Tuesday, 04/21/2026
Periodic repentance ceremony at Suoi Phap Pagoda
Update: 10/09/2022
Before the rite, Junior Thich Tam Huong, Abbot of Suoi Phap Pagoda had a dharma talk titled Borrowing from life. The monk shared about the colorful life with many different emotions, sometimes happy, sometimes sad, sometimes desperate. If we do not know the practice of transforming those negative emotions, it will be easy to give rise to afflictions to feel suffering. That same meaning, once we do not have true wisdom, when we face scenes outside, we will generate a mind of greed, attachment, victory-struggle, pursuit of fame in order to be superior to others. After all, due to these things that we are clinged. Truly, if we think about it carefully, the all is only a breath. In a sutra, the Buddha asked His disciples, how long do people live? The answers given by His disciples were: 60 years, a stick of incense... He said these ones did not understand teachings; until one replied that in one breath the Buddha replied, "you have seen the Truth".
Life is borrowed from the outside to feed this body, such as: blood from parents, breathing air, eating...; the same of money, position, fame... are all borrowed things. Therefore, the Patriarchs have a saying that “The wealth in life will return to the life, can wealth possessor be escaped samsara?" Thus, Buddhist learners will not cling tightly to external possessions, but concentrate on cultivating virtue and inner self-nature to have a clear and sublimated life.
Finally, he reminded the mass to spend time practicing meditation, reciting the Buddha's name, breathing in righteous thoughts, with that, the mind will be peaceful and life more meaningful.
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