An Cư Kiết Hạ
The Summer Retreat
I. Foreword:
The summer retreat is a method for Buddhist monks to practice during the three months in the summer. During this period, the Sangha gather at a pagoda or in an undisturbed forest to study Buddhism in solitude.
II. Reasons to practice the summer retreat:
1. Summer is a rainy season in India. It is also a time when many different kinds of insects give birth. Therefore, to avoid stepping on the insects, the Buddhist preachers stay inside throughoutthese summer months.
2. Besides preaching the religion, Buddhist monks must also practice Buddhism themselves. Especially when practicing meditation, Buddhist monks need a quiet place in order to fully achieve this goal. The Buddhist monks spend 9 months out of a year travelling to different places propagating and preaching Buddhism, and spend the other three months concentrating only on their studies.
3. The summer retreat provides an occasion for the Sangha to join at a quiet place to practicetogether and review their actions and behavior within the Buddhist regulations. It is a time of self-correction.
III. The meanings and benefits of the summer retreat:
1. Respect the lives of all beings: Everyone presently has only one life; therefore, one should not violate others' right to live (even that of a bacteria). Buddha sets up the Peaceful-Summer- Religious Life session to allow His followers to be aware of all beings and not overlook the chances of stepping on insects during the summer season.
2. Love His disciples: In loving His disciples, the Buddha helps them build up good deeds and wisdom by encouraging them to take advantage of the summer retreat to purely concentrate on their studies and practices.
3. Apply and Maintain the Precepts: Practicing Buddhism is the best way to truly understand and attain the enlightenment. Throughout the summer retreat, the Shangas strictly obey the precepts. Every behavior and action carried out must be in accordance to Buddha's teachings.
IV. The summer retreat: an occasion for the Buddhist monks to earn their religious age:
A person gains another "life" age on his birthday, while all Buddhist monks earn another "religious" age during the summer retreat. A Buddhist monk who has not attended any summer retreat is considered religiously ageless. Anyone who attends a summer retreat will earn one religious year of age, and so on. On the Veska day of every year (July 15th on Lunar calendar), the monks are determined to earn their religious age. Whoever attended many summer retreat will be presented the highest rank entitled as the Master of Dharma in the Shangas, and greatly respected by all. He also gains the right to accept disciples.
V. Conclusion:
According to Buddha's teachings, the Buddhist monk should live in the summer retreat every year. Even at the age of sixty, he still has to do so. This shows that Buddha greatly emphasizes the importance of a purified life and the maintaining of the precepts of His disc
Trung Thiện
1. Ðức Phật Di Lặc- Di Lac Buddha
2. Ngài Văn Thu Sư Lợi Bồ Tát- Superior wisdom Bodhisattva
3. Chùa Báo Quốc- Bao Quoc Pagoda
4. Chùa Thuyền Tôn - Thuyen Ton Pagoda
5. Lý Nhân Duyên Sanh- The Law of Causality
6. Lý Nhân Quả- The Law of Cause and Effect
8. Mười Ðiều Thiện - Ten Good Deeds
9. An Cư Kiết Hạ - The Summer Retreat
10. Năm Uẩn - The Five Aggregater(5 Skandhas)