Posted by Joseph Nguyen
The Chua Huong Festival started here in late January and lasts three months.
Every day throughout it, an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 people a day visit and pray at Chua Huong – the Perfume Pagoda. One of Vietnam’s most famous and beautiful sights, this 13th century Buddhist temple complex runs 10 km between a river and a backdrop of stunning mountains in the Huong Son district, southwest of Ha Noi.
I watched as Nguyen Thi Lan, 70, dressed in the local Buddhists’ traditional grey clothes with a string of beads around her neck, got some small change, bought flowers and fruits and had her wishes written down on paper before entering the temple.
“This temple is believed to be sacred land where people are given what they pray for. But by tradition, you have to come and pray for three consecutive years,” she told me. This is the second of the three visits she has to make.
Once inside, she put her offerings and incense on various different altars, put her hands in front of her chest and whispered her wishes to statues. She asked for her family members and relatives to be happy, wealthy, prosperous and lucky, for the young ones to do well at school, for all their sins to be absolved.
She explained that as temple visitors pray, they also leave small amounts of money on the altars and the sacred trees and wells; some even cram money into statues’ mouths and hands. Lan herself handed over 500,000 dong ($25) on this visit. But she does not think of it as superstition. “It’s just a way of showing our honest respect to the gods,” she insisted.
And it’s not just money, Lan said. People may offer raw meat, cooked food, soft drinks, fruits and even medicine. Others burn false money and paper-made things as their tribute to the dead.
“People here believe that the dead continue to exist in this world in just the same way as the living do, so they need material sustenance,” she said.
She also explained that they try to give their offerings and prayers as early as possible in the day, as they fear gods will not have enough indulgences left for worshippers who turn up late.
However, some religious experts have started issuing warnings on local media that these practices are merely superstitions, contrary to Buddhist teaching.
Venerable Thich Kien Nguyet, head of Truc Lam Tay Thien Zen Center, warned that scattering small change, burning false money and praying to Buddha and other gods for their property is not good practice. “If Buddha was to accede to their wishes, it would mean he was taking bribes from them,” he said.
Visitors to the temple are now being advised to offer only the traditional tributes of incense, flowers and fruits. If they want to donate money, they should give it to charity or contribute to the upkeep of the temples.
“Temple goers should seek ways to avoid greed, anger and sadness and live a peaceful and happy life, rather than praying for their wealth or personal ambitions,” said the monk.
What do you think of this? Do you agree with the monk? Please share your opinions.
