Download July 2013 - Retreat of Awakening

RETREAT OF AWAKENING
SỐNG TRỌN VẸN — EMBRACING LIFE FULLY
July 2013
June 6-9, 2013 — RETREAT OF AWAKENING (TRẠI TỈNH THỨC)
LIONS CAMP AT TERESITA PINES - WRIGHTWOOD, CALIFORNIA
I promise to open my mind and heart to fully embrace life.
Con nguyện mở rộng Tâm Hồn để sống trọn vẹn.
I promise to connect, develop, and enrich the relationships
in my life.
Con nguyện thiết lập và xây dựng mối quan hệ lành mạnh trong đời sống.
I promise to smile more and enjoy each moment of learning,
rejoicing, and being.
Con nguyện thực tập nụ cười hoan hỷ và vui tươi trong mỗi phút giây.
EMBRACING LIFE FULLY—SỐNG TRỌN VẸN
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Thân chào các bạn (Dear Friends)...
Có một cậu bé chừng 13 tuổi đã hỏi tôi, “Do you like America?” Câu hỏi đơn giản này
đã giúp tôi nhìn lại mình để tự hỏi: Sau gần 20 năm sống ở Mỹ điều gì tôi thích và điều gì
tôi không thích? Tôi đã trả lời rằng tôi thích sống ở Mỹ vì đất nước này cho tôi cơ hội để
học hỏi, trao đổi kinh nghiệm sống và tự do nói lên những suy nghĩ của mình. Nhưng tôi
không thích nếp sống vội vàng tất bật, tìm niềm vui và ý nghĩa của đời sống dựa trên
công việc, nhà cửa, xe cộ, v.v. Nhiều người đã sống vội vàng với một con Tim không biết
Hiểu và Thương. Nếp sống hướng vọng bên ngoài đã là nguyên nhân của những khủng
hoảng về hạnh phúc của tự thân và gia đình. Vì vậy Trại Tỉnh Thức là cơ hội tốt cho giới
trẻ có cơ hội gặp gỡ đời sống Chánh Niệm Tỉnh Thức.
A 13-years old boy had asked me this question, “Do you like America?” While the question
was very simple, it made me stop to truly reflect. Having lived in the United States for
almost 20 years, what do I really like and dislike about this country? After a brief pause, I
answered his question, “I like living in America because this country allows me many opportunities to expand my knowledge, to exchange open dialogues on different experiences of
living, and to speak my thoughts freely. However, I do not like the fast-paced society where
everyone, sometimes including myself, is always ON-THE-GO, and where the definition of
life, success, and happiness is based on materialistic values such as your work status, your
house, your car, etc. Too many people scurry through life not knowing how to truly Understand and Love with their hearts. This artificial lifestyle has become the root cause of many
crises related to the destruction of self and family happiness. Hence, I believe the Retreat of
Awakening opens the perfect opportunity for today’s generation to come together, live in
mindfulness and to discover the state of self-awakening.
— THÍCH ĐẠO QUẢNG
2013 Camp Director
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2013 RETREAT OF AWAKENING—TRẠI TỈNH THỨC
My dear brothers and sisters,
Quý Thầy Cô và anh chị em thân mến,
As part of the founding fathers of the Retreat
of Awakening, I would like to extend my
warmest welcome to all of you!
Như là người đã gợi ý để từ đó hình thành nên
Trại Tỉnh Thức này, tôi xin chào mừng quý
Thầy, Cô và tất cả các anh chị em.
What is our wish and aspiration in organizing
this Retreat?
Our wish is to provide an environment for all
of us to come together and connect with each
other.
Our wish is to create an opportunity for us to
exchange, share and learn from each other, as
well as to gain knowledge from those who
have been successful in applying the teachings of Buddhism to their lives.
Through this connection, we hope to spark the
interest that allows you to transform and find
your own inspiration of incorporating Buddha’s teachings of Mindfulness and Inner
Peace in your daily lifestyle, as well as your
family’s. We believe that in building these
valuable attributes such as mindfulness,
awareness, loving-kindness, and responsibilities, you will in turn become more involved in
your community and will play an influential
part in shaping the future of our society. We
truly believe that by incorporating all these
wonderful aspects, our lives will be better and
more meaningful. Buddhism will become the
essential way of life. We will not lose Buddhism and Buddhism will not lose us.
Thank you for attending the Retreat. I wish
you peace, harmony and happiness.
EMBRACING LIFE FULLY—SỐNG TRỌN VẸN
Thực sự chúng tôi mong ước gì khi tổ chức
một trại như thế này?
Chúng tôi ước mong mở ra một môi trường
cho tất cả chúng ta đến với nhau và kết nối
cùng nhau.
Chúng tôi ước mong tạo nên một cơ hội cho
chúng ta chia sẻ, trao đổi và học hỏi lẫn
nhau; và học hỏi từ những người đã từng trải
nghiệm và áp dụng Đạo Phật trong thực tiễn
cuộc sống của mình.
Qua đó, chúng tôi ước mong giới thiệu đến
các bạn một Đạo Phật sinh động trong đời
sống; để từ đó mỗi người chúng ta có thể tự
chuyển hóa bản thân và gia đình, và đóng góp
cho xã hội bằng những phẩm chất cao quý
của một cuộc sống có ý nghĩa: chánh niệm,
tỉnh thức, lòng từ ái và tinh thần trách nhiệm.
Nhờ vậy, đời sống của mỗi và mọi người
chúng ta được tốt đẹp hơn, và Phật giáo trở
thành một phẩm chất của cuộc sống chúng ta.
Như vậy, chúng ta không mất Đạo Phật, và
Đạo Phật cũng không mất chúng ta.
Xin cảm ơn sự hiện diện của các bạn và thân
chúc tất cả an vui, hòa hợp và hạnh phúc.
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"We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think.
When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves." — Buddha
Bell, John (MA)
Bùi, Mỹ (OK)
Bùi, Thoa (IL)
Bùi, Tuấn (IL)
Cao, Loan (TX)
Châu, Quốc (TX)
Chavers, Gayle-Anne (LA)
Chú Quảng Pháp (LA)
Chú Thường Trụ (CA)
Davis, Sumner (ME)
Doãn, An (CA)
Doãn, Hưng (CA)
Dương, Thomas (MA)
Dương, Trang (CA)
Đặng, Cường (CA)
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2013 RETREAT OF AWAKENING—TRẠI TỈNH THỨC
Đặng, Phong (IL)
Đinh, Hiệp-Bảo (CA)
Đỗ, Nam Phương (TX)
Đỗ, Nhân (TX)
Đoàn, Phượng (LA)
Frank, Rebecca (CA)
Hồ, Cường (TX)
Hoàng, Cường (TX)
Hoàng, Phi (CA)
to the fullest
Huỳnh, Fred (OK)
Huỳnh, Như (MA)
Jo, Bo Young (CA)
La, Phương (CA)
La, Steven (CA)
Lain, Marc (CA)
Lâm, Tài (FL)
Lê, Diễm (CA)
Lê, Hiền (CA)
Lê, Hiếu (FL)
EMBRACING LIFE FULLY—SỐNG TRỌN VẸN
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Lê, Minh Khánh (CA)
Lê, Quỳnh Anh (TX)
Lê, Tân (AZ)
Lê, Tiên (LA)
Levine, Noah (CA)
Lopez, Ramon (LA)
Lương, Vũ (CA)
Lưu, Cường (IL)
Ngô, Kim (CA)
Ngô, Thu (CA)
Nguyễn, Ái Nhật (CA)
Nguyễn, Angels (CA)
Nguyễn, Bảo Tâm (CA)
Nguyễn, Châu (MA)
Nguyễn, Dũng (CA)
Nguyễn, Hoa (CA)
Nguyễn, Hoàng (CA)
Nguyễn, Hoàng Vân (MI)
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2013 RETREAT OF AWAKENING—TRẠI TỈNH THỨC
Nguyễn, Giang (CA)
Nguyễn, Jimmy (MA)
Nguyễn, Minh Nhật (CA)
Nguyễn, Minh Nhật (TX)
Nguyễn, Nghi (CA)
Nguyễn, Richard (CA)
Nguyễn, Sung (VA)
Nguyễn, Thanh Vân (OK)
Nguyễn, Thu (OK)
Nguyễn, Thủy (TX)
Nguyễn, Tiệp (OK)
Nguyễn, Tuấn (OK)
Nguyễn, Tỵ (CA)
Nguyễn, Việt (MA)
Nguyễn, Việt Châu (QUEBEC)
Nguyễn, Xuân (MI)
Phạm, Nga (OK)
Phạm, Peter (TX)
EMBRACING LIFE FULLY—SỐNG TRỌN VẸN
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Phạm, Phương (CA)
Phan, Hảo Tâm (TX)
Phan, Lisa (CA)
Sử, Thạnh (AZ)
Tạ, Hưng (CO)
Thạch, Bích Vân (CA)
Thích Bích Không (FL)
Thích Chơn Thiện (LA)
Thích Đạo Quảng (LA)
Thích Hạnh Tuấn (IL)
Thích Huệ Pháp (TX)
Thích Nguyên Hạnh (TX)
Thích Nữ Hạnh Nhẫn (TX)
Thích Nữ Hạnh Thức (TX)
Thích Nữ Tịnh Ngọc (CA)
Thích Pháp Nhẫn (TX)
Thích Tịnh Mãn (CO)
Thích Trí Nhật (TX)
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2013 RETREAT OF AWAKENING—TRẠI TỈNH THỨC
Thích Từ Lực (CA)
Trần, Hằng (TX)
Trần, Hỷ (TX)
Trần, Lợi (CA)
Trần, Phương (CA)
Trần, Richard (CA)
Trần, Timothy (OK)
Trần, Hiền (CA)
Trina, James (OK)
Trương, Hải (MI)
Trương, Michael (MI)
Trương, Nguyệt (MI)
Trương, Thủy (TX)
Võ, Thủy Thương (CA)
Vũ, Hồng Phúc (CA)
Vũ, Mỹ Hạnh (CA)
Vương, Quyên (CA)
Yuan, Kai (CA)
EMBRACING LIFE FULLY—SỐNG TRỌN VẸN
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— NGUYỄN MINH TUẤN
The retreat location was seriously one of the
most breathtaking places I've ever been to. The
first day of the retreat was a pretty chill day-nothing really started yet. Just hung out, ate dinner, and played some games and icebreakers. I
got to the campsite pretty early, so I decided to
just go on a little hike up the mountain for about
two hours to find some good views like this.
