Download - The Mindfulness Bell
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may 2008 VIETNAM<br />
This was a promise that I<br />
made to Papa before his death<br />
— that some day I would<br />
return home to his beloved<br />
village of La Chu, to visit his<br />
ancestors’ tombstones.<br />
our smiles. Outside of the hotel, the streets are crowded with people<br />
going to work. <strong>The</strong> sound of silence is mixing with the sound of<br />
cars and motorcycles to become an orchestra of real life.<br />
After breakfast is the Dharma talk. Imagine a big room filled<br />
with hundreds of people and it’s quiet except for Thay’s voice. His<br />
voice is gentle, yet his message and his mission for peace are very<br />
powerful: “With deep listening and loving speech, we can transform<br />
our suffering. Peace in ourselves, peace in the world.”<br />
Last night Lauren woke me up to say: “I love Hanoi, I enjoy<br />
Vietnam so much. Thank you, Mommy.” At that moment, I knew<br />
deep inside my heart that I’ve made a good decision — for both<br />
of us to return to our roots, to our ancestors, and to discover<br />
Vietnam together. We are very grateful to be here and to receive<br />
the beautiful teachings of love and compassion from Thay with<br />
many of our friends.<br />
12 May — Friendliness to Foreigners<br />
<strong>The</strong> retreat ended, leaving a great impression on me and many<br />
others — looking at this gentle monk in his eighties who puts out<br />
so much energy for mankind with one simple wish: that the world<br />
be a better place to live for all beings.<br />
Today is the beginning of the UN celebration of Vesak, the<br />
Buddha’s birthday. <strong>The</strong> theme this year is “Buddhist Contributions<br />
to Building a Just, Democratic and Civilized Society.”<br />
Yesterday Lauren, Karen, and I went to the One Pillar Pagoda,<br />
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Temple of Literature. Again, we<br />
went to our favorite Indian restaurant. We also had a chance to<br />
have ao dai [the traditional long silk tunic] made at the tailor shop;<br />
they are going to be so beautiful!<br />
Despite the crowds and noise, Lauren and I embrace Vietnam<br />
with the connection to our ancestors. This trip has made me appreciate<br />
even more the old values and virtues of Confucius. I still<br />
see the happiness of the people, and the friendliness they offer to<br />
foreigners, even Americans. Life is difficult for most of the people<br />
here, but they accept and find peace in their lives.<br />
16 May — Wholesome Seeds of<br />
Compassion and Peace<br />
Today is the conclusion of the United Nations Day of Vesak<br />
Celebration 2008. <strong>The</strong> last three days have been so amazing.<br />
Being here helped to water and cultivate the wholesome seeds<br />
of compassion and peace in me. Many representatives and guest<br />
speakers from over sixty countries came together for one purpose<br />
— to promote peace in the world. We are united as one to bring<br />
happiness and love to all beings on this Earth.<br />
I feel so blessed to witness such a sacred event. This is the first<br />
time for Vietnam to host this special event, and the organization<br />
did a wonderful job. Every meal, we were served with a banquet<br />
of delicious foods, desserts, and fresh fruits. <strong>The</strong> entertainments<br />
were excellent — a combination of old and new — from traditional<br />
music and songs to modern dance.<br />
Tomorrow we go to the Avalokiteshvara Cave, Chua Huong<br />
and then to Ha Long Bay for two days.<br />
14 Winter/Spring 2009