One-Day Peaceful Retreat at Suoi Phap Pagoda

Full of Buddhists everywhere returned to Suoi Phap Pagoda (belonging to the Hoang Phap’s custom) in Tan Chau, Tay Ninh province to attend One-day Retreat on April 09th, 2023.

After gathering in the main hall, all practitioners began to practice reciting the Buddha's name and walking. Next, Junior Thich Tam Huong, Abbot of Suoi Phap Pagoda came to the ashram to share a Dharma talk named Four impermanence in Buddhism.

Impermanence means that it will not last, and stay the same forever; it is always changing, then destroying. The Buddha taught, everything is impermanent, constantly changing, nothing is certain. In which there are 4 impermanence:

1. The mind of impermanence is the interwoven thoughts, the emotional states are always changing, as at times of joy, or sadness; sometimes of depression and despair.

2. The impermanent body is the physical one of sentient beings affected by the environment and weather: Sometimes one feels healthy, or when being sick, or ill. Humans have birth, must have death, no one can avoid; so, birth and death is the impermanence of the body.

3. Circumstances of impermanence: people said that "everything changes” in two opposition trends, as success and failure, prosperity and decline, reunion and separation. Thereby gaining success, one will be happy and excited; or facing failure, he/she will be depressed, desperated, those are the reality of ever-changing circumstances.

4. The world is impermanent: people live on the globe with including the elements: earth, water, wind, fire, etc. When the water increases a little, it will cause floods; or when increasing fire, there will be drought, volcanoes, etc. Therefore, the realm in which we live is also affected and governed by impermanence.

In all that impermanence, the Buddha taught that there is only the true mind, Buddha nature of living beings is permanent and unchanged; in the sage does not increase, in ordinary people does not decrease. Because of ignorance, the Buddha-nature of sentient beings has not been displayed, like a pearl hidden in the ground. In the same way, when practicing the Dharma correctly, the Buddha nature of each person will manifest clearly like the Buddhas.

Next, Buddhists came to the dining hall to have lunch.

In the afternoon, the mass chanted the Buddha name and walked meditation.

The cultivation day ended in the joy of the mass.

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