The 13th Sun Flower Program

Today April 19, 2017 (Mar 23, lunar calendar), Hoang Phap Pagoda holds the 13th Sun Flower program with the topic "Radiance of compassionate aroma". The main character in this program is Buddhist Kha Thanh Van who is also an entrepreneur.

She was born and raised in a Chinese origined family in An Giang province. Since a child, she has been deeply imbued with Buddhism ideology thanks to the teachings from her family and her spiritual teacher, the Most Venerable Thich Thanh Tu – Head of Truc Lam Zen Monastery in Dalat, where she found the truth for her life in terms of compassion and wisdom.

Every woman pursues many things and wishes in life, while Kha Thanh Van, a seasoned businesswoman with decades in the market, only desires peace. Many people may feel admirable or jealous of her achievements in her business and family. With her good characteristics as skill, economy, caution and persistence, she can successfully manage her business overcoming challenges and encourage her staffs coming forward.

Nevertheless, for her, a woman can truly get success when getting good achievements both in business and in family life. As a devout Buddhist, she always solves things in business/ life with the mind of a person on the path to the Enlightenment. For her, the moral values, the spirituality of Buddhism and Buddha's teachings are effective solutions dispelling all the conflicts that may occur in life, and creating sympathy among the community. With bright mind and kind heart, we can live happily without being afraid of coming bad karmas. That is why she feels happy and peaceful in the chaos of life and business.

When coming to pagoda, the words "Compassion - Wisdom" are often prominently showed to remind everyone the core purity and nobleness of Buddhism. Imbued with such philosophy, for years, entrepreneur Kha Thanh Van has diligently carried out her charity and volunteer activities. The less she talks about herself, the more she opens talking about philanthropy.

For her, philanthropy is entrepreneur's first obligation to the community and also the Buddhist’s responsibility for sentient beings. From material contributions, fundraising campaigns, to meeting face-to-face for spiritual comfort or motivation talk..., she always desires to involve and fulfill to help others regardless those are big or small events. In order to help everyone a place to learn Buddhism Dharma and support relief work, Van built “Truc Lam An Lac” pagoda in Thoai Son district, An Giang province. This pagoda will be the place for the spirit-secular meet for good people coming together to lend their hands supporting the community, the people in poverty and disease in remote areas. More practically, she is currently completing all the necessary procedures to build a hospital in the piece of her family’s land 3000m² to provide modern and convenient medical services to serve people in needs in the area.

This care has contributed to alleviating many of the pain and loss of the people. Nevertheless there are many difficult circumstances that need our kind hands supporting them with other practical activities besides foods for meals. These are the precious lessons for us, Buddhists, to learn and have achievements in life and in the practice.

Following are the recorded photographs: