California, November 2019
On the occasion of Hương Sen Temple’s publication of the collected writings: “Forty Years in the Dharma: A Life of Study and Service—Venerable Bhikkhuni Giới Hương,” I write this letter to congratulate her.
As a journalist and a Buddhist learner, I and many other reporters have observed and supported the activities of the Southern California community, including the propagation activities of Venerable Thich Nu Giới Hương and Hương Sen Temple. The temple has emerged prominently in many ways to become a reliable place where Buddhist can study and find support.
I have observed her since the first day she raised funds in Orange County to build Hương Sen Temple—it was October 2010. The first temple address was on Fir Avenue, Moreno Valley, a town in Riverside County, California. This place was far away and seemed to encounter some inconveniences; so later, she moved the temple to a new location at 19865 Seaton Avenue, Perris, CA 92570, USA. I also remembered that the first time she opened a website for Hương Sen Temple, the technology had problems. The old website had to be removed, and now the new URL is: http://www.huongsentemple.com. This shows how there are so many challenges, like water flowing through a rough channel, but her willingness to spread Buddhism for the sake of the many is still solid.
Regarding my case, I am rather busy and have not had the opportunity to visit Hương Sen Temple (about a one-hour drive from the Việt Báo editorial office). In 2018, I received news from Upāsaka Mật Nghiêm-Đặng Nguyên Phả, chairman of Đuốc Tuệ Buddhist Studies Association, who was about to offer 120 boxes of Buddhist books to Hương Sen Temple Library. I interviewed him directly to invite compatriots living near the temple to read them at Hương Sen Temple. It was around the middle of 2018, and the library had not been completed yet.
And in fact, up to now, Hương Sen Temple does not have enough of a budget to build all of the rooms in the original drawings. A number of artists, including musician Nam Hưng, are on the program to help Venerable Thích Nữ Giới Hương organize an upcoming concert on Sunday, March 22, 2020, at Seafood World Restaurant in Westminster to raise funds to build the steel main hall (this means that Hương Sen Temple does not have much budget). However, it can also be seen as a unique record: Hương Sen Temple will be the only overseas temple made with steel.
However, as is rarely seen in the world, Venerable Bhikkhuni Thích Nữ Giới Hương has for many years without a complaint continuously taught Buddhism: preaching to the community, writing poems to compose music, writing English-Vietnamese books on many Buddhist subjects, holding short-term Buddhist courses at Hương Sen Temple, and regularly traveling to other places, including some overseas and Vietnamese temples to give lectures and retreat instructions. She also teaches English classes at a Buddhist university in Vietnam for the last few months of every year.
On this occasion, I would like to offer her a poem:
Propagating with compassion
Caring for the suffering of the six realms
This world is infinite sadness
Guide them to the other shore.
I would like to congratulate her sincerely on the occasion of the publication of: Forty Years in the Dharma: A Life of Study and Service—Venerable Bhikkhuni Giới Hương.
Westminster, California, December 10 2019
Regardfully,
Việt Newspaper Editor cum writer Nguyên Giác - Phan Tấn Hải
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Four speakers at Đuốc Tuệ Buddhist Studies Association in 2014:
The most Venerable Thông Hải, Venerable Bhikkhuni Giới Hương,
Mrs. Bảo Ngọc, and journalist cum writer Nguyên Giác
Please read all articles and view all photos:6.5.Congratulatory_letter_to_40_Years_of_Ven_Gioi_Huong_-_Nguyen_Giac.pdf
