WORKSHOP "LOTUS OF THE AWAKENED HEART – PEACE WITHIN, PROSPERITY WITHIN THE FAMILY" WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF VENERABLE THICH DONG CHON
On the afternoon of June 28, 2025, within the artistic space of Diệu Tướng Am, devoted Buddhists and families gathered to listen to profound reflections shared by Venerable Thich Dong Chon - Member of the Central Missionary Communication & Technology Application Sub-Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, on filial devotion, family bonds, and the practice of being fully present in every breath.
Amid the busyness of everyday life, family bonds often become something we feel grateful for in silence, yet rarely put into words. ...
Understanding this deeply, Diệu Tướng Am warmly hosted the Workshop "LOTUS OF THE AWAKENED HEART – PEACE WITHIN, PROSPERITY WITHIN THE FAMILY" as an invitation – inviting you and your family to pause together, to listen, to connect, and to share your very best with one another. For
There are moments…
when just a word spoken aloud,
or an embrace freely given,
is enough to fill the heart with peace and joy.
And on the afternoon of June 28, at Diệu Tướng Am, we shared just such an afternoon. Within a serene artistic space at the heart of the city, devoted Buddhists and families listened together to profound reflections shared by Venerable Thich Dong Chon - Member of the Central Missionary Communication & Technology Application Sub-Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, on filial devotion, family bonds, and the practice of being fully present in every breath.
"A heart of filial piety is the heart of the Buddha; the conduct of filial piety is the conduct of the Buddha." In Buddhism, there is no path to enlightenment that lacks filial devotion. For family is not only where we are born, but also where we learn what it means to love, to be grateful, to be patient, and to understand one another. When we return to our families with complete presence – with a caring word, a sincere embrace, or even simply a shared silence rooted in love – that is when the awakened heart grows from life's most ordinary moments. Thus, filial devotion does not dwell on some lofty height; it lives in every small act, practiced day by day.
After the Dharma talk, each participant quietly folded a lotus petal, wrote down a word never spoken before, and personally presented the flower basket to their most beloved family member. Each lotus petal was folded with gratitude, each small line written from an unspoken heart… and the flowers themselves were offered as a gentle act of repentance, a heartfelt word of thanks…
The Workshop "Lotus of the Awakened Heart – Peace Within, Prosperity Within the Family" has drawn to a close – yet its echo lingers in every heart, a gentle stillness, an afternoon that brought so much peace and joy. Diệu Tướng Am wishes to extend heartfelt gratitude to Venerable Thich Dong Chon, and to all the devoted Buddhists and families who came together to create this precious dharma connection filled with love and mindfulness.
May it be so: the lotus flower will fade, but love – will remain forever.
