During the 7th lunar month, many people wonder about the order of home worship ceremonies as well as the time and meaning of wandering souls worship.
Talking to Lao Dong Newspaper, Venerable Thich Tri Luc - Abbot of Giac Tanh Pagoda (HCMC) shared his views from a Buddhist perspective.
According to Venerable Thich Tri Luc, in the rituals of worship at home, the order is to worship ancestors first, then to worship wandering souls. Regarding the time of implementation during the day, the arrangement of time depends on the working and living conditions of each family.
However, according to tradition and custom, morning is a suitable time to perform ceremonies to worship gods and ancestors in the house. Afternoon is a suitable and popular time to offer food to sentient beings and wandering souls.
Regarding the offering time, the concept of offering to wandering souls is not limited to the full moon day. According to traditional culture, the activity of offering food to forgive the sins of the deceased takes place throughout July and ends on the last day of the month (July 30th of the lunar calendar).
Venerable Thich Tri Luc said that not worshiping wandering souls does not affect the homeowner. From a Buddhist perspective, offering vegetarian food to wandering souls has humanistic meaning and cultivates consciousness. Similar to charity work, helping people in difficult circumstances in the mortal realm, offering vegetarian food is an act of sharing food and drinking water for wandering souls without shelter in the mortal realm with compassion.
July is the Vu Lan season of filial piety, the season of repaying "fourfold gratitude". The July worship ceremony is also an occasion to commemorate and express gratitude to heroic martyrs, those who sacrificed for the country but have no place to rely on.
Venerable Thich Tri Luc said that people can worship at home or go to pagodas to chant sutras and perform ceremonies depending on their circumstances.
With home offerings, families can simply prepare according to their wishes with cakes, fruits, white porridge, clean water... to offer in front of the yard or outside the door. The most important thing is sincerity and sharing, no need to be too fussy or heavy on form. If offering at the pagoda, the pagoda has time to offer porridge for offerings every afternoon. At some pagodas, if conditions are met, monks and nuns will organize large-scale Dharma ceremonies to pray for liberation and offer offerings widely.
