Studying Abroad
While studying the Tripitaka in
Chinese, he found that there were various ways to represent the Pali and Sanskrit
Buddhist terminology, which made the texts more difficult to understand. That was why he consulted his Master and the
Buddhist Studies Association in Central An nam, and asked for their
permission, so that he could go abroad and study the Tripitaka in Sri-lanka and India. He vowed to translate the original Tripitaka
into Vietnamese to contribute to Vietnam Buddhism.
In 1952 with the Sangha’s and his
Master’s permission, he left Vietnam for Sri-Lanka to study Pali and English in
Colombo. Three years later the
University of Sri-Lanka gave him the title Dharma Teacher (Saddammcariya). After that he went to India and received
further training at Bihar University, which belongs to the famous Nava Nalanda
Mahavihara. As an internation student
monk, he had an opportunity to meet President Hồ Chí Minh during the latter’s
visit to India in 1957. In 1958 he
completed his Bachelor’s degree in Pali and English, and finished his Master of
Arts degree in Pali and Abhidhamma as his class velodictorian. Three years later in September 1961, he became
the first Vietnamese monk to earn his Doctoral degree in India with an excellent thesis, The
Chinese Madhyama Àgama and the Pàli Mahjjhima Nikàya - A Comparative
Study. The Indian President at the time
conferred the degree to him with a lot of admiration. From 1962 to 1963 he was teaching at Bihar University. During these years he wrote three works in
English: H'suan T'sang, The Pilgrim and Scholar; Fa-Hsien, the Unassuming
Pilgrim; and Milindapanha and Nàgasenabhikhusùtra - A Comparative Study.
In 1964 he returned to Vietnam,
continued his translation work, and served Vietnam Buddhism in all his
capacities.
(To be continued)
Note:
Nālandā was an ancient center of higher learning in Bihar, India. The site of Nalanda is located in the Indian state of Bihar, about 88 kilometers south east of Patna, and was a Buddhist center of learning from the fifth or sixth century CE to 1197 CE. Nalanda flourished between the reign of the Śakrāditya (whose identity is uncertain and who might have been either Kumara Gupta I or Kumara Gupta II) and 1197 CE, supported by patronage from the Hindu Gupta rulers as well as Buddhist emperors like Harsha and later emperors from the Pala Empire.
Sources:
http://www.nguoiaolam.net/2012/09/hoa-thuong-thich-minh-chau-tieu-su-cong.html#.UEomRpHZKCk
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nalanda
