The fourth day of summer retreat at Dong Cao pagoda in Thanh Hoa

Junior Ven. Thich Dat Ma Pho Giac, the abbot of Thien Khanh pagoda, had a dharma talk to the youth on the topic “What is studying for?” to the youth in the summer retreat at Dong Cao pagoda on June 24th, 2018 (lunar May 11th, dog year).

By his preaching, he taught essential knowledge to attendees that it is for improving themselves, which practise piety to their parents and grandparents; believe in causes and effects; know to remember four gratitudes and have no waste of time, etc.,.

In the evening of the same day, under the witness of Junior Ven. Thich Tam Hung, the abbot of Dong Cao pagoda and the Sangha of Hoang Phap Pagoda, the director board organized the rite of “lighting candles of grace” so that they could understand four favors of the Buddha’s childdren. The first is the parents’ gratitude. The second is the Triratna’s one. The third is for the nation. The fouth leads to beings.

The graterful rite brings to many feeling levels of distant travellers for knowledge, or those who unintentionally cause anxiousness many times on their mother’s eyes and burdens on their father’s shoulders ; or people who lost all their parents, etc,. to think about…. We never able to pay enough the parents’s inner-feeling sacrifices and love from today, tomorrow or afterwards. Although we try our best to pay gratitude for long, our parents’ merit is still great as high mountains and lasts forever.

Love parents while they are still alive

Don’t wait for the time they will die

Write tendering words on their tombstones

Which are insentient and blind!

The following is the recorded images