Those who met Most Venerable Thích Quảng Đức recalled that his eyes always radiated with compassion, but sometimes they were tinted with some gentle melancholy. Nobody could tell if he had predicted what would have happened to Vietnam Buddhism in the 1960s, and to himself as a martyr. The truth is that his self-immolation awoke the whole world's conscience, and helped to topple Diem's dictatorial regime.
Besides Most Venerable Hoang Tham, his maternal uncle,Thích Quảng Đức also learned meditation from other most venerables such as Thich Thien Tuong and Thich Phuoc Tuong. After three years living as a hermit on the mountain, he started to disseminate the Dhamma and contribute to the renovations of 31 temples in Central Vietnam. As a young bhikku, he made considerable contributions to local Buddhist activities. He helped to build Thien Loc Temple in Ninh Hoa, and supervised the casting of the temple's two big bells which last until now.
Archived documents revealed that he was very organized, and had well kept notes and documents of all important events such as authority permissions, and fund raising activities to build the temple and to cast the bells. Thanks to these documents, researchers can learn more about his early Buddhist activities. After leaving Khanh Hoa, he went to Cambodia to learn and practice the Dhamma there.
The last temple he helped to reconstruct was Quan The Am (Avalokiteśvara)Temple on Nguyen Hue Street (now renamed after him), Phu Nhuan District, Gia Dinh (a suburban area of Saigon). The local people had dedicated the site as a place for them to show their respect to Avalokiteśvara, a bodhisattva who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas. In the early 1920s the temple had been called Bach Lo, and was almost abandoned during the wars. In 1959 on his way to practice and disseminate the Dhamma, Bodhisattva Thích Quảng Đức came to this site, and dedicated all his heart and mind to the renovation and reconstruction of what now is Quan The Am Temple.
Tong Ho Cam, a Buddhist engaged in many activities at Xa loi Temple, recalled that he had met Most Venerable Thích Quảng Đức several times. Tong said," Bodhisattva Thích Quảng Đức was a quiet,simple, and very delicate bhikku with profound insights. It seemed he could read your mind just by looking into your eyes. Whenever he met me, he often gently patted on my shoulder, and asked if I was in good health and if everything went well."
According to Thich Duc Nghiep, in the middle of 1963 the conflicts between Buddhists and the Diem administration in South Vietnam became more and more intense. The government used many barbarous measures and tactics, its special police, and even army forces to oppress Buddhist non-violent struggles and protests.
He recalled that after the fast in Xa Loi Temple, Bodhisattva Thích Quảng Đức, then the Abbot of Quan The Am Temple,sent a letter to the Defense Council of Buddhist Multisects asking for permission to carry out his plan of self-immolation for Dhamma
protection. The letter was hand-written on a small piece of paper, so that it would be easily hidden and carried despite the government's strict security and inspection at the time. In the letter the Bodhisattva expressed his wish to sacrifice his body for the Dhamma to be well protected in adversities, and to pray for peace to the multitude, for he knew, with his old age, he could not do much for Vietnam Buddhism in such a time of extreme difficulty.
Thich Duc Nghiep secretly delivered the letter to the Council. Soon after that all Buddhist dignitaries had a meeting about the letter. Although they respected the
Bodhisattva's decision, they would rather have his plan delayed, because the situation did not seem to demand such a grave sacrifice. Years later in his recount, Most Venerable Thich Duc Nghiep said that, in fact, having yet had to decide on such an important sacrifice to which there had never been any antecedent, the dignitaries were themselves in a dilemma. In the mean time the protests were on the rise, and so was the government's oppression.
Right before the day when Phat Buu Temple on Cao Thang Street, Saigon, was supposed to carry the memorial ceremony for the victims in Hue, Thich Duc Nghiep was secretly driven from An Quang to Xa loi to attend an emergency meeting. Most Venerables Thich Tam Chau and Thich Thien Hoa were profoundly concerned about the official news from Hue: the Buddhists there were in distress; many monks were arrested. Food, water, electricity in some monasteries were cut, and the government threatened them that if they did not surrender, they would be expelled from Vietnam for life. In such a critical situation, what would happen if Buddhists continued to carry out the memorial ceremony at Phat Buu Temple, and other fasts and demonstrations? Would such activities be beneficial? Most Venerable Thich Tam Chau remembered Most Venerable Thích Quảng Đức's letter. Thich Duc Nghiep then wondered if Most Venerable Thích Quảng Đức still embraced that wish. In that case, his self-immolation plan could be possibly carried out the following day, at the same time as the memorial ceremony. Thus, Thich Duc Nghiep accepted the critical task to contact Bodhisattva Thích Quảng Đức. He said if everything went smoothly for the plan to proceed, he would not phone to protect last-minute secrets.
That night Thich Duc Nghiep urgently went to An Quang Temple to meet Bodhisattva Thích Quảng Đức, who had just finished his evening chants of the Lotus Sutta. When asked if he still embraced that self-immolation plan he had written in the letter, the Bodhisattva calmly said with his palms together,"Namo Śākyamuni,I always humbly wish to sacrifice my body for the Three Gems [namely, the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha], and for the protection of the Dhamma."
With tears in his eyes, Thich Duc Nghiep ordered other monks to watch for the Bodhisattva's security, then asked him:
"What would you like to say as last reminders to us, Your Holiness?"
The Bodhisattva simply said:
"May I please meet Most Venerable Thich Thien Hoa to thank him?"
"Would you please never mention your plan of self-immolation at the meeting?"
"No. I only want to say goodbye to him before I leave for a long journey," said the Bodhisattva calmly with a bow and hands together.
It was pitch dark outside, as dark as the social political situation in South Vietnam at that time.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thich_Quang_Duc
Quoc Viet. The Immortal Heart. http://tuoitre.vn. A three-part document. Posted from May 31, 2010 to June 3, 2010.
