The Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) has sent an official document to its chapters nationwide asking for giving up the practice of burning votive paper offerings at Buddhist worshiping establishments.
A
number of Vietnamese people send this kind of offerings to dead relatives in
the afterlife in the belief that their spirits can live comfortably there and
help them in many aspects in return.
However, over the last few years, the time-honored tradition has faced mounting
criticism. Some consider the practice a backward superstition that’s
incongruous with the modern Vietnamese society. Others argue that the burning
of ghost money only causes air pollution and is an ostentatious waste of
resources.
In the document, Most Venerable Thich Thanh Nhieu, Standing Vice Chairman of
the VBS’s Executive Council, urged Sangha chapters in cities and provinces
nationwide to give directions to local monks, nuns, and Buddhist followers to
organise celebrations in a civilised, thrifty and non-ostentatious fashion in
accordance with the Vietnamese and Buddhist traditions.
Categorising votive paper burning as superstitious, the document also
underlines that lectures of pagodas should focus on the preservation of
positive points in national customs, and spread the value of compassion,
generosity and religious tolerance to the listeners.
Most Venerable Thich Gia Quang, Vice Chairman of the VBS’s Executive Council,
affirmed that the practice of burning votive papers, or ghost money, is not a
Buddhist custom.
Therefore, the VBS’s policy is to call for eliminating the burning of paper
offerings at pagodas, he affirmed.
"Currently, there are still a number of poor people who do not have enough food
to eat, while many others use a lot of money for votive paper offerings. It is
unreasonable,” stated Most Venerable Thich Thanh Nhieu.
He asked State and local management agencies to join hands to gradually
eliminate the practice, especially from the production and trading of ghost
money.
Dr Nguyen Ngoc Mai from the Institute for Religious Studies stressed the
important role of Buddhist monks and shamans in encouraging people to abolish
the practice thanks to their great influence in their community.
Recently, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism issued a directive
ordering local authorities to supervise spiritual activities in religious
venues in their community to prevent excessive burning of joss papers and
incense.
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