VENERABLE BHIKKHUNI GIỚI HƯƠNG:
Dear Ven. Bhikkhuni Giới Hương,
On a quiet, warm summer day, I had the good opportunity to meet Ven. TN Giới Hương (the current abbess of Hương Sen Pagoda, California and also my Dharma aunt), with disciple Rev. Viên Tiến and many Buddhists visiting my master, Master Hiếu Đức at Linh Quang Pagoda, Philadelphia City, Pennsylvania.
After paying homage to the Buddha in the main hall, Ven. Giới Hương graciously talked to each of the resident nuns and then walked around the Linh Quang Pagoda yard. Her voice and smile was as gentle as a breeze cheering up our weak, elderly group. Her steps led the group to the pretty, blooming lotus flowers in the lake. The delegation came out to visit the vegetable garden behind the temple, where Rev. Huệ Thảo had planted ten types of vegetables (such as spinach, pennywort, and bitter vegetables). Rev. Huệ Thảo cut and offered to the group lots of vegetables, which was used to prepare seven vegetable dishes. People were so happy, and they enjoyed the field trip. Afterwards, Master Hiếu Đức and Ven. Giới Hương went into the living room to discuss the Dhamma and took pictures with the group.
Before saying goodbye to Linh Quang Temple, Ven. Giới Hương left a program on spiritual tourism and the Hương Sen Newsletter (in both English and Vietnamese language) for us. Inside this program the Indian Tour was listed. I was happy to see the listing because it was a blessed final opportunity for me to go, as I am at the old age of eighty. I had dreamed of this holy place for a long time, so I felt I must visit before my time or life came to an end.
Pilgrimage to the Buddhist holy places
Namo Tathagata: Shakyamuni Buddha
Raised the torch of compassion for the right path
For humanity to aspire for enlightenment
To end reincarnation.
My son supported the finances for my travel and charity work. Lucky! I had enough time to register and obtain a visa for the trip from September 2, 2019 to October 6, 2019. The tour was fun and well organized. The three tourist groups joined together in succession sequentially, and they eagerly expressed joy and shared knowledge with one another. On the journey, each day we had a program.
Firstly, I would lead the delegation to recite the Great Dharani Mantra (Mrs. Quảng Trí and I were appointed to lead the ritual ceremony, while Ven. Giới Hương said prayers and gave blessings). Secondly, Ven. Giới Hương and Rev. Diệu Nga (studying in Nalanda University) introduced the history of the visited place and invited members to join the Dharma talk to shorten the journey. Mr. Tịnh Bình was elected as the head of the Dharma for Q & A (question and answer). Mr. Chanh Hao was the head of the arts program, while Rev. Diệu Nga was the speaker for the delegation. Finally, the talented MC Ven. Giới Hương always gave summaries and keywords (that were easy to remember) and provided the difficult answers to the group. Ven. Giới Hương’s method was very useful and pedagogical, making the day pass quickly; each of us learned a lot from her and others.
Before we enter the final destination
The holy land of the Sakyadhita Buddha
Ven. Giới Hương introduced Buddhist history
Buddhists feel more respect and emotion
Lifetime of gratitude for the Buddha, who sacrificed his own happiness
Renounced the worldly life of luxury
Overcame the obstacles of danger in the dark jungle
To find the way to enlightenment
Leaving desire behind to reach liberation.
Ven. Giới Hương took the delegation to visit Delhi University, where she spent ten years studying to graduate with a PhD in Buddhist Studies (1995–2005). The pilgrimage gave financial offerings and gifts (instant noodles and dry vegetarian food) to young student monks and nuns. She expressed her desire to create a bridge to help the monks and nuns in her capacity: Hương Sen Temple (which is large, with ten acres) would be a nunnery to serve the nuns. From this, in the future, the essence of the Dharma from nuns and monks would spread everywhere. The great applause echoed in the hall at hearing her lecture.
Ven. Giới Hương also set up a charitable program for 150 poor families at the Indo-Sri Lankan Temple, Sarnath. The charity work was also very successful and very emotional. Due to the compassion and kindness of Ven. Giới Hương, pilgrims came from afar to show up. The villagers were happy to receive gifts as their treasures and had a warm lunch with full smiles on their faces.
During the tour, I also got a chance to share the same room with Ven. Giới Hương. She was busy with many activities of filming, taking pictures, taking diary notes, and so forth. In the evening, she just took a short break and stayed up late to arrange tomorrow's program, compose her introduction, write her diary with her laptop, prepare to welcome the next delegations, contact the tourist company, perform Buddhist works in the US and Vietnam, and so on. She was passionate about working tirelessly and thoughtfully, and with full enthusiasm took care of the team, including accommodations, vehicles, transportation, the spiritual food of Dharma, and meals. It is fortunate to have such a dedicated leader. She is not only an outstanding leader but also has a Dharma store in her head. She has diligently researched, composed, and translated over forty valuable Vietnamese and English works. The pilgrimage team also had the opportunity to enjoy more than ten volumes of Buddhist music from Hương Sen Pagoda using her poems (played on her cellular phone). The nice lyrics, bass echo, and golden voices of the singers made the group feel very poetic, meditative, and entertained.
Master Giới Hương is a truly precious flower adorning and adding color to the Buddhist garden so that Buddhist followers can enjoy its beauty even more.
Venerable Giới Hương, the Tathagata’s disciple
Propagating Dharma to transmit the Buddha’s salvation
To clear mankind’s dark ignorance
Make life more peaceful
The fragrance of compassion spreads into boundless space
People of good intentions
Our garden is fresh and evergreen.
Linh Quang Temple in Philadelphia,
End of Fall in the Pig Year, 2019
Respectfully,
Sadini Diệu Hoa
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Rev. Diệu Hoa (left) and Ven. Giới Hương (right)
At Bodhgaya, Bihar, India, on September 12 2019
Please read all articles and view all photos:4.13.A_Precious_Flower_in_Buddhism-_Sadini_Dieu_Hoa.pdf
