Repentance ceremony on Jan. 14th, Year of the Dragon

On Feb. 23rd, 2024 (Jan. 14th, Year of the Dragon), good men and believing women inside and outside HCMC returned to Hoang Phap pagoda to attend the periodical penitential ceremony.

Before the ceremony, Junior Thich Tam Tri, the pagoda ‘s Vice Abbot had a dharma talk to share Buddhists at the beginning of the year.

The monk shared the story "Taming Dragon Lord Nandopananda" and the story of the previous life of the Buddha "Dragon King Samkhapàla, Previous life Samkhapàla" quoted in Khuddakapatha Nikaya.

He advised listeners to release creatures, give alms, keep the precepts and do good deeds. We go to the pagoda at the beginning of the year with the desire to pray for peace, happiness, success in work, and everything as we wish, because if we lack blessings, those wishes will be very difficult to achieve. Thereby, as having a wish, we should try to create good deeds: giving alms, complying precepts, meditating, serving, respecting, rejoicing, listening to the Dharma, preaching the Dharma, and adjusting our views.  At the same time, we need to aim for the ultimate goal, praying that future lives will be able to meet the Dharma, take refuge in the Three Jewels, become a monk, study and become a saint, a sravaka, a disciple of Buddhist… then reach Nirvana.

After the Dharma talk, the mass entered the penitential ritual as usual.