Venerable Thich Tue An and Venerable Thich Tam Chanh presented a gift donation to Ms. Judy Dede at Saint Vincent De Paul center

On this December 10, 2011, a brisk, sunny, and yet shiveringly cold morning, a group of 15 volunteers arrived at the door of Saint Vincent De Paul at 10:00AM. After completing the usual check-in process, Venerable Thich Tue An and Venerable Thich Tam Chanh presented  a gift donation to Ms. Judy DeDe, Manager at the center.

Activity Buddhist Dai Dang monastery in the heart of Saint Vincent De Paul Charity

Saturday, November 5, 2011, was a bright, sunny yet cold and brisk morning. Who could ever think this morning turned out to be a beautiful day especially after a threatening thunder, battering wind and seemingly unending rain soaking and blanketing the area the day before.

Buddha's Zen

Buddha said: "I consider the positions of kings and rulers as that of dust motes. I observe treasures of gold and gems as so many bricks and pebbles. I look upon the finest silken robes as tattered rags.

The silent temple

Shoichi was a one-eyed teacher of Zen, sparkling with enlightenment. He taught his disciples in Tofuku temple. Day and night the whole temple stood in silence. There was no sound at all.

Tosui's vinegar

Tosui was the Zen master who left the formalism of temples to live under a bridge with beggars. When he was getting very old, a friend helped him to earn his living without begging. He showed Tosui how to collect rice and manufacture vinegar from it, and Tosui did this until he passed away.

Non-Attachment

Kitano Gempo, abbot of Eihei temple, was ninety-two years old when he passed away in the year 1933. He endeavored his whole life not to be attached to anything. As a wandering mendicant when he was twenty he happened to meet a traveler who smoked tobacco.

Teaching the ultimate

The blind man started off with the lantern and before he had walked very far someone ran squarely into him. "Look out where you are going!" he exclaimed to the stranger. "Can't you see this lantern?"

A drop of water

A Zen master named Gisan asked a young student to bring him a pail of water to cool his bath. The student brought the water and, after cooling the bath, threw on to the ground the little that was left over.

A letter to a Dying Man

"The essence of your mind is not born, so it will never die. It is not an existance, which is perishable. It is not an emptiness, which is a mere void. It has neither color nor form. It enjoys no pleasures and suffers no pains.

Midnight excursion

Sengai, inspecting the dormitory quarters, found this pupil missing one night and also discovered the high stool he had used to scale the wall. Sengai removed the stool and stood there in its place.

Storyteller's Zen

One day Encho met Yamaoka Tesshu, a layman who had almost embraced masterhood of Zen. "I understand," said Yamaoka, "you ar the best storyteller in out land and that you make people cry or laugh at will.