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Topic: Delving into the Phenomenon of Excessive Superstitions among the Vietnamese
I. Detailed Outline
II. Sample Essay
Argumentative Essay on the Phenomenon of Excessive Superstition among the Vietnamese
I. Outline of the Argumentative Essay on the Phenomenon of Excessive Superstition among the Vietnamese
1. Introduction
- Spiritual culture, beliefs, and self-worship are traditional and distinctive spiritual values that need to be preserved and respected.
- However, up to the present day, these beautiful cultural and belief values have been gradually distorted and corrupted by a segment of individuals lacking understanding, excessively indulging in superstitions. This can be clearly observed through the annual temple festivals.
2. Body of the Essay
* Explaining the spiritual culture, beliefs, and self-worship of the Vietnamese:
- An indispensable cultural aspect in the spiritual life of the Vietnamese. However, it extends only to an attitude of reverence and respect for deities and Buddhas to provide a sense of tranquility and trust in a peaceful life.
* Current state of excessive superstition at festivals:
- Spiritual culture at temple festivals is gradually being 'distorted,' tarnishing the image of sacred places and destroying the traditional beauty of the nation.
- This stems from the overly superstitious actions of a segment of individuals lacking both awareness and ethics,...(Continued)
>> Continue exploring the Body of the Essay on the Phenomenon of Excessive Superstition among the Vietnamese here.
II. Sample essay discussing the phenomenon of excessive superstition among the Vietnamese
From time immemorial, the act of worshiping ancestors or attending temple festivals on holidays and full moon days has become an indispensable custom in the spiritual culture of the Vietnamese people. These are the traditional and remarkable spiritual values of the nation that need to be preserved and cherished. However, up to the present day, these beautiful cultural and spiritual aspects are being distorted and marred by a segment of people who lack understanding and indulge excessively in superstitions. This is evident in the annual temple festivals, where many tourists from all directions converge to worship, creating a spectacle.
Our ancestors used to say, 'Worshiping brings sacredness, observing brings blessings.' The act of paying homage to ancestors or participating in temple activities during the Tet holiday has become an essential cultural element in the spiritual life of the Vietnamese people. However, it should only stop at a gesture of respect and reverence for the deities and Buddha to bring a sense of peace, trust in a peaceful life, and express gratitude to the elders, heroes, showcasing the beauty of the Vietnamese people's character and soul. It is a heart that always turns towards the ancestors, towards goodness, towards the comprehensive beauty of ethics, kindness, and aesthetics in life. There is nothing to criticize about it, as it makes life and the human soul more beautiful, pure, and positive.
However, nowadays, spiritual culture at festivals and temples is gradually being 'distorted,' tarnishing the image of these sacred places and destroying the traditional beauty of the nation. This stems from the superstitious actions of some people who lack both consciousness and ethics, becoming a common problem for society that needs urgent resolution and prevention. Spiritual culture, festivals, and temples are reflections of the nation's face. Whether a country is developed or not can be judged by looking at the images from these festivals, indicating the prosperity, warmth, and well-being. However, it does not mean that in a prosperous place, there should be excessive, superstitious behaviors that ruin the sanctity of the place. This is a manifestation of a society where people are declining in both morality and consciousness.
People often go to temples with simple offerings like candles or, for a more heartfelt gesture, a plate of sticky rice and green bananas. It is a way to express wishes for simple and common things like health and peace, seeking tranquility in the face of fate. However, there is a small group who completely misunderstands the purpose of temple visits, thinking that a lavish feast with various meats and thick incense smoke truly demonstrates respect. During prayers, they focus on mundane desires such as wealth and career success, forgetting that nothing in life comes naturally; hard work is necessary. Sadly, some even believe that stuffing money into Buddha statues or scattering it everywhere will bring them luck. This has led to chaotic scenes in sacred places, with people pushing and shoving, competing for luck, and defiling the surroundings with money and rice, turning the sacred place into a disorderly, litter-filled environment. Among the chaos, arguments, curses, and vulgar language erupt, all right under the eyes of the Buddha, without a hint of shame, remorse, or embarrassment. Some individuals, after offering incense and bowing respectfully, immediately engage in casual activities, littering, playing cards, gambling, and creating indecent drawings within the temple grounds. Truly ugly and repulsive! Moreover, due to excessive superstition, some people abandon their responsibilities and homes solely to rush to a temple rumored to be very 'sacred,' continuing to pray for their materialistic desires. One wonders when our people forgot the diligent and hardworking traditions of our forefathers, only obsessing over supernatural help for a prosperous life filled with wealth and riches.
Oh, you superstitious individuals, Buddha doesn't reward you with a lavish spread or copious incense smoke for a comfortable and prosperous life. Such actions only reveal your greed. Life operates on the principles of cause and effect, determined by our own actions and decisions. A virtuous and tolerant soul will undoubtedly attract goodness and deserving rewards. Diligent work and relentless effort are the keys to prosperity. Those who observe a vegetarian diet, practice Buddhism, and attend temple festivals regularly, while neglecting honest labor, engaging in unfair dealings, and lacking virtue, cannot expect Buddha's tolerance. They deserve the consequences of their selfish actions that they have sown throughout their lives.
We need clarity to recognize and distinguish between the beautiful traditional beliefs of our people and excessive superstitions. As students, we must avoid falling into such behaviors while actively promoting awareness among family, friends, and society about the ugliness of extreme superstitions. These actions tarnish the sanctity of temples, damage the image of society and the nation, and reflect a decline in morality and consciousness. Such extreme behaviors only stain our own reputation, lowering our moral standards and consciousness. It diminishes the values of our national culture and spirituality. We must understand that excessive superstition, found in a significant portion of the population, has had negative impacts on awareness, tarnishing the sacredness of temples and becoming a challenging issue for society to resolve each passing year. As Vietnamese citizens, we must strive to cultivate ethics, excel in education, have a correct understanding of cultural and spiritual activities, and consciously preserve and promote the traditional values of our nation while preventing unconscious and unsightly actions that affect the overall development of society and the country.
In conclusion, excessive superstition among a considerable number of people has caused negative effects on awareness, tarnished the image of sacred places, and become a challenging issue for society due to its changing nature each year. As Vietnamese citizens, we need to strive to cultivate ethics, excel in education, have a correct understanding of cultural and spiritual activities, and consciously preserve and promote the traditional values of our nation while preventing unconscious and unsightly actions that affect the overall development of society and the country.
