This article is the English translation of an article written in Vietnamese based on an episode of the weekly radio show Radio Khai Tam featuring Thay Hang Truong's teachings. Behind the waterfall was a large cavern that could hold thousands of beings. Inside the cavern there was light, and the plants were lush and thriving. After exploring the place, the Stone Monkey happily realized that many monkeys could live there. So he swam back out and called the young monkeys to foll

This is a series of episodes on the Radio Khai Tam program, given in Vietnamese by Reverend Hang Truong. The articles are translated from the articles rewritten from the Vietnamese transcript of the shows. MC speaking: The Khai Tâm Radio program aims to help bring the Dharma into daily life, while at the same time promoting a holistic way of living that integrates body, mind, spirit, and compassion, so that human life may reach a state of peace, harmony, and happiness. Dear l

This article is written in Vietnamese then translated to English, and is based on the series of online lectures by Thầy Hằng Trường on the Seven Depths of Meditation in September 2025. The Domain of Transcendence  refers to the times when we sit in meditation, closing one’s eyes, and turning inward. The Engaging Domain , on the other hand, refers to the time when we live in the world — working, interacting, and dealing with various affairs. These two domains are different, an

This article is written in Vietnamese then translated to English, and is based on the series of online lectures by Thầy Hằng Trường on the Seven Depths of Meditation in September 2025. The underlying philosophy is based on the teachings of the Avataṃsaka Sūtra, the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, and the Hua Yen Hands & Eyes Practice. When we wish to cultivate, we often look for a particular practice to follow. However, it is important that we first develop a general understanding of our cu

(Translated from a lecture given by Master Heng Chang in Vietnamese) Question:  “Dear Master, you’ve explained why Kwan Yin has a thousand hands and a thousand eyes, but why are there only 42 Hands and Eyes?” Answer:  “That is quite a mystery. When I was young, I wondered about that too. It wasn’t until I studied the Avataṃsaka Sūtra  (Flower Adornment Sutra) that I had a conversation with Venerable Master Hsuan Hua. He told me this: ‘Do you see that these 42 Hands and Eyes a

(Translated from the original Dharma Espresso Talk given by Venerable Heng Chang in Vietnamese) Good morning, everyone. This is today’s Dharma Espresso, and may the warm sunrise welcome you to a peaceful day. Dear friends, we are talking about the third obstacle that prevents us from returning to the Buddha’s home. First of all, I’d like to talk about the methodology of contemplation that enables us to understand these obstacles. So, what is this methodology? A habitual patt

Translated from a lecture given in Vietnamese by Dharma Master Heng Chang on The Path to the Buddha's Home, a series. Good morning, everyone, This is today’s Dharma Espresso. May the warm morning sunlight welcome you to a peaceful new day. The First Obstacle: Deception and Dualistic Mind We were speaking of the path home, to the Buddha. And we have talked about overcoming the first obstacle—being dishonest with ourselves and turning away from our True Mind. This is perhaps on

Translated from a Dharma Espresso Talk given in Vietnamese Good morning dear elders, sisters and brothers. This is today's Dharma Espresso. May the morning light welcome you to a peaceful new day. Dear friends, in the previous talks, we discussed whether Buddhism is a belief system or a religion. Today, I would like to speak about the true nature of Buddhism. During the Sui Dynasty in China, there was a venerable master named Zhiyi or Zhizhe (Trí Giả Đại Sư). He studied the t

Tribalistic Perspective (continued) Translated from a dharma talk given in Vietnamese by Dharma Master Hằng Trường. Good morning This is today’s dharma espresso and I will continue on the subject of changing our view, changing the way we speak. Dear friends, if we want to change our lives, it's clear that we must change our habits. But in order to change our habits, we need to have a new way of seeing things. Only then, can new habits be formed.  But how do we know if we have

Tribal Perspective Good morning everyone!  This is today’s Dharma Espresso. I will begin a new series on how to change one’s perspective.  To change the way we see, we must change our habits — the way we interact with others, the way we treat ourselves, the way we live when we are alone in silence, and the way we live with everyone around us. In order to change our attitudes and lifestyle patterns, we must change our perspective. Sometimes when we read books or articles, we e

Good morning everyone, this is today’s Dharma Espresso with the topic Breaking Free from Distraction . Last time, we talked about three things we should do and three things we should avoid in the year of the snake. Three Things to Do: Be alert and mindful  – We should maintain a gentle heart and a cautious mind and discern what is appropriate and inappropriate. For example, we should refrain from  C reate a new you – Just as snakes shed their skin, we too should strive for se

There are five types of feelings that not only Bodhisattva practitioners but also ordinary people can encounter. When ordinary people face these situations, they often react negatively. In contrast, Bodhisattva practitioners should avoid negativity and understand that all these occurrences stem from their own energy and vibrations. The energy attraction occurs because the five internal organs (heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys) are not balanced or healthy. When these o

Lecture series on the 5 types of Attractions. November 6, 2017. Today, we’re talking about the feelings of jealousy and envy. If the yin metal is too strong, we tend to enjoy being envious and attract situations that make us envious. What is yin metal? Metal is a characteristic of the five elements and is associated with the lungs. What is the function of the lungs? Lungs are used for breathing, bringing air into the body, and expelling carbon dioxide. Carbon is the foundatio

Lecture Series on the Five Types of Attractions Good morning everyone. Today, we begin our lecture series on the Five Types of Attraction — a concept that offers profound insights into how the state of our inner mind influences what we attract from the external world. In Buddhism, it is often said that our inner state shapes the circumstances we encounter. For practitioners walking the Bodhisattva path, there are five common scenarios of attraction that require our careful at