First official day of the retreat. The theme of the day was Happiness in Every Step. I really, really enjoyed the keynote speakers! And of course, as with every retreat I've been to, the first day, I just
couldn't resist from opening up and bursting into tears and embarrassing myself in front of everyone.
But I learned a pretty important lesson right off the bat and was given some helpful advice on how I
can approach my problems and start to heal and find happiness once again.
I think my favorite part of the day was the văn nghệ in the evening. (The picture below was my
group's performance -- we had to act out a scene from the movie Titanic. I was the iceberg!) All of the
skits were extremely hilarious! Definitely a great start to the retreat.
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2013 RETREAT OF AWAKENING—TRẠI TỈNH THỨC
The second day of the retreat focused more on Understanding
Relationships and developing them. Not so much my problem
area...or at least not a problem area that I am willing to address
just yet. But we still had some pretty beneficial talks and discussions, and we also had some fun, too. I did Tai-Chi in the morning,
got to dip my feet in the pool and catch up with my old friends.
And in the evening, we had a bonfire with some performances and
reflections about the retreat so far and star-gazing. It's pretty amazing--being away from the cities, you can see just how many stars
are in the sky. That definitely was one of the most relaxing bonfires I've been a part of.
Last day of the retreat. I definitely enjoyed the keynote speakers on the last day of the retreat -- all
about the Joy of Giving and making an impact as a Buddhist.
I think one of the things I appreciated the most about this retreat was how open, down-to-earth and
fun-loving all of the monks who attended the retreat were. It definitely made the atmosphere a million
times better. And I have to admit, Thầy Tịnh Mãn, Thầy Đạo Quảng, and Thầy Từ Lực have had such
an impact on me as a practicing Buddhist -- I was given so much helpful advice during the retreat by
these venerable monks that I am forever grateful that I had the opportunity to meet them in this lifetime. They definitely helped make Trại Tỉnh Thức—Retreat of Awakening a success!
EMBRACING LIFE FULLY—SỐNG TRỌN VẸN
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Embracing the Retreat with
my mom and great friends!
Trại Tỉnh Thức—Retreat of Awakening was one of the best retreats I've been to. I learned a lot, and
had a rather important revelation about the way I've been living my life. It's going to be pretty difficult, still, to figure out exactly what it is that I need to do in order to find happiness again...but the
biggest lesson I've learned from this retreat is that I have to learn to love myself, first. All the forgiveness and compassion I have for the rest of the world is useless if I don't have forgiveness and compassion for myself.
Thầy Từ Lực found me on the second day of the retreat and gave
his book for me to read, telling me that he sees something special
about my Buddha-nature and told me to keep trying my best at
achieving my dreams and told me to keep in touch with him. During the retreat, he had this to say when I confided in him about
what was breaking my heart: Time is the best medicine. And so,
that is my hope, that with time, as I try to continue practicing
what I learned at this retreat, everything that has been causing me
pain for the past few years will disappear.
I did not have that much of a chance to speak with Thầy Đạo Quảng during the retreat. It was understandable, since he was busy being the wonderful and awesome camp director of the first annual Trại
Tỉnh Thức—Retreat of Awakening. But at the end of the camp, he found me and, with a pretty concerned yet understanding look, told me to try my best to relax and focus on the wonderful things in
my life. "Try your best to differentiate between your expectations and your reality." I can't tell you
just how much I am indebted to Thầy Đạo Quảng for all that he has done for me these past few years.
Hopefully, in the near future, I will have more time to practice with him, as I consider him my teacher
and have the utmost respect for him.
I'm pretty glad I didn't chicken out. This retreat turned out to be one of the most beneficial things I
could have done for myself. I got the chance to relax, reflect, and reconnect, and that alone made this
retreat something truly special and invaluable. Definitely looking forward to the second annual Trại
Tỉnh Thức—Retreat of Awakening!
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2013 RETREAT OF AWAKENING—TRẠI TỈNH THỨC
Tai Chi at a glance
Martial Art is part of my life for as long as I can remember. During my youth, I learned Binh
Dinh fighting style from my father’s side of the family in Viet Nam but it faded away quickly
due to lack of interest. In the late 70’s, when I arrived to the States, I sought familiar grounds
that I can associate with – Buddhism and Martial Art. I tried Aikido with my older brother. I
found it too deadly so I turned it down. I devoted myself to a Buddhist Temple in Chicago instead. Then I joined the Vietnamese Buddhist Youth Association. I tried to pick up Taekwondo
with anh Tuấn Bùi and his family. That did not fan out well because it was too fast for me. It did
not suit the Buddhist way that I was cultivating.
In the late 90’s, I got a taste of Tai Chi for the first time and I was mesmerized by it. Like Buddhism, it neutralizes and synchronizes your body and mind. It is not only a philosophy but a
way of life that adapts and changes with you in both ... ahem … weight and age. Tai Chi comes
in many styles that have many forms within. It can be combined with weapons at advanced levels. You can find out more on Wikipedia. Due to a busy lifestyle, I practice the New Method of
Tai Chi Ch’uan call the Simplified Thirty Seven Posture Form. It was perfected in 1949 by
Master Cheng Man Ch’ing. It is quite simple to practice when you get the forms down. The
whole session takes less than 10 minutes to practice. If you are doing it correctly, you will break
a sweat and you will feel sore afterward. Similar to practicing Buddhism, I find that Tai Chi
helps me to be more mindful, relaxed, alert and alive.
Recently, I had the pleasure to share what I have learned with my brothers and sisters at the
2013 Retreat of Awakening. The location was magnificent! There were trees, birds, shrubs and
mosquitoes. The sun was peeking over the mountain and shining upon us. I felt uplifted to see
so many taking interests in Tai Chi. To me, that means you are investing in your well-being.
Even quý Thầy joined in for the practice … now that was an honor. We were short on time,
therefore we could not finish as far as I would have liked us to. However, during that moment
everyone was living it. I was in awe to see everyone following my movements diligently. I
thank you for the attention that was offered to me which made the session go smoothly. I was
moved by all the smiles I received afterward. Please visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=vsDPy7zMrA4 or read “Master Cheng’s New Method of Tai Chi Ch’uan Self-Cultivation” by
Mark Hennessy for more information. If you are practicing, try to remember the four principles:
relaxed, back straight, turn waist and Beautiful Lady’s hands. Enjoy!
With that said, I would
like to express my appreciation to the Retreat of
Awakening Committee for
allowing me the opportunity to lend a hand.
Sacramento 2013
— THANH QUANG
(Trần Văn Lợi)
EMBRACING LIFE FULLY—SỐNG TRỌN VẸN
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My Reflection on the Retreat of Awakening
When I first signed up to help with Trại Tỉnh Thức, I looked at it as an opportunity to
network and help educate other professionals to understand Buddhism the way I did.
In short, I went into this camp with the mentality that my presence would be helping
others, who knew it was their presence that ended up helping me.
I didn’t connect with the Retreat at first because I felt as if it didn’t relate to me. But
when the Guest Speaker (Mr. Ramon Lopez) talked about emotion and then we got
into the idea of corporate life, that’s when it really made me open my eyes to reflect.
His material and simplicity of words may seem to be simple and common sense, but
to hear what we already know in a different sense makes it that much more meaningful because that means we were not alone. Chị Vân said that “climbing the corporate
ladder may be ideal but what then?” That was my breaking point.
Two weeks prior to camp, I was approached with the opportunity to relocate, gain a
management position and increase my salary by double! I was accepting the position. I mean, why not? I’m young; it would double my pay and create a sense of financial relief for my family. After hearing the Speaker and Chị Vân talk about happiness and how it’s impermanent in our personal life as well as professional life and
after much thought, I decided to decline the opportunity. Why? If I took it, then what?
When will I ever stop chasing? When will it all be enough? I would gain the title and
money but that will never be enough to replace what I would lose. At this camp, I realized I don’t need to be anyone else but myself, because if I love others without loving myself then I wouldn’t ever be still. I would continue to chase happiness and
would never realize happiness. Happiness shouldn’t be chased but self-sought
within myself.
Although I worked (on the Camp’s staff), this Camp has taught me…
“Home is not where the house or job is,
Home is where my heart is,
and that’s alongside my youth group
where I can practice freely and be with those I love.”
My Pháp Quang sisters!
— LÊ QUỲNH ANH
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2013 RETREAT OF AWAKENING—TRẠI TỈNH THỨC
ĐẠO PHẬT NÀO CHO CHÚNG TA?
Kỷ Niệm Trại Tỉnh Thức 2013,
Lions Camp, Miền Nam California
Giữa nắng ấm chan hòa ngày đầu hạ, cùng quây quần hàn
huyên dưới bóng thông già, một nhóm bạn trẻ tham dự Trại Tỉnh
Thức đã đặt câu hỏi như trên với tôi. Câu trả lời không dễ vì không
chỉ cho thấy mối băn khoăn đích thực của giới trẻ hiện diện nơi đây
mà quan trọng hơn, là đặt lại vấn đề với những người có trách
nhiệm trong tổ chức Phật giáo từng lưu tâm đến sự việc này từ
nhiều thập niên trước trong đó có quan niệm được mệnh danh "hiện
đại hóa." Những người trẻ ngồi bên tôi hôm nay, không phải tình
cờ, đều có suy nghĩ về con đường tinh thần và tâm linh như thế hệ
đàn anh của họ khi cảm thấy cần kiện toàn hướng đi đã lựa chọn.
Họ, đa số ở tuổi trên dưới 30, sinh ra hay lớn lên tại Mỹ, có trình độ đại học, công ăn việc làm
đang trên đà thăng tiến. Khác với một số bạn cùng lứa tuổi, những người trẻ này muốn làm cho cuộc
sống phong phú sắc thái và dồi dào ý nghĩa. Khi xây dựng được cho mình quan niệm mới về cuộc
sống và tinh thần cống hiến cho xã hội, trước hết, những bạn trẻ đã xóa bỏ được ấn tượng lâu đời về
nếp sống thụ động, không hướng đi tương tự kẻ “sáng xách ô đi, tối xách về”, khi “khăn gói lên rừng
tìm Đạo”.
