Interview Questions
from Lay-friends
Interview Questions
from Lay-friends
Interview Questions
from Lay-friends
Interview Questions
from Lay-friends
“Let go of the past, let go of the future, let go of the present, and cross over to the farther shore of existence. With mind wholly liberated, you shall come no more to birth and death.”
~ The Buddha, Translated from the Pali by Acharya Buddharakkhita,
(Chapter: Craving, Dhammapada verse 348)
"Buông đi quá, hiện, vị lai, **
Vượt qua, tới được cõi ngoài, bờ kia;
Ý, tâm giải thoát mọi bề,
Không còn vướng mắc, chẳng hề tử sinh."
~ Lời Phật Dạy, Dịch Giả: Cố Hoà Thượng Thích Minh Châu, từ bản chữ Pali,
(Phẩm: Tham Ái, Kinh Pháp Cú - 348)
** Lời Phật đáp một nhà tu Đạo khác hỏi Phật tu theo Đạo nào, thầy là ai
Newsletter #3: November 2021
Dear Friends!
There are changes all around us! - the weather, the time change, the color of the leaves, the crispness of the air, the spicy sweet scents of Fall. As we transition to a new season and let go of Summer, it’s a good reminder that Life is impermanent and change is the only constant.
Our newest wisdom blog about the Third Noble Truth discusses this very idea and gives us hope that peace and tranquility of the mind can be attained.
The Third Noble Truth
The End of Suffering (Nirodha Dukkha)
We are also excited to share our latest obsession - Zen Koans!
Merriam-Webster Definition: “A paradox to be meditated upon that is used to train Zen Buddhist monks to abandon ultimate dependence on reason.”
The Koans can be a story, question, dialogue, or statement that helps Buddhists and those who meditate to doubt what they currently know and unravel the greater truths of the world. Although Koans are generally associated with Zen Buddhism, the stories are shared across Buddhist traditions.
Here’s a great Ted ED video that explains further:
Zen kōans: Unsolvable enigmas designed to break your brain - Puqun Li
We love puzzles and we love to teach through storytelling. This has been a fun and educational project for us both. We have compiled several of these Koans on our website. We plan to highlight and discuss a few of our favorites and the ones that currently resonate the most with us.
Which ones are your favorites?
Noble Truths
You can find our continuing in-depth educational series about the Noble Truths below:
The First Noble Truth
The Second Noble Truth, Part I
The Second Noble Truth, Part II
The Twelve Links of Dependent Origination
We also published a translation of “BỐN ĐIỀU PHẬT KHÔNG LÀM ĐƯỢC” or "Four things Buddha Cannot Do” - This simple conversation between the Buddha and a disciple explains our responsibilities as individuals due to the nature of Cause and Effect, Wisdom, and Karmic connection.
Wisdom Blogs
For those of you who would like an introduction to the Teachings of Buddha, please check out our Life of Buddha series.
Stay Connected
Consider connecting with us on Facebook and giving us a “Like” on our new Facebook page.
We pray that you continue to reside in tranquility, awareness, being in the Present Moment, and accepting the things that are happening around the world.
If you no longer wish to receive the monthly newsletter, please reply to this email with the word, “Unsubscribe.” Thank you!
About the authors:
Phuong Pham is the creator of this website. In 2019, Phuong transitioned to become a Buddhist nun and transformed her home into Thong Tri Temple in Santa Clara, California. Her Buddhist name is Lien Hanh. You can read more about Phuong’s story on our Profiles page.
Christina Shon is the content editor of this website. She also creates content along with Phuong. Christina is a former high school English teacher, program coordinator in an Education non-profit, and program manager in Higher Education. She currently lives in Timnath, Colorado and serves as the learning coach and virtual classroom companion for her 8 year old nephew.
