Shining Amitabha Night

From the very beginning age of the country, spiritual life has been associated with Vietnamese regardless their locations in either countryside, downtown, mountain, plains, coast or forest. Deep inside, people always sow seeds of compassion that will grow up and blossom at the right time. On the last days of winter, weather in southern Vietnam changed a bit with some drizzles and cool breeze raising exciting feelings as if people were awaiting some special things ...

No matter where people live, how they think, what are their feelings, how the weather changes, it is warm thinking of Day of Amitabha Buddha and his Pure Land.

With deep gratitude of devout Buddhists, Jan 03, 2018 (Nov 17, lunar calendar) Hoang Phap pagoda solemnly held lantern night for Amitabha Day with the participation of thousands of devoted Buddhists from provinces and regions. Especially, this year, Hoang Phap pagoda has the honor welcoming monks and Buddhists from Yaksasa ashram in Incheon City, Korea who came to join the ceremony.

Amitabha Buddha Day has become a traditional event of Hoang Phap Pagoda for years with sacred and noble meaning. This is the opportunity for Buddhists, especially the Pure Land practitioners, to honor great merits of Amitabha Buddha and follow his example on the path to Enlightenment.

Before the opening of the ceremony, Buddhists have early gathered at the temple despite uncomfortable weather. Everyone would like to have a seat to join the meaningful ceremony with its fantastic beauty.

Exactly at 6:00pm, in dignified and pure atmosphere, two rows of Buddhists gathered in the pagoda front yard to welcome the clergy delegation coming to the stage in mindfulness and mighty prajnaa sound of drum and bell. Then the whole crowd calmly sat down listening to the verse chanting from Venerable Thich Tam Hieu. The air was full of the energy of awakening that could cleanse and soften people’s hearts.

After the declaration of reasons and introduction of participants, Venerable Thich Tam Kinh, Abbot of Tay Khanh Pagoda, Thai Binh province, on behalf of the organizer, delivered the opening speech.

After that, the mass head to the statue of Amitabha Buddha to offer incense and honor him.

The most important part of the ceremony has finally arrived. In sacred and tranquil silence, Senior Venerable Thich Chan Tinh got the light from Buddha altar and transmitted it to clergy members. It is the symbol of Dhamma light preaching and spirit of Kàya sàmaggi (six good terms for harmony)in the sangha. The light of wisdom was passed on to the mass, expressing the transmission of Buddha teachings. Then in the yard, candle light was passed from one to others spreading out the light, love and understanding. The whole sky was full of shining candle light; light of truth, faith, compassion, wisdom, purity and harmony. Tens of thousands of hearts were more likely beating in the same rhythm of brethren-hood in the pure and solemn air. Candles were lit by Buddhists to glorify Buddha, dispelling darkness of ignorance, anger, envy, ceasing the barrier of richness/poverty, ig/nobleness, un/happiness, opening the state of Pure Land within Saha world. The candle light shone people’s mind revealing goodness and Buddha nature inside, releasing all the affliction in people’s hearts.

In such spiritual environment, everyone wholeheartedly chanted verses to hymn Buddha. After that, Senior Venerable Thich Chan Tinh stated 48 vows of Amitabha Buddha which were re-echoed with verse “Namo Amitabha Buddha” from the mass. The ceremony kept on with rites as honoring Buddha, praying and restatement of taking refuge in Triratna.

Next, Deputy Abbot Teahyu from Yaksasa ashram delivered a lecture sending his congratulation to the ceremony and expressing his gratitude to the Abbot and Hoang Phap sangha for the kind invitation to Yaksasa ashram joining this great event. This is the fantastic memory enhancing bilateral relationship of Vietnam-South Korea.

After that, Buddhists from Yaksasa ashram in Hanbok traditional costumes offered choral songs as a special gift for Hoang Phap pagoda on Amitabha Buddha Day.

Senior Venerable Thich Chan Tinh, Head of organizing department, delivered a Dhamma talk to the mass about the meaning of lantern ceremony and Pure Land practicing. He told a story of queenVaidehi, whodeveloped a spiritual practice inPure land method for her reincarnation in Pure land of Amitabha Buddha after gettingShakyamuniBuddha teachings. Senior Venerable emphasized the practice of Trio Merits for Pure Land, stated in Amitabha sutra, including:

- Fulfilling filial duty to serve parents/ clergy masters/masters and performing compassion to sentient beings, avoiding killing.

- Taking refuge in Triratna and abiding relevant precepts without any infringement.

- Awakening the thought of Bodhi mind, believing in cause and effect rule, reading Mahayana sutra and encouraging people in cultivation.

These are the first and foremost terms for practitioners in sowing good deeds, cultivating merits for the reincarnation in Pure land of Amitabha Buddha. Doing so, we can both fulfill our own practicing and help others on the path to enlightenment. Via the lecture, the Senior Venerable would like to help everyone distinguish the right from wrong, understand the positivity of Pure Land School and release all relevant myths. Last but not least, he sent large gratitude to clergy attendees, especially the ones from Yaksasa monastery, for their kind attention and great spiritual gift on this day. There were also performances praising Amitabha Buddha as songs “Nam Mo A Di Da Phat”, “Vui Trong Anh Dao”, Mung Ngay Via Phat A Di Da. “Hoa Dang Dem Di Da”, Lay Phat A Di Da” and “Toa Sang Dem Di da” with the contributions from Vietnamese singers including Quang Ha, Ngoc Mai, Nhat Thanh, Quynh Nhu, Phuc Lam, Dzoan Minh, Luong Thang, Tuan Anh, Thuy Duong. The whole sky with magical sparkling candlelight was the last-but-not least impression closing the ceremony in the joys of everyone.

In this event, there were totally more than 16,000 boxes of foods being served to participants who then got Dhamma gift from the organizer including book “Niem Vui O Doi”, DVD “Hoa Dang Toa Sang Dem Di Da”, and Event Calendar in 2018.

Following are recorded photographs:

BBT Website