Lễ Khai Mạc Trại Tỉnh Thức 2013
Sự có mặt của bạn trẻ không chỉ trong trại Tỉnh Thức này còn khích lệ những người, trong đó
có tôi, quan tâm đến nhu cầu thăng tiến tinh thần và tâm linh của giới trẻ và lòng nhiệt thành trong
công việc mà họ theo đuổi. Xin cho tôi được dàn trải nơi đây mối cảm xúc chân thành với những
người cùng gặp nhau ở một hướng đi, cùng cảm thấy sự cần thiết của một mục đích cần đạt tới
mà chúng ta quen mệnh danh là "lý tưởng." Sinh hoạt với tổ chức Gia Đình Phật Tử gần hai mươi
năm nay ở Mỹ, tôi trân trọng LÝ TƯỞNG cao cả của tổ chức màu Lam. Nhận thấy rằng, người sống
có lý tưởng thì gặp nhiều thử thách nhưng bù lại cuộc sống sẽ có nhiều Ý NGHĨA, đem lại nhiều LỢI
ÍCH cho nhân quần xã hội.
EMBRACING LIFE FULLY—SỐNG TRỌN VẸN
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Người tin Phật chúng ta đều thấy rằng thái tử Tất Đạt Đa là một mẫu mực tuyệt vời của trường
hợp tìm kiếm ý nghĩa cho cuộc sống bằng việc khai thị và xây dựng một hệ thống tư tưởng giúp giải
thoát cho tha nhân. Người đã dũng cảm từ bỏ việc kế thừa danh vọng, quyền uy, tài sản của một bậc
trừ quân khi nhận chân rằng con đường cần chọn không phải là ngôi báu mà là sự giác ngộ giúp người
ra khỏi vòng đau khổ triền miên của cuộc đời.
Tôi từng được đọc trong sách câu như sau như lời cảnh tỉnh mạnh mẽ. "Hỡi phàm phu! Sao
không biết sợ chốn khổ đau ngươi đã vĩnh viễn sa vào." Nỗi khổ trầm luân của con người như cái kim
cô mà Tề Thiên Đại Thánh mang trên đầu, như bánh xe theo sau chân bò, cứ lăn mãi, lăn mãi, bất tận!
Nhận thức đúng đắn về cuộc sống đã giúp chúng ta có được sự lựa chọn như hiện nay là con đường
ĐI TỚI và VƯƠN LÊN theo tinh thần phụng sự của bồ tát Phổ Hiền. Còn với các bạn có đức tin
khác, không thiếu những tấm gương cống hiến cho đời cao cả như thánh Gandhi hay Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr.
Preparation … Preparation … for arrival of Camp Day!
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2013 RETREAT OF AWAKENING—TRẠI TỈNH THỨC
NIỀM TIN CHO TUỔI TRẺ
Trại Tỉnh Thức được tổ chức trong vòng 3 ngày 3 đêm nghĩa là còn dài hơn chuyến đi phép 48
giờ của tôi khi xưa nữa. Thời gian dự trại là dịp để các bạn trẻ suy tư, nghiền ngẫm lại điều đã làm và
đáng chú ý hơn là đưa ra mối băn khoăn về con đường đang theo đuổi mà rõ rệt là sự thích ứng hữu
hiệu và chính đáng của Phật giáo trước nhu cầu của thời đại. Nói thế, không khí họp mặt không nặng
phần triết lý như ta nghĩ! Chương trình sinh hoạt thật nhẹ nhàng. Ngồi chơi bên nhau, thêm chút đỉnh
sinh hoạt tâm linh vào buổi sáng, rồi thì trại sinh tham dự đóng kịch trong talent show, ăn cơm chay
và có dịp kết thân với những người bạn tốt bụng và vui tánh (bạn.... hiền đó mà!).
Trong lần họp bạn này, phương thức làm việc teamwork là điều thật hợp ý tôi. Cùng làm,
cùng vui, lại được học thêm tinh thần trách nhiệm khi được phân công bắt tay vào việc nữa. Nhận
việc là làm trong tinh thần hợp tác và liên đới. Tinh thần này, nhà Phật gọi là đồng sự đại bi, trong
hạnh tứ nhiếp pháp. Ở thời đại tin học, tinh thần đồng sự được thực thi một cách nhanh chóng, hiệu
Thầy Từ Lực, Thầy Hạnh Tuấn, Thầy Đạo Quảng, và Thầy Tịnh Mãn trong giờ Vấn Đáp Câu Hỏi
(Question & Answer Session — Buddhism Myths vs. Facts)
EMBRACING LIFE FULLY—SỐNG TRỌN VẸN
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quả, vượt qua được những trở ngại về mặt thực tế. Chúng ta ở những nơi cách biệt xa xôi có thể
“ngồi” lại với nhau trong các conference calls mà trao đổi tin tức, thảo luận, giải quyết từng vấn đề
chẳng khác trường hợp cầm tay họp mặt.
Thêm nữa, ý thức về phục vụ cho lợi ích chung cũng khiến chúng ta cần thay đổi thái độ gần
như thành tập quán là ngần ngại khi tự đứng ra đảm nhận một trách vụ hay khi nhận lãnh một công
việc được tín nhiệm ủy thác. Thái độ và tinh thần phục vụ cần được phát huy trong mọi trường hợp,
hoàn cảnh mà thực tiễn là khi phân công, phân nhiệm trong ban Quản Trại trong kỳ họp mặt. Những
ai tự xét có đôi chút khả năng hay công việc thuộc lãnh vực mà mình ưa thích thì đều được hoan
nghênh “lên đường tòng chinh” cả. Những anh chị giỏi về hành chánh, những em biết nhiều về design, hay có năng khiếu về sinh hoạt với đám đông, đều nên tự nguyện đóng góp.
Nói rộng ra, theo tôi, niềm tin trong sáng vào cuộc đời của bạn trẻ chỉ hình thành trên nền tảng
của tinh thần phục vụ tha nhân. Ra đường, thấy người hoạn nạn thì ra tay giúp đỡ. Vào đời bằng trái
tim chân thật, không toan tính, bất vụ lợi, tuổi trẻ sẽ có những cống hiến hữu ích cho người, cho đời.
Như thế, theo tôi, bài nói chuyện của cô Quyên Vương và anh John Bell vào ngày cuối của Trại có thể
đóng góp thêm vào hành trang tinh thần cho một số bạn trẻ trên con đường đã chọn.
Enjoying Lunch in Mindfulness
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2013 RETREAT OF AWAKENING—TRẠI TỈNH THỨC
SINH HOẠT CỦA ĐẠO PHẬT
Điều mà chúng ta đều nhận chân là những
thay đổi rộng lớn và sâu sắc thuộc nhiều phương
diện trong đời sống chúng ta trên vùng đất mới đã
khiến cho một số giá trị mà ta hằng tin tưởng và
mang theo, đôi lúc đem lại băn khoăn hay gây ngờ
vực. Một số giá trị cổ truyền thuộc về Phật giáo
cũng không thể tránh khỏi tình trạng trên là điều
có thể giải thích được. Có những suy nghĩ rằng
ngày nay hình ảnh ngôi chùa trong tâm thức mỗi
người không còn giữ được vị trí như xưa như
trong lời thơ của thi sĩ Huyền Không “Mái chùa
che chở hồn dân tộc, Nếp sống muôn đời của tổ
tông”. Trong suy nghĩ và cảm xúc cố hữu của
nhiều người, không chỉ là người tin Phật, Phật giáo
thâm nhập vào nếp sống con người và làm nên một
thứ tình cảm chung của dân tộc. Điều mà ngôi
chùa tượng trưng là ý thức về sức mạnh của tình
thương và xả kỷ, về ước mong giải thoát mà người
ta chỉ tìm thấy được nơi cửa thiền.
Bản chất của Phật giáo vẫn như xưa nhưng
tâm hồn và suy nghĩ của con người hôm nay thay
đổi và không chỉ thay đổi trong cái nhìn về những
giá trị truyền thống trong đó có Phật giáo. Điều
băn khoăn mà nhiều bạn trẻ thành thực giãi bày về
một hình ảnh Phật giáo mà họ mong đợi, theo ý
tôi, gợi ra viễn tượng một cuộc hành trình mà
chính những người trẻ hôm nay dự phần với cảm
hứng lấy từ không gian thiên nhiên của cuộc họp
mặt Lions Camp.
Thiên nhiên che chở, nuôi dưỡng con
người nên những khi cần làm phong phú đời sống
mình, con người tìm về thiên nhiên như nguồn
năng lực bảo bọc và an ủy. Dường như người có
mặt tại Lions Camp đều nhận ra ý nghĩa trên bàng
bạc trong không trung nơi họp bạn, giữa những
hàng thông già cao vút nơi có độ cao hơn 4,000
EMBRACING LIFE FULLY—SỐNG TRỌN VẸN
Sinh hoạt kết thân
19
feet. Bên cảnh tượng hùng vĩ của đất trời, và nhất là được che chở bởi bà mẹ Thiên Nhiên, trại sinh
thấy sảng khoái, thoải mái ngay từ ngày đầu. Nhiều trò chơi đã nhanh chóng lôi cuốn người có mặt
vào với tập thể. Tôi thấy vui quá với trò chơi tạm gọi là KẾT THÂN. Điều kiện để làm quen thật dễ
dàng và ngộ nghĩnh. Ví dụ, cùng đi xe một loại thì có thể làm bạn với nhau, nghĩ rộng hơn, những
người đi xe Toyota như thể có bà con hơi xa với con cháu Thái Dương thần nữ. Rồi ai cùng lứa tuổi
trung niên, tuổi mới lớn, hay đang ở dạng “mid-life crisis” thì tìm đến nhau để làm bạn (có thể để
nhận bao lì-xì vào ngày đầu Xuân năm tới, tôi chợt nghĩ như vậy). Người điều khiển trò chơi thật tài
tình, sáng tạo hết sức!
Sinh hoạt tuổi trẻ cần xây dựng trên tinh thần tập thể. Tập thể là điều kiện và là môi trường
cho tình thương và tình thân đơm bông kết trái. Mình thường nói, một cây làm chẳng nên non, ba cây
chụm lại mới nên hòn núi cao. Hãy đến với nhau, nắm chặt tay nhau, mở rộng lòng mà lắng nghe
nhau niềm đau, nỗi khổ, hay những cảm xúc lâng lâng giữa khoảng trời đất mênh mông. Như thế,
chúng ta sẽ nhận ra chính thiên nhiên đã đưa chúng ta đến gần nhau hơn sau khi giúp ta tìm lại mối
tình cảm liên đới với muôn vật, muôn loài.
