Lê-Lâm Thu Trang / Thân Vân Châu
My name is Lê-Lâm Thu Trang, Dharma name Thân Vân Châu. I currently live in the city of Hamburg, Germany. This year, I had the good fortune to participate in the Altruistic Temporary Home Leaving program for the first time, a heartfelt aspiration I had carried within me for a very long time.
Aspiration for Ordination
When I asked myself, “For whom will I practice in this first Altruistic Temporary Home Leaving ordination?” a very simple wish arose in me: to practice for as many people as possible. Perhaps because the opportunity to participate in ordination did not come to me as easily as it did for other fellow practitioners, and also because I could feel my consciousness changing day by day.
Master Hằng Trường taught us the path of the Bodhisattva. The more I study and practice, the more I understand that spiritual cultivation is truly a process of transforming the mind from self-centeredness to altruism. It is a shift in perspective about practice—not merely seeking happiness for oneself, but opening one’s heart for the peace and benefit of others.
The Master’s teachings always emphasize the development of collective consciousness. Because of this, I constantly remind myself to stay connected with everyone—both loved ones and strangers alike. Therefore, during this ordination, I wished to dedicate my practice not only to my family and friends, but also to those who have passed away, and even to those who merely crossed paths with me for a brief moment in life.
With this aspiration, throughout this Altruistic Temporary Home Leaving retreat, I wholeheartedly offer all of my spiritual efforts to everyone. This is how I nurture compassion, repay the grace of the Buddhas, express gratitude to my Master, and give thanks to life for all the blessings I have been fortunate to receive.
Reflections on Having My Head Shaved
It is very difficult to describe my feelings at the moment when the Master personally shaved my head before going to the retreat. A deep joy and gratitude overflowed within me. I felt tremendously blessed to receive the shaving directly from him.
At that moment, every lock of hair falling felt like an expression of profound gratitude: gratitude to my parents for giving birth to me, raising me, and allowing me to walk the path of ordination for others; gratitude to the Master for teaching the Dharma, guiding and supporting us disciples step by step on the path of cultivation; gratitude to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas for blessing me with enough health and conditions to participate in ordination this year; and gratitude to everyone within the web of karmic connections who has lived, practiced, and worked together with me, helping the Bodhisattva spirit within me grow day by day.
After my head was shaved, I knelt before the statue of Quan Yin Bodhisattva and made a vow that this seed of altruism would continue to be nurtured not only in this lifetime, but throughout many future lives, so that the path of service and selflessness would continue unbroken.
The Karmic Affinity of Meeting My Master
In 2009, through an acquaintance in the family of one of the Master’s former classmates from Petrus Ký School (their family lived in the city of Mönchengladbach, Germany), the Master was invited to lead a weekend retreat and introduce the CànKhônThập Linh – Integral Taichi exercise practice to local Buddhists. Through this event, I had the karmic opportunity to attend the retreat and meet the Master for the first time.
Whenever I reflect on this fortunate connection, I often think of the saying: “With affinity, even thousands of miles apart, people can still meet.” In this vast world, separated by an entire ocean, I still had the chance to meet the Master in such a simple and intimate circumstance. Hamburg and Mönchengladbach are about 420 kilometers apart, requiring more than five hours by train. Back then, I traveled alone without hesitation or worry, as though I were being guided by a powerful spiritual calling.
Throughout the long journey, I carried only one simple intention: to meet the Master. I also felt as though there had long been a connection between him and me. Looking back, I can see that everything—a chance introduction, a solitary train ride, a first Dharma talk—came together to create an extraordinary karmic condition that allowed me to meet my enlightened teacher.
Seeds of Spiritual Practice from Childhood
I grew up in a family deeply rooted in Buddhist faith. My maternal grandmother was once a nun and later practiced as a nun at home in her later years. Every summer, my younger brother and I would go stay with her.
Some mornings, we would wake up to the sounds of the bell and wooden fish drum, accompanied by sutra chanting, while the gentle fragrance of incense spread through the air and our grandmother sat peacefully in her daily practice. All of these experiences planted spiritual seeds in me from a very young age.
I still vividly remember the peaceful feeling of sitting beside my grandmother listening to her tell stories about the Buddha, or when she handed me the novel Tây Du Ký – Journey to the West and said, “Read it, and if there is anything you don’t understand, ask Grandma.” Those memories have stayed with me throughout my life, becoming a source of inspiration for living with the spirit of “cultivating the mind and transforming one’s character” while nurturing a habit of spiritual practice.
From my years in Vietnam to my life in Germany, I continued going to temples, volunteering, studying sutras, and listening to Dharma teachings. At home, I maintained daily chanting and mantra recitation. The seeds my grandmother planted long ago gradually became habits that helped me continue on the spiritual path. However, the true transformation in my consciousness only began after I met the Master and practiced according to his Avatamsaka (HoaNghiêm) teachings.
