Repentant Ceremony Jan. 5th, 2019

In the evening of January 5th, 2019 (Nov. 30th, 2018, LC), devout Buddhists in HCMC came to Hoang Phap to join the monthly repentant ceremony. This time, Dharma talk was given by our abbot, Ven. Thich Chan Tinh.

A year had passed, so he came to share what he had spent for this year. Life is so impermanent, all know this. No one knows exactly how long he will spend, just remember that the Buddha said one’s life-span is not longer than a breath. Breath in without out, we leave this world. Recognize this, we should care more about our spiritual life:

If surely know we will live till hundred

Then keep enjoying your youth

If not sure when will we die

Work hard in cultivating right now

Don’t promise anything or postpone until tomorrow. Put the most effort to do today. As a Buddhist, we should know that all phenomena are changed, so take your time to do good things, purify your mind for your own benefit and others.

By the way, he also sent his big thanks to all devout Buddhists. He thought the individual couldn’t do anything without the support from the lay people, life is interdependent from the whole living beings: “I help you but also help me. I work hard to spread Dharma for the benefit of all living beings, having received this Dharma you support me to develop more. Without the help from the monks and devout Buddhists, I myself couldn’t make it like today you see. So it’s reasonable saying thanks to all of you”.

Two days ago he made a cozy ceremony to send his deep thanks to disciple monks and all the Buddhist volunteers stay inside the temple. People normally show their gratitude to masters, teachers, or those who higher than them as respect. But he thinks the master should do the same thing to disciples because our life is mutual dependence. He really hopes this tradition is pretty nice to spread. The success of a group can’t come from a single person. Encourage each other, we can go further.

Finish the talk, the ceremony took place as usual.

Photos recorded: