I just received her message that was sent from to Vietnam to Hương Sen Buddhist Temple in the United States, “Please write some articles for the English-Vietnamese collection for Venerable Giới Hương’s 40th year of practicing and preaching the Dharma.” I myself recall Master’s cultivation during her past forty years, yet she still looks so young and enthusiastic for Dharma work.
Master has a wide knowledge of Buddhism because she has received a PhD degree in Buddhist Studies ten years ago and a bachelor’s degree in literature from the University of California, Riverside, in the United States. Master has used bilingual English and Vietnamese to write more than thirty Buddhist books in Vietnamese and about ten books in English, which were published and distributed to Vietnamese Buddhists in the United States. For four months out of every year, she has gone to Vietnam to teach a Buddhism in English course to the young student monks and nuns at Vietnam Buddhist University, HCMC, as well as to the laity who speak English all over the world.
Before I became a Buddhist nun, I used to go to Phật Tổ Temple to attend the services and practices. One weekend, I met Venerable Giới Hương, listened to her Dharma talk, and was gifted her two volumes of the Agama Sutra. At that time, I heard many lay devotees say that although Venerable Giới Hương is young, her Dharma talk was excellent. Since that time, I have admired Master so much and desired to become a Buddhist nun under her. My dream came true, as I became a disciple of Master in 2014.
After becoming a Buddhist nun under Master, I have come to admire Master more and more—Master established a new Buddhist temple in a remote area by herself. This is part of a semi-desert region whose weather is extreme, so hot during the day, while so cold and desolate at night. There is just a small house without a proper fence, where we can hear the howling of wolves at night, making people so afraid. At times, the wolves come and kill the small dogs of the temple. (What a great courage Master has!)
The more I become close to Master, the more I admire her. Master is very diligent; while continuing to study at the English literature program at the university, Master takes care of the temple and trains her three old disciples very carefully. Master has taught us the Buddhist precepts, how to wear the robe properly, how to use the Buddhist Dharma tools for chanting. Whenever we had Buddhist nuns visit the temple, Master invited them to teach us the Dharma and Vinaya. For the annual Buddhist festivals, Master has arranged everything, from assigning tasks for everyone to organizing the activities, such as opening Buddhist retreats, giving lectures, programming, preparing foods and drinks, and decorating, from the main hall to the garden. There was a monk who attended the Buddhist festival at Hương Sen who used to say that “Venerable Giới Hương directs everything in the temple as a female general.” It is the truth. Whenever Master assigns tasks for somebody, she often tells us thoroughly because all of us are over sixty years old already. Master even writes them down to make sure that we won’t forget them. Master loves us and takes care of the three of us very carefully. When we are about to get sick, Master tells us to take a rest and take medication. She even gives us the medicines; we have to take it in front of her and we are told to rest early without doing any other work. Another thing that makes me respect Master more is that she stays up to 1 or 2 am every night although she is working very hard during the day. Master has to do her assignments, which are very long and difficult, while she has written many articles for different Buddhist journals, such as Chánh Pháp, Thư Viện Hoa Sen, Hoa Vô Ưu, Quảng Đức, Đạo Phật Ngày Nay, etc. The next day, when we hear the bell for the morning chanting, Master is there already. Nevertheless, on some busy days, Master has to stay up the whole night to write for some temples, which often invite Master to give Dharma talks at their places. I am really afraid that Master will become sick if she works that hard for a long time. I have suggested that Master have more rest, but she still has not agreed with me. This is just repeated over and over. In order to console me, Master even said: “I will sleep when I am on the plane.” We are happy that Master is in good health. We often say to one another that Master has superpowers. (What a great power Master has!)
I recall a statement from the Surangama Sutra, “Great Courage, Great Power, and Great Compassion.” Regarding the quality of great compassion, Master did not intend to raise animals; however, she adopted five dogs from some people who left the state or were hospitalized. Master made two big doghouses for them, with the name, “Hut for Transforming Dog’s Karma.” They are very clean and cool, a place to sleep with enough blankets for the winter season, too. In the summer, Master trims their hair and washes their bodies. She has bought yummy foods for her “small disciples” herself. Besides, she often saves some foods for them when someone offers good foods to her. Therefore, all the dogs are so happy and run out to greet her (before the human disciples) whenever Master comes back to the temple from outside.
In addition, there were some single women who wanted to ordain, but they were afraid that they were too old and that Master would not accept them due to their elderly sickness. However, Master always opened her arms and said, “Master will accept all ages.” I think Master is so compassionate and tolerant. Among the three of us now, the youngest one is also over sixty-six years old. We have different personalities, yet Master has patiently teaches us out of compassion and loving-kindness. During the time I am with Master, I feel protected and cultivate well. When we were about to get full ordination, Master helped us to review the lessons and to prepare the robes and other necessary things, while Master had to direct the construction works of the temple at that time. Master drove one and a half hours to Điều Ngự Temple in order to bring the robes to us. We tried them, but they were not fixed, and Master took them back and readjusted the sizes. After finishing them, Master brought the robes and other necessary things to us again. Before receiving the great ordination, Master reminded us that we need to do things very meticulously. Her love and care touched me, so that I burst into tears when I bowed to her at the ordination ceremony. (What a great compassion Master has!)
Loving Master, I am old now, and I don’t know what to do to repay your kindness. I will do my best to serve the Triple Gem and to complete all the tasks that Master has assigned to me, as well as to practice hard in the Dharma with a wish to repay a little of your kindness. With a wholehearted mind, I pay homage to the Buddhas in the ten directions to bless my Master, who always has Great Courage, Great Power, and Great Compassion: good health so that Master will propagate the Dharma and help all sentient beings to be free from suffering and obtain happiness and fulfillment of Master’s wish of being a messenger of the Buddha.
Hương Sen Temple, November 22, 2019
Bowing three times,
Disciple Bhikkhuni Viên An
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Bhikkhuni Viên An (far right) with Mas ter Giới Hương and nuns
On Retreat Day, May 20, 2019
Bhikkhuni Viên An
Please read articles and view all photos:4.7._The_great_will_of_Master_-_Thich_Nu_Vien_An.pdf
