Dear Teacher, chalk dust is the flower

Give me the lesson, the song

Every time the chalk dust drops.

Like thousands of snowflakes, bright the brown cloth.[1]

Dear Venerable Thích Nữ Giới Hương,

November is about over—it's cold, return home like the leaves of the sala tree. The insentient trees know traceability and know to go back to where they were nurtured. November 20 is also a traditional day for students to reflect on the person who supported their intellect. In that spirit, we turn to you, Venerable Thích Nữ Giới Hương, who passed down the Buddhist scriptures of more than twenty-six centuries to us. You taught us many things, told us about the examples of our predecessors, and so forth. . . But still there are some things left unsaid, as below:

There is also a moon

But there are some things of which you did not tell

The nights you sit to compose lessons

Under the midnight moonlight

Teacher! Why did you not say

You endure rain to come to class

Morning and afternoon, you are always besides the students.

(“There are Some Things of Which You Did Not Tell

 [Những Điều Thầy Chưa Kể],” Trần Thanh Sơn)[2]

Language neither describes nor summarizes all our feelings, but we still want to use the means of words to express deepest gratitude to you, the teacher who brought us the wisdom of liberation. May the Three Jewels bless you with good health, a long life, and great wisdom so that we can receive the torch of the Buddha's lineage from you. We know that the most precious gift we can give you is our diligent study, our application of the teachings in life, and much effort in cultivation to be worthy of being Buddha's disciples and your small students.

                                           Namo Amitabha Buddha.

Vietnam Buddhist University, December 3, 2019

With metta,

Student Nun Nguyên Hiền

Course 13, Pali Translation class

[1] Unknown author taking some ideas from “Chalk Dust (Bụi phấn),” musician Vũ Hoàng, poet Lê Văn Lộc, https://giaoducthoidai.vn/goc-nhin/nguoi-thay-nguon-cam-hung-sang-tao-bat-tan-4048383-b.html. Translated from Vietnamese into English by Bhikkhuni Giới Hương.

[2] “There Are Some Things of Which You Did Not Tell [Những Điều Thầy Chưa Kể],” Trần Thanh Sơn, https://lyric.tkaraoke.com/15633/nhung_dieu_thay_chua_ke.html. Translated from Vietnamese into English by Bhikkhuni Giới Hương.

Nun students at Vietnam Buddhist University

Please read all articles and view all photos: 5.11._Chalk_Dust_is_Flower_-_Bhikkhuni_Nguyen_Hien.pdf