Category: News

“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 further out in spite of my effort to swim ashore. Exhausted, I thought I would die for sure. Just before passing out, I remembered what my mom taught me and could only think, “Please Kuan Yin, save me!” When I came to, I found myself lying on the beach, unharmed. At that time, I assumed I was just lucky, not thinking at all about spiritual cultivation. Besides, I didn’t know any Buddhist master to ask for guidance.

Then I came to the US and eventually got married. My wife often went to Master Hang Truong’s dharma lectures. She kept urging me to go with her. One day, I wanted to please her, so after taking our son to the dentist, I stopped by the place where Master was giving a lecture. Everyone was listening to Master attentively and appreciatively. However, it sounded all Greek to me. I couldn’t understand anything, but I stayed on.

Toward the end of the lecture, Khai Nghiem stood up to tell the story of dharma sister Lan Huong in OC. She was very ill, living alone, and in her condition, was unable to take care of her young child. So Khai Nghiem appealed to everyone to leave home temporarily and join the sangha to pray for her speedy recovery. At that moment, I looked at our son and thought, what would happen if I were in the same situation as Lan Huong? Suddenly my heart was filled with love for my wife and son, and also for Lan Huong, although I had never met her. I kept thinking about her situation. I tossed and turned all week long. Finally, I decided to ask my wife to let me become a temporary monk to pray for Lan Huong.

My wife was quite surprised, but very happy. After that, I had a talk with Master Hang Truong. I said, “Though I don’t understand your dharma lectures, I respectfully ask you to accept me to the sangha.” Master Hang Truong laughed and encouraged me. Since then, I’ve been closely connected with CSS, the Compassionate Service Society”

A story from dharma brother Thân Khai Thông Phát

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 others. This new group was formed by our Compassionate Service Society (CSS) this year to aid participants attain their goals of altruism and participate in our annual Altruistic Retreat to connect our network of affinity with the web of light of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas.

Head shaving is no longer perceived as an “exchange” for our prayers to come true, but instead a manifestation of the love for the people we volunteer to go to retreat and this love has touched the hearts of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas so much that they help us fulfill our wishes for our loved ones. Altruistic Retreat is not to sow seeds for future monk-hood or to achieve a supernatural state, but with each XGVT session we emphasize the importance of physical/ mental health & holistic spiritual cultivation. Experiencing a synergy of collective love in actions and words of our sangha members is the goal of our retreat. Gaining maturity through the entire spiritual spectrum, elevate our vision, recognize altruistic of a bodhisattva is to always bring peace and happiness to all living beings.

The XGVT retreat will guide cultivators in doing good deeds, developing skillful means in self- practice, as well as in helping others to better understand the dharma. Cultivators will also learn how to emanate the light of the Buddha nature to everyone so they can dispel darkness and suffering, especially during the pandemic. As the result, the XGVT Outreach group has been formed.

We fervently hope that you, your family, and friends will support our XGVT Outreach group and show your love and care to everyone in your communities and elsewhere. Anyone facing difficulties, obstacles in life or health and unable to participate in the XGVT sangha, provide empathy for them and the XGVT Outreach group will help them feel our love and Master Hang Truong’s compassion for them. Please help them feel supported on their spiritual, emotional, mental, and heart opening journey. Helping those that need it believe that their limitless power of love will touch the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, and eventually their situation will improve and allow them to participate in the XGVT sangha.

PLEASE JOIN OUR NEWLY FORMED XGVT OUTREACH GROUP AND HELP US ACHIEVE OUR MISSION TO SUPPORT THE 2022 XGVT.

With deep gratitude,

The XGVT Outreach Group.

Hello everyone!

We are 6 months away from the World Peace Gathering in December. The Mandala will be particularly dedicated for the 3.9M global deceased of COVID-19. With such a tremendous loss, we believe in the synergy of gathering all your sincere heart and mind to bring healing to the world.

We need you, a lot of you, Thousands of you with your sincerity and deep meditative strength. To be ready, join us every Saturday morning (starting on July 3rd, 2021) from 8:00 am to 9:00 am PST to cultivate the 4 Lotuses, the core practice of this year’s human Mandala.

You want to give more? Yes, you can! Join the core of the Mandala through the Altruistic Home-Leaving retreat. It is a 12-day commitment in being a full-ordained novice Buddhist monk/nun. Trainings will be announced to learn the virtuous monastic lifestyle.

We wish the most successful Mandala – bringing peace and healing to the world.