Hoang Phap Monks Joining the Monastic Confession

In the afternoon of May 30th, 2018 (April 16th, Lunar Calendar), all the Hoằng Pháp monks came to Pháp Bửu temple, Hóc Môn district to attend the monastic confession before the Vassavasa or rain-retreat, organized by the government of the Vietnamese Buddhist Sangha in Hoc Mon. The Vassavasa 2562 according to Buddhist calendar.

Attending the ceremony there is the presence of the most Venerable Thich Thien Minh, the committee chairman of the Vietnamese Buddhist Sangha in Hoc Mon, together with the monks from other temples reside in Hoc Mon.

After doing the Monastic confession, the monks came back to temple for taking the rain-retreat. The Vassavasa is time for the sangha members looking back themselves within a year, improving their cultivation, purify body and mind, making a firming foundation for the way of Buddhist practice.

According to Indian weather, there are three seasons in a year: spring, summer, and winter; each season has four months. From December’s full moon to April’s full moon is the spring. From April’s to August’s is the summer. From August’s to December’s is the winter. During the summer season, normally raining and insects grow up, therefore, the Buddha set up the Rules for His disciples have to settle indoor during the rainy season. This leads to the forming of Vassavasa from April’s full moon to July’s full moon. The purpose of this Vassavasa is keeping the bhikkhu from killing insects, which decreasing the bhikkhu’s compassion. Furthermore, the Buddha’s disciples mission is to enter the worldly for saving all living beings, and they have to move from here to there for begging and dwelling wherever, no home for settling. Hence, the three months of Vassavasa is the chance for settling down and improving mind cultivation.

At Hoang Phap temple, the schedule for working and cultivating, training to be a Dharma lecturer has been applied to over 100 monks and more than 200 lay people who work as volunteers here.

Rain-retreat Timetable:

4:00 – 5:00 am: early morning chanting

5:00 – 5:45 am: cleaning around the temple

6:00 – 6:40 am: having breakfast

7:00 – 8:00 am: taking individual duty

8:00 – 9:45 am: Monday, Wednesday, Friday: Dharma preaching training; Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday: Vinaya recitation.

10:00 – 10:30 am: offering Buddha rite

11:00 – 11:40 am: have lunch

12:00 – 1:30 pm: take rest

2:00 – 3:00 pm: chanting the sutra

3:30 – 4:15 pm: showering and clothes washing

5:00 – 5:30 pm: have dinner

6:00 – 7:15 pm: evening chanting

8:00 – 10:00 pm: self-cultivating or reading, learning…

10:00 pm: bedtime

Here are some photos recorded: