(VOVworld) –The Central Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) held a ceremony on Saturday to commemorate Buddha’s 2560^th birthday, towards the 35^th anniversary of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha at the Vietnam Buddhism Institute in Quan Su pagoda.

President Tran Dai Quang congratulates Buddhist monks, nuns and followers (Photo: VGP)

Attending the ceremony, President Tran Dai Quang said the Party, state, and Vietnamese people have acknowledged and appreciated contributions of the VBS, Buddhist dignitaries, monks, nuns, and followers to national unity and national defense. “Over the past 35 years, since its establishment, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha has continuously developed and obtained new achievements. With the motto “Dharma, nation, socialism”, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha will continue to promote its role in national harmony, solidarity, and unity and contribute to national reform, industrialization, modernization, and global integration. The VBS has continuously expanded its external relations, connect overseas Vietnamese Buddhist followers with the homeland, and promote the status Vietnam’s Buddhism and the image of Vietnamese land and people to the world.”

President Quang said religious followers play an important part in ensuring the success of national reform, construction, and defense. “I ask Party Committees and administrative agencies at all level to focus more on communicating the Party’s guideline and state policies on religion to the public and support religions to operate within the law. It’s important to promote humanitarian values and morals of religions in general and Buddhism in particular to help build a healthy lifestyle, enhance national unity, and encourage religious followers to engage in national patriotic emulation campaigns.”

The President, Buddhist monks, nuns, and followers burned incense, exercise the Buddha bathing rite, and release doves to pray for peace and prosperity.

The Vietnam Buddhist Sangha’s Ho Chi Minh city branch held a solemn ceremony to commemorate Buddha’s birthday on Saturday.

A ceremony to commemorate Buddha's birthday in Ho Chi Minh city (photo:SGGP online)

The Vietnam Buddhist Sangha commemorated Buddha’s birthday at Tu Dam pagoda in Hue city. Monk Thich Khe Chon, Deputy Head of VBS’s Thua Thien Hue branch, said: “At Buddha’s birthday, monks, nuns, and followers attended a procession to take Buddha from Dieu De pagoda to Tu Dam pagoda. We have prayed glory for the nation, peace for all people, and eternity for Dharma.”

On Friday hundreds of Buddhist monks, nuns, and followers attended a ceremony at Quan Su pagoda in Hanoi. Nguyen Thi Nguyet says: “I’m very happy to attend the event. We wish that Buddhism will further flourish in Vietnam. Responding the Patriarch’s call for environmental protection, we think each of us has to improve our sense of responsibility.”

The General Assembly of the United Nations held an International Day of Vesak celebration, also known as “Buddha Day", on May 21. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, ambassadors, heads of diplomatic corps, monks, and nuns, attended the event. The UN General Assembly ratified a resolution in 1999 to celebrate International Day of Vesak to acknowledge Buddhism’s contributions to people’s religious life and the international community’s effort for peace, cooperation, and development.

Head of the Vietnamese delegation to the UN, Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga said Buddhism philosophy has remained valuable at present. The theory on cause and effect, peace, tolerance, equality, and harmony with nature can help the international community find solutions to current challenges such as poverty, discrimination, inequality, conflicts, environmental deterioration, and climate change. Ambassador Nga said Vesak celebration is an opportunity for countries and religions to talk and cooperate for a peaceful world. She said Buddhism has closely associated with Vietnam’s history of construction and defense. Buddhism and other religions have grown harmoniously, contributing to Vietnam’s development and national defense.