Riêng tôi một lần không nén được xúc động khi nghe một em Trại Sinh đang học năm đầu y
khoa, phát biểu về một hoàn cảnh khó xử. Em nói bằng tiếng Anh. Các bạn ơi, T. buồn quá, không
biết làm sao để gặp các em Oanh Vũ, một thời gian dài là những người em trong lớp học Phật pháp,
lớp tiếng Việt. Nhớ các Em, thương các Em nhiều nhưng đành chịu bó tay trước thành kiến và hoàn
cảnh khó khăn. Trước đó chừng nửa giờ, trong lúc trò chuyện với T., tôi đã an ủi: Time is the best
medicine for healing, let’s support each other. Khi trở về Chùa, tôi vẫn không ngớt nghĩ ngợi đến
điều: không biết còn bao nhiêu bạn trẻ ngoài kia, như T., gặp phải chuyện buồn phiền, lo âu mà chưa
biết phải làm sao để thoát khỏi tình trạng đó.
Những cuộc họp mặt trong điều kiện gần gũi với thiên nhiên như trên dễ dàng khiến con
người xa rời tập tính hay nếp suy nghĩ có sẵn, để hiểu biết, thông cảm nhau. Sát bên Lions Camp là
trại Thông Xanh của BYA, đã được sửa sang, hoàn chỉnh cho các sinh hoạt có cùng tinh thần này. Tôi
nghĩ, chỉ cần hai tháng một lần, vào ngày cuối tuần, cả gia đình cha mẹ con cái cùng về Trại tham dự
hai ngày tu tập, sinh hoạt, thì chắc chắn cũng đem lại không khí thoải mái, vui tươi cho cả gia đình.
Những căng thẳng trong đời sống sẽ giảm đi, và gia đình đạt được hạnh phúc.
Năm tới, 2014, Trại Tỉnh Thức sẽ tổ chức tại tiểu bang Texas. Ban Quản Trại đang liên lạc để
tìm kiếm địa điểm họp mặt sau khi có Trại Trưởng mới. Chị Nguyễn Đoàn Thanh Vân, người vùng
Oklahoma City, đã được tín nhiệm trong chức vụ này – Camp Director. Và thầy Đạo Quảng, hơn một
năm lo cho Trại Tỉnh Thức 2013, với nhiều ý tưởng thẳng thắn, mới mẻ, theo quy định, sẽ là người
phụ tá cho Trại Trưởng kế nhiệm vào năm tới. Chúng ta không quên đây là một truyền thống tốt đẹp
và đề cao ý thức phục vụ mà Trại có sáng kiến, gìn giữ.
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2013 RETREAT OF AWAKENING—TRẠI TỈNH THỨC
EMBRACING LIFE FULLY—SỐNG TRỌN VẸN
21
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2013 RETREAT OF AWAKENING—TRẠI TỈNH THỨC
NHẬN THỨC MỚI VỀ HƯỚNG ĐI
Một số cải tiến thu hẹp trong phạm vi trại họp
mặt như Trại Tỉnh Thức của chúng ta chỉ là một
trong muôn vàn khía cạnh của nỗ lực canh cải
phương thức, hướng đi cho phù hợp với nhu cầu phát
triển chung của tổ chức. Mối băn khoăn về những
điều mà giới trẻ trông cậy vào Phật giáo, được nêu
lên dưới bóng thông già trại Lions Camp, chính là sự
cần thiết của cái nhìn mới về Phật giáo và những
điều cần ứng hành cho tổ chức thanh niên đã ra đời
80 năm trước. Công việc ấy, theo thiển ý, cũng là
tiến trình một cuộc vận động tương tự công cuộc
mệnh danh chấn hưng Phật giáo trong thập niên 30
của thế kỷ 20 nhằm thay đổi cái nhìn quen thuộc
đương thời xem Phật giáo là thoát ly, yếm thế.
Công việc ấy cũng mang ý nghĩa việc tiếp nối
nỗ lực khác của Phật giáo từ cuối thập niên 60 nhằm
đưa Phật giáo gần với cuộc đời trong chủ trương
nhập thế.
Nay cũng là thời điểm của cái nhìn mới về
Phật giáo thích ứng với đòi hỏi chính đáng của thời
đại và trong hoàn cảnh hoàn toàn đổi khác mà mối
băn khoăn của giới trẻ được bộc lộ là tiêu biểu.
Đạo Phật nào cho chúng ta trong thế kỷ 21
này? Theo thiển ý, đó là một đạo Phật phù hợp với
tinh thần khoa học, song hành với giáo lý Nhân Quả,
và đem lại an lạc bền vững ngay trong đời sống hàng
ngày.
Cuộc vận động nhằm đem lại ý thức mới về
Phật giáo trong tinh thần phục vụ lợi ích quần sinh sẽ
là việc làm của mọi người tin Phật trong đó có những
người trẻ thao thức trong Trại Tỉnh Thức.
“Life is available only in the present.
That is why we should walk in such a way
that every step can bring us to the here
and the now.” — Thích Nhất Hạnh
EMBRACING LIFE FULLY—SỐNG TRỌN VẸN
THÍCH TỪ-LỰC
Chùa Phổ-Từ,
Hayward, California
23
as if no one can hear
as if no one is watching
like no one is listening
like there is no tomorrow
1) Let’s Go by Calvin Harris featuring Ne-Yo
[Flashmob - 2013 campers]
2) Ain’t No Mountain High Enough by Marvin Gaye &
Tammi Terrell [Team Star]
3) Nhạc kịch - Mùa Thu Lá Bay [Team Rectangle]
4) Duyên Quê - Sáng tác: Hoàng Thị Thơ
[Team Diamond]
“Great harmonizing of the 2 cultures —
traditional Vietnamese performances
intermixed with the American songs
and dances popular with today’s youth!”
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2013 RETREAT OF AWAKENING—TRẠI TỈNH THỨC
5) Sông Quê - Sáng tác: Đinh Trám Ca [Team Oval]
6) Titanic - My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion [Team Circle]
7) Mẹ Là Phật [Nguyễn Hoàng]
8) Mỗi Ngày Tôi Chọn Một Niềm Vui - Sáng tác: Trịnh Công Sơn [Thầy Đạo Quảng]
9) Một Cõi Đi Về [Nguyễn Hữu Dũng]
10) Kinh Pháp Hoa [Trần Hỷ]
11) Phật Là Ánh Từ Quang [Chú Thường Trụ]
12) Trở Về Cát Bụi - Sáng tác: Lê Dinh [Tạ Hưng]
EMBRACING LIFE FULLY—SỐNG TRỌN VẸN
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“Coi lại video của đêm văn nghệ trong
ngày Trại Tỉnh Thức thật là vui! Thấy quý
Thầy và Anh Chị Em tu tập trong tinh thần
thật là hài hòa, an vui, và thoải mái. Mong
chúng ta vẫn tiếp tục tinh thần ấy trong
ngày Trại 2014.” — Thầy Tịnh Mãn
13) Nhạc Kịch - Xồn Xào Trong Gia Đình [Quý Thầy Cô]
14) Twilight [Team Square]
15) A-W-A-K-E [Team Triangle]
16) All The Single Ladies by Beyoncé [Team Heart]
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2013 RETREAT OF AWAKENING—TRẠI TỈNH THỨC
Dear brothers and sisters,
I’m very grateful to have been to this wonderful retreat. It
was nice to dwell in the serenity of the mountains and the
fresh sense of pine trees. This was an ideal place to
practice, share, and re-connect with others who share
similar visions.
During the early dawn meditation, I was fortunate
enough to reflect on my inner-Bodhicitta. It was an
amazing experience. Ah-hah moment! I realized how
miniscule I was and an egoist I was and still am! My tears
were pouring while listening to the Bodhisattva’s vows, the
promises to continue on the path of transformation. (Maybe
this was an awakening moment! ☺)
When I first heard about the retreat, I hesitated but somewhat curious. Based
on my limited experience, the majority of the Buddhist retreats are bounded
by either language, traditions, techniques, and/or theories. I was quite uncertain about the time spent if it will be worthwhile. Curiosity won, and I’m glad I
attended the retreat.
Blissfully, I’ve learned that Buddhism does not attach to any forms, traditions,
or techniques. This retreat had three exceptional qualities:
1) Practicing meditation more or less depends on each individual’s
preference
2) Learning Buddhism from real life experiences that one can easily
relate to
3) Dwelling in refreshing positive energy from the monastic
and young/professional Buddhists
I will hope to see you all again next year, so
we can learn and contribute our small parts to
a brighter future, not only for the VietnameseAmerican Buddhists, but also to make a
positive impact on the American Buddhists
in this society.
A quote for the organizers to keep up
your spirit:
“I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m
learning how to sail my ship”
— L. Alcott
— ĐOÀN PHƯỢNG
EMBRACING LIFE FULLY—SỐNG TRỌN VẸN
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What are the attributes
of a true Buddhist?
diligence
sin
ty
i
r
ce
mindful
harmony
compassion
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2013 RETREAT OF AWAKENING—TRẠI TỈNH THỨC
The Buddhist Footprints
One night a man had a dream. He
dreamed he was walking along a
beach, and before him he saw
images of his life. He looked
down, and was surprised to see
footprints that stretched out farther than he could see. Some
times the footprints were clear,
and at other times the sea had
washed them away.
humbleness
n
e
k
awa
The man noticed that during the
difficult times in his life, the
footprints were pressed hard into
the sand, unyielding to the surf.
At other times, happy times, they
could hardly be seen. The man
realized that the dream was a review of his life. The footprints
that stretched out ahead, guiding
his steps were those of the Buddha. The man looked back and
noticed that, during the hard and
unhappy times, his footprints diverged from those of the Buddha.
And when his footprints returned
to the path, his happiness grew.
He knew that to be happy, to be
joyous was to follow the footprints of the Buddha. Not perfectly. Not tirelessly. But frequently.