The Teacher Who Opened My Heart and Mind
After listening to the Dharma talk at the home of the Master’s former classmate, I immediately felt that he was the enlightened teacher I had been searching for all along.
The Buddha’s teachings have endured for more than 2,500 years because they are timeless truths. Yet for those truths to truly penetrate the lives of practitioners, much depends on teachers who are capable of illuminating and presenting these ancient truths in ways suited to the consciousness of people in modern times.
To me, the Master is truly a Buddhist teacher for a new era. From his ideas and language to his use of modern technology and methods, everything helped me understand the Buddha’s teachings more clearly. In particular, the Avatamsaka Sutra is profound and highly complex, yet through the Master’s explanations—simple, clear, and systematically connected—I was finally able to understand the extraordinary spirit of this scripture.
He also has the remarkable ability to help people raised within Western culture come close to Buddhism without feeling alienated. What I admire most is the way he uses imagery and illustrations to explain Avatamsaka sutra, making its deep meanings become clear, organized, and accessible. Through his structured teaching style, modern practitioners can naturally and joyfully enter the wondrous world of the Avatamsaka teachings.
Although I was already older when I met the Master, I still resolved to study the Avatamsaka teachings because the training program he guided was so coherent, systematic, and well-suited to the capacities of modern practitioners. Yet beyond all of that, it was his compassion, dedication, and tireless example of service that awakened in me a deep sense of gratitude. To meet him and study with him has been one of the greatest blessings of my life, a karmic connection I deeply treasure and vow to preserve.
Facing Challenges
For a long time, I had wished to travel with fellow practitioners from Hamburg to the United States to attend retreats organized by the Association, especially the Altruistic Temporary Home Leaving program. However, because I was born with a heart condition, I often felt anxious in crowded environments—even standing for too long could make me dizzy or faint. Nevertheless, that aspiration quietly continued to grow within me.
While waiting for the right conditions to arise, I continued studying and reviewing materials with the Altruistic Ordination group. I regularly prayed to Quan Yin Bodhisattva, the Bodhisattvas, and Venerable Master Hsuan Hua for blessings of good health so I could participate in ordination. This year, I clearly felt that I needed to overcome my personal limitations and fears about my health in order to fulfill the aspiration I had carried for so long.
During the first days of the retreat, both my body and mind were exhausted, perhaps because I had not yet adapted to California’s nine-hour time difference, combined with the altitude of Pine Summit camp, which caused my heart to beat rapidly and made me easily dizzy. I was incredibly fortunate to receive devoted care from two Dharma sisters, Nương Nguyễn and Nguyệt Nguyễn. They massaged and applied acupressure techniques while guiding me on how to regulate my body. I felt as though the Bodhisattvas had sent them to help me through this difficult period. Thanks to them, along with the energy of the Sangha and the blessings of the Master, my health gradually improved.
Before the retreat ended, both my body and mind had become truly peaceful. I participated in the Dharma Assembly and Mandala ceremony in a light and serene state, without any anxiety about my congenital health condition. It felt truly extraordinary. I also wish to express gratitude to Sister Minh Tâm and the Dharma sisters in the group—fellow practitioners who quietly cared for me, reminding me to rest and drink more water. All of these acts of kindness became part of the beautiful memories of my spiritual journey.
The Power of the Sangha
Previously, whenever I guided practice for one person or practiced together in a small group, I could already feel a shared energy that helped me become more focused and centered. But during this Altruistic Temporary Home Leaving retreat, that energy multiplied a hundredfold.
The collective power of the Sangha truly felt like a great flowing stream. Each person was like a drop of water, merging together into a pure and refreshing source of energy that deeply nourished both my body and soul.
Through this collective resonance, I experienced a profound stillness during meditation sessions. My ability to concentrate on the seed syllables also became clearer and steadier than before. At times, I felt as though I was no longer practicing alone—the energy of the Sangha itself was supporting me and helping me enter deeper dimensions of practice.
Gratitude in Place of a Conclusion
This Altruistic Temporary Home Leaving retreat gave me a deep faith in the inconceivable blessings and support of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Without their guidance and protection, perhaps I would not have had sufficient conditions and opportunities to participate. Within me arose an immense sense of gratitude for these wondrous arrangements.
I was also overjoyed to meet many Dharma brothers and sisters within the Sangha. Some I had only seen through Zoom, while most I had only heard about but never met in person. Their friendly greetings, caring eyes, and warm smiles all gave me a sense of familiarity, as though we had already shared karmic affinities long before.
I deeply cherish the opportunity to connect with the entire Sangha—those who have become and will continue to be part of my spiritual network, not only in this life but perhaps in future lives as well. To study and practice together under a revered Master, to walk the Bodhisattva path together, and to wear the pure lay robe together is a blessing I will always carry in my heart.