In Buddhism, the 7th lunar month marks the Vu Lan Festival, a time for showing filial piety to parents and making offerings to the Triple Gem. According to the Vu Lan Sutra, Muc Kien Lien sought to rescue his mother from suffering in the realm of hungry ghosts. The Buddha instructed him to rely on the blessings of monks on the day of *tu tu* (confession and purification), after the *an cu* (rainy season retreat), to dedicate merits to his mother. From then on, Vu Lan has carried the meaning of expressing gratitude to parents and honoring ancestors.
In Taoism, the 15th day of the 7th lunar month is the Trung Nguyen Festival, linked to the belief that the Earth Official (Dia quan) absolves sins. In Vietnamese folk traditions, this occasion also includes the custom of *cung co hon* (offering food to wandering souls), or *thi thuc*, intended for spirits without a home or family.
Pham Dinh Hai, a cultural research expert from the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO), believes that understanding the 7th lunar month as a time to uphold filial piety, compassion, and charity will guide people towards appropriate behavior and prevent them from falling into superstition.
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Many people observe taboos due to fear of wandering spirits and hungry ghosts, yet these are precisely the entities believed to need sharing and help. Therefore, instead of worrying, people should sincerely focus on good deeds, accumulate virtue, and create blessings through the following actions:
Show filial respect to parents and honor ancestors. Vu Lan reminds each person of their parents' immense kindness in raising them and their responsibility to show gratitude while parents are alive, rather than only remembering them after their passing.
Perform good deeds and help those in need. According to Buddhist beliefs, karma is a natural law. Living with compassion and sharing with others is more meaningful than merely seeking good fortune through rituals.
Limit the killing of living beings and maintain a kind heart. Controlling one's words and actions, and avoiding harm to others, is also more important than observing oral taboos.
Conduct offerings moderately and meaningfully. Families can observe Vu Lan, make offerings to the Triple Gem, or perform *thi thuc* according to their circumstances. The key is sincerity, not transforming rituals into a competition of elaborate feasts.
Do not spread superstitions. Rumors that one should not do certain things, buy specific items, or that disaster will strike if taboos are broken in the 7th lunar month, should not dictate behavior.
"If you do no evil during the day, you won't dream of ghosts at night," said Hai.
According to the expert, whether it is Vu Lan's filial piety, offerings to all sentient beings, or the belief in the Earth Official absolving sins, all guide people towards compassion. By correctly understanding this spirit, the 7th lunar month can become an opportunity for everyone to care for their family, do good deeds, and live better lives.
Pham Nga
