The Pure-and-Fragrant-Spring Pilgrimage
to North and Central Vietnam
Oct 26 - Nov. 5, 2018
Chuyến hành hương "Giếng Nước Thơm Trong" đến miền Bắc và Trung Việt Nam
Online Registration for the trip is available
June 2018,
Dear Friends,
As Thầy's disciples, we learn his teachings from reading his books, joining retreats and practicing with the Sangha. The manifestation of Thầy depends on many conditions such as the geographic, political, and cultural environment. Have you ever wondered how much we know about Thầy's history, where Thầy grew up, how Thầy contributed to the social work services, how his homeland and the Buddhism lineage influenced Thầy?
Thay and the monastics participated in an alms round at Tu Hieu temple in Hue in his first return trip to Vietnam in
The AIAB Plum Village HK is happy to announce that the monastic sangha is arranging a trip to Vietnam with core sangha members from Oct 26 to Nov 5, 2018. We may describe this trip as a "Heartfelt" instead of just "Sight-seeing." During this trip, we will have a chance to visit places related to Thầy's biological and spiritual lineage. These include the Well that Thầy drank from after he searched for the Hermit in the Na Mountain; the village school in Quang Tri that long-time members of Order of Interbeing and social workers provided education and social services to the villagers, the Root Temple and much more. We also have a chance to listen to stories from long-time OI members and retired social workers that worked together with Thầy
Dau Pagoda in Bac Ninh, where Kang Senghui, the first Zen Patriarch of Vietnam and China ordained and practiced in the early 3rd century AD. Thay genetic lineage came from this area.
Five monastic brothers and sisters from AIAB will accompany the group for the whole trip. Four brothers and sisters from Huế and three long-time OI members will join from Hanoi to Danang.
Besides the above, this trip serves a purpose of building lay Sangha in Asia-Pacific region. This trip acontinuation of the annual trip that the HK Sangha made to Prajna monastery in 2006, 2007 and 2008.
We would like to invite you to arrange your time and also to start planning the trip once you inspire to join. Some reading materials will be provided to deepen the picture of the trip in a later stage.
Let's work hand-in-hand to make this very first Pilgrim Trip to Vietnam possible, "we have arrived in Vietnam, Vietnam is not somewhere there."
Trang An Landscape at Ninh Binh
Tentative Itinerary
· Oct 26 - Friday: Arrive Hanoi with Welcome Dinner
· Oct 27 - Saturday: Sightseeing in Hanoi City & Local Sangha Gathering
· Oct 28 - Sunday: Practice Day @ Dau Pagoda (Phap Van Pagoda), where Master Tang Hoi (Kang Senghui) ordained and practiced. Plum Village follows Master Tang Hoi’s teachings.
· Oct 29 – Monday: Take Bus to visit Trang An Landscape, Ninh Binh (the world’s heritage site). Enjoy boating, cycling. Depart for Thanh Hoa
· Oct 30 - Tuesday: Visit Nui Na (The mountain that Thay went to find the hermit and had his first spiritual experience as a child. Meet Wake-Up members. Depart for Quang Tri
· Oct 31 – Wednesday: Visit Quang Tri. Visit school founded by Thay, gathering with teachers and social workers. Depart for Hue
· Nov 1 – Thursday: Visit Dieu Tram nunnery (next to Tu Hieu Temple), activities with monastics
· Nov 2 – Friday Visit Tu Hieu Temple and Thay’s home (the temple Thay stayed one night before moving into Tu Hieu Temple)
· Nov 3 - Saturday: Depart for Da Nang. Visit Old Town Hoi An and Thu Bon River.
· Nov 4 – Sunday: Activities in Da Nang
· Nov 5 - Monday: Return HK from Da Nang
Cost
· For the whole ten days: USD1,200.00 per person including all local expenses.
· For 5-day option (Oct. 26 – Oct. 31 or Oct. 31 – Nov. 5): USD600.00
Return flights to home countries are from Danang. All segments consist of a visit to Tu Hieu Temple, Thay’s Root Temple.
In/Outbound tickets are excluded (For reference, cost of HK/Hanoi & Danang/HK tickets will be under USD200 if booked in advance)
Covered bridge in Old Town Hoi An, Central Vietnam
Number of lay participants: Maximum (40), minimum (20).
Contacts
Since seats are limited; we would like to have your reply at your earliest convenience to Sr. Pho Da at lotus.nuns@plumvillageasia.org
Some notes about Thay’s life that connected to the trip:
· Dau Pagoda, Bac Ninh: Master Tang Hoi (Kang Senghui)’s root temple. Tang Hoi taught meditation using the Discourse on Full Awareness of Breathing in the early 3rd Century. He later went to Nanjing in 247 to spread the Dharma there. Thay’s genetic ancestors were from Bac Ninh.
· Ninh Binh province: Thay held retreats and activities there during his 2nd return trip to Viet Nam in 2007.
· Na Mountain, the natural well: Thay, as a young boy, drank from the well and had a good rest after an unsuccessful search for the hermit on the mountain.
· Tu Hieu Temple, Hue: Where Thay was ordained as a novice monk at the age of 16 (year 1942).
· Hoi An and Thu Bon River: Thay, Sr. Chan Khong and young volunteers from Saigon went on a rescued mission after the big flood of 1964 in Central Vietnam.
· Village School in Quang Tri: Set up as one of many Village schools by the social workers of the School for Youth of Social Services in the 1960s.
Sr. Chan Khong and friends visited the well in March 2018
Trip organized by
Asian Institute of Applied Buddhism, Plum Village Hong Kong
Ngong Ping, Lantau Island, Hong Kong SAR
Web: pvfhk.org, E-mail: aiab@pvfhk.org