The Virginia Beach Dong Hung Temple’s Ullambana Celebration 2010 started with the chanting ceremony conducted in the Main Hall of the Temple at 11 o’clock in the morning

with hundreds of participants gathering for the peace prayer and rituals for remembrance of our ancestral family, and for enjoying a fabulous vegetarian lunch. 

Then various speeches were presented both in English and in Vietnamese by members of the sangha and representatives of the community. The talks and addresses explained the meaning of Ullambana, the significance of filial piety and the beautiful ritual of “pinning rose on the pocket”.

Fifteen representatives of the “elder generation” in the community were invited on stage and were presented with small commemorative gifts and flowers by fifteen representatives of the “youth generation” while the saxophone player and the Vietnamese famous singer Phuong Hong Thuy belted out lovely songs like “Mother’s Love” and “A Rose for your Pocket”. The tradition of paying respect to our elders, and the beautiful meaning in the songs’ lyrics have surely brought a few emotional tears to faces in the audience.

Afterwards everyone was offered a rose for their shirt pocket – red ones for those of us who still have both parents alive and well, pink ones for having one parent deceased, and white ones for the unlucky “orphans” whom both parents have been gone for good.

The assembly can also feast on delectable vegetarian dishes that were offered at a nominal price for their immediate consumption or to go for later enjoyment.

The second part of the ceremony included entertainment from singer Phuong Hong Thuy, singer Quoc Khanh who was an instant hit with young Vietnamese, and many other local singers and performers of varying types and genre of musical marvels.

Scattering throughout the entertaining session were lottery drawings and auctions to benefit the events and bring family fun to hundreds of attendants. The prizes ranged from valuable pendants and bracelets of “Polar Price Jade Buddha” green nephrite jade, to digital camera, laptop computer and a 50-inch big-screen HDTV. Everyone who won the prizes came home with instantaneous grins, and those who don’t win also feel wonderful for having contributed to a good cause.

Please click here to see Ullambana photos

Everyone can reviewe the results of the lottery drawings

Every year at the full moon of the 7th month in the Lunar calendar. Buddhists all over the world celebrate Le Hoi Vu Lan, Ullambana Festival.  This year the celebration for the Dong Hung Temple took place on Sunday, August 29th, at the Philippine Cultural Center in VA Beach.

There was a ceremony in the morning at the Temple, with an honoring for deceased relatives and lunch.  The evening festivities began with a procession honoring the Temple, with two Temple members, followed by the monks, Ven Chuc Hoi, Ven Chuc Do and Ven Chuc Thanh, and Nuns Nhu Bao and Chuc Tri.  There was a musical offering by children of the community, and many wonderful singing offerings, including Ven Chuc Do, with a song about being a Monk.  Many of the elders from the Temple were escorted to the stage and presented with a red rose and Temple gift.  A ceremony was held where each person was presented with a red flower if they were fortunate to still have their Mother alive, and a white flower if the Mother had passed away.

An exciting Raffle was held with the top prize being a wide screen TV and an auction for two special pieces of jade jewelry.  Those who stayed later were able to enjoy dancing and visiting with friends.

PEACE - Bonnie Osborn