One-day Buddha Retreat

 

 

Coming and studying Dharma in pagoda is an opportunity for people to go back to the value of life, raise their awareness and prepare for enlightenment route; therefore, the Dharma talk always play a crucial role in retreats of Hoang Phap Pagoda. As usual, the retreat of the odd months, Senior Ven. Thich Chan Tinh, the abbot of Hoang Phap monastery and an organizer of one-day retreat organization, gave a Dharma preaching.

Through the story of Cong Tu Bac Lieu family, he taught the masses many meaningful lessons.

Being born in life, most people desire to attain wealth, high status and happiness. Furthermore, they strive to work night and day to save money or property for their children, hoping their descendants can get the life of affluence and prosperity. Some children were able to promote their parents’ careers; while overindulged followers spoil their parents’ heritage.

The story of Cong Tu Bac Lieu family was a typical example. Mr. Tran Trinh Trach inherited and developed his father- in- law’s property prosperously, and then became a rich and powerful landlord at that time. However, his son, Tran Trinh Huy, was dubbed Bac Lieu prince. He was known for debauchery life, which made his descendants suffer miserable, wander and exile.

This story was a combination of anecdotes and facts; however, which left us many valuable lessons. If Mr. Trach exploited workers to earn money illegally, so this was a clear karma. However, if he created wealth by his own work to leave for his descendants, but they fail to appreciate and dissipated it wastefully; so the possessions would be in shortage quickly.

He and his wife were frugal. Theydare not spend wastefully; however, they finally left assets for their children who dissipated. If he and his children used a part of their wealth to do charity and accumulate merits, people would rejoice and praise when mentioning “Cong Tu Bac Lieu”. From this story, the lessons of the impermanence that Buddha taught us are worth to learn. From then we should consider accumulating merits or left assets for descendants.

After the talk, the Buddhists entered the retreat as usual.