III.6. Late Night Light Forever Bright-Venerable Bhikkhunī Hương Nhũ

The fragrance of flowers drifts with the wind

as sandalwood, jasmine, lavender.

The fragrance of virtue oversweeps the wind,

all pervasive is virtue of the good.

(Dhammapada, Verse 54)[1]

The lines of this poem describe a daughter of the Buddha: Venerable Bhikkhunī Giới Hương. My Dharma sister always leaves many beautiful impressions in my heart.

More than twenty years have passed since the day I met Venerable Bhikkhunī Giới Hương in the dormitory of Delhi University (P.G.Woem’s Hostel). Now twenty years later, we meet again. She still presents as a nun with a soft, gentle voice and a peaceful, innocent expression. Venerable Giới Hương looks young, but she has wisdom and great energy in the practice, a persistent strength in learning, as well as research, and has contributed many admirable writings to the Buddha's works. She has composed good works in both domestic and foreign literature and Buddhist forums.

Remembering the years at Delhi University, most students that day knew the Vietnamese nun who worked hard in studying and researching in Room C-2, located on the ground floor in the massive building of the PG Women Hostel. It connected with many lush, green beautiful lawns. She was senior to me and for four years sometimes we would meet at the library or on Uposatha Days, where she always greeted me with a smile, “Hello Hương Nhũ,” which was so warm and friendly. Once, there was something I didn't understand in class and she wholeheartedly instructed me.

Over the years, Ven. Giới Hương graduated with a master's degree, then went to earn a doctorate in Buddhism. She returned to Vietnam, to her No. C-2 room at the dormitory,y where she found the quiet light at night. May that late-night light continue to shine wherever she is and welcome her footsteps.

A few years later, when I returned home from India and started teaching at the Vietnam Buddhist University in Ho Chi Minh City (in 2006), I didn't see Ven. Giới Hương teaching there. Asking, I learned that she had gone to the United States to continue to study and propagate the Dharma. She is one of the rare nuns who succeeds overseas in establishing temples and training nuns and Buddhist followers.

Then one day, I happened to hear her voice giving a lecture at Giác Ngộ Pagoda, Hồ Chí Minh City, teaching student monks and nuns at the Vietnam Buddhist Univerisity. I really admire the enthusiasm and compassion of my Dharma sister. So now my Dharma sister began to embark on a journey of sharing the Dharma in her new homeland.

Seeing her again on the thirty-fifth anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam Buddhist University in HCM City (December 8, 2019), we sat happily next to each other. I heard her confide, still with a gentle voice and innocent eyes as she was in India, “Hương Nhũ, do you know my happiness is to go everywhere to share the wonderful Dharma. There is nothing better than using my capacities to contribute to missionary work and Buddhist education.”

Understanding the sincere wishes of this daughter of the Sakyaditta lineage, I sincerely pray for and admire the moral virtue, wisdom and compassion of the Vietnamese Saṅgha. They are always blessed by the Three Jewels so Buddhist teachings can be shared with many.

Thiên Quang Nunnery,

Bình Dương

March 3, 2020

Best regards,

Venerable Bhikkhunī Hương Nhũ

Lecturer in Philosophy at Vietnam Buddhist University in HCM City

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

[1] Dhammapada, Verse 194, tranlated into English by the Most Venerable Narada, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 1963, 1971.

https://thuvienhoasen.org/a10361/07-pham-a-la-han-the-worthy-54

Ven. Giới Hương (sitting with a leaf hat) and Ven. Hương Nhũ (in a grey cloth)

at the conference hall of Delhi University, India, in 1999

Twenty years later: Ven. Giới Hương (left) and Ven. Hương Nhũ (right)