The Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Committee in Ho Chi Minh city has held a seminar on votive paper burning and discharging in the funerals and festivals in the city.
The event drew with the participation of large numbers of representatives from mass organizations, religious establishments and Buddhists in the city.
Director of the Center for Religious Studies under Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh city Dương Hoàng Lộc stressed the important role of Buddhist heads at religious establishments in encouraging people to abolish the practice of burning votive paper offerings, thanks to their prestige in their community.
A Buddhist nun speaks at the event
Senior Venerable Thích Duy Trấn, Abbot of Lien Hoa pagoda in ward 11 said that over the past 20 years, the pagoda called on Buddhist followers to stop burning votive papers with encourage results, saving tens of billions VND for the poor. He also confirmed that the practice of burning votive papers has no link with Buddhist teachings.
Many typical religious establishments and dignitaries in the city such as Nun Thích Nữ Huệ Đức of Quan Am monastery in Phu Nhuan ward and Most Venerable Thích Chơn Không, Abbot of Thien Ton pagoda in ward 5, etc have called on Buddhist followers to stop burning votive papers. They also advised followers to spend money in charity activities rather than buying votive papers offerings.
Speaking at the event, Chairwoman of the city VFF Committee Tô Thị Bích Châu stressed that while propagating to eliminate the custom of burning paper offerings, the municipal authorities need to help the households producing votive papers to find other jobs for making a stable living.
According to the city VFF Committee, the votive papers burning and discharging in funerals and festival in the city have still been regular practices causing wastefulness, fire hazard and environmental concerns.
According to the HCM City's Firefighting and Prevention Police Department, in 2017, 10 fire incidents in the city were caused by the burning of votive papers, killed 20 people, and injured many others. In order to prevent adverse consequences, the city VFF has proposed to take strong measures for preventing votive papers burning and discharging during the festivals and worshiping rituals, as well as call on the people and religious establishments to refrain from burning votive objects.
PH (baovanhoa.vn)
