The 59th Dharma Light Program

On April 30, 2017 (April 05, lunar calendar), devout Buddhists from HCMC and other regions came to Hoang Phap pagoda to attend the One-Day Retreat that included the 59th Dharma Light program.

Based on the invitation of the organizer, Reverend Thich Phap Dang, member of the Management Board of Viet Nam Buddhist Church in Dong Nai province, Head of Buddhist Congregation in Thong Nhat District, Dong Nai province, abbot of Hue Vien pagoda in Dong Nai province, conducted the Q&A session of the program.

Question 1:

My strength and also my weakness are having good memory that is full of unhappiness, especially the hateful remembrances that unexpectedly arise in my mind whenever I have free time. One more issue is the anxiety about things that may occur based on my presumption. They make me exhausted. When studying Dharma, I know that they are delusion in mind. Whenever coping with such situations, I recite the name of Buddha or Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva to prevent them but the more I recite, the stronger the delusions rise. Things seem very difficult for me to overcome.

Recently, I heard a Dharma talk from a clergy lecturer saying that those delusions in our mind may be triggered by spirits.

My question is if my good memory and delusions are the bad karma of mine? What should I do to be free from those?

Question 2:

Based on the divination books regarding the suitable age of men and women in marriage, I think of my case and four others who held wedding in the “bad months” and got lots of problems/loneliness in marriage life regardless they are talented lecturers/ managers with good behaviors and comfortable life.

Is their unhappiness in marriage life because of the infringement of divination (as getting marriage to the unsuitable aged spouse/time) or the bad karmas? Can we change the karmas from bad to good ones? If yes, how can we do it?

Question 3:

What is the view of Buddhism about suicide? During the Vietnam War in the past, there were many cases of monk setting themselves on fire to oppose the war or to make the world aware of the cruelty of war in Vietnam. Are those actions negative or not?

Another hot issue for the youth, the future owners of our country, nowadays is "Suicide for love "or for silly reasons. Please share us your opinion on this so that Buddhists, especially the young ones, can have the clear mindset and orientation for life instead of wasting this precious human life for nonsense reasons.

Closing the talk, Senior Venerable Thich Chan Tinh, abbot of Hoang Phap pagoda, head of the program, finalized things and gave his comments on the issues.

Following are the recorded photographs:

BBT Website