One Day Retreat for Students

On the evening of Jan. 06th, 2024 before the practice day, thousands of the young eagerly returned to the pagoda waiting for One-Day Retreat for Students to be held tomorrow morning.

After registering and receiving pass cards on Saturday evening, young participants gathered in front of the main hall to attend the fruit and cake buffet. The mass sat around the campfire, were present together, and enjoyed the music and impressive fireworks display during this Retreat at the end of the lunar year.

Next, there was a warm tea meditation session led by Junior Thich Tam Truong, Abbot of Hoang Phap Pagoda.

The monks shared methods to transform negative energy for listeners to achieve a state of balance and inner peace in the tea meditation session.

Then, Junior Thich Tam Truong had a message for young people: they should practice and transform three karma: body, speech, and mind. Don't do evil by our body, diligently do good deeds, keep our mind pure. We need to aim for a life of truth, goodness and beauty, dedicated to serving and benefiting others. The Buddha taught each person must be ashamed of their own wrongdoing, ashamed when others know about that wrongdoing, and afraid of its consequences.

The tea meditation session ended with the joy of the young people.

Over 3,700 students from colleges and universities inside and outside Ho Chi Minh City returned to Hoang Phap Pagoda to attend One Day Retreat for Students on Jan. 7th, 2024.

At 5 a.m, a meditation sitting session started with cool weather in the morning instructed by Junior Thich Tam Tri and monks at the pagoda.

At 09:00, all students listened to a Dharma talk “Let go of sadness”, preached by Nun Ven Thich Nu Chuc Hieu, Abbot of Bo De Monastery, USA.

Each of us in life certainly cannot escape our own troubles about work, family, study...

The nun encouraged young people to express their feelings, problems, and troubles in their hearts to sympathize and share. Through that, the nun shows the methods for transformation.

We should know how to let go of troubles early to avoid getting hurt. When facing adversity and suffering, if we know how to transform, those obstacles are valuable lessons and they become of great fortune in life.

The Buddha taught we must be our own islands, knowing how to rely on ourselves, not relying on anyone else; students need to equip necessary knowledge to protect themselves.

Learning to look at life with contemplation depending on conditions, we diligently cultivate wisdom by studying and listening to Dharma... From there, we see everything in a positive way, decide our own life, not avoiding suffering; practice loving everyone (cultivate kindness), be flexible and skilful in all life situations.

At 9:00 a.m. in the cultivation program, young people interact with guest Miss Luong Thuy Linh, Miss World Vietnam 2019. 

Sharing in the exchange, Miss Thuy Linh confided a few words about herself, how to deal with public slander, overcome pressure, and repel negative energy in work and life. At the same time, she spreads positive energy to all listeners via volunteer trips and interesting things about herself.

Miss Thuy Linh interacted and answered young people's questions about life issues and transformed their body and mind after the sharing session.

In the afternoon, young people interacted with guest singer - Musician LyLy in the inspirational program 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩.

She shared about her motivation to overcome obstacles to reach success; along with that was her connected relationship with Buddhism, how to overcome fatigue and negative energy in work and life. By the exchange, the young people were given positive energy and thus became more confident on their future path ahead.

LyLy also interacted and answered questions from young people about life issues.

Closing the practice day with the joy of all students, the organizers gave each of them a Dharma gift, the book The Life of Buddha Shakyamuni compiled by Most Thich Chan Tinh before leaving the temple.

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