Young Couple Holds Hang Thuan Ceremony at Keo Pagoda

By (?)  - 04/03/2018

On the afternoon of March 3, 2018 (the 16th day of the first lunar month in the year of the Dog), at Keo Pagoda Monastery (Shen Guang Temple), Keo Village, Duy Nhat Commune, Vu Thu District, Thai Binh Province, Ven Thich Thanh Quang – the abbot of Keo Pagoda Monastery, organized the Hang Thuan ceremony for the young couple, groom Mai Anh Tu (Dharma name: Phuc Thong) and bride Vu Thi Thao (Dharma name: Tam Lien).

Present at the ceremony were Ven Thich Thanh Quang, the abbot of Keo Pagoda Monastery and head of the organizing committee for the Hang Thuan ceremony; Ven Thich Tue Can from Truc Lam Phu Quoc Zen Monastery; Ven Thich Thanh Thinh, the abbot of Luu Phuc Pagoda in Phu Ky Village, Nghia Chau Commune, Nghia Hung District, Nam Dinh Province, as well as many respected monks and nuns from inside and outside Thai Binh Province. The ceremony was also attended by the parents of the bride and groom, their extended families, friends, relatives, and a large number of Buddhists from Keo Pagoda, the Youth Buddhist Club of Keo Pagoda, and other local and out-of-province Buddhists.

During the ceremony, the groom, bride, and all attendees listened to Ven Thich Thanh Quang’s lecture on the meaning of the Hang Thuan ceremony and the benefits of holding such a ceremony at the temple. Additionally, Ven Thich Thanh Quang shared the Buddhist teachings on marriage in the Sutra of Good Conduct, explaining the responsibilities of the wife towards her husband and his family, emphasizing that true peace and harmony in the family often come from the woman’s actions, as the Buddha had advised women on what to do and what to avoid.

Ven Thich Thanh Quang also explained the husband’s responsibilities towards his wife and her family, the duties of parents towards their children, and children’s duties towards their parents. He encouraged the young couple to follow the teachings of the Buddha, keep the five precepts, and live according to the spirit of a Buddhist child. Through this, Ven Thich Thanh Quang expressed hope that more young people and families would organize Hang Thuan ceremonies for their children at temples to benefit from the teachings of the Buddha.

Under the light of the Buddhas from the ten directions and the presence of the sangha, the young couple performed the thanksgiving rituals to the Triple Gem and their parents, expressing gratitude for the birth and upbringing provided by their parents. As part of the ceremony, the young couple performed the "Equality Ceremony" to show mutual respect and equality in their love and marriage.

Before the abbot gave the wedding rings to the couple, he performed a purification ceremony, blessing the rings and explaining their significance and the role of the concept of "patience" for marital happiness.

During the ceremony, the sangha, the young couple, both families, and all attendees participated in the incense offering, chanting prayers, and offering blessings for the couple, praying for world peace, the well-being of all beings, and for the couple to live in the light of the Buddhas, with a life of peace, happiness, and a long-lasting marriage.

Before concluding the ceremony, Ven Thich Thanh Quang presented the Hang Thuan certificate to the couple, with signatures from the groom and bride, and gave meaningful gifts to the couple on this significant, emotional, and sacred occasion.

Here are some recorded images: