Sen Đôn Ta ceremony of the Khmer people

Mekong Delta, Khmer, Khmer Theravada Buddhism

When

The last three days of the eighth lunar month and the beginning of the ninth lunar month (in 2024, the 29th and 30th of the eighth month and the 1st of the ninth month); by old custom the festival season lasts half a month

Where the offerings are set

At home (the ancestors' altar) and at the Theravada Buddhist pagoda of the phum sóc

Who makes the offering

The whole family; monks chant sutras for the dead

Offerings

Steps

1. Before the ceremony: clean the house, decorate the ancestors' altar; the pagoda is also repaired and tidied
2. First day (welcoming offering): the whole family lights incense and lamps, prays to invite the souls of grandparents and the deceased to come eat with their descendants, then invites the grandparents to go to the pagoda to hear monks chant sutras for the dead and preach
3. Second day (main offering): at noon bring food to the pagoda; monks chant sutras for the dead for the souls of the grandparents of every household in the phum sóc; people eat, drink, and enjoy themselves at the pagoda
4. Third day (farewell offering): each household prepares a tray of rice, invites a few monks and relatives to come chant sutras for the dead, and sees the grandparents off
5. Set the banana-sheath boat adrift on rivers, canals, ponds and lakes around the house to send the grandparents away

Where the sources differ

• Sources differ on the names and number of rituals of the old festival season: Nhân Dân newspaper recounts four rituals, namely placing cơm vắt (Banh canh banh), offering to grandparents (Banh Sen Đôn-ta), the spirit gathering (Banh phchum banh), and seeing the grandparents off (Banh chuônh Đôn-ta) over half a month; Báo ảnh Dân tộc và Miền núi recounts placing cơm vắt (Bos Bai Ben), offering to grandparents, welcoming the grandparents (Phchum Ben), and seeing the grandparents off (chun Đôn Ta) over 16 days

Mekong Delta, Khmer, Sóc Trăng, Khmer Theravada Buddhism, At the pagoda, temple or temple of literature (paired with a prayer said at home)

When

The Kanh-banh, Ph'chum-banh festival season from the 16th of the eighth lunar month to the 1st of the ninth lunar month; cơm vắt is placed while it is still dark, every night

Where the offerings are set

The main hall of a Khmer Theravada pagoda (described at Mahatup Pagoda, Sóc Trăng city)

Who makes the offering

Buddhists in the phum sóc; the monks chant sutras and pray for the dead

Offerings

Steps

1. In the early evening, cook sticky rice, press it into cơm vắt, arrange the offering tray or platter
2. Bring plates and trays of cơm vắt up to the main hall to perform the Bós-bai-banh ceremony (placing cơm vắt), listen to the monks chant sutras and pray for the dead
3. Three main days: the day of welcoming the ancestors, the day of keeping the ancestors (on the 30th of the eighth month, performing the Ph'chum-banh ceremony at the pagoda, before that lighting incense at the altar to invite the grandparents to go to the pagoda together), and the day of the farewell offering