Monday, 04/20/2026
Repentance Ceremony
Update: 15/09/2016
This is the annual retreat program of the pagoda. Before the repentance took place, everybody heard Junior Venerable Thich Tam Dao, the Vice abbot of Hoang Phap Pagoda, preached the theme: “Why do you go to pagoda for?â€
On the initial, mid-lunar month, holidays, lunar New Year days, many people go to temples to worship Buddha. It's a nice tradition. However, besides those who come to the temple with Buddha worship, Drama study, doing good merit, not any people go there without right purpose. Therefore, during the preaching, he showed what they come to the pagoda for and what they need to do when going there.
Temples are the basis of practice and cultivating. In a sense, the temple is considered a school of Buddhism, a place to preserve and spread the Buddha's thoughts with propagationactivities.
So what is going to the pagoda for? For those who have an understanding of Buddhism - voluntary giving mind toward Buddha - going to the temple to study Buddhism, this is the most important issue. Buddha taught that we had eighty-four thousand troubles of the world, afflictions; there were eighty-four thousand teachings to practice in order to be transformed in peace and happiness. But Buddhism with eighty-four thousand teachings, we will not attain in short time to comprehend. Therefore, regularly going back and forth to the pagoda for practices, having free time, just go to pagoda, not just the holiday, the New Year. Whether practitioners achieve enlightenment or not depends on the main learning methods and diligent practice.
In accompanion to that, many people who direct to temple for retreats or dharma knowledge. This is the case for living, and competition of life causing nervous stress. Tranquil scenery of the temple that settles their soul soothes their nerves. It is unnecessary to meet anyone, does not care to learn, just watch serenity sightseeing, breathe in and out fresh air with fragrance or sit back against the temple’s wall, they feel comfortable, gently refreshing. At that moment, the burden of life seems lighter.
Here are some recorded pictures :
