Download - The Mindfulness Bell

may 2008 VIETNAM
and successes during Dharma discussion groups. The tents that
we slept in became soaked but it didn’t dampen our spirits. We
just rolled up our sleeping mats and joined the snoring choruses
of the “young at heart” participants in the main meditation hall.
In fact, the hard floor, lack of sleep (because it was colder than
expected so some of us could not get good sleep) actually made
our memories of the joy and peace in newly found friendship even
more memorable!
Retreat for the Young People of Hanoi
Continuing their tour to the north, Thay and the Plum Village
delegation held another four-day retreat for the young people of
Hanoi, at Bang Temple, Hoang Mai province. Bang Temple was
still under construction when over a thousand people crammed
into its grounds, overtaxing its already limited accommodation
and sanitary facilities. I was particularly moved to see elderly
women bent over from their hard laboured life as well as young
people from well-to-do families determined to receive the Dharma
Thay spoke lovingly to the
young people about having
ideals and purpose in life.
so much that again, the wet weather, hard floors, simple meals did
not deter them from fully participating in the mindful practices.
My Dad, who only attended the last session and lunch, was
moved to tears by the collective energy of the four-fold Sangha
eating mindfully. The walking meditation through the narrow local
streets brought curious faces to the doors, preschool children
offering their joined palms in respect and bright smiles as the river
of Sangha flowed past, silent and reverent.
A highlight of this retreat was the session between young
people and young monastics of Western and Vietnamese background.
There was lively singing that accompanied eager questions
about monastic life and faith. These questions illustrated the young
people’s collective responsibility through concerns about their future
as a generation facing the challenge of living in a society with
increasing materialism and consumerism, corroding morality, and
where Buddhism is a religion rather than a way of life and practice.
The question-and-answer session with Thay was also dominated
by questions from young retreatants about monastic aspirations
and how to deal with the tribulations of romantic love.
Busy Hotel to Tranquil Monastery
There couldn’t be more of a contrast between the last two
retreats and the twelve-day retreat titled “Engaged Buddhism for
the Twenty-First Century” held at the Kim Lien Hotel in central
Hanoi. This included the UN Day of Vesak 2008 and a three-day
conference on the theme “Buddhist Contributions to Building a
Just, Democratic and Civil Society.”
12 Winter/Spring 2009
I went from a traditional incense-perfumed, spiritual environment
with austere facilities to a relatively affluent, Western, secular
hotel in downtown Hanoi. From sleeping on the floor and using
squat toilets to serviced beds in air-conditioned rooms — I realised
how attached I am to Western creature comforts! I am amazed at
how in both of these environments the mindful practices can create
wonderful and joyful energies, which confirms the universal
nature of the Buddha’s teachings.
I am blown away at how a few simple collective practices of
over four hundred participants from forty-one different countries
can transform a busy worldly hotel into a tranquil monastery (not
that there are any real differences in the ultimate sense!).
This retreat was special in that there was an ordination ceremony
for the Order of Interbeing with over fifty people committing
themselves to living the Fourteen Precepts, and close to one
hundred taking refuge in the Three Jewels and Five Mindfulness
Trainings.
After a week of solid practice one young person felt glad to
call the hotel “home” after spending a day out in the hectic streets
of Hanoi. Other under-thirty-five-year-old participants reported
that their discussion groups provided an open, safe, and honest
context where young monastics were accessible to lay friends, and
together we listened and shared deeply our inner suffering, challenges,
and experiences in living the Buddhist teachings. These
were precious moments where we felt connected and supported
to express ourselves; we could practice being the change we want
to see in our lives and relationships with others.
The whole Sangha really flowed and practiced as one body
as we did walking meditation around the beautiful Hoan Kiem
(Returning Sword) Lake. Physically we must have looked quite
impressive, all wearing the uniform grey robes or brown of the
monastics, walking with each step contemplating the gatha: “Life
is every step. Healing is every step. Miracle. Freedom.”
We ate together in silence and stayed within the hotel compound
to preserve the wonderful collective energy, which was
contagious as the hotel staff reciprocated our calm and respectful
manners.
In his Dharma talks Thay warmly and humourously talked
about the Four Noble Truths, Seven Factors of Enlightenment,
Four Practices of True Diligence, and Three Doors Liberation. His
presentation was always captivating, down to earth, and relevant to
the current times, so that we could see daily applications.
Equipped with a week’s solid practice and new-found friendship
and connectedness we attended the UN Day of Vesak 2008
with a strong and wonderful collective energy that moved and
inspired other conference participants.
May all find a Sangha and flow as a river of clarity
and freshness.
Loan To Phan, Tam Tu Hoa (Loving Harmony of the Heart), lives
with her parents in Brisbane, Australia. She practices with the
Solid and Free Sangha (Vung Chai Thanh Thoi) while working as
a psychologist in a mental health service.