THE MOST VENERABLE BHIKKHUNĪ NHƯ NGUYỆN,
VENERABLE NHẬT NHAN –THE GRACE OF DHARMA
The Abbess of Xá Lợi Temple (Southern California)
1.The Most Venerable Như Nguyện
The Most Ven. Như Nguyện (aka Nguyễn Ngọc Hiếu) was born in 1947 in Bà Rịa, Vũng Tàu. She is the fourth child in the family of five sisters. In 1961, realizing impermanence when her two youngest siblings died, the chief nun and her mother left the world behind to lead a monastic life under the guidance of Master Như Châu at Từ Nghiêm Nunnery. The Dharma name of her mother is Thích Nữ Như Đức, while hers is Thích Nữ Như Nguyện. Later, Bhikkhunī Như Đức was appointed to be the abbess of Viên Minh Pagoda (Lý Thái Tổ Street, the 10th District, Saigon City).
In 1969, after receiving bhikkhunī ordination, Reverend Như Nguyện left Từ Nghiêm Nunnery to study and help Venerable Bhikkhunī Như Đức (her mother) with Buddhist works at Viên Minh Pagoda until the day she left for the United States.
In 1983, Bhikkhunī Như Nguyện settled in the United States, sponsored by the Most Venerable Mãn Giác, the president of the Vietnamese United Buddhist Churches and the abbot of the Vietnam Buddhist Temple. Later, she was appointed to be the abbess of many pagodas, such as A-di-đà Temple (Los Angeles, 1986), Kiều Đàm Pagoda (Rosemead, California, 1988), Viên Minh Pagoda (St. Louis, Missouri, 1989), Minh Quang Vihara (Portland, Oregon, 1991) as well as keeping the post of deputy general director of the laity, along with serving as the general secretary of the Nun Sangha (Term I), the Second Office, the Viện Hóa Đạo Buddhist Office and theVietnamese American United Buddhist Congregation in 1992.
2.Xá Lợi Temple
It is known that Xá Lợi Temple (Rosemead, California) was founded by Bhikkhu Minh Hạnh in June 1981, and in 1998, he passed away (fifty-five years old) and transferred it to Chief Nun Như Nguyện to be abbess of Xá Lợi Temple.
Xá Lợi Temple
Abbess: Venerable Bhikkhunī Nhật Nhan
2755 Del Mar Avenue,
Rosemead, CA 91770
Phone: (626) 572-0389, Cell: (714) 873-3175
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The Most Ven. Như Nguyện has devoted all her energy and health to renovating Xá Lợi Temple. In order to expand the scope, she purchased a house next door so that Buddhists have a spacious place to practice. The temple offers a variety of weekly, monthly and annual activities such as organizing retreats, chanting, meditation, preaching, anniversaries, prayers for Buddhists in the local and surrounding areas and invites everyone to attend. She dreams of having a spacious hall with a curved Asian roof like the pagoda architecture of Vietnam.
In May 2016, she received the government's permit for building a new 2,400-square-foot and 20-foot-high hall. Thus, her wish was considered to be partially accomplished and she began to dedicate herself to calling for support to start the project. However, at the age of seventy with sickness, she passed away on January 15, 2017 (seventy years old, fifty years old in Dharma). Venerable Bhikkhunī Nhật Nhan (the new abbess of Xá Lợi Pagoda) and her disciple, Bhikkhunī Như Tín (a new deputy head) continue to be in charge of constructing and guiding Buddhists to practice and develop the temple.
3.Venerable Bhikkhunī Nhật Nhan
Venerable Bhikkhunī Nhật Nhan (world name Hiền Nguyễn) was born in 1967 in Gò Công Đông, Mỹ Tho. In 1980, she ordained under Master Như Huệ at Thiền Đức Pagoda, District 6, Saigon. She received full bhikkhunī ordination on July 15, 1987. In 1999, Venerable Bhikkhunī was sponsored and settled down in the United States with the sponsorship of the Most Venerable Thich Minh Thông (Vĩnh Nghiêm Pagoda, Pomona, Calfornia). Ven. Nhật Nhan is a younger Dharma sister of the Most Ven. Như Nguyện, because Ven Như Nguyện is a disciple of Master Thanh Lương (Master Như Châu and Master Như Huệ who are Dharma sisters and worked in Từ Nghiêm Pagoda, District 10, Sài Gòn). Ven. Nhật Nhan became a nun at a young age, has sincerely practiced, is sociable and served the public. The Most Ven. Như Nguyện entrusted and appointed her as the abbess of Xá Lợi Pagoda in 2017.
Currently, construction has been completed on the main hall. Only the interior decoration and parking lot (fifteen spots) are left to finish and this is expected to be completed in 2021 if the budget is sufficient. On the day of the inauguration ceremony with the elders, venerable monks and nuns, and lay Buddhists attending, surely the spirit of the late Most Ven. Như Nguyện must return to witness and be very happy.
May the construction work be completed successfully and may Venerable Nhật Nhan, as well as Ven. Như Tín, stay healthy and strong in mind to complete the assigned the Buddhist works.
Namo Solemn Decorated Bodhi Place.
Hương Sen Temple, June 20, 2020
Bow three times,
Bhikkhunī Thích Nữ Giới Hương
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Memorial
The Most Venerable Bhikkhunī Như Nguyện
Namo Shakyamuni Buddha
We, Bhikkhunī Giới Hương, the nuns and Buddhist followers of Hương Sen Temple, Perris, California, just heard that the Venerable Bhikkhunī Như Nguyện, the General Director of the Nun Sangha in the Executive Council of the Vietnamese American United Buddhist Congregation and the Abbess of Xá Lợi Pagoda, Rosemead, California, United States, passed away at 5:30 pm, January 15, 2017 (Year of the Monkey), seventy years old in life and fifty years old in Buddhism.
Dear Most Venerable Bhikkhunī Như Nguyện,
As one of the young nuns practicing Dharma in the United States, the elder's passing in the West make us, the nuns, feel depressed and sad with lack of support. This is a great loss for the Xá Lợi Pagoda in particular, and for the Sangha, the Buddhist monks and nuns and everywhere, and Buddhists in general. start here
We remember when you were alive, during the summer retreats, the Vesak festivals, the Vu Lan Day and the North American Buddhist Studies Courses, you appeared as a gentle, tolerant and quiet nun. Each of your steps and gestures show the dignity and majesty of the female disciples of the Sakya lineage. Your words are as the tender fragrance of the Nun Patriarch Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī.
During a long journey, you stood side by side with the monk Sangha to build a Buddhist House abroad to promote the Dharma, train nuns, maintain the Tathāgata’s heritage and repay the gratitude of the Three Jewels. Following the holy lineage, your great service to life and Buddhism remains in our hearts and minds, as it is well expressed in the Therīgāthā:[1]
As a Bhikkhunī
The sense bases are practiced,
Transform all sufferings,
The necessary works are done,
The ignorant fermentations
Have completely ceased.
Therīgāthā ,Verse 364
At this sacred time, we sincerely pray that you will be born in the Amitābha Buddha’s world and as a result of your compassionate vow, (“follow the will” as your name says), Như Nguyện, we pray that you come back to this saha world to guide us and all other beings.
On this occasion, we also would like to extend our sincere condolences to the noble Dharma disciples of the Most Venerable Bhikkhunī Như Nguyện, and the Buddhist followers in Xá Lợi Pagoda for this great loss.
Namo the Amitābha Buddha’s blissed land
Prostrating to the Late Most Venerable Bhikkhunī Như Nguyện
Hương Sen Temple, January 18, 2017
Sincerely bowing three times
Bhikkhunī TN GiớiHương and the Nuns
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Facade of Xá Lợi Pagoda, June 2020
The Funeral Ceremony of the Most Ven. Như Nguyện on January 23, 2017
Disciple Rev. Như Tín (leading the group and holding the picture of Master Như Nguyện)
and younger Dharma sister Ven. Nhật Nhan (holding the bowl behind),
and the nuns took the coffin to the crematorium
The Most Ven. Bhikkhunī Như Hoà (Dược sư Temple)
stands to give a commemorative speech with the Sangha attending the funeral
The Most Ven. Bhikkhunī Như Hoà, the Most Ven. Bhikkhunī Như Tịnh
and Ven. Bhikkhunī Như Phước and the nuns at the funeral
Left: the Most Ven. Thông Hải, the Most Ven. Thắng Hoan and
the monks and nuns at the funeral
Front side of Xá Lợi Temple, June 2020
Inside the Xá Lợi Main Hall, June 2020
View of Xá Lợi Temple
[1] Trưởng Lão Ni Kệ - Therigàthà by Hòa thượng Thích Minh Châu dịch Việt
https://archive.org/details/truonglaonike.
Bhikkhunī Giới Hương translated into English.
Please read this article and view all photos: 2.6._Ven._Nhu_Nguyen_-Bhikkhuni_Nhat_Nhan_-_Xa_Loi_Temple.pdf