More than 900 young people joining a retreat "Return to Peaceful Place II" at Hoa Phuc Pagoda – Hanoi

Following the success of the Summer Retreat "Return to Peaceful Place", on July 1st, 2017, Hoa Phuc Pagoda, Quoc Oai, Hanoi officially opened the 2017 Summer Retreat with the theme "Return to Peaceful Place". This is the annual event for youngsters who are pupils, students and the young aged 16-26.

In the retreat this summer, besides the leadership of the monks of the Hoa Phuc  pagoda, the students had the opportunity to experience and studied under the instruction of the 10 teachers who are monks of Hoang Phap Pagoda (Ho Chi Minh City), Tuyen Lam Pagoda (Ho Chi Minh City); Lam Phuc Pagoda (Lam Dong Province) ...

Early in the morning, students and parents gathered at the courtyard to wait for registering the Retreat. At 7:00, under the direct guidance of the Venerable Thich Tam Hoa_the Abbot of Hoa Phuc pagoda, the organizers of the Summer Retreat guided everybody to stand in a queue and complete the procedures of the registration. The new point of registration for this year was that students would download the registration form from Internet and complete follow the guidance. At 11 o’clock, the   number of students attended the registration had reached 900, more than double the original number (500 students). To ensure the quality of the retreat, the pagoda ended the registration at 11:00 in the same day.

During the first day of training, the students were divided into groups to living activities under the guidance of the teachers. Here, young people experienced life in the meditative environment. In the afternoon, the teachers guided students the rules of Retreat and dignities of Buddhists. At the time of the evening, the students chanted the five virtues from which they can look back to be able to create their own happiness, for others and all sentient beings. Feelings and respected happiness occurred in that present moment.

 In the thirst for the Buddha dharma, in the morning of July 2nd, 2017, Thich Dong Thanh – Buddhism Doctor, the principal of the Central High and Intermediate School of Buddhism in Binh Dinh province, had a lecture on the theme: "Simplify the life". Here, he shared the concerns about the way of life that he observed, accumulated when he came to the developed countries, to collate and look back on the way of life of young people in Vietnam. The more civilized the society is, the more simple, normal and gentle the human way of life is. Meanwhile, in poor and developing countries, the way people live tends to learn from their idols. The Venerable gave a lot of concrete evidence, thereby clarifying the anxiety of the whole society that is consumerism. This leads to a quick lifestyle, life full of enjoyment and not really feel the value of life giving to them. For the most part, the greatest and most successful are the simplest and most lucrative people.

 By the Dharma talk, the Venerable sent to the young generation a message about how to live in a society with so much turmoil today: a simple, slow-living way to feel the values ​​that life brings to them. The happiest people are the ones who do not own the most expensive things, but those who appreciate the value of what they are having.

 In the afternoon, the students prepared themselves and performed arts performances to exchange and get to know the teacher as well as the mass. On the simple stage of Hoa Phuc Pagoda, the members had the opportunity to show their friendliness, confidence and awaken their available talents in the spirit of teamwork and solidarity. The simple items of performance which were soaked with love between teachers and students, the older and younger people, which also brought a cheerful and fun atmosphere.

 Each time the applause, the carefree smile on each young face was the love which lit up the peaceful space to cultivate and practice together in full-of -meaning summer days.

  Here are some recorded pictures of the two days of the retreat:

Translated into English by Cao Thanh Tuyen.