Cúng vía Quan Thế Âm Bồ Tát (Quan Thế Âm Bồ Tát's birthday celebration, the 19th of the second, sixth and ninth lunar months)

Used across Vietnam, Buddhist

When

Three vía days in the year by the lunar calendar: the 19th of the second month (birth), the 19th of the sixth month (enlightenment), the 19th of the ninth month (renunciation); some pages say the 19th of every month can also be worshipped

Where the offerings are set

The altar of Phật Bà Quan Âm at home; according to the page, the altar faces west toward east, and is not placed level with or lower than the ancestors' altar

Who makes the offering

Head of the household, lay Buddhists; on the vía day they also go to the pagoda to chant sutras, eat vegetarian food and release living beings

Offerings

Steps

1. Arrange the vegetarian offerings on the Quan Âm altar
2. Light incense, read the prayer text
3. When one round of incense is finished, light another round and bow three times
4. Take down the sớ (petition) and burn it
5. On the vía day, chant the twelve vows of Quan Thế Âm Bồ Tát

Things to avoid

• Offer only vegetarian food, do not offer meat
• Do not place much votive paper or money on the Quan Âm altar
• Do not leave spoiled offerings on the altar; the blessed offerings are shared with family members, not thrown away

Red River Delta, Chùa Hương, Hà Nội, chùa Bổ Đà, Bắc Giang, Buddhist

When

Chùa Hương: from the afternoon of the 18th to the morning of the 19th of the second lunar month (khánh đản ceremony), within the three-month spring festival season; chùa Bổ Đà: festival from the 16th to the 18th of the second month

Where the offerings are set

Chùa Hương: sân chùa Thiên Trù và trong động Hương Tích; chùa Bổ Đà: từ Đền Hạ lên Đền Trung, Đền Thượng, chùa Quán Âm, chùa Tứ Ân

Who makes the offering

Monks and nuns, Buddhists, villagers and pilgrims

Offerings

Steps

1. Chùa Hương, afternoon of the 18th: chant the Kinh Phổ Môn at chùa Thiên Trù; some years a Mông Sơn thí thực altar is set up in the pagoda yard
2. Evening of the 18th: khánh đản commemorative ceremony in the yard of chùa Thiên Trù; around 23 o'clock the procession of monks and nuns carries torches up to Hương Tích cave, chanting sutras and invoking the Buddha as they go
3. Midnight in the cave: preaching about Bà Chúa Ba, chanting the Kinh Ngũ Bách Danh Quán Thế Âm, Buddhists respond with "Nam Mô Quán Thế Âm Bồ Tát" after each name
4. The officiant dips a leafy branch into water symbolizing Cam Lồ water and sprinkles it on the offering table and the attendees
5. Chant the Universal Gateway Chapter or the Amitabha Sutra until the early morning of the 19th, then dedicate the merit; release flower lanterns on Suối Yến
6. Chùa Bổ Đà, morning of the 17th: carry the palanquin in procession from Đền Hạ up to Đền Trung, then up the mountain to offer incense at Đền Thượng and present offerings to the Buddha at chùa Quán Âm and chùa Tứ Ân

Northwest, Fansipan, Lào Cai, Buddhist

When

the 18th and 19th of the ninth lunar month (the anniversary of Quan Thế Âm's renunciation)

Where the offerings are set

Bảo An Thiền Tự at the foot of the mountain and the pagodas on the summit of Fansipan

Who makes the offering

monks, nuns and Buddhists of Lào Cai, led by the Lào Cai Buddhist Sangha

Offerings

Steps

1. evening of the 18th: sit in meditation, chant sutras and pray, then offer flower lanterns at Bảo An Thiền Tự
2. the 19th: great ceremony on the summit, monks, nuns and Buddhists walk in procession around the Great Statue of Amitabha Buddha, past the Arhat path, ending with an incense-offering ceremony at Kim Sơn Bảo Thắng Tự

Central Vietnam, Ngũ Hành Sơn, Đà Nẵng, Thừa Thiên Huế, Buddhist

When

Đà Nẵng: the anniversary ceremony on the 19th of the second lunar month, the main rite of the Quán Thế Âm Ngũ Hành Sơn Festival (the 17th to the 20th of the second lunar month); according to a research paper, Thừa Thiên Huế holds its festival on the day of enlightenment, in the sixth lunar month

Where the offerings are set

chùa Quán Thế Âm, Ngũ Hành Sơn

Who makes the offering

monks, nuns, Buddhists, local people and visitors

Steps

1. the anniversary ceremony at chùa Quán Thế Âm with Buddhist rites
2. release balloons to pray for national peace and public well-being
3. procession with the statue of Quan Thế Âm, together with a costumed re-enactment of Bodhisattva Quan Thế Âm, the Bodhisattvas and heavenly maidens, performed by the Buddhist families of the pagoda

Mekong Delta, Quán Âm Phật Đài, Nhà Mát, Bạc Liêu, Buddhist

When

the anniversary days 19/2, 19/6, 19/9 of the lunar calendar; the Quán Âm Nam Hải festival on the 22nd, 23rd and 24th of the third lunar month; at the beginning of the year people from the provinces come to visit in large numbers

Where the offerings are set

in front of the statue of Phật Bà Nam Hải (Mẹ Nam Hải) facing the sea

Who makes the offering

Buddhists, people of Bạc Liêu and visitors from the provinces of the Mekong Delta and Ho Chi Minh City

Offerings

Steps

1. lay out the offerings, light incense and pray before the statue of Phật Bà
2. many people touch the lotus pedestal at the foot of the statue to pray for luck and health
3. read the prayer text to Mẹ Nam Hải (the two templates on hoatieu.vn)