— Sumner Davis
EMBRACING LIFE FULLY—SỐNG TRỌN VẸN
29
GIVING WITH A BUDDHIST HEART
- Quyên N. Vương, 6/2013 People ask me why I'm so committed, so passionate about doing charity work. How did my compassion get developed? What is the difference between Giving with a Human Heart and Giving with a
Buddhist Heart? Below are my thoughts as I reflected on my journey during the past 4 decades.
1) Giving with a Human Heart
- Why do I give? I really don't know why I give. Something in my heart tells me to take actions. When I see the other person suffers, I feel the pain in me, and it drives me to do something to
alleviate the pain. Many people say that they give to a cause that resonates with their interest, background or experience. It's very true. It has to be something that strikes deep in your heart. For me,
the cause that kicks me into high gear is human suffering.
When I was little, we used to live near the market in Vietnam. My mom would take me to the market,
and encouraged me to give to the beggars, especially to small children. I looked at the little child, and
saw her as my friend. So I gave her the money or the loaf of bread, whatever my mom gave me at the
time.
At the age of 16, I was told to take my youngest brother to escape Vietnam on a boat. My dad and
my 3 siblings were in the U.S. at the time. My mom stayed behind in Vietnam with my younger sister and my grandparents. During the four months that we were in the Malaysian refugee camp, my 11
-year old brother and I were like orphans. Many nights I lay awake praying, worrying about our future. Many nights I lay awake crying, hoping for a parent, an adult who is like a big tree that can give
me some shade and shelter from this frightening world.... Will we make it out of the camp? Will I
mess up the interview with the U.S. Immigration officer? I was so scared. And because of that experience, when I left the refugee camp, I promised myself that I would come back to help bring hope
to the world of refugees, especially the children and orphans. With that vow deeply engrained in my
heart, I worked very hard in the next 8 years to survive and excel in the U.S. After college, I got the
Fulbright Fellowship to go back and work in the Vietnamese refugee camps in Hong Kong.
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2013 RETREAT OF AWAKENING—TRẠI TỈNH THỨC
- What do I give? You give something of yourself to others. It doesn't have to be money. It can be
your time, your smile, your patience, your clothes, your toys, your food, etc. It can be lending a helping hand. It can be extending an attentive ear, an observing mind, or an understanding heart.
When I was a teenager, I decided that I would clean the dishes after dinner every day so that my mom
didn't have to do it. I didn’t want to argue with my siblings about the dishes. I just took it upon myself to do – I saw it as part of pulling my load in the house. As I got older and started making money,
then I started to give my time, my money, as well as my skills (at the individual level). As I grew
even older and got into management level, I can give my leadership skills, my ability to mobilize people, my vision and strategic thinking in leading a nonprofit agency.
In 2000, I co-founded ICAN (International Children Assistance Network), a community-based nonprofit working with Vietnamese children and families in Vietnam and in the US. As a refugee, I long
to give back to my country of origin – a deeply-rooted need in my psyche that can help put me at
peace with myself. As an orphan (for just 4 months in the refugee camp), I wanted to fulfill the
promise that I made to myself and to other orphans: I wanted to bring hope into the frightening world
of orphans.
- When do I give? You can give as often as you want, whenever you want. You can make it a onetime deal, or you can commit to something on an ongoing basis. When you stay up late at night to
write about the pain of a hungry child, you are giving. When you wake up early in the morning to
post an ad on your Facebook page to raise fund to help hungry children, you are giving. Don’t wait
until you are rich to give. Start giving right now, with whatever limited resources you have. That is a
lot more meaningful, and that’s how you cultivate your compassion.
- How do I give? You can give in a spontaneous way (like giving to a beggar on the street) or in a
structured program (like providing scholarship to children so they can stay in school). You can give
by organizing a retreat for others to learn and grow, or by attending the retreat to share and grow with
others. You can give with an expectation that you will get something in return (recognition, fame,
power etc.) or you can give with pure altruistic intentions and not asking for anything in return. You
can strive to be a big donor celebrated on stage, or you can choose to be an unsung hero working in
the trenches.
- To whom do I give? People give to those close to their heart. The closest ones will be themselves,
then their family members, then their relatives, friends, neighbors, colleagues, fellow countrymen,
and fellow mankind. Many people extend their compassion to the world of animals, starting with
their pets, then domesticated animals, then wild animals that are cute and gentle, then wild animals
that prey on others. Notice that whether the circle of giving is wide or narrow, the “me” and the “my”
are always at play (my family, my world, my planet, my people).
While people think I have been so altruistic and noble in being so dedicated to charity work, I’ve noticed that all the accolades do go to build up my ego. I don’t go around bragging and boasting, but
deep down, I know who I am and what I can do. I believe I can make things happen. That’s called
Confidence in our world; but it’s called Ego (Ngã mạn) from a Buddhist perspective.
EMBRACING LIFE FULLY—SỐNG TRỌN VẸN
31
2) Giving with a Buddhist Heart
Giving with a Buddhist Heart is essentially the same as Giving with a Human Heart but with an
added element of Wisdom. This Wisdom gives you direction and helps keep you grounded in the
right perspectives. The Wisdom also gives you stronger faith and serves as a critical foundation for
your compassion.
The Buddhist Heart (aka Bodhicitta, Bồ Đề Tâm) is the heart that longs for the Truth. It is the heart
with the desire to get out of Samsara. The Buddhist Heart is the vow to embark on the Bodhisattva
Way to become Buddha yourself so that you can have the Wisdom, Compassion and Resources to
help liberate others from the never ending birth-death cycle. It is the vow to support, promote and
maintain the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha in the world to benefit all sentient beings.
The Buddhist Heart is the vow to never leave sentient beings, to stay by their side throughout the
journey towards Enlightenment, even if it means you have to slow down your own spiritual advancement. Bodhisattva is an interesting “being”, containing in them both the “saintly” (Bodhi) and
“worldly” (sattva) elements. A Bodhisattva goes through Samsara with Greed, Anger and Ignorance
just like anyone else, but he/she is grounded in the Buddhist Heart. A Bodhisattva suffers all pain just
like all sentient beings, but he/she leans on the Buddha Dharma Sangha and Wisdom to rise above all
sufferings. There are countless Bodhisattvas; the most popular is Quan Yin (Quan Âm), the Goddess
of Compassion.
With the Buddhist heart, Giving becomes a totally different experience for me. It is much more intentional, universal, altruistic, meaningful, flexible, enjoyable and creative. It gives me more passion,
compassion, direction, perspectives, energy, support and determination.
- Why do I give? With a human heart, you give to alleviate pain in the other person – the physical
and emotional pain stemming from hunger, thirst, fear, hurt, loneliness, the loss of loved ones etc.
With a Buddhist Heart, you give to alleviate the bigger pain, the more fundamental pain that plagues
sentient beings in countless lives: the pain stemming from the never ending birth-death cycle. So
you would still hand the hungry child a bowl of rice, but along with that rice is your promise to one
day liberate that child from the sufferings of Samsara. That end goal gives you long term perspectives to help you rise above challenges and disappointments on the journey.
I used to be so bothered by the fact that hunger cannot be eradicated. Not even Bill Gates could do it,
I thought. I felt so stuck, so frustrated, so helpless. But when I realize that hunger is only in this life
time, and the much bigger devil is the birth-death cycle, my frustration subsided. With the Buddhist
Heart, I gain better perspectives. “Don’t sweat the small stuff”, I reminded myself constantly, “focus
on the big guy”. And whenever I think about the big opponent, I couldn’t help but lean more on Tam
Bảo (Three Jewels), for the strength and wisdom to fight this formidable foe.
- What do I give? You still give a part of yourself as before (your time, food, clothes, money, belongings, a helping hand, an attentive ear etc.). But with the Buddhist Heart, every time you give,
you also sow a seed of liberation in the recipient and you grow the seed of liberation in yourself. You
are giving the recipient a promise that “you and that person will meet again, and will become each
other’s good friends on the journey to find the Truth”. Through your connection with that person,
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2013 RETREAT OF AWAKENING—TRẠI TỈNH THỨC
you are helping him/her “gieo duyên” (sow the seeds) with Tam Bảo. One day when that seed ripens,
that person will find his/her way back to Tam Bảo.
Your Buddhist heart also comes with the vow to promote, support and maintain Tam Bảo (Buddha,
Dharma and Sangha) to benefit all sentient beings. You can give by helping to build or repair the
temple, getting the use permit for the temple, printing the sutra, making meals or flower arrangements
on the altar, organizing religious retreats and services… anything that would bring opportunities for
sentient beings to come into contact with the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.
You should take note to be intentional about the good deeds that you created. We tend to think that it
is noble to give and not ask for anything in return. This way of thinking is based on Taoism and/or
Confucianism. Buddhism follows closely the laws of the universe which are very consistent and transcend the good and evil. If you do a bad deed, it will come back to haunt you, whether you like it or
not. If you do a good deed, it will come back to benefit you, whether you want it or not. So if you
ignore them, your good deeds will come back in the form of fame, wealth, good looks, power etc.
things that will make you successful in life but pull you away from your spiritual journey. So you
should always remember to dedicate the merits of your good deeds to the Wisdom necessary for your
journey to Buddhahood.
- When do I give? With the Buddhist Heart as the foundation of your whole being, you give day and
night. You give while driving, or working in your garden. You give in your sleep, your thoughts or
in your prayers. You give in every breath that you take. You are giving even when you are sitting
still in meditation. You are giving even when you are not doing anything. Why? Because what you
give is not food or clothes or emotions related to the mundane world. With the Buddhist Heart, what
you give is the seed of liberation, and that can be done anywhere, anytime, in any manner.
- How do I give? You can give in a spontaneous way (like giving to a beggar on the street) or in a
structured program (say, a youth leadership program) as before. The Buddhist Heart will open the
Dharma door for you. Buddha’s teachings about “Non-self” and “Emptiness” will help you keep
your ego at bay. Your leadership style will shift towards that of the Public Servant Leadership, where
EMBRACING LIFE FULLY—SỐNG TRỌN VẸN
33
you lead by staying with and staying behind the people whom you are trying to help. With the Buddhist Heart as the foundation of your being, you will be giving through all your thoughts and actions
in the daily life.
Without the Buddhist Heart, charity work only goes to build up the Ego. It is easy to spot the Ego in
a person who screams and shouts for recognition and material gains. It is much more difficult to discern the Ego in an altruistic, soft-spoken, loving person doing charitable work. Being able to help
others also builds your Ego, even when you think you are being humble.
