Văn tế cô hồn ("Hỡi ôi! Miền U cảnh lạnh lùng tăm tối")
Cúng cô hồn (offering to wandering spirits). Seventh lunar month, from the 2nd to the full moon; in the South, offerings are also made on the 2nd and 16th of each month
- Used across Vietnam
- Buddhist
- Sacrificial oration
Culture and belief A record of custom.
What this prayer says
The văn tế cô hồn (sacrificial oration to wandering spirits) opening with a lament over the dark realm of the underworld, inviting spirits of many kinds, such as kings and lords, generals and soldiers, civil officials, merchants, women who died in childbirth, and the unfilial, to the chẩn tế (offering to the dead) altar to receive offerings, and praying to the Buddha to grant them deliverance. It is read during the whole cúng cô hồn ceremony.
The prayer below is kept in Vietnamese, the language it is read aloud in during the rite.
Fill in before the rite
The prayer below is ready to read.
Showing the version used across Vietnam.
How it differs from the common version
Opens with the lament "Hỡi ôi!", in song thất metre; ends "Xin chư vị khắp nơi chứng chiếu. Nam mô A Di Đà Phật".
The common version: Văn tế thập loại chúng sinh (Nguyễn Du)
Offerings and how the rite is done
Offerings, steps and things to avoid for Cúng cô hồn (offering to wandering spirits)
Other texts for Cúng cô hồn (offering to wandering spirits)
- BuddhistVăn tế thập loại chúng sinh (Nguyễn Du)
- BuddhistVăn tế cô hồn (Tra Am Viên Thành)
- Southern Vietnam, BuddhistVăn tế cô hồn (II) ("Từng nghe đạo cả, kỉnh thuật lời quê")
- Southern Vietnam, Folk practicePrayer text for offering to wandering spirits monthly on the 2nd and 16th (the "văn khấn miền Nam" text)
- Southern Vietnam, Traders and shopkeepersPrayer text for offering to wandering spirits monthly on the 2nd and 16th (the short text, an abridged "Cô hồn xuất tại côn lôn")
- Folk practice, Offering to wandering spiritsPrayer text for offering to wandering spirits and sentient beings (according to Văn khấn cổ truyền Việt Nam)
- Folk practice, Offering to wandering spiritsPrayer text for sentient beings ("Hỡi vong linh cô hồn phảng phất")
- Buddhist, Offering to wandering spiritsPrayer text for the thí thực offering to wandering spirits (without sutra chanting)
- Southern Vietnam, Traders and shopkeepersShort monthly offering to wandering spirits (the 2nd and 16th)
- Southern Vietnam, Folk practiceFull prayer text for offering to wandering spirits on the 2nd and 16th ("Cô hồn xuất tại Côn Lôn")
- Southern Vietnam, BuddhistKệ cúng thí cô hồn (Verse for offering to wandering spirits) (Thí thực cô hồn 1)
- Southern Vietnam, BuddhistSám triệu cô hồn (Thí thực cô hồn 2)
- Southern Vietnam, BuddhistSám cầu siêu thủy lục vớt vong (Repentance text for the thủy lục deliverance of the dead) (Thí thực cô hồn 13)
- South Central Coast, Bình ĐịnhSám tán khô lâu (Repentance text praising the dry skull) (Thí thực cô hồn 15)
- South Central Coast, Bình ĐịnhTrạo văn diễn âm (Thí thực cô hồn 16)
- South Central Coast, Bình ĐịnhVăn thỉnh thập loại cô hồn (Text inviting the ten kinds of wandering spirits) (Thí thực cô hồn 17)
- Southern Vietnam, BuddhistSám văn thí thực hồi hướng (Repentance text of the thí thực with dedication of merit) (Thí thực cô hồn 5)
- Southern Vietnam, BuddhistHồi hướng tế văn (Thí thực cô hồn 12)
- South Central Coast, Bình ĐịnhVăn hồi hướng cúng thí (Text for dedication of merit in the thí offering) (Thí thực cô hồn 14)
The wording is kept exactly as published by the source. The dotted italic words are blanks for you to fill in.
Sources
- 17 bài văn tế thập loại cô hồn dành cho chẩn tế (phatgiao.org.vn)
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