From the viewpoint of Theravada Buddhism, filial piety is not only performed on the occasion of Vu Lan (Full Moon in the 7th lunar month), but also integrated into life in accordance with the ethical standards of Buddhism. each member, in the conduct of individuals, families and the Khmer community in the South today 5 duty of filial piety
The Khmer concept that filial piety for parents not only for the dead, but also for those who are still alive. Therefore, children must always fulfill 5 obligations to parents, that is:
Serving parents (Bhavana): Be wholeheartedly respectful, not make parents miserable, times when they are lonely, sick or provide food, medicine, medicine, sleeping places, clothes ...
Working in place of parents (Kicca kavana): Must take on all the things that our parents had suffered before because of us. As an adult child, it is necessary to do so for parents to have time to enjoy the idle days at the end of life.
Preserving a good family room (Kùlavam sathapana): Maintaining a good moral family, promoting the fine traditions of the clan.
Preserving good inheritance (Thick jàpati pajjana): The duty to be a child needs to preserve well the properties of parents, making them proliferate. Because that property is very special, created by blood, sweat, tears of parents.
Create merit dedicating when the parents have passed away (Đakkinànuppadana): Must create a lot of merit to dedicate that merit to the parents, because if they have died, they are unfortunately accidentally reborn into suffering, according to the blessing If you have given up, they will soon be free from suffering to be reborn.
Therefore, filial piety is the sacred duty of each person, "whether at home or renunciate, whether Thanh Van or the Buddhas have the duty to repay their parents. Because filial piety is the mind of Buddha ”(Buddha's words).
Behave in life
If parents are still alive, filial piety is not only expressed in daily actions such as taking care of and taking care of each meal, sleep, heavy burdens for their parents ... but also in religious rites and children bring warmth to parents. On the occasion of the annual New Year (Chol Chnam Thmay), 1 or 2 days before the ceremony, all the children in the family, whether far or near in the community, must focus on their parents' home. Together they decorate the house, the altar, donate money, buy new clothes, supplies and gifts for their parents to worship.
The night before the holidays, the children and grandchildren prepare a clean place for their parents to shower, change and prepare a delicious meal to invite their parents. This is a tray of rice with meaning of offering to parents, so the eldest son (usually the son) represents family members to give thanks to the parents, ask the parents to ignore the mistakes and shortcomings that have been made. must be in the old year, and at the same time wish parents good health, long life to enjoy the blessings in the coming year.
In the afternoon of the second day, descendants must join with their parents in the ritual of building a sand mountain, in order to pray for their parents' blessings and desires of their parents, as well as family members. Eliminate them all in the new year.
On the third day, descendants perform filial bathing at home for their parents. Before the filial bath, right in the middle of the house, the children spread a flower mat and invited their parents to sit on it. All members of the family gathered together with their parents and in turn admitted their mistakes and wrongs they had committed in the old year and looked forward to forgiveness, as well as made promises of sincere amendments.
After all, the filial piety showers. The children of the family prepare seats and freshly scented water is placed in front of the yard. This water mixed with a little water was taken to bathe the Buddha image before, in order to receive blessings from the Buddha. They invite parents to sit on chairs and the children personally draw each bath for their parents, in order to express gratitude to their parents.
Offering rice to monks
For those without parents, the filial piety of the children is passed through the monks by offering rice to monks, a unique form of daily offering for deceased parents and a filial ceremony. , also known as the Sen Dolta (on the last days of September of the solar calendar).
This is the only occasion of worship for the dead in a year. During the three holidays, all the rituals focused on praying, giving back, giving gratitude to the deceased with plenty of food, inviting the monks to come to the ceremony to receive the souls of their grandparents and parents. go home to take care of you ...
On the third day, they performed the ritual of lighting incense and releasing a boat to see off the spirits of their grandparents and parents back to eternity. In addition, on the 8th, 15th, 23th and 30th of the lunar month every month, the Khmer also celebrate a rice offering ceremony at the pagodas to perform the rice-raising ritual with the monks. The offering of rice is not only to offer rice to the deceased grandparents but also to fulfill the duty of believers to religious dignitaries through the role of monks.
Tu before fire
Traditionally, when one parent died, the family would choose a son to practice in the fire. The practice was carried out on the spot where the deceased was burned, right after the funeral rites were performed. The chosen person is usually unmarried. The monks will change their hair and change their clothes to monks. After that, the monk was taken to the temple's main hall to take the oath and listen to the commandments. Time to practice before fire depends on the condition of each person. Some people practice only for 24 hours, but some people practice for 7 days or 3 months. Practicing in front of fire is not to liberate people from their hair but to wash away and neutralize the sins of the deceased to repay the birth and nurture.
It can be said that the Khmer attach great importance to filial piety, because of the great values of education, cohesion, support and preservation of traditional cultural values in the social life of the Khmer community, at the same time shows the moral values, human values, educational values of truthfulness, goodness, beauty ... that these values have been, will and will always be preserved and handed down from generation to generation. other.
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