From a worldly perspective, when you give, you get back the Joy of Giving which makes you happy.
From the perspectives of the Bodhisattva Way, when you give, you get back the merits of good deeds,
which help you on the spiritual journey toward Buddhahood. So you actually have to thank the poor
children for giving you the opportunity to serve them! If you can truly embrace this perspective, you
will be the most sincere and humble leader in the world.
With the Buddhist Heart, you can better understand sentient beings. Human or animals, king or beggar, beauty queen or wicked witch, sick or healthy, whiny or cheerful type, all sentient beings are
truly equal because we are all searching for Happiness. We all want to live and feel “alive”.
I used to be so frustrated with my mom who worries all the time about everything. I would resolve 10
of her worries, and she would find the 11th worry to take on. As I learned about the Dharma, I realized that worrying is my mom’s way of feeling alive, much like being aggressive and passionate is
my way of feeling alive. With that realization, I happily accepted that my mom is a Worrier, and
gave her some space to worry about things. We both could feel alive and live in peace – each in our
own way.
- To whom do I give? The Buddhist Heart is the vow to become Buddha to liberate all sentient beings. So if you have the Buddhist Heart, the target audience (deep in your psyche) is all sentient beings. You live this life because you want to advance on the path toward Buddhahood to help all sen-
34
2013 RETREAT OF AWAKENING—TRẠI TỈNH THỨC
tient beings. Therefore, every step you take, every move you make with the Buddhist Heart is for all
sentient beings. As you gain more Wisdom, the “me” and “my” gradually get removed. Your compassionate heart grows stronger, and your circle of giving grows wider. You can love strangers or
sentient beings that you don’t even see as much you love your own family. You can feel their pain
and vulnerability. The Buddhist Heart will “train” you to become truly altruistic and compassionate
towards all sentient beings.
Of all the different target audiences to whom you can give, giving to Tam Bảo is the best: by helping
to maintain the temples, promote the Dharma and support the Sangha, you can help alleviate the sufferings in people (worldly merits) while helping them sow the seeds of liberation (spiritual merits).
The temple is the best vehicle to help people stay close with Tam Bảo, from the seasoned Buddhist
practitioner to the novice lay person – including yourself.
EMBRACING LIFE FULLY—SỐNG TRỌN VẸN
35
The most fascinating and enjoyable aspect of the Buddhist Heart and the Bodhisattva Way is that you
can get started right now, as-is, just the way you are. You can go at your own pace. You don’t have
to change the way you walk or talk. You don’t have to force yourself to think or act in certain way.
You don’t have to renounce this world right away. You can scream, laugh, cry, embrace the world as
you like. You can still “enjoy yourself” until you truly see the nature of sufferings in life, and are
more willing to avoid them. For now, just keep a clear vision of your journey. Stay away from doing harm to others. Continue to cultivate your Buddhist Heart and your Faith. Practice compassion in
every way you can, and keep it grounded in Wisdom. Put efforts into maintaining your practice (to
tame your monkey mind) and learning the Dharma (to expand your wisdom).
With the Buddhist Heart, on the surface, you are still your everyday self, an ordinary sentient being
with greed, anger and ignorance just like everyone else. But deep in your heart (and psyche), you
have a budding seed of liberation. That seed is the invisible force that will help “tame” and “shape”
you over many lifetimes. Faith will carry you through tough times, and open the Dharma door for
you. Be patient, enjoy yourself, put all your faith in Tam Bảo and let the Buddhist Heart guide your
journey.
This retreat is called “Retreat of Awakening.” To be awake means to know where you are going, and
how you will get there. The spirit of this retreat is “Embracing Life”. So live life with Passion and
Compassion. If we aspire to learn from the Buddha, and we are grateful for what He has done for us,
then Buddhahood should be our ultimate destination. The Bodhisattva Way is the path to follow.
Mindfulness meditation, sutra chanting, Pure Land, etc. are just different vehicles (practices) that help
us reach our destination. Take your pick of the vehicles. The first step on this journey is to have a
Buddhist Heart.
Once you have the Buddhist Heart, you are embarking on the Bodhisattva Way. The Buddha Nature
in you is budding. You are on your way to becoming Buddha. The Buddhist Heart is like an invisible force that will keep you close to Tam Bảo in every incarnation. The journey to perfect Wisdom
and Compassion is very long (3 eons lifetimes) but you won’t be alone. Countless Buddhas are there
to support you. Your favorite Bodhisattvas are now your alumni network. The Sangha from all walks
of life are your friends.
In short, the Force is with you.
Be clear of your goals, direction, and how you plan to get there - in your personal life, career path,
and spiritual journey. Buddha said “Life is a dream”. Do you want to wake up? Or do you want to
stay in the dream and make it more beautiful? Decide what you want to do in this lifetime (depending
on your Faith), but make sure you have a very clear vision of where you want to go ultimately.
So go forth, and Give with the Buddhist Heart!
Namo Shakyamuni Buddha
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2013 RETREAT OF AWAKENING—TRẠI TỈNH THỨC
Hiệp-Bảo Đinh:
“I now understand the meaning of a Sangha.”
Gayle-Anne Chavers:
“I’m really enjoying myself here. I wish I can take you all home so that I
can have this community at home. Coming here, I had assumed I would be
the only non-Vietnamese person here; when I got here, all I looked at was our
differences. Then, when I woke up the next day, I realized I’m no different
than anyone in this room. You all have just been awesome! I love all the
talks and enthusiasms. I’ve been studying (Buddhism) for so long, that it’s
really nice to see people who have practiced it and grew up in it. I didn’t get
into Buddhism until I was in my teen. I studied it academically, but you
don’t really get it the same way as if you were raised in it. I’m definitely going to the next retreat! I want to thank you all. You are my new family.”
EMBRACING LIFE FULLY—SỐNG TRỌN VẸN
37
Kim Ngô:
“This Retreat is definitely not what I expected at
all. I’m involved in GDPT, and usually what we
do is strictly for GDPT. Buddhism has never
resonated with me until this Retreat. My A-ha
moment was the mindfulness part. A lot of young
people my age go through a lot of ups and downs,
and when we hit lows in our life, we feel overwhelm. We fill our heads with toxic thoughts and
being mindful helps us sort out what we value in
ourselves. I learned when you love yourself,
you’re able to pursue what you want, pursue yourself, and do amazing things. You are then able to
give, be happy, and be so many things. For me, I
really had trouble with loving myself. I would
lose myself in community service, in my career,
etc. I was always so lost. This Retreat has helped
me to find myself and connect with Buddhism.
It’s always been a way of life, but I’ve always
been plagued by these toxic thoughts. This Retreat has been awesome and I hope it will continue
to spread to people in our generation. My mom
will tell me that I’m so chaotic and that I should
read kinh (sutra) or thiền (meditate), but I’m like
“mom, I don’t get it”. But when you’re mindful,
you start to appreciate everything, even the littlest
things like your relationship with your mom. My
mom and I have never had the best relationships,
but when things are bad, our parents and family is
all we have and they sacrifice so much for us. Being mindful, I’m thankful for everything she does.
So, I’m thankful for this Retreat and I’m thankful
that my mom made me come here.”
38
Peter Phạm:
“Coming here has been great! It’s a nice
break from the everyday hustle and bustle
of professional life. One of the things that
really hit me in going through this experience is the information that is made accessible to the everyday Buddhist, who aren’t
really involved in the weekly/monthly services of a temple, but really do believe in
the concepts and philosophies of the spirituality of Buddhism. That’s what I really
like about this retreat is that it’s making
some of these concepts accessible in English to people who are both Vietnamese
and Americans, bringing experts from all
fields together to help enlighten all of us
from the laymen to the experts, and giving
all of us the opportunities to share among
ourselves.”
“Happiness cannot be traveled
to, owned, earned, or worn. It
is the spiritual experience of
living every minute with love,
grace and gratitude.”
– Denis Waitley
2013 RETREAT OF AWAKENING—TRẠI TỈNH THỨC
Hảo Tâm Phan:
“I want to express gratitude towards Buddhism. I’m very fortunate to be born into a
family where my grandparents and parents
are Buddhists and into an organization like
Gia Đình Phật Tử (GĐPT). I have a lot of
strong and deep history with GĐPT. It was
a lot of fun and love at first, and in every
relationship including GĐPT there are ups
and downs. The down part took a lot out
of me. It took me a long time to accept a
lot of it. Now that I’m much older, I’ve
come to the point of accepting and reflecting back on it. I don’t think throughout the
years I’ve lost my Buddhist roots, but coming back here today, it really recharged me
and revived a lot of things that I’ve forgotten to apply to my life. So, at any age,
when you come to this Retreat, I hope you
will feel the same way that I do.”
EMBRACING LIFE FULLY—SỐNG TRỌN VẸN
Tiên Lê:
“This was my first experience at a Buddhist
camp. I’ve been to retreats with other organizations before, but this is the first time I’ve taken
part in anything that has to do with Buddhism.
I’m raised in a Buddhist family, but have only
tried to be active in the past two years because
Thầy Đạo Quảng is the leader at our temple.
Through the conversations I had with him and
(hearing) his belief in the future of Buddhism
for the youth in the U.S. and all over, I could see
his vision. I believed in it and that is why I
came to this Retreat with an open mind and
open heart. Coming here, I didn’t really know
what to expect because I’m not in GĐPT or anything like that. It’s been really inspiring for me
during the last 1.5 day. The main thing is I’ve
discovered a lot of things that I’ve always questioned about myself, and through the workshops
and talking to all the great anh chị, Thầy Cô,
and friends here, I’ve learned a little bit from
everybody. Through the actions and conversations, I was able to answer a lot of questions that
I had for myself and it helped me understand
more about Buddhism in a practical way. I
would like to commit myself to be a better Buddhist. When I come back next year, I would like
to learn more and be more committed and more
active. I hope to come back next year with a
better understanding and knowledge of Buddhism, and help in any way I can.”
39
Minh Khánh Lê:
“This camp has been a pleasant surprise. The way
quý Thầy and anh chị managed this camp, I’m totally
impressed by the talent level. The goals and mission
that you all have is really noble. I’ve learned a lot.
Hopefully, we can bring it back home and expand
what you have started here across the U.S.”
