Seventh day of Summer Retreat 2022 at Hoang Phap Pagoda

On the morning of July 26th, 2022, in which was the retreat’s seventh day; students gathered at the Dharma wheel Building to listen the dharma titled "When Young People Are Lonely" by Master Giac Minh Luat, currently studying in USA, Master's student at Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, Thailand and The West University, USA.

When a person lives among many people but still feels empty, lonely because they think no one understands them, afraid to communicate, prefers to be alone, life pressure, full of slander, etc, the situation the monk mentioned to a lonely person. Lonely for a long time, it is easy to make one feel like he is in prison without realizing the miraculous life out there. From here, the monk advised young people to calmly look back on their loneliness without falling in hurry love with someone to immerse in suffering; Let's go back to taking care of our mind garden, cultivating self-worth, and looking forward to a good future.

In the afternoon, the students who had not yet taken refuge gathered in the Dharma Hall 1 of dharma wheel building to attend the Three-Jewel ceremony of taking refuge, officially becoming a Buddhist.

On behalf of the monks present, Most Thich Chan Tinh, the head of Hoang Phap Pagoda, transmitted Three refuge and Five precepts to new disciples. Together with receiving Three refuge is upholding five precepts, five basic principles, helping have their own wisdom in establishing a clean, noble life later. He also talked about benefits and harms of not taking five precepts to progress to a higher level of precepts towards the path to deliverance. When the mind is inclined towards something, one seeks it out. When we create good karma, we not only have peace in this present life, but also help us to come to good realms in the future. Therefore, destiny is determined by ourselves, not created or given by a god.

The monk reminded young listeners, after taking refuge, they should regularly return to the temple to learn moral values, learn about the Buddha's life, be a vegetarian, and not believe in pagan teachings.

In the evening, the students were able to talk and confide to instructed monks at their lecture halls.

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