With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic showing no signs of stopping, most people are limiting their exposure to crowded places. This includes visiting temples for worship during full moon and festive occasions. As a result, some people are turning to online temple visits as an alternative.
1 What is an Online Temple Visit?
In the midst of a complex pandemic situation, gathering in large groups is a concern. Most interactions, work, and communal activities have shifted online, including temple visits.
Online Temple
Simply put, an online temple visit allows you to access a virtual temple. This is beneficial for busy individuals who don’t have the time to physically go to a temple but still want to engage in chanting sutras, reciting Buddha’s name, and performing spiritual rituals online.
These online temple websites/phone apps provide almost all the basic spiritual practices one would find in a typical temple. Users can even register for services such as prayer for peace, ancestral worship, or special ceremonies by filling out online forms.
2 Should We Visit Temples Online?
Online temple visits not only save time for busy individuals and those who live far away from temples, but they also reduce the need for physical offerings, waiting for prayers, and burning incense papers… And online temple visits avoid the crowds and pushing that can happen at physical temples.
However, over-reliance on online temple visits can dilute the cultural experience of visiting a physical temple.
Should We Visit Temples Online?
Moreover, some malicious individuals have taken advantage of online temple services to create websites and applications for profit, scamming, and exploiting the gullible. Therefore, online users need to be extremely cautious when engaging with these virtual temples.
Thích Đức Thiện, Vice Chairman and General Secretary of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, stated: “The Vietnam Buddhist Sangha encourages monks, nuns, and Buddhist followers to use online forms to serve the spiritual needs of the people through the Sangha’s social media platforms such as Giác Ngộ Online, Phật giáo.org, Phật sự Online, and Butta Social Network.”
3 Website/Phone App for Online Temple Visits
Currently, the “Online Temple Visit” app is available on the CH Play store, with over 50,000 installs.
Download link for Android: Here
Download link for Windows: Here
“Online Temple Visit” App
On this app, you can view temples across the country through images. It also offers Buddhist sutras and a fortune-telling feature.
However, to “visit” the temple online and pray for blessings, you need to recharge your account with 20,000 VND for a day or 50,000 VND for a month. Larger packages come with higher discounts.
“Online Temple Visit” App Interface
Members who recharge higher amounts in a month will have the opportunity to become VIP members. This allows them to redeem virtual items for “offering to Buddha online”…
We hope that our explanation above has helped you understand this concept better. For more information, please refer to this article for guidance on how to properly engage with online temples.
