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Ground-Breaking Prayer for Home Renovation

Before renovating or remodeling an existing home

Meaning

When renovating an old home, one also performs the ground-breaking rite to report and ask permission from the overseeing deities, avoiding interference with the land without sacred consent.

Offering preparation

Incense, candles, fruit, betel and areca, wine, rice, salt, votive paper. Set at the center of the area being renovated.

Content

Namo Amitābha Buddha! (3 times) We respectfully bow to August Heaven and Sovereign Earth and all the venerable deities. We respectfully bow to the deities overseeing this area. We respectfully bow to the Earth Deity of this place. The faithful: .......................................... Residing at: .......................................... Today is the .......... day of the .......... month, year .......... The faithful holds a home at: .......................................... We now need to renovate and remodel the house. We sincerely report to the deities and ask permission to carry out the renovation. We respectfully ask the deities to bless: The renovation work with favor and safety. The workers, that they not meet with accident. The house, that after renovation it be spacious, beautiful, and durable. We offer modest gifts with sincere hearts; we respectfully present them. Namo Amitābha Buddha! (3 times)

Source: Source: Văn khấn cổ truyền Việt Nam (Culture and Information Publishing House, 2015), p. 155; Phong tục thờ cúng của người Việt (Hà Nội Publishing House, 2012), p. 198.