On Sunday May
26, 2002, Wesak aka Buddha's Birthday, there
was a service at noon at our temple presiding by Upasika Nghiêm-Ngoc Nguyên
Thi My Hông, aided by Upasika Chúc-Trâm Võ Thi Cài playing the bell and
Upasika Châu-Ngoc Lê Hoa Nhuy beating the motak. The Câu An
service from the Khánh Ðan liturgie was for peace and harmony, also
commemorating the Buddha's Birthday (the whole fourth lunar month). There
were 146 participants.
Tröa Chuû-nhaät 26 thaùng 5 naêm 2002, nhaèm ngaøy Phaät-Ñaûn Raèm thaùng Tö naêm Nhaâm Ngoï, Hoäi ñaõ toå chöùc Nghi-thöùc Caàu An Khaùnh Ñaûn taïi chaùnh ñieän chuøa Haûi-Ñöùc döôùi söï chuû leã cuûa ÑH Nghieâm-Ngoïc Nguyeãn Thò Myõ Hoàng, vôùi ÑH Chuùc-Traâm Voõ Thò Caøi duy na, vaø ÑH Chaâu-Ngoïc Leâ Hoa Nhuïy duyeät chuùng. Ñaïi chuùng coù 146 ngöôøi.
Before the service, from 10 am, many members have arrived, many for the preparation and cooking, but the Hai-Ðúc Youth group has also been present for their activities. The Sunday School stared at 11 am with Upasaka Minh-Quang Nguyên Lê Ðúc explaining the 3rd Lesson of the 2nd Class of Popular Buddhism "Impermanence" with a high attendance, especially of Buddhist Youth members. We saw in the kitchen Upasika Nghiêm-Ngoc Nguyên Thi My Hông, head cook, with other Upasikas Bùi Thi Chuong, Hô Thi Ðê, Nguyên Thi Kim Hang, Nguyên Thi Khâm, Võ Thi Cài, Nguyên Thi Tu, Nguyên Thi Nghiêm Lê, Yên My Pham Vogt, Cân Stone. Upasika Bùi Thi Chuong offered the hard jellies (xu xoa) and sweet mung bean relish (chè ðâu xanh), Upasika Lê Hoa Nhuy offered the sticky rice (xôi) and cut flowers, Upasika Bùi Thi Hiêp offered cut flowers for the altars, as did Upasaka Lê Ðình Yên Phú, Upasika Nguyên Thi My Hông offered oranges, grape, grapefruits. Our blessings to all of them for their good deeds.
Töø 10 giôø saùng, nhieàu vò ñaõ ñeán doïn deïp vaø söûa soaïn naáu aên, vaø caùc em ñoaøn sinh cuõng nhö Huynh tröôûng Gia-ñình Phaät-töû Haûi-Ñöùc cuõng ñeán sôùm ñeå sinh hoaït. Lôùp Phaät Hoïc Phoå Thoâng khoùa Hai tieáp tuïc hoài 11 giôø saùng döôùi söï höôùng daãn cuûa ÑH Minh-Quang Nguyeãn Leâ Ñöùc vôùi baøi thöù Ba "Voâ Thöôøng" coù raát ñoâng hoïc vieân, nhaát laø ñoaøn sinh Gia Ñình Phaät Töû. Chuùng toâi nhaän thaáy trong beáp, ngoaøi ÑH Nghieâm-Ngoïc Nguyeãn Thò Myõ Hoàng (baø Quyø), Tröôûng Ban Trai Soaïn, coøn coù quyù baø ÑH Buøi Thò Chöông, Hoà Thò Ñeâ, Nguyeãn Thò Kim Haèng, Nguyeãn Thò Khaâm, Voõ Thò Caøi, Nguyeãn Thò Töï, Nguyeãn Thò Nghieâm Leä, Phaïm Myõ Vogt, Caån Stone. ÑH Buøi Thò Chöông coøn ñem cuùng baùnh xu xoa vaø cheø ñaäu xanh, ÑH Leâ Hoa Nhuïy cuùng xoâi ñaäu xanh vaø hoa cuùng Phaät, ÑH Buøi Thò Hieäp cuùng hoa cuùc baøn Phaät, ÑH Leâ Ñình Yeân Phuù cuùng hoa baøn Phaät, ÑH Nguyeãn Thò Myõ Hoàng cuùng cam, nho, böôûi. Xin caûm taï coâng ñöùc quyù vò!
