[Nếu phát tâm công đức hồi hướng tại khóa lễ thì đọc: Chúng con xin phát tâm công đức về Tam Bảo, để hồi hướng phước cầu an cho gia đình và hồi hướng (cầu siêu) cho tất cả chư vị trong cõi tâm linh mà đã được thỉnh mời về khóa lễ này là {khac}]
Văn bạch (spoken petition) for the offering at the grave before sang cát (bốc mộ) and moving the grave
Cải táng, bốc mộ (reburial, exhumation). After the three-year mourning period ends or a few more years; also done when the grave must be repaired or moved
- Used across Vietnam
- Buddhist
- At the grave
Culture and belief A record of custom.
What this prayer says
Prayer text recited at the grave before exhumation and transfer of remains (bốc mộ) or relocation of the grave, read at the grave: the disciple addresses the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, the Holy and Noble Sangha, the heavenly beings, the spirits, the local earth deity, and the spirit of the deceased relative about the plan for exhumation, transfer of remains, or relocation of the grave, asking them to witness and bless the work so that it may proceed smoothly and successfully.
The prayer below is kept in Vietnamese, the language it is read aloud in during the rite.
Fill in before the rite
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Showing the version used across Vietnam.
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How it differs from the common version
How this text differs from the original: the pagoda wording opens with "Nam mô Phật Bổn Sư Thích Ca Mâu Ni", declares the disciple, addresses the Buddhas, then invites the devas, spirits and thổ địa; it announces the planned day of sang cát and asks the hương linh to rejoice; it has three mantras for transforming food, transforming water, and universal offering, and a verse of vow for the hương linh; it is read 7 to 10 days before the day of bốc mộ.
The common version: Lễ Cải Cát (transferring the remains into a small urn, repairing the grave, moving the grave): prayer before the grave
Offerings and how the rite is done
Offerings, steps and things to avoid for Cải táng, bốc mộ (reburial, exhumation)
Other texts for Cải táng, bốc mộ (reburial, exhumation)
- Folk practice, At the graveLễ Cải Cát (transferring the remains into a small urn, repairing the grave, moving the grave): prayer before the grave
- Folk practice, Address to the deitiesPrayer text to Long Mạch, Sơn Thần and Thổ Thần (before and after moving the grave)
- Folk practice, Address to the ancestorsPrayer text announcing to the ancestors before going to Cải Cát
- Folk practice, Address to the deitiesPrayer text to the spirits at the old grave before Cải Cát
- Folk practice, At the gravePrayer text to the hương linh (spirit of the deceased) when transferring the remains into a small urn and moving the grave
- Folk practice, Closing thanks and burning of votive paperPrayer text for the thank-offering after completing Cải Cát and repairing the grave
- Buddhist, Closing thanks and burning of votive paperVăn bạch (spoken petition) for the thank-offering at home after sang cát (bốc mộ) and moving the grave
- Folk practice, Address to the deitiesPrayer text to deities at the grave (for tảo mộ, repairing the grave, bốc mộ)
Collected text. The dotted italic words are blanks for you to fill in.
Part of the open dataset Vietnamese offering prayers (văn cúng), licensed CC BY 4.0.
More prayer textsDeath anniversaries, Tết, the home, business, life-cycle rites and regional rites.Open