After reminding reliable monks to protect Bodhisattva Thích Quảng Đức, and saying a few heartfelt words with him at An Quang Temple, Thich Duc Nghiep quickly prepared for the self-immolation which would take place the following morning. As head of the Defense Council of Vietnam Buddhism Multisects, he knew very well that Diem administration was trying to crush Buddhists' struggle and protest. Therefore, any information leak could bring about unimaginable consequences.
That night Thich Duc Nghiep patrolled the streets where participants of the memorial ceremony from Phat Buu Temple would march through, for the self-immolation plan would be mixed with that grand march in disguise to avoid the police's suspicion. That way it could also have the company of more monks, nuns, and other civilians. The intersection of Phan Dinh Phung Stree-Le van Duyet Street (Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street-Cach mang Thang Tam Street nowadays) was finally chosen as the site where the self-immolation would take place. This intersection was selected because it was a busy hub in Saigon, and it was in front of the Cambodia Embassy, and Cambodia was the country which supported Vietnamese Buddhists' struggle against Diem government.
Upon returning to An Quang Temple, Thich Duc Nghiep finalized the details of the plan. The car which would carry the Boddhisattva was the Austin that a lay Buddhist named Tran Quang Thuan left at the Temple. Thich Duc Nghiep ordered the car driver to buy an extra container of kerosene. He also told bhikku Thich Tri Minh to sit next to the driver. When they drove to the intersection, they had to stop, pretending that their car engine broke down. Another bhikku, Thich Chan Ngu would sit in the back, next to the Bodhisattva to protect him. When the car was almost at the intersection, bhikku Thich Chan Ngu would pour kerosene onto the Bodhisattva's body, so the police could not see the preparation. A lighter was also handed to the Bodhisattva in advance, so that he himself would start the fire.
Bodhisattva Thich Quang Duc had written another heartfelt letter to express his thoughts and responsibilities toward his country and Buddhism:
I am Bhikku Thich Quang Duc, Abbot of Quan The Am Temple (Gia Dinh). Realizing that the nation is in such a critical situation, and as the Tathagata's son and disciple, unable to sit indifferently, watching the Dhamma in jeopardy, I vow to offer my illusory body to Buddhas, and wish the merits of my action would benefit the protection of Buddhism. I pray for the support from Buddhas in all universes, and from every Buddhist monk and nun and layperson, so that my following wishes will be successfully fulfilled:
1. Under the influence of the Tathagata's wisdom and compassion, President Diem would at least accept the five-point petition mentioned in the Buddhists' Declaration.
2. The Tathagata, with His immense compassion, would protect Vietnam Buddhism, so that it will last forever.
3.With their boundless spiritual power, all Buddhas would protect Vietnamese monks, nuns and lay people from the evil's torture, arrest, and oppression.
4. Peace and Joy would come back to Vietnam and the Vietnamese people.
Before I close my eyes, and enter the realm of Buddhas, I would like to pray for President Ngo Dinh Diem to use love and compassion to treat his people, and carry out policies of religious freedom and equality for national safety and stability.
I sincerely wish that all monks , nuns and lay Buddhists would unite in mind and in action to protect Buddhism.
Namo Buddhas of Struggles and Victories
An Quang Temple, April 8, 1963 the Lunar Year of the Cat.
Respectfully,
Bhikku Thich Quang Duc
When the car was at the intersection, the driver parked it, got out and opened the hood to fool the police. From the back of the car, the Bodhisattva got out with dignity, bowed to the four directions, then quietly sat down in lotus position, facing the West. He began his meditation by chanting the names of Buddhas softly. However, the lighter did not work, and Thich Duc Nghiep had to hand him a box of matches. Another bhikku standing by also helped to pour more kerosene from the extra container taken from the car trunk onto the Bodhisattva's body. Every move was carried out so quickly that no member of the Special Force could react. As soon as the Bodhisattva's hand dropped the match down, a giant fire engulfed his whole body. He was sitting still; his hands close together in front of his chest; his face serene without any expression of pain.
Monks, nuns, and lay Buddhists in the crowd were quietly chanting Buddhas' names. Some shouted protests against the government. Some, including a few policemen, cried and knelt down, or prostrated themselves on the street to show respect to the Bodhisattva who offered his body to protect the Dhamma.
In his recount, Nguyen van Thong, an undercover agent who was in charge of religious activities at that time, said, "Confidential news was released that there would be a huge demonstration from An Quang Temple to Lam Son Square, and that a monk would perform harakiri (disembowelment suicide). Later I learned that the news was used to distract the police to avoid their attacks."
Nguyen added that he was with other undercover policemen in a car that morning. He took care of taking photos; another was to write reports, still another was to contact the headquarters by phone. They followed the monks and nuns in the march toward Lam Son Square (the Opera House in central Saigon nowadays), not knowing anything about the self-immolation plan. Nguyen was also a correspondent to Anh Xa, so he had another camera with him.
When the Austin stopped at the intersection, and the driver got out and opened the hood, the cover police thought it really broke down. Even when he saw Most Venerable Thich Quang Duc come out of the car and sit on the street, Nguyen could not tell what would happen. Not until the fire broke out and engulfed the monk's body like a huge torch could he realize what was actually happening in stupefied astonishment.
In a reflex, he raised his camera and took a picture of the scene, but his hands were so trembling that the first shot was blurred. He could take a second and last picture with his own camera. Then with his police camera, he tried to catch the scene when the fire almost died out, and the Bodhisattva's body fell onto the ground.
According to Nguyen, at least three people were able to take photos of this emotional scene: Malcolm Browne, correspondent of the Associated Press (AP), one monk, and he himself. However, only the photo taken by Malcolm Browne was well known to the world. Nguyen had to return the police camera to his headquarters, and hid the photos he took with his own camera, because he was at that time working for the South government.
Now at 86, Nguyen recalled:
The fire was so hot, even the container nearby melted, but the Bodhisattva sat still in face of death. It was noticed that near the end, when the fire was almost out, he still faced the West with his head nodding down as if he were bowing to Buddhas. Then he fell backward, not forward. A fire engine and lots of police rushed to the scene, but the monks lay down in order to block their wheels, and to protect the body of the Bodhisattva. Many key figures of the police forces also came, but they just stood there in awe, and could not do anything against the torch of justice.
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.
http://www.go.vn/news/630-5185/anh-truyen/anh-thoi-su-vi-dai-nhat-moi-thoi-dai.htm
http://www.daophatngaynay.com/vn/phatgiao-vn/lich-su/7639-Anh-huong-tu-cuoc-tu-thieu-cua-Hoa-thuong-Thich-Quang-Duc-trong-phong-trao-tranh-dau-cua-Phat-giao-Viet-Nam-nam-1963.html
