On this occasion, Hương Sen Temple is assembling an anthology of writings, Forty Years in the Dharma: A Life of Study and Service – Venerable Bhikkhunī Giới Hương. From the United States, Ven. Bbhikkhunī Giới Hương sent out an earnest email:
Dear Bhikkhunī Chánh Tuệ!
Please consider writing an article for the new collection. Could you drop a few lines of childhood memories of our sisterhood at Liên Hoa Pagoda in the 1980s? It would be good if you also give an update, as you work at the office of the Vietnam Buddhist University, HCM City, while I, from the United States, teach at this University.
Your presence in the anthology would be an honor for us, as we highlight the time when we ordained and practiced together under our great Master Hải Triều Âm. This master converted a few hundred nun disciples, including Ven. Giới Hương (her Dharma title is Thanh Hương), Ven. Thanh Đức (cousin sister of Ven. Giới Hương) and Ven. Chánh Tuệ.
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Dear Venerable Bhikkhunī Giới Hương,
Allow me to use the close greetings of "senior sister" and "younger sister," because in my memory, you acted like a sibling in a family, as well as in the religion. You are very gentle, quiet, and have taken care to guide me from the time I became a novice at the age of eleven. At the end of 1981, I left family behind to lead a monastic life; perhaps I was the youngest novice at Liên Hoa Temple.
The memorable picture in my mind is that it was arranged for me to live in the same room with you and Dharma sister Thanh Đức on the temple's mezzanine floor. You are a sister who has a great deal of detachment (following the ascetic conduct of Ancestral Mahākāśyapa). The monastic robes you wore were frayed with many layers on the shoulders (which you still wear). Each of us was allowed only three sets, but you gave me one of yours. It was so old but I cherished it so much. You had a bead string of noctilucent bracelets. At night, in the main hall, as lights were turned off for the nun community to read the name of Amitābha Buddha, your beads lit up like an aura; as an innocent child I liked it very much. Under the hard economic circumstances at that time (1980s), your beads were a fortune for you, but you dared to give them to me so that I could always show off my beautiful hands with other sisters – then I was willing to sit next to our big sisters to recite the Buddha's name. I really liked to attend the reciting Buddha's name course, because you always told me that more reading of the Buddha’s titles and more touching of the beads would cause them to become brighter and prettier day by day.
In 1981–1985, at a series of practice days under the big shadow of the Master at Liên Hoa Temple, you exuded a special feature of less talking, but more cultivation: “People respect a dignified appearance.” Due to your noble manner, the master appointed you to the position of Buddhist lawyer in the temple, and you were also luckily selected to join a retreat group (twenty bhikkhunīs) to practice intently with the meditative method of "reflecting on the hearing nature." Your group later presented your Dharma practice to the highest monk in the Vietnamese Saṅgha, the Most Venerable Thích Đức Nhuận (he is from the north and came south and stayed at Vĩnh Nghiêm Pagoda, the third District). I remember at that time, even though you were young, your dignified manner indicated to me that you would reach your goals. Your walking and actions were mindful like a Zen Master from the mountain. You were elegant and dedicated to all the responsibilities assigned by our master. In my eyes then and now, you are a role model with personality, confidence, and perseverance, as the motto says:
STUDYING – hardworking to the end.
PRACTICING – until the ultimate.
It can be said that Sister Giới Hương is a good example of trying to overcome difficulties to reach success on the path of practice Buddhism; you are worthy of being a good role for juniors, disciples, and students.
The coniferous trees shaded green on the road in the autumn of August 2016. From the USA, Sister Giới Hương returned to Vietnam with a PhD in Buddhist philosophy and a master’s degree in literature. You applied to teach the Dharma in English course (three months each year) at the Vietnamese Buddhist University. I am Chánh Tuệ, who established Hải Quang Temple in the Gò Vấp district, as well as having worked at the office of the Buddhist University. So I had the opportunity to assist with all of the procedures at the academy to help you, my dear sister, where you have participated in the role of a lecturer.
