Quang Minh's Buddhist Assembly (Dao Trang) is a group made up of the Buddhist laity who wish to deepen their Buddhist practice and cultivate a pure mind according to Buddhist practices. Quang Minh’s Assembly was first established in 1987 however was re-established again in 1998, after a number of years of non-activity, when the Abbot Thich Phuoc Tan was appointed by The Most Venerable Thich Phuoc Hue.
It is now made up of more than 200 people who participate in chanting and practicing Buddhism. The Venerable Thich Phuoc Tan, the Abbot of Quang Minh Temple is the Leader of the Assembly and the Venerable Thich Phuoc Thai is the Assistant Leader. The Assembly is divided into 5 groups and each group has one sub-leader and two assistant sub-leaders.
There is a retreat every weekend, alternating between Saturday and Sunday:
- Every second Sunday from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm
- Every other Saturday from 9.00 am until 9.00 am the next day
As the Saturday retreats extend overnight until Sunday morning, accommodation and food will be provided if the participant wishes to stay the night. There are no beds provided however thin mattress are available however please bring your own: sheets, blanket(s), pillow(s) and other necessities.
To participate it is highly recommended that a grey Buddhist garb and robe be worn at all times. If you do not have one there are spares that can be borrowed for the day or purchased from the general store in the office.
The five precepts constitute the basic code of ethics observed by Buddhists as outlined in the Pali Canon. As an assembly, we vow and recite to strictly follow these five precepts to refrain from:
- Killing: deliberately causing the death of any living being
- Stealing: intentionally taking the property of others
- Sexual misconduct: in particular adultery
- False speech: Lying, deceiving others, manipulating others, hurtful words, words that cause anger or argument
- Drinking alcohol and taking stupefying drugs which lead to a weakening of mindfulness and moral judgment
In additional to the five precepts, we also vow to abstain from:
- Indulging in luxurious settings for sleeping such as sleeping on a soft bed and including overindulging from over sleeping
- Indulging in decorative accessories such as wearing perfume and jewelry
- Indulging in unnecessary eating such as consuming snacks and food in between main meals
The ideals of these eight precepts are to assist with purifying the mind by becoming more aware of the things in life that promote over indulgence from bad habits and useless things and to assist in discarding them. The precepts on a fundamental level are easy to observe given all that is required is NOT to do them. Each precept tackles a very specific agenda and they are to be used as reference points in our daily lives to develop right and virtuous conduct.
Apart from the precepts, the Assembly also practices the Six Paramitas (Perfections) that comprises the training of a bodhisattva. This essence is captured in the sutras as "Compassion and kindness are the basis of Buddhism". The Six Paramitas are:
- Generosity
- Discipline
- Patience
- Diligence
- Meditative Concentration
- Wisdom
Our main activities are:
- Conducting and participating in Buddhist ritual in the Vietnamese way
- Chanting of the name of Amitabha Buddha with total concentration
- Chanting Sutras such as: The Heart Sutra, Amitabha Sutra, Lotus Sutra, The Forty Eight Vows Of the Lord Amitabha Buddha, The Vows Ksitigarbha Sutra and the Medicine Sutra in Vietnamese
- Sitting meditation and walking meditation
- Dharma talks are given by: Venerable Thich Phuoc Tan, Venerable Thich Phuoc Huu, Venerable Thich Phuoc Thai, Venerable Thich Minh Tu and Thich Phuoc Thien or other Venerable monks who are invited by the Abbot of the temple
- Having vegetarian food at lunch, dinner and breakfast (if you are staying at night)
- Celebrating birthday parties for all the members who were born in the same month
- Excursion retreats outside of the temple (two per year)
In practice of generosity, the Assembly also voluntarily support any fund raising activities hosted at the Temple. Therefore our members are also part of the Temple kitchen and cooking team and also partake in assisting with funeral services.
In addition to the weekly retreats, there are also 3 special retreats per year held in April, August and December called "Kết Ky Niệm Phật" - Commemorating the Buddha. These retreats are held over seven days. Besides the usual activities that include meditation, chanting and Dharma talks, the following activities are also observed:
- Candle lighting ceremonies
- Question and Answer (Q&A) sessions
- Amitabha Buddha Memorial Day (December retreat)
There is no fee or charge for any of the retreats however donations are appreciated as they assist in funding the retreats.
All are welcome to participate, Buddhist or non-Buddhist and whether or not you are already a participating member of this Assembly.