Prayer to Ancestors on the 1st Day of Tết
Morning of the 1st day of Tết Nguyên Đán
Meaning
On the morning of the 1st day of Tết, the family lights incense to commemorate ancestors and remember the kindness of birth and nurture, asking the ancestors to bless the descendants with health, smooth work, and freedom from misfortune in the year.
Offering preparation
Prepare incense, flowers, and offerings — the rite arranged in solemn order, presented before the altar.
Content
Namo Amitābha Buddha! (3 times)
- I respectfully bow to the nine directions of Heaven, the ten directions of all Buddhas, the Buddhas of the ten directions.
- I respectfully bow to the coming Maitreya Buddha (Đức Đương Lai Hạ Sinh Di Lặc Tôn Phật).
- I respectfully bow to the spirits of the High Ancestors and Ancestresses, uncles and brothers, aunts and sisters, all the spirits of the upper hall, and the spirits of the lineage on both paternal and maternal sides of the family …………………………..................................
The faithful (we) are: …………………………..................................
Residing at: ……………………....................................................................
Following the rule of the year, with yin and yang in their course, we have come to Tết Nguyên Đán. On the 1st day of spring, rains and dews soak the earth; we welcome the new year. The descendants remember the kindness of the ancestors as Heaven is high and the sea is wide — no offering of grass blade can repay three springs. Therefore, we and all the descendants of this house prepare incense, flowers, and offerings, the rite arranged in solemn order, presented before the altar. We humbly ask you to descend to the spirit-seat and partake of these offerings.
We respectfully invite the spirits of the High Ancestors and Ancestresses, uncles and brothers, aunts and sisters, and all the spirits of the lineage on both paternal and maternal sides. We pray that we may have a year of peace, with auspiciousness day and night. Bless us with favorable fortune in all matters and smooth flow in our work. May each of us know peace and enjoy good fortune throughout the year. With unseen support and visible help, may our wishes be granted. May the four seasons bring no misfortune; may the eight solar terms bring auspicious signs.
We also respectfully invite the spirits of former owners and successors, the spirits dwelling on this land, to come and partake of these offerings.
With sincere heart, we humbly ask you to bear witness.
Namo Amitābha Buddha! (3 times)