We have not seen each other for nearly thirty years. You have gone out to study in institutions here in Vietnam and abroad. You earned a bachelor’s degree in Buddhist studies at the Buddhist Institute of the Most Venerable Minh Châu, along with a bachelor’s degree in Vietnamese literature from the University of Humanities and Society. In addition you earned a PhD in India, along with a bachelor’s degree in literature from an American university.
In 2016, the happy day I met you at the Vietnam Buddhist University, you looked mature – a successful nun. Wow! Look at your biography, your achievements of both internal and external wisdom, as well as your rich dedication to education (you have written more than forty works in English and Vietnamese; you are building and developing a ten-acre pagoda in the US and currently have thirteen renunciant disciples). I bow in admiration, but I couldn't follow. Such a position like that! Such knowledge like that! But you are still my sister as in the past. A sister who has always been simple, peaceful, and with a deep connection to me. I am always proud of my elder sister who is an example of overcoming difficulties in the path of cultivation and service to Buddhism.
Then, one day in the warm sunny summer of June 2018, with full grace, you completed the necessary paperwork for me and Bhikkhunī Tâm Thảo (a lecturer in the Buddhist University) to visit Hương Sen Temple in the USA. Although the purpose was traveling and attending the summer retreat in the American temples, you also invited us to teach the Buddhist precepts for your nun disciples, with your persuasive explanation as follows:
In Buddhism, we have a saying: “When Saṅgha (monks/nuns) arrives, it means the Buddha appears.” When monks and nuns have the karma to come to Hương Sen Temple, I always invite them to kindly give a lecture sharing the valuable training experiences of those who are senior to the young and new practitioners, both the renunciants as well as laypeople, especially since in this remote place, it can be hard for folks to hear the Buddha Dharma.
When people meet you, usually your advice is for them to put effort into studying, reading, practicing, and taking advantage of everything to be useful and devoted, and of course to avoid wasting a lot of time on eating, sleeping, with some leisure here and there.
Looking at the ten acres of land (equivalent to about four acres in Vietnam), with foundation preparations for the project, you shared with us:
My dream is this temple which will serve as a great nunnery for all nuns, both from foreign lands and elsewhere. I do not have any major events to raise funds. I often go here and there to give lectures, offer my books, from which I can accumulate some small income. Buddhists who know this project can contribute to building a Buddhist nunnery which will exist forever to bring the light of Buddha Dharma everywhere, especially in remote areas in the United States.
We pray that the Buddhas will bless, sooner or later, the construction of Hương Sen Temple. I feel optimistic and believe that the miracle of the Three Jewels will bless Hương Sen.
Once again, I pray sincerely to Venerable Bhikkhunī Giới Huong, my wonderful sister, to be healthy, to make yourself a great nun, a role model for Buddhism today and in the future, so that we and the young nuns who soon will leave their homes, their temples and their country to study abroad follow my sister’s example so the future of Buddhism will have more excellent nuns, such as my sister which is well illustrated by the meaning of her Dharma name, "Giới Hương" (Fragrance of the Precepts).
May Venerable Giới Hương and the nuns at Hương Sen Temple (California, USA) and Hương Sen (Vĩnh Lộc A, Bình Chánh, Hồ Chí Minh City), have a peaceful body and mind. May your Buddha works be full of joy, and may your aspirations be fulfilled for the sake of many, both domestically and internationally as your vows shine the light of Dharma.
March 19, 2020
Hải Quang Temple, Gò Vấp District
With Metta,
Bhikkhunī Chánh Tuệ
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From left: Ven. Chánh Tuệ, Ven. Tường Hạnh, Rev. Giới Viên, Ven. Giới Hương, Ven. Thông Tịnh (the real older sister of Ven. Chánh Tuệ) and Ven Thanh Nhã, at the Buddhist Conference, HCM City, November 3, 2018
From left: Ven. Thông Tịnh, Ven. Thanh Nhã, Ven. Tường Hạnh,
Ven. Giới Hương and Ven. Chánh Tuệ with all young disciples
at Hải Quang Temple in June 2018
Please read all articles and view all photos:3.29._Remembering_Childhood_Renunciation_and_Practice_-_Bhikkhuni_TN_Chanh_Tue.pdf