After the service, everyone sat down for a vegetarian lunch prepared by the above mentioned mothers. In the menu, we saw fried rice noodles, tossed salad, fried wonton, fried vegetables, tofu casserole, served on rice, and desserts of sweet relishes, sticky rice, hard jellies ... everything was completely consummated. The ladies stayed for dish washing and cleaning. Youth Leaders Minh-Quy and Nguyên-Diêu helped mopping the floor and dumping trash. May the Buddha bless all of you!
Sau buoåi leã, moïi ngöôøi cuøng vaøo phoøng aên thoï trai thaân maät. Thöïc ñôn coù buùn xaøo, rau troän, baùnh quai vaïc chieân, caûi xaøo, ñaäu phuï kho, traùng mieäng cheø, xoâi, xu xoa ... thöùc aên ñöôïc tieâu thuï saïch seõ. Quyù baø ôû laïi röûa cheùn, noài nieâu, lau chuøi phoøng aên, vôùi söï giuùp ñôõ cuûa Gia Ñình Phaät Töû Haûi-Ñöùc. Caùc HT Minh-Quyù vaø Nguyeân-Dieäu giuùp lau phoøng aên vaø ñoå raùc. Xin Chö Phaät gia hoä quyù vò!
The Hai-Ðúc Youth group members cleaned up the altar area, put up flowers and decorations, then went for their meeting. Upasika Nguyên-Diêu Nguyên Xuân Mai taught Vietnamese for the Oanh Vu group. Upasaka Minh-Quang Nguyên Lê Ðúc, chairman of the Board, announced the practice schedule for June and July 2002, especially the Uposatha retreat on June 14 & 15 under the supervision of Ven Thích Minh Quang and on July 5 & 6 under the supervision of Ven Thích Nguyên Siêu, and the Dharma Talks before services on Sundays June 16 of Ven Thích Minh Quang and July 7 of Ven Thích Nguyên Siêu, asking the assembly to happily participate. He also announed the break-in at the temple by thieves stealing a window A/C, a microwave oven, a space heater, many cases of noodles, four planters with flowers from the front yard.
Gia Ñình Phaät Töû Haûi-Ñöùc ñaõ lau doïn baøn thôø, chöng doïn hoa quaû, roài hoïp ñoaøn. Huynh tröôûng Nguyeân-Dieäu Nguyeãn Xuaân Mai daïy tieáng Vieät cho caùc chaùu Oanh Vuõ. ÑH Minh-Quang Nguyeãn Leâ Ñöùc, Hoäi-tröôûng, thoâng baùo chöông trình tu hoïc thaùng 6 vaø 7 naêm 2002, ñaëc bieät caùc khoùa tu Baùt Quan Trai Giôùi ngaøy 14-15 thaùng 6 döôùi söï chöùng minh cuûa ÑÑ Thích Minh Quang, vaø ngaøy 5-6 thaùng 7 döôùi söï chöùng minh cuûa TT Thích Nguyeân Sieâu, vaø caùc buoåi thuyeát phaùp ngaøy Chuû Nhaät 16 thaùng 6 cuûa ÑÑ Thích Minh Quang vaø 7 thaùng 7 cuûa TT Thích Nguyeân Sieâu. ÑH kính môøi quyù Phaät töû hoan hæ tham döï. ÑH cuõng loan baùo keû gian ñaõ ñaäp cöûa soå chuøa laáy ñi moät maùy laïnh, moät loø vi ba, moät maùy söôûi nhoû, nhieàu thuøng mì sôïi, baùnh hoûi, boán chaäu boâng tröôùc saân chuøa.
Minh-Quang ghi May 26, 2002
