Repentant Ceremony on Jan. 30th, Year of the Tiger

On March 02nd, 2021 (Jan. 30th, LC) good men and believing women in and out of Ho Chi Minh City returned to Hoang Phap Pagoda to attend the periodic penance rite. Because the Covid-19 epidemic is still happening, the ceremony was held in accordance with the new situation, ensuring the conditions for prevention and control according to regulations.

Before beginning the rite, Junior Thich Tam Cung had a dharma talk with the theme Propagating the Dharma.

During the lecture, the monk explained the inscriptions engraved on the three-way gate of Hoang Phap pagoda. Looking from the outside, the main gate named the words “Hoang Phap pagoda” from which on the left-side gate was the word MERCY and INTELLIGENCE on the right one. Two parallel verses were hung on two main pillars of the main gate:

PROPAGATION improves Buddhism, showing people the truth.

WONDERFUL DHARMA enlightens sentient beings with Bodhi mind.

On the pillars of two sub-gates were laid two parallel verses:

MERCY saves four kinds of creatures from suffering

INTELLIGENCE protects three realms for happiness.

From the inside of the three-door temple gate, hanging two parallel verses: 

Being grateful to the Honored Most Venerable for Meditation World in the North.

Repaying Great Monk’s kind act for cultivating the Enlightened Garden in the South.

There were two parallel verses on both subgates:

Come to the pagoda entrance, we must leave our bad habits

Enter the Buddha Hall; we must keep our mind clean.

At the end of the lecture, the monk instructed the audience to practice loving-kindness meditation to bring peace in the present for themselves, relatives, family and all sentient beings in three realms and four species. Finally, he hopes that Buddhists not only practice when going to the temple, but also practice even at home.

After the talk, the mass started the penitential ceremony as usual.

Some images recorded: