Thien Tuong Head Temple (Ven. Minh Quang is the temple abbot)
5037 W 83rd St
Burbank, IL 60459
- September 3-5: Three-Day Teachers & Students Retreat
- September 6: Teachers' Meeting
The Closest Airport is Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW), just about 10 minutes from the temple.
Our Teachers–Students Retreat offered a special opportunity for students, graduates, monastics and lay teachers to step outside the virtual classroom and spend meaningful time together – learning, practicing, sharing, and strengthening our sense of Sangha.
Students also valued the opportunity to encounter different Buddhist traditions and to see how lay practitioners, monastics, teachers, and students can learn from one another.
The retreat was not only about receiving teachings. Students discovered how much they could learn through interaction, conversation, and shared activities.
Our participants’ reflections at the conclusion of the retreat reveal something important: Buddhist education is not only about what we learn, but also about the relationships, practice, and community that support us along the path.
Photo slideshow for 2026 Teachers–Students Retreat at MABA is available here: https://youtu.be/UPN1E8HdBOk
“I have support and am not going through this journey alone. We have teachers and monastics who truly want to help us with this.” — Sage
“A better sense of community after talking with monks and fellow students. I especially cherish the one-on-one conversations with the monks.” — Kat
From others:
“A deepened sense of community, hope, and the desire to continue working in a capacity that will support the community and all living beings.”
“Connection to Sangha!”
“Togetherness!”
“Bridging the gap between lay life and monastic life can be helpful and important in guiding more people to the path.”
“Buddhism used to be kind of a background cultural thing – meditating when I could. Now I view it as a lifestyle.” — Bryan
One participant offered a simple but meaningful reminder: “Slow down! Don’t try to learn everything at once. Learn one thing meaningfully.”
“I understand now that the Buddhist community across the world is well connected. Seeing monks from different parts of the world made me more optimistic about being able to attend teachings in person, whether in India or the USA.” — Vibhu
“The exercises helped form a solid working group among the students.” — Lee
Our teacher-student retreat and teacher meeting successfully concluded on September 2nd, 2025. Here is a short video recap of the retreat: https://youtu.be/6GfusUC8IV4.
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