On the occasion of Hương Sen Temple making a book of collected writings, Forty Years in the Dharma: A Life of Study and Service—Venerable Bhikkhuni Giới Hương, I, Tịnh Tâm Giải (Mrs. Phương), on behalf of siblings in our family such as Đào, Đức, Hải, Uyên, Bách, Chi, Hà, Nhi, Hằng, and so on, have written a few words to share.
Returning to the past years 1976–1980, from Bình Tuy (now Bình Thuận), we followed our mother to move to Bàn Cờ Market, Ngã Bảy, Saigon, temporarily staying at Trúc Mai’s house so that our mother could work. At that time, sister Dung (now Bhikkhuni Giới Hương), who was just thirteen or fourteen years old, had long, firm hair (often tied in two long braids) and was fond of learning. Our group (youngest auntie Mỹ Lệ, Sister Ánh Hồng [daughter of the third auntie], Dung and I [daughters of the sixth auntie] and Phượng [daughter of the tenth auntie]) often went to Ấn Quang and Linh Chưởng Temples to chant, retreat, labor, and write the Buddhist scriptures (Lotus Sutra, Earth Store Sutra…) on a notebook to cite, and so forth. These small deeds were the seeds of goodness sown in in our Bodhi mind. So shortly after, Dung and Phượng went to become samaneris of Thanh Hương (titled Giới Hương) and Thanh Đức under Master Hải Triều Âm at Liên Hoa Temple (Bình Thạnh District). I got married and have two daughters. Later, my older daughter also ordained with the Dharma name Viên Khuông at Viên Chiếu Temple (Bà Rịa). Our seventh sister also became a nun with the title Bhikkhuni Trí Minh under Master Thích Thanh Từ (Đà Lạt). Then, the tenth aunt (mother of Bhikkhuni Thanh Đức and sister of our mother) also became a monastic Tâm Diệu under Master Thích Trí Hiếu, Bảo An Temple (Long Điền).
In the Buddhist sutras it is said: "A person who is ordained saves seven generations of parents." A monastic is so precious; now our family lineage has five monastics, so we are very happy and supportive. The rest of our family members are busy with their own lives and not yet able to live in the temple, but we are always sincere Buddhists who support the Three Jewels, recite the Buddhist scriptures, observe vegetarianism, and do good deeds. Our father Chánh Đức Minh (who took refuge under Venerable Thanh Từ) had good karmic preconditions with Venerable Bhikkhuni Giới Hương because he followed her to live in the temple and helped to build Hương Sen Temple in Bình Chánh (Vietnam) and in California (USA) until the day he passed away on October 6, 2018.
Talking about these five precious nuns, each one of them contributes to the Buddhist garden according to her capacity, for example:
Bhikkhuni Trí Minh loves to communicate less often in order to have time to contemplate internal meditation.
The young nun śikṣamānā Viên Khuông is studying the sutras to absorb Buddha's words.
Bhikkhuni Tâm Diệu is an old Buddhist nun and recites prayers for rebirth in the Amitabha Buddha Land.
Bhikkhuni Thanh Đức prefers to do good deeds, giving to the poor and sick.
Venerable Bhikkhuni Giới Hương went to study in India and the United States, specializing in culture, academics, teaching, writing, making poems, building pagodas, creating statues, raising nuns, and guiding laypeople. She actively engages in bringing Buddhism into society both in Vietnam and the USA. . .
To give up worldly objects
Leave the negative ways
Calm the mind at each bell
Come home at the Buddha Land.
On behalf of our great family, here are a few words in honor of the occasion of the 40th anniversary of Venerable Bhikkhuni Giới Hương in study and service for Buddhism. A wish for Bhikkhuni Giới Hương, Bhikkhuni Thanh Đức, Bhikkhuni Trí Minh, Bhikkhuni Tâm Diệu, and śikṣamānā Viên Khuông as well as the nuns at Hương Sen Temple in Vietnam and the United States: have good health, practice diligently, keep your virtue, and always propagate Dharma in order to deserve to be Buddhist disciples, noble supermundane ones.
Namo Amitabha Buddha.
Railway Station apartment, Ngã bảy, Saigon, November 21, 2019
Honestly,
Tịnh Tâm Giải (sister Phương) and family
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Father Chánh Đức Minh (standing in center with a cloth hat)
and family, in front of the house
Mrs. Phương (right), Ven.Bhikkhuni Giới Hương, and Bhikkhuni Tri Minh
Chánh Đức Minh made a toilet tunnel for Hương Sen Temple
The two generations of Bhikkhuni Giới Hương’s family
are bowing to the Buddha and chanting
Please read all artilces and view all photos:3.9.Five_monastics_in_family_of_Ven_Gioi_Huong-_Tinh_Tam_Giai.pdf
