VI. 21.The Happiness in Dharma

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Namo Amitabha Buddha

Dear Venerable Bhikkhunī Giới Hương,

I am Thanh Mai, an eighty-year old female Buddhist. I am old and often sick, but I am cherished by monks and nuns from many temples in Southern California, who often visit me to teach Buddhism and encourage me to recite the Buddha's name. Whenever I am healthy, my children, Thanh Đàm and Thiện Châu, take me to the temples immediately (because this is my happiness), such as Bát Nhã Pagoda, Phật Tổ Temple, Huệ Nghiêm Pagoda, Hoa Nghiem Pagoda, Huong Sen Pagoda, Khánh Anh Pagoda . . . for practicing and praying. My family is happy to see me to live in the great love and blessings of the monks and nuns. This is a happiness the Dhammapada described:

Happy is the arising of a Buddha;

Happy is the exposition of the Ariya Dhamma;

Happy is the harmony amongst the Saṅgha;

Happy is the practice of those in harmony.

Dhammapada, Verse 194[1]

To be a human is difficult and to receive your loving care and encouragement is priceless. I remember on the Buddha's birthday in 2018, when I went to Hương Sen Pagoda, I was encouraged and comforted by the Most Venerable Nguyên Thanh, Ven. Bhikkhunī Giới Hương and all the Buddhist nuns, as well as Buddhist followers of Huong Sen Pagoda, which touched me with gratitude. It transformed me with more vitality, making me overcome the serious disease in my body. How special that I could forget!

Today we visited Hương Sen Pagoda and we heard that on March 22, 2020, there will be a celebration of Bhikkhunī Giới Hương’s many years of service in the Dharma. A collection of writings, Forty Years in the Dharma: A Life of Study and Service - Venerable Bhikkhunī Giới Hương will be offered to the public. Today is the last day to submit my writing; tomorrow the collected writings for gifts will be printed. So I made up a simple poem and a few sincere words to offer to you with all my heart. My writing will be the last one to end the book. It is a great pleasure and great joy for me to be present with the monks and nuns in this anniversary collection. Wow! It has also been a good predestined relationship for me with Hương Sen Pagoda.

Today we congratulate Ven. Bhikkhunī Giới Hương, who spent forty years working hard and studying for the sake of many.

Hương Sen fragrance far

Pure living among mud

Giới Hương meditation wisdom available

Spread all over the four directions.

A Rainy Day in Long Beach, California

March 1, 2020

Faithfully,

Thanh Mai

From left: Thiện Châu, Thanh Mai, Ven. Giới Hương

and Thanh Đàm at Hương Sen Temple, March 1, 2020

[1] Dhammapada, Verse 194, translated into English by the Most Venerable Narada, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 1963, 1971.