(VNF) - A Buddhist culture week opened on August 21^st at the Pho Quang Temple in Ho Chi Minh City on the occasion of the upcoming Vu Lan (Ullambana) Festival which falls on the 15^th day of the seventh lunar month to pay tribute to motherly love.

At the opening ceremony of the Buddhist culture week on August 21^st.(Photo: Chua Giac Ngo/FB)

The programme includes an exhibition of Buddhist arts, a trade fair of Buddhist articles and a vegetarian food fair.

The exhibition features nearly 500 Buddhism-themed pictures, calligraphies and sculptures while the culture fair features 31 booths displaying Buddhist cultural items such as scriptures, books, sermon recordings and statues of Buddhist deities.

Items of daily use in pagodas such as incense, lamps and tea are also on display.

Meanwhile, the vegetarian food fete consists of 18 kiosks featuring a wide variety of vegetarian selections from throughout the country.

Originally a Buddhist festival, Ullambana, known as Vu Lan in Vietnamese, has now grown to become a popular cultural celebration when people expressing gratitude to their parents, stated the Most Venerable Thich Nhat Tu, head of the culture board of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha’s Ho Chi Minh City chapter.

He stated that the festival encourages the people to show gratefulness to those who have given favours, including parents, teachers and mentors, the nation’s forefathers and human beings themselves.

At the opening day of the Buddhist culture week on August 21^st.(Photo: Chua Giac Ngo/FB)

The Buddhist culture week is an opportunity to introduce to Buddhist adherents and the public a tangible Buddhist and non-tangible cultural experience, helping to safeguard and promote fine Buddhist values in daily life.

The Buddhist culture week will last until September 5^th./.

VNF