pure realm

Holding a lantern in their hand, each Buddha's son turns his heart to the gentle Mother Avalokitesvara, that stream of light continues in the long, quiet night, carrying many sincere prayers. Each lamp that is lit is a blessing for those left behind and a source of peaceful energy directed to the deceased. 

During the last Dharma assembly, when performing the Great Ceremony of Purification, Venerable Abbot, Venerable monks, and thousands of participants chanted the mantra "Om Mani Padme Hum" which created a powerful force that was unthinkable, help multiply the fortune ten thousand times. It was also a support for the departed incense spirits, compatriots, relatives, and even sentient beings in the hungry ghost path who relied on the Buddha's majesty, divine power, and compassionate energy so as not to be reborn in the three worlds but in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Right after that, the Venerable Abbot also burned the incense sticks to pray for more than 11,000 souls so that all could no longer cling and be liberated and reborn. At the same time, 5,000 incense sticks were also burned to pray for peace in the world and sentient beings. 

The Dharma assembly was completed after 5 days full of joy and happiness. All Buddhists and people fulfilled their wishes and desires. They left with a source of peaceful energy and a complete satisfaction.