2018 Summer Cultivation Retreat ‘Back to where peace is’ at Hoa Phuc Pagoda

Every summer, the retreat welcomes a large number of young people to the pagoda for practicing Buddhism. Following the step of the Masters, Hoa Phuc Pagoda (Hoa Thach, Quoc Oai, Hanoi) as well as many other branches of Hoang Phap Monastery (Ho Chi Minh City) in particular and pagodas all over the country in general has continuously held beneficial Buddhism-practicing days for high school, university and college students.

Summer, season of blossoming flamboyant and singing cicada

Benevolence and righteousness, lessons offered at the pagoda

Boys and girls, near and far

Listen to magical teachings, heartily passed on by respectable teachers.

The retreat themed ‘Back to where peace is the 3rd’ officially began from morning, 14-18 of July, 2018 with around 600 attendants who had successfully registered on July 1, 2018.

Based on what has been learnt after 8 years of experience, the organizing board this year made a relatively thorough preparation in aspects like facilities, food safety, activity regulations, etc. Moreover, with strong support of the monks and nuns in the teacher board along with energetic and amiable volunteers, the summer cultivation retreat achieved great unexpected success.

At the very opening moment, the attendants coming from everywhere quickly integrated without perplexity nor foreignness. 600 people with 600 different faces and characters breathed in harmony at the same time, studied and slept peacefully together as though hundreds of rivers were flowing into one ocean named Hoa Phuc.

During 5 days and 4 nights taking part in various activities together, the youth were nourished and sowed with seeds of peace and purity cultivated by many care takers and supervisors, especially the monks and nuns, teachers, who shared joy and sorrow as well as encouraged and looked after the youth so they had the happiest feelings in their life.

With 6 families named: melon family, Coconut Tree, fruit - Tree, Mango Tree, star- apple Tree, apricot Tree. They have applied the skills, knowledge and spirit of teamwork to introduce the name of their families bringing the atmosphere is very exciting but extremely deep.

Well aware of thoughts and expectations of young people aged from 17 to 25, the organizing board set up preaches where Buddhist doctrines were shared together with outdoor activities warmly provided by Lecturer – Senior Venerable Thich Dong Thanh, Venerable Thich Dao Quang, Nun Thich Nu Huong Nhu, experienced speakers who had been leading such greatly influential groups and enterprises as Ms. Ha Thu Thanh, Ms. Do Yen, guests exchanging about love for the country, solidarity and compassion like Mr. Daniel Hoai Tien, Mr. Tran Anh Tuan, Ms. Thien Ha, etc.

During the course was joyful laughter burst out of extremely pure singing voices of the attendants. Not only did they bring the retreat seriousness in the meditation-practicing and sutra-enchanting sessions but also talent and particular musical instrument playing skills.

The retreat came to an end with a variety of emotional nuances in the ‘Rite-of-Passage Ceremony’ held for those aged 18 and the ‘Take Refuge in the three Jewels Ceremony’. These two ceremonies serve as two strings binding bloodline and spiritual families.

According to the Constitution and the current Law, those aged 18 are considered fully entitled to civil rights and obligations as well as responsible for their own acts. This means

Aged 18, one can tell right from wrong

The future is in one’s hands

Living things one knows to love

Causes and effects become one’s wisdom.

After the ceremony, they became ‘grown-ups’ in terms not only of age but also of thoughts and awareness so they will constantly ‘Ask not your country do for you but what you can do for your country today’.

Besides, ‘Rite-of-Passage- is an important turning point to purify human virtues and morals. Therefore, in the ‘Ceremony of Taking Refuge in the three Jewels and Keeping the Buddhist Commandments’, the youth would become more and  more mature in their characters, better themselves and hold useful to Buddhism as well as life.

Finally, the retreat officially closed, lots of feelings remained. Everyone wished the farewell moment would not come so 600 attendants could be together in company of their teachers, friends and peaceful instants.

However, the ended course offered a chance to look backward and forward to a better path in life. Every single person ought to keep in mind that ‘Go away is to come back’, back to oneself in order to understand, love, cherish and calm sorrow and grief, to sacrifice and make life better and more exuberant. Hoa Phuc spiritual home will always welcome you guys back.

The images recorded during the retreat are as follows:

Translated into English by Nguyen Minh Thuy Tien