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Practicing True, Not Pretending
The winter retreat brings together the three hamlets—Phap Van, Cam Lo, and Tu Nghiem—with the ceremony of entering the retreat (An Cu) conducted entirely in English, including:
- Incense Offering
- Prostrations
- Recitation of the Buddha’s name
- Chanting the Heart Sutra
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Formal Sangha procedures (Tác pháp yết ma)
All the monks and nuns are required to memorize and practice the sutras in English in order to be able to share the Dharma abroad, while still maintaining a solid foundation in the basic sutras in Vietnamese, especially for Western sisters and brothers. This winter, there is a compulsory French conversation class (with two levels: beginners and intermediate) and an optional Chinese class. Brother Phap Hien trains in English chanting at Maple Forest Monastery, and all three hamlets of Plum Village practice chanting in English (at minimum, in French), while Deer Park Monastery studies both English and Vietnamese chanting, reflecting the harmony between Vietnamese tradition and linguistic adaptation.
Practice is a two-way relationship between elder brothers, elder sisters, younger siblings, and the Sangha, where each person is both a refuge and is being supported. A vivid example is Sister Tin Nghiem serving as attendant to Thay with mindfulness throughout the morning, generating energy of peace for both. Just 24 hours of solidity, or even 15 minutes of skillful practice, is enough to build trust in the Sangha, family, lineage, and society. Breathing in not only brings in oxygen, but also transmits the energy of ease; prostrating with five points touching the earth (the five-point prostration) is to fully merge oneself with the energy of the Buddha or Bodhisattvas, such as Avalokiteshvara, Manjushri, Samantabhadra, who are present right in the community. Each breath, each step, each moment of practice is a priceless gift to nourish ourselves and our spiritual family.