Going to pagodas at the beginning of the year is a cultural feature of many Vietnamese people every Tet holiday, spring comes. Right from the moment of New Year's Eve or the morning of the 1st day of Tet, many families have visited pagodas, burned incense to pray for peace, health and convenience in work.
Besides the meaning of praying for good luck, going to pagodas at the beginning of the year is also considered a way to preserve traditional customs and guide people towards good values.
Many people consider this an opportunity to remind themselves to live more positively and work better in the new year. For some families, going to the pagoda at the beginning of the year has become a cultural activity connecting generations, a spiritual start for the whole year.
Prayer texts for going to pagodas, temples, and shrines (Book of Vietnamese Traditional Prayers - Culture and Information Publishing House):
Buddha's prayer text:
Nam mô A Di Đà Phật!
Nam mô A Di Đà Phật!
Nam mô A Di Đà Phật!
I bow to the Nine Heavens, the Ten Directions of Buddhas, the Buddhas of the Ten Directions.
Today is the day... month... year...
My believer is... residing in...
Together with the whole family, sincerely in front of the Great Temple, at the pagoda.
Buddha Shakyamuni, Buddha Amitabha, the ten Buddhas of all directions, the supreme Dharma, the Great Sage of Avalokiteśvara, and the Venerable Monks.
Old disciple, old life
Heavy karma
Now to the Buddha's Altar
Sincere repentance
Swear to avoid evil
Willing to do good deeds
Looking back at Buddha's grace
Quan Am Dai Si
Saint Venerable Monks
Thien Long Bat Bo
Guardian Angel
Family compassion.
I humbly ask you to bless us and our whole family so that our minds are not troubled, our bodies are not sick, and we can joyfully work every day according to the miraculous Dharma of the Buddha, so that our fortune will be smooth, and we will always be grateful to the Dharma of the Buddha.
Dedicated to asking for rescue for the elders, parents, siblings, relatives, and all sentient beings to become Buddhists.
We offer sincere offerings, bow to ask for blessings and protection.
Nam mô A Di Đà Phật!
Nam mô A Di Đà Phật!
Nam mô A Di Đà Phật!
Prayer for wealth, fortune, and peace at the Tam Bao altar
Nam mô A Di Đà Phật!
Nam mô A Di Đà Phật!
Nam mô A Di Đà Phật!
I bow to the Nine Heavens, the Ten Directions of Buddhas, the Buddhas of the Ten Directions.
I sincerely bow to the Bodhisattvas, the Venerable Monks, the Dharma Guardians, and the Heavenly Dragon and Eight Sacred Animals.
My believer is... residing in...
Today is the day... month... year...
Believers sincerely offer incense, flowers, offerings, and petitions (if petitions are written and placed on the offering tray) to the door of the Ten Directions of the Three Jewels.
Believer, sincerely respectfully perform the ritual.
Amitabha Buddha is the patriarch of the Western Pure Land.
Buddha Shakyamuni, leader of the Sa Ba realm.
Buddhist Medicine Master Liu Li is the leader of the Eastern realm.
Duc Thien Thu, Thien Nhan, Ngu Bach Danh Tam Thanh, rescuing suffering and relief, Quan The Am Bodhisattva's intuition. Respectfully praying to the Guardian Angels, the virtuous Bodhisattvas, respectfully asking them to be compassionate, bless and protect their children, vowing to be... (public fame, fortune, dispelling bad luck, peace...).
I vow to ask all of you, accept the humble offering, sincerely prove, witness for me to overcome disasters, bring good things, eliminate bad things, develop fortune and prosperity, the whole family is healthy, peaceful, healthy and prosperous.
We mortals still have many mistakes. I humbly hope that Buddha and Saints will be merciful and greatly forgiving so that I and my family can overcome disasters, all good things, and wishes and aspirations are fulfilled.
Believer, I offer humble offerings sincerely, bow to ask for blessings and protection.
Nam mô A Di Đà Phật!
Nam mô A Di Đà Phật!
Nam mô A Di Đà Phật!
Prayer to Tam Toa Thanh Mau
Nam mô A Di Đà Phật!
Nam mô A Di Đà Phật!
Nam mô A Di Đà Phật!
I bow to the Nine Heavens, the Ten Directions of Buddhas, the Buddhas of the Ten Directions.
I respectfully bow to the virtuous Hieu Thien Chi Ton Kim Quyet Ngoc Hoang Huyen Cung Cao Thuong De.
I respectfully bow to the Emperor, the Landlord, and all venerable gods.
I respectfully ask Princess Cuu Chung Thanh Van Luc Cung.
I respectfully bow to the celestial fairy Quynh Hoa Lieu Hanh Ma Hoang princess, declaring Che Thang Hoa Dieu Dai Vuong, family title Tien Huong Thanh Mau.
I respectfully bow to the second highest peak of the mountains and dynasties, Son Tinh princess Le Mai Dai Vuong.
I respectfully bow to the third water goddess, Princess Lan.
I respectfully bow to the fourth disciple who appointed the Holy Mother, the fourth person who attended the ceremony, five high-ranking officials, ten dinh of officials, twelve Tien co, twelve Saint cậu, the Five Tigers General, the White Snake Emperor General.
We are... residing in...
Today is the day... month... year...
We come here to clasp our hands and respectfully worship, bow our heads and worship, our hearts are sincere, our hearts are earnest, respectfully offer offerings, and humbly ask you to pity and bless and protect our family with abundant health, good fortune and longevity, pray for wealth and prosperity, pray for fortune and prosperity, pray for peace and prosperity, all things are smooth, and there is much luck.
The daughter-in-law of the village has a heartless offering, before the altar, respectfully offering, and bowing to ask for blessings and protection.
Nam mô A Di Đà Phật!
Nam mô A Di Đà Phật!
Nam mô A Di Đà Phật!
