One-Day Peaceful Retreat at Suoi Phap Pagoda, Tay Ninh

Full of Buddhists everywhere returned to Suoi Phap Pagoda (belonging to the Hoang Phap’s sect) in Tan Chau, Tay Ninh province to attend One-day Retreat on June 23rd, 2024.

After gathering in the main hall at 8.30am, all practitioners began to practice reciting the Buddha's name and walking meditation instructed by Junior Thich Tam Huong.

Next, the monk had a dharma talk named "The path leading to the cessation of suffering", then taught as following:

There are many methods in Buddhism to serve as means for the Buddhas to lead sentient beings out of the sea of suffering and to enter Nirvana in which the "eightfold path" is one of the methods of practice helps disciples and practitioners to open wisdom, and eliminates suffering.

The Noble Eightfold Path consists of eight parts

1. Right view is to correctly perceive problems and events thoroughly; is awareness and clear understanding of the truth.

2. Right thinking is thinking about the suffering of birth, death, and human life and finding methods to practice so that we and others can escape suffering.

3. Right speech is truthful speech, not false. Right speech has four: don't lie, don't use double-tongued words, don't say insulting words, and don't say cruel words; the opposite of right speech is wrong speech.

4. Right action: karma means intentional action. Therefore, Right Action is work and action based on beneficial and righteous wisdom.

5. Right livelihood means that one's professional life must be righteous and one must not harm the lives of others to benefit one's own life.

6. Right effort means hard work and diligence. That is diligently practicing good deeds, benefiting oneself and others, and diligently eliminating evil deeds.

7. Mindfulness means remembering to think about the right things, or in other words, remembering to think about the Dharma, etc.

8. Right concentration is a mind that is not wavering, not attached to five desires, resting in calmness.

The lecturer clearly explained the Noble Eightfold Path is one of 37 chapters of cultivation support, and is the way that the Buddha showed practitioners to increase wisdom and eliminate suffering. Therefore, everyone should diligently practice to get great benefits.

 Last, Buddhists came to the dining hall to have lunch after the practice program.

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

The cultivation day ended in the joy of the mass.