At the ceremony, about 10,000 Tang ni, Buddhists and international delegates from more than 80 countries and territories gathered to dwell in silence, turning their hearts to a world without conflict, where people know how to live with knowledge and compassion.
Under the magical light of thousands of lotus lanterns, the praying words resounded gently but were imbued with spiritual power. Not only a traditional ritual, the flower lantern ceremony is also a sacred symbol of the awareness of the mind - where each person faces themselves, leaves ransault, and sows peaceful seeds.
Sharing her feelings when attending the event, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hanh (HCMC) was moved: I have attended many Buddhist festivals, but this is the first time I have seen such a big flower lantern night. The moment thousands of people lit lanterns and prayed together made my heart silent. I feel relieved and like I have more faith in goodness.
Tran Minh Nhat (student, Dong Nai) expressed: "For the first time attending an international Vesak festival, I felt like my heart was lit up. Each light I light up is a reminder - live kindly, be alert and love more. I hope this world will be less miserable if everyone starts with a small act of kindness.
Regardless of nationality, skin color or religion, those present at the flower lantern ceremony all share the same wish: peace. Some people closed their hands and silently shed tears while reading. There are children walking with their parents, trembling and holding onto small lamps as if holding a ray of hope.
At the end of the ceremony, thousands of lotus lights were gently dropped on the lake surface quietly in the bell of bells and the prayer spread. Each lamp seemed to carry a wish of each person, a message of love sent to the universe: "Pray for the peaceful world, pray for the hearts of people to be less suffering".
Not only a religious festival, the Vesak 2025 flower ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City is also an opportunity for everyone to return to the core values of humanity - love, forgive and stay alert. Amidst the changes of the times, that compassionate light still silently guides the way for hearts yearning for peace.
