Summer retreat 'contributes to beautifying social ethics'

Participating in the summer retreat will educate young people to avoid bad habits and social evils and to build good personal moral character, contributing to beautifying social morality.

Summer retreat at Hoang Phap Pagoda, Ho Chi Minh City - Photo: Hoang Phap Pagoda

This is one of the purposes and meanings of the summer retreats that the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha sets for pagodas and monasteries to organize the retreats.

The Standing Committee of the Central Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha has issued guidelines on organizing summer retreats and activities for young Buddhists in the summer of 2025.

Study hard to become a good child and good student.

The Vietnam Buddhist Sangha orients the summer retreat and activities towards the goal of helping young people become good children, good students, progress in their studies, andeducate them in patriotism and pride in the heroic traditions of the Vietnamese people...

Summer retreats and activities at pagodas educate students to give up bad habits, stay away from social evils, school violence, and domestic violence in order to orient and build good personal moral character, contributing to beautifying social morality.

Accordingly, the content of the summer study and activity experience aims to give students confidence in life, practice independence, and foster the community responsibility of young people.

The Church specifically stipulates the content of the summer retreat and activities in 2025, including:

- Experience studying Buddhism (about 45% of the time of the retreat, summer activities): Equip yourself with knowledge about the history of Buddha's life, the history of Vietnamese Buddhism; knowledge of the Three Refuges and Five Precepts;

Or the teachings: Cause and effect, Karma, Reincarnation, Gratitude and Repayment of gratitude, Four immeasurable minds; Dharma and Nation, Buddhism and Science , Buddhism and Environment, Buddhism and Family Happiness...

Instructions for practicing meditation, chanting, and experiencing the rituals of Zen life.

- Teaching life skills (about 40% of the summer retreat time), including anti-drowning skills; fire prevention and fighting skills; first aid and emergency skills; culture of participating in ensuring traffic safety...

- Supplementary recreational activities (about 15% of summer retreat time): fun, healthy games and entertainment.

Summer retreats are free of service charges.

Regarding the criteria for pagodas to organize retreats, the Church stipulates that pagodas, monasteries and suitable locations must have adequate facilities to ensure large groups of people (separate male and female students), ensure safety in terms of food, accommodation, bathing, hygiene, and ensure the health of students.

The pagoda must ensure fire safety, food hygiene and safety, environmental hygiene, and general regulations on security and order as prescribed.

Regarding the duration of the retreat, each retreat lasts no more than 7 days and is held during the summer vacation of students. Pagodas must be monitored and required not to collect fees for the retreat or summer activities.

The number of participants must be appropriate to the facilities of the retreat to ensure the health and safety of the participants and volunteers.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/khoa-tu-mua-he-gop-phan-lam-dep-nen-dao-duc-xa-hoi-20250529150551332.htm