According to traditional customs, Vietnamese people often go to pagodas on Tet holidays and the first day of the new year to pray for good health, peace, safety from disasters, family harmony, and a good life...
In the book "Traditional Vietnamese Prayers" published by the Culture and Information Publishing House - it is written: "The pagoda is a place to worship Buddha, and also a place for public religious activities of Vietnamese people from ancient times to the present".
The information in the book has been reviewed and edited by Most Venerable Thich Thanh Due - Head of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, Vinh Phuc province.
The book emphasizes that preparing to go to the temple and buying offerings to go to the temple all have rules that everyone needs to follow:
When offering incense at pagodas, you can only prepare vegetarian offerings: incense, fresh flowers, ripe fruits, sticky rice, sweet soup, cakes, etc. Note, you are not allowed to prepare meat dishes, three-animal dishes (buffalo, goat, pig), meat, chicken, ham, sausage, etc.
The preparation of non-vegetarian offerings is only accepted when the temple worships Saints and Mother Goddesses. In particular, non-vegetarian offerings are only offered in the corresponding areas and cannot be placed in the main hall, the main place of worship in the temple. Only vegetarian offerings can be placed on the altar of the main hall. Non-vegetarian offerings are usually placed on the altar of Duc Ong - the god who oversees the work in the temple.
Do not buy votive paper money or hell money to make offerings or worship Buddha at the temple. If you have this ceremony, you can place it on the altar of the Gods, the Holy Mother and the Lord. Do not place hell paper money or votive paper on the altar of Buddha or Bodhisattva. Real money should not be placed on the altar of the main hall but should be placed in the donation box at the temple.
Fresh flowers for Buddha offerings should include lotus, lily, peony, and starfruit flowers... and do not use mixed or wild flowers.
Before the day of offering incense to Buddha at the temple, one needs to be pure in daily life such as being vegetarian, abstaining from alcohol, doing good deeds...
