Penitent Ceremony on Jan 16, 2018

On Jan 16, 2018 (Nov 30, lunar calendar), devout Buddhists from Ho Chi Minh City and other regions came to Hoang Phap for regular penitent ceremony.

This time, Venerable Thich Tam Khuong, monk from Hoang Phap Sangha, delivered the Dharma talk on the topic "Dream and Reality".

Dream reflects unreal things/daily issues in our sleep while reality happens in present and in the real world. Buddhists should understand that dream in sleep is short while unmindfulness in life is quite a long dream.

Dream does not happen when we have good/ awakening sleep but appears during doze. According to Milinda Panha sutra, there are six causes leading to dream:

- The effect of air (vayo) in our body

- The effect of gallbladder

- The effect of sputum

- The effect of cold or fever onto our body

- The effect of devas or non-human beings

- Bodement of good/bad karmas

In which, Bhikkhu Milinda asserted that the sixth cause leading to dream was correct while the other five reasons were incorrect.

Via the Dharma talk, the lecturer suggested Buddhists having mindfulness, awakening to contemplate the nature of dhamma in practice to have peace in mind and good sleep.

When understanding the nature of dream, we can see the truth, drop all the cravings, wrong views and unnecessary attachments/anxiety to have mindfulness, awakening, compassion and wise. With the above factors, Buddhists should acknowledge that “the top of dreaming is non- dreaming, but living in reality".

Closing the lecture, he wished everyone having good dreams at night (no dream is better) and good aspiration, being ready for lunar new year, finding the true meaning of self. May all beings have a happy lunar new year.

After the Dharma talk, the course kept on with repentant rites and precept re-statement as usual.

Following are recorded photographs:

BBT Website