Like all women, I love to look beautiful, young, well-dressed with good makeup, manicured nails, and beautiful hair. I admire all the novice nuns and monks who joined the yearly Altruistic Home-Leaving program during the World Peace Gathering, organized by Master Hang Truong and the…
First, I want to express my deep gratitude to Thay and the XGVT organizers for your love, generosity, dedication, creativity, and wisdom in creating the XGVT program. I am grateful and happy to have had the opportunity to be a part in this wonderful and…
I have attended the Temporary Altruistic Home-Leaving over 10 times and even though I am occasionally being referred to as a veteran, I always have mixed emotions whenever I receive the novice monk precepts. After a couple of years of program hiatus in California due…
As a child, I often followed my mother to the temple and bowed to the Buddhas, but no one taught me much about Buddhism. At the age of 8, I witnessed the bloodshed during the 1968 Tet Offensive, then the horrible Vietnam War, and the…
Time flies. This year is the 7th year that I have attended the Altruistic Temporary Monks and Nuns Retreat organized by Compassionate Service Society in Orange County. You must have wondered why I shaved my head so many times? Simply, just because I see that…
(From the book Xuất Gia Vị Tha 2013) – Thầy Hằng Trường Why the Altruistic Home-Leaving Program is Necessary Today Leaving home to become a monastic has always been a great and noble merit since the Buddha did it and advised us to do it…
“When did you first leave home to become a temporary monk?” “ I was very active and fearless as a boy. At age 18, I went swimming in the rough sea, arrogant of my youth and strength. When the waves turned tempestuous, they pulled me…
Life’s journey is difficult and procuring the correct knowledge, support, and love is integral to our survival. It is the goal of Outreach Group for Altruistic Retreat (XGVT- Xuất Gia Vị Tha) to help people open their hearts, minds, and develop an ethos of helping…
It’s just the beginning of July, but we have already heard in our hearts the echoes of the calls from the serene Pine Summit and from the wonderful December Mandala Dharma Assembly. Have you heard their invitations yet? Perhaps you have, more or less, because…
Dear dharma brothers and sisters, Welcome to our first newsletter of the Temporary Monks and Nuns. We are trying something new this year. We hope this newsletter will be a source of inspiration and make a difference in your life. What is the spirit of…