A meaningful meal of Dong Nai Buddhism

Members of the Provincial Charity Association serve free lunch at 102 Hung Dao Vuong Street, Tran Bien Ward. Photo: Van Truyen

This is one of the major humanitarian charity activities carried out by Dong Nai Buddhism over the years. This contributes to supporting students, patients and their relatives at medical facilities, and freelance workers to reduce part of their living expenses.

Get up early, save to maintain free kitchen

Depending on the capacity of each monastery, each kitchen operated by Dong Nai Buddhism is serving from 1-5 days/week.

Specifically, every month, the kitchen of Truc Lam pagoda (Xuan Loc commune) is lit from 4am to cook rice. Because the ingredients have been prepared the previous afternoon, everyone can cook and divide the food into portions quite quickly. At nearly 7am, the rice is delivered to the hospital to be given to the people.

Venerable Thich Hue Quang, abbot of Truc Lam Pagoda, said: In addition to the fixed quantity delivered to medical facilities, the pagoda also delivers meals to the homes of elderly people in difficult circumstances who are unable to travel, and some other portions of meals for freelance workers to eat at the pagoda.

On August 17, monks and Buddhists of Tinh Chau Nhu Y Pagoda (Tran Bien Ward) gave 1,000 meals to patients and caregivers at 6 hospitals in Dong Nai Province, Ho Chi Minh City and freelance workers in Tran Bien Ward, Bien Hoa Ward (Dong Nai Province).

To maintain the monthly free rice giveaway, Venerable Thich Quy Tri, abbot of Tinh Chau Nhu Y Pagoda, said: In addition to contributing their labor, Buddhists also save their salaries, pensions, and profits from small businesses to buy ingredients for the kitchen. On cooking days, everyone comes early to prepare the dishes, then divide them into portions and deliver the food to different places.

Ms. Nguyen Oanh (residing in Tran Bien ward), who has been attached to the loving kitchen for many years, shared: Based on the reality that patients, their relatives, and freelance workers need to eat enough nutrients to restore and regenerate their health, the temple and Buddhists decided to cook salty dishes so that everyone can eat easily and stay full for a long time.

“Promoting the spirit of protecting the country and the people, Dong Nai Buddhism has actively participated with the government and the Fatherland Front at all levels in implementing social security activities, including organizing and maintaining charity kitchens. Dong Nai Buddhism will continue to maintain and improve the quality of each meal.”

Venerable THICH THIEN TRI, Chief of Office of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, Dong Nai Province

In addition, for many years, pagodas have maintained the organization of loving meals for the disabled, the elderly, and freelance workers on the occasion of Buddha's birthday, Vu Lan, and Lunar New Year.

Venerable Thich Minh Tri, abbot of Phuc Lam Pagoda (Tam Hiep Ward), said: Every time people come to receive gifts, the pagoda organizes a light meal for everyone to enjoy. Because many of the people who come to receive gifts live far away, the meal at the pagoda helps everyone not miss a meal.

Chairman of the Dong Nai Province Blind Association Nguyen Bao Tran added: "We are very happy to receive the thoughtful attention of the pagodas for members during each gift-receiving period."

Cook rice for students

Besides delivering meals to hospitals and supporting freelance workers, many kitchens run by Dong Nai Buddhism focus on supporting students.

For many years, 7 days a week, Linh Quang Pagoda's kitchen (Phu Hoa commune) has cooked 130-200 breakfasts/day and 200 lunches/time on the 1st and 15th of the lunar calendar. Some of these meals are sent to medical facilities in Dinh Quan and Phu Hoa communes to give to patients, their relatives, and medical staff; some are saved for students who stop by the pagoda to have breakfast before going to school and lunch after school.

Venerable Thich Hue Tri, abbot of Linh Quang Pagoda, shared: Many children live far from school, so when they get home from school, it is past mealtime. Some students have parents who work from morning to night, so their meals are usually instant noodles. The pagoda organizes meals and asks teachers to inform students to come and eat. Many people in difficult circumstances are even able to bring meals home for their children.

Another noteworthy point is that many monks and Buddhists in Dong Nai, because they do not have the conditions to organize their own charity kitchens, have contributed to cooking free meals with the community to serve the people.

Chairman of Dong Nai Province Charity Association Nguyen Phu Cuong shared: “The Provincial Charity Association currently has 500 members with 11 branches and affiliated associations. Among them, there are many branches at pagodas and members who are Buddhist monks and Buddhists. During the process of implementing the charity model of Zero-dong lunch served from 11am to 1pm on Mondays and Wednesdays every week, the charity branches at Buddhist establishments and members who are Buddhists have contributed very actively.”

At the kitchen of the Provincial Charity Association (No. 102, Hung Dao Vuong Street, Tran Bien Ward), in addition to freelance workers, there are also many students who stop by to eat free meals.

“The province acknowledges the contributions of monks, nuns and Buddhist followers in Dong Nai in effectively implementing social security activities; at the same time, it hopes that in the coming time, monks and nuns will continue to participate and propagate, mobilize followers to actively carry out charity and humanitarian work to support the community.”

Director of the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religions of Dong Nai province TRAN THANH HOA

Ms. Nguyen Thanh Thao, a university student in Tran Bien ward, said: “I work part-time at a cafe near the Zero-VND Lunch location. For the past 2 months, for 16 days I have not had to buy a lunch box but have stopped by here for lunch. For students who live far from home and work part-time while studying like me, the free meals help me save a small amount of money each month. I hope the kitchen will be maintained for a long time.”

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Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/xa-hoi/202508/bua-com-nghia-tinh-cua-phat-giao-dong-nai-31c007a/