The 5th day of the 2026 Summer Retreat with the theme "Life's Slopes".

July 10th, 2026, marked the fifth day of the retreat. The students began by chanting the "Lesson of Gratitude," and then listened to a Dharma talk and Q&A session by Junior Ven. Thich Khai Tuan on the topic "Counting the Days Away from Parents".

The morning Dharma talk brought a positive, gentle, and deeply moving energy. By skillfully recounting simple stories from the temple, the monk helped instill gratitude and beautiful, unforgettable memories of parents in the hearts of the listeners. He explained, "We did not grow up from grand things; we, teacher and students, were shaped by those small things."

 

Memories of each pair of slippers a mother helped put on, the delicious food a father placed in a bowl, the coat a mother dressed her child in during cold days, or the lamp shining in the yard when the child came home late... all represent the boundless love of parents. In contrast, we often unintentionally take a mother's care for granted and view a father's calls as bothersome. Somewhere in life, there are still people who secretly long to sit close to their mother for just a few minutes or wish to simply say "Dad" or "Mom"—which would be more than enough happiness!

 

Through the Dharma lecture, the monk hoped the listeners would proactively heal internal conflicts within their families through correct understanding, starting with love and gratitude towards their parents while they still can. 

 

______________

Hoang Phap Pagoda

Address: 96 Hamlet 8, Hoc Mon Commune, Ho Chi Minh City

Temple Office: 028 3713 0002

Email: chuhoangphapvietnam@gmail.com

Fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/ Vietnamchuahoangphap

Website: https://chuahoangphap.com.vn/

Photos recorded: