One-Day Retreat

On June 1st, 2014 (Lunar May 4th, Horse Year), more than thousands of Buddhists, who came to Hoang Phap Pagoda to join in the One-Day Retreat.

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After breakfast, the Buddhists had the opportunity to listen\r\nto a Dharma from Senior Venerable in the lecture hall. In the conversation, he\r\nreiterated the Buddha’s teachings in Majjhima-Nikaya—The Middle Length\r\nDiscourses in the Pali Canon (equivalent to section Meghiya, chapter 4, Udana\r\nSutra, The Short Passages)

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 As a Buddhist, a lay-man or woman as well as a monk or\r\na nun depends on the Patriarch in long term to study firmly and successful. As\r\na new leaving-home monk who has not learnt the law and Dharma yet but willingly\r\ndropping out his master due to freedom, independence with desire, or even the\r\ndisciples ask him to move for the sake of diligent study is not true.

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 The story of Arya Di-he in Dharma was told as follows\r\n:

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Arya Miheh was a companion of the Buddha. One day on seeing\r\na very nice mango forests and fresh air, Arya felt interesting and hoped to get\r\nthere for retreat. Arya asked permission from the Buddha but He advised slowly\r\nwaiting until He finds another one for his replacement. After three times of\r\npetitions, the Buddha finally agreed. Leaving the Buddha to cultivate in\r\nexalted mango, during the cultivation in forest, his erroneous thinking and\r\nlustful heart was raised in his mind. Arya had always restrained in such\r\nillusion that he might return for the Buddha’s consult of practice as well. The\r\nBuddha was compassion and taught 5 measures of focusing the mind on meditation\r\nand enlightenment

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1.Living in harmony with Kalyanamitta (Good-knowing\r\nadvisor).

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2.Praticing Sila or Pratimoksa

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3.Speaking worth mentioning.

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4.Constantly practicing Diligently (Viriyam practising)

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5.Jnana and Prajna (Knowledge of things and realization of\r\ntruth.

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In addition, the Buddha taught him four Conptemplations:

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1. Contemplating on the impurity to help reduce attachment.

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2. Contemplating on love to dispel anger

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3. Contemplating on breathing meditation (Ana or Anapana) to\r\nhelp eliminate completely all negative thoughts.

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4. Contemplating on impermanence can reduce covetousness.

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With 9 measures was presented by the Buddha, though\r\nanywhere, we can all be practiced, unnecessarily away from the Patriarchs, find\r\na deserted place to ordain oneself. The scripture also reminds either a\r\npractitioner or a monk must rely on patriarchs and public practice to avoid\r\ndemonic testing conditions and dangerous in path of practice.

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During the Drama talk, the Venerable counseled the\r\ncongregation if discussing the politics, they should only say things in order\r\nto build peace and happiness to humankind. War is formed by the heart ambition,\r\nselfishness, by the thought of anger, hatred. Therefore, the Ven. and people\r\nspent a moment of silence toward the South China Sea praying for people’s care\r\nfor each other in loving eyes, and no one has thought or action increasing\r\nhatred. Human beings would together support a world of peace and stability.

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 At the end of the retreat, in order for good men and\r\nwomen to understand more about the Buddha’s teachings, the Pagoda gave all\r\nattendants a VCD of "The 45th Dharma Light”

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Following are some recorded images:

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