The Deer Park Dharmacast (interviews)

This week Sister Dang Nghiem follows Thay on a tour of the Tu Hieu Temple, where he trained as a novice. The tour begins across the road from the temple, at the Bodhi Stupa in a pine forest, and continues down to the old showering well before heading up to the Buddha Hall. The audio has only been partially edited, so please enjoy your breathing during the walking sections. Today is the last day of the three-day reconciliation ceremonies in Hue at Dieu De Temple. Tomorrow morning the Sangha travels to Da Nang for a nine day visit.

This week we offer an interview with the Venerable Thay Duc Nghi, the founder and abbot of Prajna Temple in Bao Loc, Lam Dong Province, Vietnam. Thay Duc Nghi offered Prajna Temple as a place where young monks and nuns could practice according to the Plum Village tradition during Thay's last trip to Vietnam. Now Prajna has grown to over 300 monks and nuns in residence in just two years, thanks to the support of Thay Duc Nghi and numerous Dharma Teachers from Plum Village. In the interview the Venerable shares about his experience as a monk and, in particular, his experience of renewal in contact with the Plum Village practice.

Brother Phap Khoi translates, and Brother Stream and Sister Jewel pose questions.

This week Brother Stream interviews Thay Phap Dang, a Dharma Teacher and the Abbot of Maple Forest Monastery in Vermont. Thay Phap Dang was invited by the Deer Park Sangha along with Thay Vo Ngai to support us during the recent Vietnamese Retreat. He shares about his life and practice as a monk of 17 years, about his experiences teaching in Vietnam, and also shares a song, "Close to Thay."

The broadcast ends with the flute solo, "Song for the Buddha," by the Basque musician Laurent Bernays, from the Refuge Tree CD.

May you be well.