The gratitude from the remoted North of Vietnam

Once prostrating myself with my head at the feet of Buddha reverenced, Wishing to be the dust gone by forever. Once calling the name of beloved Master, Wishing to follow Master in numerous lives.

Dear Master Thich Chan Tinh

Dear the monks of Hoang Phap pagoda and Hoa Phuc pagoda,

In hundreds of suffering and tragic paths, we – Buddhist youths, endeavor to find Hoa Phuc Pagoda in which we were given Three Jewels by Master Thich Chan Tinh, and we were taught by Master, Venerable Thich Tam Hoa, and the monks of Hoang Phap and Hoa Phuc Pagoda.

English proverb says: “If you can read this, thank a teacher.” This proverb reminds me that whenever I am, whatever I have studied, how many days I studied, I have to bear in mind teachers’ dedication.

On Nov 20th (Teachers’ Day), we show our gratitude to not only original teachers who give us knowledge with white chalk and black board (original image of traditional Vietnamese teacher), but also special masters in our life. It is the masters making up their mind to put on the simply brown robe, and sacrifice their personal happiness to bring peace and happiness to every living beings.Now that, we - the youths, coming to the pagoda, are taught and close to the noble monks, accompanied with Master to support for Buddhism affairs, we may know that: “How hard to express the gratitude to Master.”

Love to common teachers is so great, not to mention to Master of religion. As Master who does not teach us the alphabet, basic Math exercises instructs us human but quality and gives us the answer for a more peaceful and happier life. These exercises I suppose that I cannot escape from the complicated matrix, Greed – Anger – Ignorance, and become a ghost in the real human life without Masters’ help.

Despite in the South, Master gives us, in the North, the chance to enter into Tathagata’s house in which there are Tathagata’s students, Tathagata’s clothes, and Tathagata’s teachings. The house helps us know that the real life is in mind, we have to practice and purify our mind and achieve enlightenment as soon as possible. We should consider Dhrama’s taste as food, Dhrama’s milk as drinking, we live in such a miserable life but in peace and mindfulness, we know to overcome adversity and sufferings.

Among Saha’s Life and Death sea, we are given Master’s great grace, an implicit leader delivering the lessons of liberation to us.

“With my devout gratitude, I knee

Thank Master for opening my mind”

On Nov 20th, the day for Teachers and Masters, we, remoted students, wish to express our gratitude to Master Senior Venerable Thich Chan Tinh as well as Venerable Thich Tam Hoa and the noble monks in Hoang Phap pagoda and Hoa Phuc pagoda. From the remoted area, the North, I am sincerely prostrate myself with my head of Master and the monks, and I wish that Three Jewels’ grace would protect Master and the monks to four elements in harmony, practice painstakingly, achieve enlightenment, in order to be great exemplary forever and a safe bridge to bring us to the Pure Land.

Namo Amitabha.