Đến cửa chùa rũ bỏ trần duyên tính xấu
Vào điện Phật giữ gìn mối đạo tâm lành.
Summer Retreat
Summer Retreat 2018 – The First Day
Update: 29/07/2018
In the morning of July 29th, 2018, the Summer Retreat 2018 officially started. As usual, all students were taught how to behave when living in the temple by the monks. The monastic life has a bit different to the social life so they need to follow and keep it well during 7-day-practice.
In the afternoon, all practiced the song named “Peaceful Mind” by Ngoc Duyen singer, the official song of the retreat.
Finish singing, Venerable Abbot Thich Chan Tinh, the head organization, addressed some words to all students on the first-day retreat. He praised all the participants and highly encourage them because joining the course is a big challenge to the young people. They come from different areas and some from very far. Besides the geographical distance they have to put themselves into a new environment: taking vegan food, getting up early for the morning chanting, group sleep on the ground, depart from family, no phone using and any social networks…
He said although this is a big challenge, every young people should try. When we are eighteen, we are an adult, we have the right to vote and officially become a citizen of a nation. By these, we need to practice a new life without the family’s protection. People said, “Travel broadens the mind” and if we have a general view we will know that the Japanese children are taught to be independent and self-sustaining and to avoid idleness from a very young age. Parent and teachers train them to work according to their age and therefore their dependence on others are less. When they are in high school, an independent life official started. They work and study without the family’s support.
Recently, there is a story from the internet about a young guy named Tran Dang Dang Khoa, who discovered the world with his motorcycle. It’s a hard journal but his will and energy are strong enough to win all difficulties and he had passed 30 nations and currently, he is in America.
In the past, about 627-629 in China, in the Tang Dynasty, there was a monk named Xuan Zang. He found there are some disagreement points in the Buddhavacana – the Buddha’s teaching, he alone went to India to learn Buddhism in the root. In the past, moving transportation was not as convenient as today, people moved by walk, and carriage mostly. He spent a few years to reach India by foot, passed over 100 nations and deserts, forests, dangerous rivers…. Then he stayed over 10 years in India for learning a new language and Buddhism. Ater 17 years, he finished the journal and back to China for translating the Buddhist texts and teaching Buddhism to the Chinese monks. His great contribution was praised and memorized by all people from over the world till now.
Our Buddhist patriarch, Quy Son Master said: “If someone can be a macho man, we also can”. He meant people can do anything if they will. The difficulty isn’t caused by matters but from our mind. Just we have a strong mind and will to do, nothing is impossible. Compare to those who have a strong mind, 7-day-retreat we are in training is a very tiny matter.
In the future, we grow up and have our own family to take care we need to teach them how to be independent since the childhood. Don’t lame them. When you try to protect them by doing everything for them, you are not only laming their physical body but also disable their mind, make them totally cripple. Your wrong love killed their ability and weaken them. This is a very deviation love and education. This lesson can apply to all social aspects. The senior leaders have to guide and entrust duty to the young generation, let’s them see their responsibility and try their best to do it. The young people have many creations and deal work according to their way. This is how we contribute to developing a country.
From the Buddhist view, we have a big merit to join this summer retreat and have a chance to experience a self-dependent life. No one else but we design our life, as the Buddha said: “Our thoughts build our lives”.
He finally resumes the talk by the three verses, which makes easier for students to remember and follow:
“Adversities help people grow up strongly
Difficulties train us to be good and useful
Be mindful and alert we overcome the obstacles easily”
Finished the Dharma listening, all have a meeting, association with some famous singers like Chi Dan, Tan Bao…