The role of the modern abbot.

Abbot is the most important clergy in propagating Buddhism, because the temple is a gathering of Buddhists, sticking to all activities of human society. The prosperity of the temple is the prosperity of Buddhism in that locality and contribute to the general prosperity of Vietnamese Buddhism. male.

The abbot's role became the center of all Buddhist motives and conveyed the content of Buddhism to the society. The temple should be considered as an organ of Dharma propagation, not merely to meet the religious needs as one would expect. Abbots have many advantages because they are completely active in the mission mission. A well-built pagoda is a blessing for believers and strengthens the Church. The ancients, when it comes to the role of the abbot, said Abbot 3 things not to do: The many do not be afraid, do not have to do display work out, do not gossip  (Abbot organic triangle Desert: The the opaque, diminishing, diminishing, diminishing, dangling) , considered as the gold mold. Today, things are not so simple, Human beings of the era require more, the abbot needs more dynamic and multi-faceted , must create many models of activities, must deal with many marketing issues. 
After the country opens its doors to the world, the peak is the time of WTO accession, World Trade Organization, Vietnamese society is no longer isolated and can live separately. Economic development, social diversity ... we can not be conservative economy, politics, cultural independence. We must accept the cultural traditions of others whether they want it or not. All our cultural values ​​are being challenged, even some of them are knocked out of its roots. Country of  Vietnam today is entering a period of innovation, integration with three waves: industrialization, computerization and globalization.
The positive and negative effects of this integration are obvious: better economic life, more favorable conditions for enjoyment ... but society is also more complicated, crime is increased, The society is more difficult to control, morally degraded, the quality of life is not high ... 
The characteristics of modern times include many aspects such as:
- Entertainment technology: Modern times people enjoy maximum, children People will be delighted with the pleasures, stimulated by hidden desires, with modern means, thrills, and other luxuries. dynamic; violent movies, depraved; passionate about addictive drugs and hallucinations. They are less interested in ethical cultural activities, spiritual culture is ignored ...
- Media: Modern times, time and space do not make much sense. All information, images, events ... are spread quickly and immediately. People of the time are quick, impatient, hasty and superficial (lack of romance, poetry ...). 
- The Internet is a product that brings many benefits to the people of the times, and also brings the ruin of the moral values ​​of society. It makes people lose contact with the lively world around it, making people become lazy and weak ... 
- Cell phones make a miracle, can communicate the child People are together between the poles of the Earth in seconds, but it also makes people become selfish, self-contained, incomprehensible, misunderstanding each other.
- Material value is paramount: People of the time have the need to acquire modern means, have the desire to enjoy and satisfy all aspirations that modern technology can meet. The solution is to make money. Value for money is confirmed by the social reasoning of living: Money is everything. People make money as crazy, regardless of morality.
Buddhism in modern times faces the challenges and opportunities of modern society. The role of abbot becomes more important than ever, because: Firstly, the transformation of the Church system will take place very slowly, and depending on the impetus of the practical situation, the requirements of the Buddhist masses and grassroots units. Here is the temple and abbot. Secondly, the perception of practical needs in the abbot is very high, due directly to the Buddhist and the social community. Abbot has the supreme authority over a temple, so there is great initiative, can change the mechanism of activities very thoroughly and timely. 
 Therefore, the abbot needs to know his important role and social context, the needs of the followers and the movement of the modern Dharma wheel.
According to statistics, in 1900, Buddhists worldwide were on par with the number of Christians, more than Muslims. But now (about 100 years later), Buddhists are under 400 million. Whereas Christianity is two million. Islamic 1.3 million. Hindu 830,000,000. Buddhism down the fourth line. Christianity and Protestantism, Islamic ... all have a strong missionary team, not priests, pastors. They are ordinary followers but are professionally trained to perform the mission effectively. While Buddhism only teaches monks.
 Although theological doctrines refer to the power of God and the worship of heavenly beings, all of their activities are on earth and address the needs of the human and psyche of the child. people systematically and scientifically. The issue of competing with other believers is one of the important strategies of your religion. 
On the other hand, modern times economic problems and material values ​​govern human concerns that occupy most of their minds. Therefore, spiritual values, culture, morals, meaning of truth ... want to have a place in the heart of people need to promote, innovation and must be attractive to attract followers, not follow The point of view is that the "natural radiation smell", especially the young.
What should the abbot do? It is difficult to answer comprehensively, but the essential things are quite clear: Abbot should be equipped with professional knowledge of Buddhism and universal theology, if knowledge as a scholar. the better. The work of organizing the masses of Buddhists must be of prime concern. Organized Buddhists will have the power to carry out the Buddhas together. Thanks to the organization, the sentiments of the teachers are attached, the traits of the trafficked people, the same feelings of ethics and the direction of liberation, especially the gathering of believers and the growth of the number through the organization.
- Organizing the festival of culture and arts: Through the ceremony, convey the good ethics to the Buddhist community. Organizing a quality festival will have a strong influence on everyone's emotions, especially for young people who are happy to go to the ceremony, proud of their religion. 
- Core layman education and training: It is necessary to have a capable and dedicated lay collaborator team with the abbot. They will bring the message of the Buddha into the heart of society, and at the same time they play a social role in the spirit of Buddhism is more effective than many teachers. 
- Set up training models in the form of directives to practice religious life, especially practical methods have practical benefits for health, for psychological peace. These are the things that modern humans care about.
- Upgrading of facilities: It is necessary to have premises, electricity, water, etc. to meet the needs of diverse activities such as meeting, fun activities, practice space, lecture, art ... 
- Learning and reforming the methodology: It is important to find out about your religious organizations, social groups and pagodas that are suitable for human psychology. It is necessary to reform boldly the activities of hardening, lack of energy, superstitious beliefs.
In short, being a modern abbot is not as simple as it used to be. The bad thing, the wrong thing, did not have much influence in the past, but now it is very harmful. The wrong thing will spread very quickly and very wide by modern information network. A backwardness, backwardness will lag far behind the propaganda program, because all social organizations are always accelerated, so that the motto: innovation or death. 
The power of Buddhism in the Buddhist teachings and in the practice of Buddhism. That power may not be able to promote without the appropriate approach, no scientific organization and synchronization, the beauty and positive effects of the moral is not high. The temple must be a cultural and educational center of Buddhism.

In order to have quick and vigorous improvisation, the abbot always puts himself in a position of willingness, in a high sense of responsibility, always for the common cause, for the ideals of serving the Tao and the race of the leader. Tathagata.END=NAM MO SAKYAMUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY=THICH CHAN TANH.THE MIND OF ENLIGHTENMENT.VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=GOLDEN LOTUS MONASTERY=AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.16/3/2018.