Glossary Archive

This is related to the Five-Aggregates or Skandha.

Seven mountains, seven peaks… Only the most representative place names, in fact, within the mountain complex of Thất Sơn, located in four districts such as Tri Tôn, Tịnh Biên, Thoại Sơn, and Châu Đốc of An Giang, there are nearly 40 large and small mountains. It is a unique mountain complex in the Southern Plains,...

Butterflies and bees (in English, “butterflies and bees”) is an analogy referring to people who frequently play around, flirt, seduce, or behave improperly with others, especially in romantic relationships. It is a metaphorical noun commonly used in classical literature and everyday Vietnamese language to refer to those who are fickle, unfaithful, or frequently change their...

A flying dragon with a snake's tail. This symbolizes the passing of the Year of the Dragon and the approaching end of the Year of the Snake. This passage is a prophecy from the Master, for now that the years of the Dragon and Snake are approaching, hardship and war will soon befall all beings....

"Bố" is slang, meaning a embargo/siege; "thiết" means to tighten. This refers to foreign goods being sold at increasingly high prices, becoming too expensive to squeeze our people. The Master once said: "Poor rice is a local product, High-priced goods are from foreign countries."

Form is the appearance, but its essence is emptiness; therefore, form is no different from emptiness, form is emptiness; moreover, from emptiness arise conditioned phenomena (form and emptiness), so emptiness is no different from form, emptiness is also form. In the "Heart Sutra," the Buddha said: "Form is not different from emptiness, emptiness is not...

PRAYER AT HOME: Prayer and worship at home. This refers to lay practitioners (those at home). The belief is that: a person without filial piety cannot accomplish anything; if one is filial, they not only repay the kindness of their ancestors and parents but also fully repay all four debts of gratitude, creating immeasurable merit...

Refers to the "Four Evils" (alcohol, lust, wealth, and power). They are called demons because these four things cause suffering and attachment to sentient beings. (See also the note on "Four Evils")

The four sufferings are the four great sufferings: Birth, Old Age, Sickness, and Death. It is a law: Wherever there is birth, there will inevitably be old age, sickness, and death; no living being can escape them. In the past, the Buddha often taught: "O monks! Do not question whether this world is finite or...