I call you two words, “Dear Master!”
Feel my soul filled with emotion
You were like a cool breeze to dispel the heat
Cooling my whole heart sky.
Fleeting time has quietly passed; eighteen years have passed since the day I was very fortunate to meet you at the Pháp Quang Temple (now it is called Hương Sen Temple).
Dear Teacher! In October of that lunar year (2001), I went back and forth to Pháp Quang Temple to admire your tranquil, dignified figure, which appeared and disappeared in the main hall. I stood outside to enjoy that moment for a long time; after you disappeared inside, I went home with that image of an elegant, grey-robed nun.
That afternoon, I ventured to the temple but did not dare to enter. At that time, I did not understand anything about Buddhism. Seeing me sneak around, you came out to lead me, “a small being,” in.
You delightedly asked about my family and neighbors and guided me in the daily ritual of prayers. At that time, you were prostrating at every word of the Lotus Sutra. Although I didn't know anything about the Dharma, I could follow and understand it very well. That night, I could not sleep and closed my eyes, and then I heard your Dharma words far and near. I felt happy in my heart and thought that you have awakened the Buddha-Dharma nature in my mind already. Thank you for everything.
Since I have you, our life is bright
The bright sky is clear inside me.
From then on, every afternoon I returned to Pháp Quang Temple and accompanied you to reverently prostrate at each word of the Lotus Sutra and recite the afternoon course. I was so excited that in just three days, I memorized the Great Compassionate Darani Mantra and other prayer rituals. The reason is that I copied it into a small book to take with me wherever I go, to learn it by heart.
That year, we Buddhists celebrated the New Year with you at Pháp Quang in Vietnam; we were very happy. We liked to work with you because each person was specifically and clearly assigned, in your organized plans. Close to you, we felt peaceful and free due to your compassionate energy spreading around us.
Then what was predestined came, and you went to India to study, and after that, you went to America to settle down. We stayed in Pháp Quang to recite with Rev. Viên Hoàng.
Although we are far away from you, we always turn to you, diligently reciting Buddha's name and doing good deeds every day, so that we will be more and more steadfast in our faith.
You know, the more we miss you, the more diligently we maintain the sutras and keep the precepts, so that today, my family of four people have all taken refuge in the Three Jewels.
My family lives in harmony and shares sadness and joy every day as a model Buddhist family. Our all-day schedule includes early morning listening to the Dharma and observing the precepts, without killing. As for me, I keep two chanting sessions of Śūraṅgama Mantra and the Pure Land every day.
By understanding the Buddha Dharma and the teachings from our teacher Giới Hương, Viên Lan and Viên Huy have joined the Buddhist Young Association’s activities and always lead a good, ideal life for the sake of everyone.
Dear Master! Viên Huy has now become a teacher at Vĩnh Lộc Elementary School, while Vien Lan has become a medical secretary.
I would like to thank to you, Master, and everyone in this life for helping us along the long, difficult journey.
This year, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of cultivation and service of Master Thích Nữ Giới Hương, I would like to share many of our beautiful memories. It is predestined and the biggest mark of my life. I will diligently practice observing the precepts, so that one day, I can cultivate the mind, take it as my possession, and later go into the ideal of renunciation and liberation, to repay Master's beneficence for giving me my first Dharma words:
Thanks for your compassionate fire,
Transfer wisdom to come over the edge of birth and death
Sincere respect with all our heart,
May Master attain liberation soon.
In closing, I wish that Master Thích Nữ Giới Hương and your nun disciples have good health, save beings, and achieve Buddhahood. You are always the lofty compassionate tree whose shade protects us.
Namo Joy Bodhisattva.
Bình Chánh - HCM City, November 24, 2019
Best regards,
Viên Diệu – Phạm Thị Thanh
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Viên Diệu (second row central carry a gift) in
Hương Sen Temple (Bình Chánh) in 2016
Please read all articles and view all photos:4.17._Two_words_of_our_Master_-_Vien_Dieu.pdf