40
2013 RETREAT OF AWAKENING—TRẠI TỈNH THỨC
r’s
Campe
ck
Feedba
What we received from campers
“This camp has allowed me to re-connect
with Buddhism in my daily practice. It has
provided me with perspectives and tools that
will aid in my journey within this life. Being
able to practice mindfulness, compassion,
and to strive for inner peace has truly given
me a way to once again see the fundamentals
of Buddhism at work. Through this retreat, I
am again re-awakened to Buddhism and see
that it pervades my life completely, not only
on Sundays.”
“The Retreat was well planned/organized.
I had a spectacular time!
Excellent! Great enthusiasm!”
“The location was great! It forces me to stay away from my phone for the weekend. The walk was very peaceful and the speech from Noah Levine was definitely
memorable. I hope to see more keynote sessions and longer group discussions.”
“When I go back to my life and when someone makes me mad, I’m not
going to let that impact me. I will let it go so I can live in the present
moment and love myself first.”
“Loved the group discussions. I wish they were longer at times. When
the talks are going great, I don’t like limiting the time we have with
each other. I enjoyed the relaxed environment and talking/interacting
with quý Thầy.”
“This Retreat definitely met my expectations of it being a present
moment “escape” or “break” from my chaotic life at home and
school/work. I am hoping to bring this calm and happy mindfulness back home to better enjoy my life. It was awesome to meet
fellow passionate Buddhists.”
EMBRACING LIFE FULLY—SỐNG TRỌN VẸN
41
Session I: Self‐Awakening, Mr. Noah Levine Best things about this session:  Mr. Levine was very sincere and showed his prac‐
tice in his speech.  Getting to learn the experience from someone of different culture and race  When making mistakes in life, it does not mean you cannot turn back to be a better person  Mr. Levine isn’t a monk but we can tell that he sin‐
cerely practices Buddhism.  Genuine, real. Heart to heart real life experience  Buddhist teachings incorporated into story‐telling manner  Appreciated the session; was informative and really allowed me to see how Buddhism is in‐
terpreted from a Western background  Excited to see Americans practicing Buddhism  Mr. Levine’s background and realizing there is hope; it’s possible to have happiness in your life  Mr. Levine showed how powerful mindfulness practices can help real world problems. Session II: Pursuit of Happiness, Mr. Ramon Lopez Best things about this session:  Interaction with the audience  Mr. Lopez’s answers were well thought out and clear. Inspiring and informative  We need to practice patience in our daily life.
We need to take care of ourselves first.
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2013 RETREAT OF AWAKENING—TRẠI TỈNH THỨC
 Even though you cannot bring your religion (Buddhism) to work and it’s not acceptable to display a picture of Buddha in your office; perhaps, displaying of some sayings related to the art of mindfulness and meditation that are subtle, along with how you are using mindfulness and compassion to help your students can attract some interests in practicing mindfulness, meditation, and maybe Buddhism. But then, if one is practicing the other two, then he is al‐
ready practicing Buddhism.  It’s ok to feel sad, unhappy...it will pass. Happiness is self‐created.  You, yourself, can control and deal with anger when it knocks on the door  Live in the moment and enjoy it if it’s peaceful; know that nothing will last forever.  When we respond to anger with anger, we allow that person to win. Anger and other emo‐
tions will come but it’s important to remember that what comes will go. Session V: What is Real? What is True? Quý Thầy Best things about this session:  Loved their true honest answers  It helped clear many questions we have heard and are confused about  The short and straight answers!  Getting questions answered by reputable sources. Interesting and not long‐winded  Knowing that when we have a problem, solve it before going to bed, because it will bug you  To keep a healthy relationship, make sure to turn the negative to positive. Be thankful that he/she is here with you every day. EMBRACING LIFE FULLY—SỐNG TRỌN VẸN
43
Session VI: Matters of the Heart, Dr. Sumner Davis & Thầy Đạo Quảng Best things about this session:  Very relevant topic to our daily lives  Organized, simple to understand  Humorous but real examples; emphasis on practice not just concepts  Compassion and understanding helps us live a healthier relationship  Very insightful. Delve into scientific and psy‐
chological stats that really made the information credible Session IX: Giving with a Buddhist Heart, Ms. Quyên Vương Best things about this session:  Relatable; eye‐opening; different perspective  Very straight‐forward; simple, down‐to‐earth lan‐
guage and examples  Good to see a Vietnamese speaking female as role model  There are different ways to practice Buddhism; we all have an inner‐Buddha within us  Ms. Vương’s personal stories to relate her journey in Buddhism for the audience to understand  Introduced the Bodhisattva’s way and made it clearer. Ms. Vương reassured us that what we are doing is beneficial to our spiritual journey  Ms. Vương was able to explain and correlate certain aspects of Buddhism that made me real‐
ize things that I didn’t understand  Excellent discussion to clearly outline and delineate other complex aspects and teachings of Buddhism  The interpretations of Buddhism were refreshing; not the overly‐cited and trite material 44
2013 RETREAT OF AWAKENING—TRẠI TỈNH THỨC
Session X: Changing Life, Making an Impact, Mr. John Bell Best things about this session:  One‐on‐one conversations  Empowerment to young people  Good interactive session with world‐
wide examples  Sharing your thoughts with different people and not being afraid to be judged  Understanding yourself by asking, an‐
swering, and sharing questions that you might have but never taking the time to look into  Made me think about the bigger picture vs. just the present problems/issues  A lot of insight on the youth and the future of our existence.  Paired sharing was very beneficial Overall Improvement Opportunities:  Longer session with Mr. Levine, especially Q&A  Would like to have a session towards the end of the retreat where people can mingle and ask questions with each speaker because each session was short and limited to certain topics.  Sort through questions first in Q&A session with Quý Thầy to avoid duplicate  Deeper content  More interactive sessions; less lecture‐type  Relate Buddhism to psychology  Want more in‐depth discussions about Buddhism It’s better to look back on life and say: “I can’t believe I did that.”
than to look back and say: “I wish I did that.”
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Our 2013 Guest Speakers shared the 5-Take-Aways from their Dharma
Sharing Sessions to help us return to ourselves and attain inner peace
when we come upon daily things that breaks our heart:
Mr. Noah Levine:
1. It is optional to obey our mind.
2. Mindfulness takes practice. Start the day with a formal practice like sitting meditation, so that
it becomes 2nd nature and a part of us.
3. Apply the Practice to all parts of our lives --- when we’re driving, answering emails, spending
time with our children, eating, etc.
4. Do not only practice when we are at a Retreat or temple, but practice every moment we can.
5. Awaken starts now. No worries, anxiety, or fear of the future. No regrets of the past.
Mr. Ramon Lopez:
1. Happiness and Buddhist practice does not involve ignoring our emotions. Happiness, sadness,
pain, joy and suffering are a part of our life experience and should be examined, not ignored.
2. Buddhist meditation practice helps us bring compassion (metta) and awareness (mindfulness)
into our emotions and helps transform our relationships with these emotions into one that is
peaceful.
3. We are often trapped in a cycle of "pursuing happiness" as something external and out of
reach that we keep grasping for. Meditation practice helps us realize our inner peace in this
moment and that happiness is found in the path of everyday life.
4. Buddhist meditation practice does not mean abandoning goals or abandoning standards for
excellence. Awareness of the present gives insight into lessons from our past and planning for
our future.
5. Informal practice is just at important as formal practice. Formal practice is the point in the
center of the circle, but the rest of the circle comes from our everyday life.
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2013 RETREAT OF AWAKENING—TRẠI TỈNH THỨC
Dr. Sumner Davis:
1. Before we can foster a relationship with others, we must have a positive relationship with ourselves.
2. To act nonviolently and in loving kindness, we must always treat others as we would wish to
be treated.
3. Everyone feels lost, confused, or angry at some time. Learn to write your anger on the water
so it quickly dissolves to peacefulness.
4. Relationships are a work in progress. They do not live without our nourishment.
5. We have far more things in common than differences.
Mr. John Bell:
1. Younger people have played significant roles in bringing about social transformation for a
more just and peaceful world. Young people today can and are making an impact.
2. It is good to acknowledge and embrace our feelings of broken-heartedness as we look around
the world, rather than denying or running from it. Feeling our feelings allows us to clear our
minds and energy for even more effective bodhisattva work of relieving suffering.
3. The extent to which we can do effective "outer work" depends on the depth of our "inner
work". Our basic Buddhist practice of mindfulness is the foundation for being more present
and effective in the wider world.
4. "Happiness is not an individual matter" as Thích Nhất Hạnh says. We fool ourselves if we
think we can create a little private oasis of happiness and peace that is separate from the suffering of the world. We are interdependent. What hurts you hurts me. Therefore working to
relieve your suffering is also working to relieve my suffering.
5. Offer ourselves and each other loving-kindness; practice gratitude for our lives. Always.
Ms. Quyên Vương:
1. Live life with Passion and Compassion. Don't push yourself to be #1. Push yourself to always give your best. Then graciously accept the outcome as "nhân duyên (cause-effect, Dependant Origination)" and enjoy your inner peace.
2. Do charity work. Compassion comes from understanding and empathizing with the other person's sufferings. The poor suffer. The rich also suffer. For every pain that you feel, think how
others also feel it. Reflect on your pain to better understand others' pain.
Give with a Buddhist Heart; keep your Compassion grounded in Faith and Wisdom. Passion
and Compassion come from your heart. The will to kill or help others comes from your heart.
The energy to do good or evil, the strength to persevere to reach your goal also comes from
your heart. Beware: we can be the Buddha; we can also be the Devil.
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3. Truly take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha in all aspects of your life. Pray to
your favorite Buddha and Bodhisattva. Feel close to them as if they are your parents. When
you are most desperate, that's when you are most sincere in your prayers and honest in looking
at yourself.
4. Watch your Ego vigilantly. Without the Buddhist Heart, charity work only goes to build up the
Ego. It is easy to spot the Ego in a person who screams for recognition and material gains. It
is much more difficult to discern the Ego in an altruistic, soft-spoken, loving person doing
charitable work. Being able to help others also builds your Ego, even when you think you are
being humble. Stay grounded in your Buddhist heart, pray to Buddha and the Bodhisattvas to
keep you away from those Ego traps.
