The sharing focuses on the system of practice of y chi su (spiritual mentor), y chi de (spiritual younger brother), and y chi muoi (spiritual younger sister) within the Sangha, with the purpose of building brotherhood and sisterhood, transmitting the practice, and supporting each other. Each Dharma teacher describes their own way of organizing, the time for weekly meetings, forms of activities (brewing tea, eating cakes, writing sharing articles, Q&A), topics for mindfulness contemplation and walking meditation, as well as how to observe and listen to each individual in order to support the transformation of monastics. The community is encouraged to learn from one another and to inherit the spirit of “the elder guiding the younger” as in the original tradition of the early Sangha.

List of the number of y chi muoi/y chi de and some main features of the teachers’ activities:

1. Sister Linh Nghiem: 7 y chi muoi, often asks about the practice needs of the younger sisters, brews Thai tea and encourages sharing of difficulties and weekly experiences
2. Sister Chan Duc: 7 y chi muoi, mostly Westerners, mainly uses exercises from the Deer Park Rains Retreat, meets individually when needed and adjusts skillful means
3. Sister Dinh Nghiem: 6 y chi muoi, lets the group decide their own program, often sits together, reads and writes articles for each other, builds sisterhood through written exchanges
4. Sister Kinh Nghiem: 3 y chi muoi (ages 20–50), meets not on a fixed schedule but in the afternoon when free, sits together drinking tea, creates a family-like atmosphere among sisters
5. Sister Dieu Nghiem: 8 (later reduced to 7) y chi muoi, communicates mainly in English, interacts 7 days a week, asks at the beginning of the season about practice goals, changes mentees so the sisters have diverse exposure
6. Sister Doan Nghiem: 7 y chi muoi, declined 1 person, emphasizes honesty and authenticity, avoids formality, shares topics of mindfulness contemplation, prepares tea and cakes, and keeps the time seriously
7. Brother Phap Dang (Phap Van): each y chi su has a maximum of 6 members (4 y chi de, 1 y chi su, 1 assistant), meets Wednesday evenings, sequentially reflects on monastic life, sitting meditation, walking meditation, and how to interact with sisters
8. Sister (Cambodia): 2 groups, 5 novice aspirants meet Friday and Monday noon, 5 ordained members practice together with Brother Phap Don, introduce weekly topics, guide on monastic deportment, meditation cushions, and shamatha/vipashyana meditation
9. The whole community: all practitioners are encouraged to become y chi for someone younger, to rely on each other like a herd of buffalo crossing a river, recognizing the strength that grows from the community of the Sangha throughout the retreat.

The seed of the prodigal child—sadness and self-pity—is present in each person, often transmitted through many generations. When that seed arises, the thought of wanting to leave home, leave the country, leave the sangha, or leave the community is very normal and should not be blamed. I have gone through such periods many times, including times when I wanted to leave the country forever because of jealousy and opposition, but thanks to the love of my root teacher and the practice, the seed of self-pity was gradually transformed.

• The short story of the blind young woman and the young scholar is based on the following images:
  • open the book to page 12
  • take three breaths (in – out – in – out – in – out)
  • two pearls appear under the pillow
  • rub the two pearls on the eyes to restore sight
  • the miracle only happens when the young woman cannot see the young scholar
  • each time she meets him, the two pearls are lost again
  • the young scholar must go into exile to preserve the young woman’s sight

The 1964 poem titled Humbly Bowing to Return fully depicts the state of the naive young man:

• two hands symbolize love, heart, mind, and life
• many times have shed blood on the scale of love
• wish to return them and pray they are not crushed
• love that does not calculate, falling on wild grass graves as well as on burning roses
• the old wound is not yet healed but still returns like a gentle surrender

I emphasize that the practice and care of the “prodigal child seeds” in each person is the key to preserving happiness and brotherhood, regardless of any difficulties, jealousy, or opposition around us.