Student Cultivation Day

On April 05th, 2015 (February 17th, Goat Year), over 1,000 students from universities – colleges in Ho Chi Minh City gathered in Hoang Phap Pagoda to take part in a cultivation day for students’ heading towards the Buddha’s Dharma.

In the morning, the students had a chance to listen to\r\nJunior Venerable Thich Tri Minh, the lecturer of Vietnam Buddhist Institute, Ho\r\nChi Minh City Buddhism High and Medium School, preaching a dharma on topic\r\n“Confusion.”For over one hour, the Junior Venerable presented many issues\r\nrelating to the belief and cultivation of young students, which represents\r\ntoday’s intellectuals.

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In our life, there are some times we are confused about the\r\nbelief in religion, about the idea of life or about things we have been\r\npursuing. Sometimes, just because we hear about some explanations and\r\ndiscussions from some influential people in the society, we feel staggered and\r\nshake our belief. At the beginning of the dharma, the Junior Venerable re-raised questions of a Vietnamese doctor in the\r\nUnited States. The doctor has spent many years on researching and cultivating\r\nin Buddhism. The questions were related to belief in Mahayana and the Pure Land\r\nTeachings. By reasons and quotes, the Junior Venerable used the three example\r\ndharma in the Hetuvidya-sastra: Proposition, Reason, Illustration to solve the\r\nissues reasonably. Besides, pieces of evidence on Buddhism history were also\r\nanalyzed clearly and relevantly.

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Although the dharma has high philosophical theories about\r\nBuddhism and requires a critical acknowledge to adapt it, the students\r\nconcentrated on listening and had questions to be answered at the end of the\r\npreaching. With the wide knowledge of medical field as well as natural\r\nsciences, the Junior Ven. answered the questions in the simplest, easiest and\r\nmost reasonable way.

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In the afternoon, the students gathered at the main hall to\r\ncontinue the cultivation course. After sitting in deep meditation with monks of\r\nthe pagoda, the students were shared about life experience on the topic\r\n“Kindness in today’s world” by PhD. Tran Quoc Dung, General Director of Hoang\r\nAnh Dung Health – Medical Education Organization, the Leader of Golden Alliance\r\nGroup - Hop Anh Language School, the Editor of Sun Flower Magazine.

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People are the most important factor to the development of a\r\nsociety and country. It is the kindness that can create people. We show the\r\nkindness through actions, words, thoughts. People who treat people around them\r\nkindly will create good sympathy and bring belief to other people. That is the\r\nprerequisites to form one’s personality and future success. Living in this\r\nlife, we should learn how to treat ourselves and other people kindly.\r\nYoungsters have to treasure themselves, preventing body and mind from being\r\ndestroyed by unhealthy lifestyle. When treating other people, we should show\r\nhonest, helpful attitude. Future and success are in the hands of each person,\r\nso the important thing is that we know how to learn, work live and improve\r\nourselves. The foundation of morality and kindness is in the moral principles\r\nof Buddhists. Cleverly applying these five things into our life will help us be\r\nsuccess and happiness.

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Below are take pictures:

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Translated into English by Huynh Thi Thao