Lễ phóng sinh (animal release ceremony)
Also called: Phóng sanh, Thả cá chép, Thả chim, thả cá
- Cầu an, giải hạn (prayers for peace, rites to ward off misfortune)
Culture and belief A record of custom.
Phóng sinh is releasing animals that are being kept captive and are about to be killed back to their living places. The pagoda guides this practice as an act of compassion for animals, together with words addressed to the Buddha, taking refuge for the animal, and dedication of merit. The custom of releasing carp on the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month also has its own prayer text.
At a glance
- When it is held
- All year round; many households do it on the full moon of the first lunar month, the full moon of the seventh lunar month, and the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month
- For whom
- Chư Phật (the Buddhas) and Bồ Tát (Bodhisattvas) as witnesses; the vow is spoken to the animals being released
- Where
- Pray right at the place of purchase, at home, or at the release site; release in a quiet place suited to the animal
- Who makes the offering
- The person releasing the animals and their family
Each family and each region may do it differently.
The offering tray
- When
- All year round, without a fixed date; many households do it on the full moon of the first lunar month, the full moon of the seventh lunar month, and the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month
| Offering | Notes |
|---|---|
| Objects | |
| Animals to be released (fish, birds, snails, crabs...) | Required. Placed on the ground, in front |
| Incense, lamps, candles | |
| incense | Buddhist guidance notes that incense need not be burned |
Steps of the rite
- Buy the animals, release them right away or bring them home to pray
- Place the animals in front, join palms and address the Buddha: state your name, tell of the animals, speak the dedication of merit
- Recite the dedication of merit, the three refuges
- When releasing, recite the vow for the animals; after releasing, chant the Buddha's name three times
What is avoided
- Do not release red-eared slider turtles
- Do not order in advance, do not hire people to hunt wild birds for release (words of Thượng tọa Thích Thanh Phong in Báo Sài Gòn Giải Phóng)
Where the sources differ
- Whether a long prayer is needed: the version in Buddhist guidance has the full address to the Buddha, dedication of merit, and three refuges; one guide adds a way of only stating one's name and the animals, then chanting Nam mô A Di Đà Phật for five to twenty minutes
Communities and regions
Sources
- Phóng sinh phải trí tuệ và đúng với chính pháp (sggp.org.vn)
Part of the open datasets Types of Vietnamese offering rites and Vietnamese offering procedures, licensed CC BY 4.0.
More ritesDeath anniversaries, Tết, the home, business, the life cycle, village and ethnic rites.Open