The two-day requiem ceremony took place from 6:30 a.m. on October 3 to 7:00 p.m. on October 4 at Long Son Pagoda, headquarters of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) in Khanh Hoa Province.

The event was jointly organized by the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha and the National Traffic Safety Committee as part of the nationwide program "In remembrance of traffic accident victims in 2025", responding to the United Nations General Assembly's resolution on "Improving global road safety."

According to Most Venerable Thich Thanh Nhieu, Standing Vice President of the VBS Executive Council, the requiem not only aims to pray for the souls of those who lost their lives in traffic accidents to find peace and liberation, but also to deliver a profound reminder. It urges Buddhists and all citizens to value their lives and join hands in building a safe and civilized traffic culture.

Dai le cau sieu 2.jpg
The requiem ceremony is a Buddhist ritual with profound humanitarian meaning. Photo: Vietnam Buddhist Sangha

Statistics from the National Traffic Safety Committee show that nearly 30 people in Vietnam lose their lives to traffic accidents every day.

The ceremony is a humanitarian initiative that calls on the public to raise awareness and strictly comply with traffic laws.

In 2024, a similar national requiem was held at Tu Dam Pagoda in Hue in late August, co-hosted by the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha and the National Traffic Safety Committee.

Requiem rituals are traditional Buddhist ceremonies conducted to pray for the departed, with the hope of guiding their souls toward peace.

These ceremonies have roots in both Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism.

In Theravada tradition, a well-known scripture tells how the Buddha instructed King Bimbisara to perform good deeds and dedicate the merits to his deceased loved ones to help them attain rebirth in the Pure Land.

In Mahayana tradition, the rite is connected to the story of Maudgalyayana, who saved his mother from hell by dedicating his spiritual practice to her.

Requiem ceremonies can be held at temples or at home. Commonly recited sutras include the Ksitigarbha Sutra, the Amitabha Sutra, and the Water Repentance Sutra.

Beyond rituals and chanting, acts of kindness and charitable deeds performed by the living are also considered meaningful ways to honor the deceased and contribute to their spiritual liberation.

Binh Minh