The "mind's eyes" of blind Buddhists shines when they arrive at the pagoda
In everyone's life, we all hope to have a healthy body, but fate seems to have smiled less favorably on blind individuals. Despite their partial physical impairments and the myriad of difficulties they face in their daily lives, the fifteen blind Buddhists who attended the Retreat at Dai Tung Lam Hoa Sen Pagoda in November 2022 held a deep belief in the Three Jewels, had a desire to learn Buddhism, and practiced the Buddha's teachings.
The predestined group of blind Buddhists participate in the Retreat at the end of November 2022 at Dai Tung Lam Hoa Sen ashram
The group of blind Buddhists were in difficult circumstances in Saigon and had to wander around selling lottery tickets, matches, candies, and the like every day. It seemed like darkness had enveloped all the alleys on their path to learn Buddhism. However, a compassionate hand held a light to guide blind individuals to find a refuge in Buddhism to study, understand, practice the Dharma, and ease the remaining unhappiness, darkness, pain, and suffering in their lives.
Despite having impairments in one of the six senses, blind Buddhists still try their best to practice Buddhism diligently at the pagoda
Dieu Nuong, a Buddhist from Ho Chi Minh City, who has been practicing for over 25 years, is the person who created the opportunity for blind individuals to come to the Dai Tung Lam Hoa Sen Pagoda to study the Pure Land teachings. "I have been to many pagodas and attended many retreats, but I found the peace that I have been longing for when I came to practice at Dai Tung Lam Hoa Sen. When we experience sadness, pain, and misfortune in life, we need a kind teacher and supportive friends to guide us, and therefore, blind individuals truly need the karmic relationship to learn Buddhism and listen to the Dharma to liberate themselves from suffering".
Blind people recite Buddha's name - Their "Light" harmonizes with the light of Amitabha Buddha
The Buddha taught, "The human body is difficult to obtain, and the Dharma is difficult to hear." For Buddhists, the greatest happiness in life is to see the light of the Buddha's teachings. Those who see the Dharma have a path to follow, and those who follow that path can return to a truly happy and fulfilling life.
Living in the Dharma-ending age, those who are fortunate enough to have all their senses, with bright eyes and a pile of scriptures before them, are not necessarily endowed with the necessary spiritual affinity, nor are they willing to spend time reading the precious words of the Enlightened One, let alone go to a temple to practice Buddhism and recite the Buddha.
In the Buddha's land at Dai Tung Lam Hoa Sen, blind Buddhist followers maintain a deep faith in the Three Jewels
Today, encountering true Buddhist teachings is not easy due to good karma, blessings, and spiritual affinity. However, now blind people have come to Dai Tung Lam Hoa Sen to practice Buddhism in harmony with other ordinary Buddhist followers. Could this be a great blessing and spiritual affinity beyond measure?
Although the eyes of blind Buddhist followers may not be clear, their "mind's eyes" have long been enlightened within the mind of a Buddhist. They are not sure if their good karma has been purified, but they have firm faith in the Three Jewels.
Despite their visual impairments, they still use their other five senses for cultivation. Their ears listen to sutras and teachings; their noses smell the fragrant scent of the Three Learnings: Discipline, Concentration, and Wisdom; their mouths speak kind and loving words; their bodies create benefits for themselves and others; and their minds discern and contemplate their own deluded and wandering thoughts, not allowing the six senses to dominate them, gradually walking the path of the Eightfold Noble Path, and then seeking the truth of liberation.
The path to the light of Buddhist teachings for blind people has opened up when they come to practice in the pagoda
Participating in retreats at the pagoda, blind Buddhist followers may not be able to fully practice all the Dharma like healthy and able-bodied Buddhist followers. However, they are always diligent and meticulous in reciting the Buddha's name and maintaining their faith in the Right Dharma, to "cultivate virtues" on their path to liberation, enlightenment, and to seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land when this current life ends.
Although they have not yet fully purified their good karma, every Buddhist follower recites the Buddha with complete faith and sincere aspiration
When Buddhists contemplate, they not only think about the present moment, but also recite the Buddha Amitabha and his virtuous deeds, and strive to practice according to the teachings of Buddhism to attain inner peace. Truong Ngoc An, a visually impaired Buddhist from Ho Chi Minh City, expressed his joy after participating in a retreat, saying: "Before this, I only listened to sutras and teachings online and through a fellow Buddhist sister because I was afraid to go to the pagoda and burden others due to my disability. Today is the first time I have come to Dai Tung Lam Hoa Sen to practice, to hear the sound of Buddha's name and recite it, to hear the sound of the Dharma, and to feel the solemnity and sacredness of the temple. I am truly grateful."
Blind Buddhist Truong Ngoc An (from Ho Chi Minh) feels peace and joy when practicing at Dai Tung Lam Hoa Sen
With the mission of spreading the Dharma in the spirit of compassion, wisdom, and creating good karma for visually impaired Buddhists, the Friendship Committee of Dai Tung Lam Hoa Sen Pogoda hopes that even though the light of the eyes of the visually impaired may be obscured, the light of wisdom of the Buddhist followers will not be. After the retreat, it is hoped that the light of Buddhism has entered into the hearts of the participants to inspire them to illuminate themselves and others. May you deepen your faith in the Three Jewels, be steadfast in your Buddhist practice, and transform your mind and karma for a brighter future.
Please recite:
NAMO AMITABHA!