5. Contemplate on how you can “mesh” your spiritual journey and worldly endeavors to make
your life more meaningful and productive. When Đời (Life) and Đạo (Religion) do not conflict, you can do whatever you feel like doing. When Đời and Đạo tell you to do opposite
things, stay with Đạo.
Thầy Đạo Quảng:
1. How we feel about ourselves often influences our perceptions. Through compassion and understanding, our perceptions change.
2. Maintain healthy relationships by cultivating positive thoughts and the ability to know ourselves.
If we do not understand ourselves, how can we understand others?
If we do not understand ourselves, we will not recognize ourselves in others.
3. Loving oneself unconditionally is to accept yourself as you really are.
Recognize your weaknesses and failures, and forgive them.
Recognize your strengths, and cultivate them.
4. Happiness grows when it is shared. Sharing creates a connection with others and tells others
“you are not alone”.
5. Give the most important gifts: time, empathy and patience.
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2013 RETREAT OF AWAKENING—TRẠI TỈNH THỨC
"Đời sống thật vô cùng quý báu.
Hãy sống tỉnh thức trong từng
giây từng phút để sự sống của
chúng ta có nhiều ý nghĩa."
— THÍCH HẠNH TUẤN
WAYS TO FULLY EMBRACE LIFE & BE HAPPY
1. Express gratitude – When you appreciate what you have, what you have appreciates in value.
Being grateful for the goodness that is already evident in your life will bring you a deeper
sense of happiness. We will have a hard time ever being happy if we aren’t thankful for what
we already have.
2. Cultivate positive energy & optimism – Winners have the ability to manufacture their own
optimism. Failure is only as an opportunity to grow and learn a new lesson from life. People
who think optimistically see the world as a place packed with endless opportunities, especially
in trying times.
3. Avoid over-thinking and social comparison – Comparing yourself to someone else can be
poisonous. If we’re somehow ‘better’ than the person that we’re comparing ourselves to, it
gives us an unhealthy sense of superiority. Our ego inflates. If we’re ‘worse’ than the person
that we’re comparing ourselves to, we usually discredit the hard work that we’ve done and
dismiss all the progress that we’ve made. This type of social comparison doesn’t stem from a
healthy place. If you feel compelled to compare yourself to something, compare yourself to
an earlier version of yourself.
4. Learn to forgive – Harboring feelings of hatred is horrible for your well-being. When you
‘hate’ someone, and you’re continuously thinking about it, those negative emotions are eating
away at your immune system.
5. Savor life’s joys – Deep happiness cannot exist without slowing down to enjoy the joy. It’s
easy in a world of wild stimuli and omnipresent movement to forget to embrace life’s enjoyable experiences. When we neglect to appreciate, we rob the moment of its magic. It’s the
simple things in life that can be the most rewarding if we remember to fully experience them.
Read more from 12 Things Happy People Do Differently by Jacob Sokol
(reference: http://health.ktvb.com/article.php?ar=1647&geo=id)
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49
wo years in the making, we finally were able to launch the Retreat of Awakening. From
the Vision of Ôn Nguyên Hạnh to seeing all 106 participants at this retreat, I think we did
it!! You have helped us fulfill our objectives this year so from the bottom of my heart, I
sincerely thank you!
I would like to summarize these past three days from my perspective. I think this retreat
has allowed us to make a connection with nature, with our old and new friends, but more
importantly, with ourselves. We learned that in every step we take, we can either turn it
into happiness or pain. Pursuing happiness and actually capturing it is not very difficult
if we allow ourselves to find it with mindful thoughts and a mindful heart.
In order for us to grasp the teachings of the Buddha, we must inquire, we must analyze,
we must believe, and we must practice, practice, practice – through right thoughts,
speech, and action.
Relationships may come and go, but how we manage those relationships is the key to the
happiness we can bring to them and to ourselves. With a little more giving and little less
receiving, there is hope that every heart will be accepted and loved.
As fast as this society can go, we must realize that the speed we want to go resides within
ourselves. As long as we are comfortable with that speed, we will get to our destination
in life. It is okay for us to go fast one day and slow the next. That is part of the change
we need to acknowledge. While change can be difficult, let us embrace it with open arms
and not be scared of the unknowns.
In closing, the true success of this retreat is a reflection on the three pledges we took at
the beginning of this camp. My request to you is to let these pledges become a part of
your daily life:
 To open your mind and heart to fully embrace life
 To connect, develop, and enrich the relationships in your life
 To smile more and enjoy each moment of learning, rejoicing, and being
At this time, it is my pleasure to pass the torch to our newly elected Camp Director for
2014 – Sister Diệu Hương – Nguyễn Đoàn Thanh Vân.
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2013 RETREAT OF AWAKENING—TRẠI TỈNH THỨC
NAM MÔ BỔN SƯ THÍCH CA MÂU NI PHẬT
Kính Bạch Quý Thầy Cô
Kính thưa quý anh chị em
Chúng con thành kính tri ân quý Thầy Cô và tất cả anh chị em trong Trại Tỉnh Thức (Trại
TT) đã tin tưởng ở chúng con để giao trách nhiệm Camp Director, để kết hợp tất cả anh
chị em cho sinh hoạt của kỳ Trại TT năm tới. Chúng con sẽ lắng nghe những ý kiến xây
dựng và cố gắng làm với tất cả khả năng của chúng con để giúp cho Trại năm tới được
tốt hơn. Chúng con rất mong mỏi sự thương yêu và giúp đỡ hết lòng của tất cả quý
Thầy Cô và quý anh chị em. Đời sống rất bận rộn, tuy nhiên vì hạnh phúc và lợi ích
chung cho tuổi trẻ Việt Nam và những người dân Hoa Kỳ, chúng con tin rằng tất cả quý
Thầy Cô, anh chị em, và nhiều bạn trẻ khác sẽ có mặt trong kỳ Trại TT 2014. Kính chúc
quý Thầy Cô, anh chị em luôn sống trong an hòa và hạnh phúc.
I’m still in awe and overwhelm with the
responsibilities bestowed upon me as the
camp director for the 2014 Retreat of
Awakening. I hope everyone will help me
to continue to take part in carrying-out the
Vision and Objectives set for the Retreat of
Awakening. The success of this Retreat,
specifically helping young adults and
professionals find the Buddha-nature in
themselves, does not lie in one individual
but is a shared responsibility of everyone.
Together, we can make positive changes
in our Buddhist community, ourselves, our
family, and our society. Thank you.
— NGUYỄN ĐOÀN THANH VÂN
Three days ago, we came together to discover what this retreat is all about. Along the way, we found
out a little more about ourselves and made new friends. We seek out to build and enhance our positive energy through mindfulness, loving kindness, wisdom, and forgiveness and I am very, very
happy to say “WE DID IT”!!! Now, it’s time for us to depart. As we go back to our so-called
“normal life”, we shall continue to nurture and grow this positive energy with the anticipation to bring
it back to next year’s retreat, where we will take this energy to a higher level.
Now, I officially declare the closing of the 2013 Retreat of Awakening.
Finally, I am pleased to announce that our 2nd Retreat of Awakening will be held in Sept 2014. We
ask that everyone save this date on your calendar. Thank you very much and see everyone next year!
— THÍCH ĐẠO QUẢNG
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Thank you to all our sponsors and supporters:
GOLD SPONSOR:
- Trung Tâm Phật Giáo Chùa Việt Nam, Texas
SILVER SPONSORS:
- Chùa Tam Bảo, Louisiana
- Perfect Vision Associates, Texas — Tami Phan, OD
BRONZE SPONSOR:
- Ân Nhân, Virginia
FAMILY AND FRIENDS:
Nguyễn Sung (VA)
Nguyễn Hoàng Vân (MI)
Phạm Trịnh Thụy Nga (OK)
Lê Cường (LA)
Phật tử tại Chùa Việt Nam (TX)
Gary McMillen (LA)
Hội Phật Tử An Bằng Hải Ngoại
Ramon Lopez
Nguyễn Kinh & Hồ Hoa (FL)
Vũ Hồng Phúc
Nguyễn Anh Khôi & Đạt (OK)
Nguyễn T. Thủy & Trương T. Thủy (TX)
Nailspa One - The Golden Lynx (TX)
GĐPT Kim Quang & Chùa Phổ Từ (CA)
Thank you for the donated items for
our Welcome Kits:  Đỗ Thắng  Summit Cosmetic Dentistry  Amanda Phan Dentistry  Frank Nga  Vital Care Medical - Thắng Hoàng, MD  Perfect Vision Associates Tami Phan, OD
Chân thành cám ơn Đài Truyền Hình Viet Nam America TV 57.3,
Việt-Báo on-line (April 11, May 18, June 14)
và Người-Việt on-line đã giúp giới thiệu Trại Tỉnh Thức 2013
(Please click here for more information on different ways to support the upcoming 2014 Retreat. Thank you!)
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2013 RETREAT OF AWAKENING—TRẠI TỈNH THỨC
Thank you Mr. John, Mr. Jim, and the
Lions Camp Staff for all your support
and accommodations in helping us
make the 2013 Retreat
a great success!
EMBRACING LIFE FULLY—SỐNG TRỌN VẸN
Thank you Mr. Tỵ Nguyễn and
Mr. & Mrs. Steven La for producing all the
great pictures and video-clips
of the 2013 Retreat!
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Please click on the web-links below to view the
various video-clips of the 2013 Retreat of Awakening:
Click here
Click here
Click here
Click here
Click here
Click here
Please click here:
 48-minute video
of the 2013
Retreat
Click here
Click here
 10-minute
slideshow of the
2013 Retreat
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2013 RETREAT OF AWAKENING—TRẠI TỈNH THỨC
Two years ago, when our great Venerables envisioned the Retreat of Awakening, all of us
got on board because we too saw the need and the benefits. We’ve known each other for
over 20 years, working various projects together for the Buddhist Youth Association, but
starting up this organization from scratch has been the most challenging because this was
new territory with many hurdles and obstacles along the way. While it was tough, we have
learned a lot and have become even closer.
We truly hope everyone had enjoyed themselves, learned and gained something invaluable
from this 2013 Retreat that you were able to take home and apply to your daily lives. Most
important, we hope everyone had built lasting friendships during the 3-days together, so
that we can meet again next year to re-connect, share, and sing this song together:
Keep smiling, keep shining
Knowing you can always count on me for sure
That's what friends are for
For good times and bad times
I'll be on your side forever more
That's what friends are for
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