03-TIỂU SỬ ĐỨC TRƯỞNG LÃO THÍCH THÔNG LẠC (Việt – Anh)/ 3

 

03-TIỂU SỬ ĐỨC TRƯỞNG LÃO THÍCH THÔNG LẠC (Việt – Anh)/ 3

THE BRIEF BIOGRAPHY
Of The Fully Enlightened Master THICH THONG LAC

 The Fully Enlightened Master Thich Thong Lac, secular name Le Ngoc An, the Abbot of Chon Nhu (Tathata) Monastery, was born on 28 May 1928 at his mother’s native village of 18 Vuon Trau Village, Tan Thoi Nhi Commune, Hoc Mon District, Gia Dinh Province (now Ho Chi Minh City).

His father, Mr. Le Van Huan, Buddhist name Thich Thien Thanh, a Vietnamese traditional medicine doctor. He was born in a Confucian family from Trang Bang Town, Tay Ninh Province.

His mother, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Nhung, a lower-primary education teacher, was also born in a Confucian family. Her father was a chief at Tan Thoi Nhi Commune, Hoc Mon District, Gia Dinh Province.

In early childhood, the young Master Thich Thong Lac enjoyed accompanying his father to learn how to practice Buddhism. His father gave him the Buddhist name Thich Tu An. In 1936, at the age of 8, his parents let him leave home to study and practice Buddhism under the guidance of the Venerable Thich Hue Tanh at Phuoc Luu Pagoda in Trang Bang Town, Tay Ninh Province. The Venerable Thich Hue Tanh gave him the new Buddhist name THICH THONG LAC.

In the beginning, he was taught canons and Sinology by several masters: the Venerable Thich Hue Tanh, the Venerable Thich Long An, the Venerable Thich Thien Tai and the Venerable Thich Thien Hoa. The Venerable Thich Thien Hoa sent him to study further at Hue Nghiem Buddhist College and the Van Hanh Buddhist University.

Later, he was encouraged by several Venerables to teach in the Bodhi Schools. During that time, he also studied at the Saigon University of Literature and prepared to study abroad. Besides, he also participated in patriotic movements fighting for independence and freedom of Vietnam, his homeland.

In 1970, while studying and teaching at various schools in Saigon, his father became seriously ill, so master Thich Thong Lac returned to Trang Bang to care for and support him. Three months later, his father passed away. Witnessing his father’s illness and death, he thought: “This worldly life has nothing but suffering. So why do we seek fame and fortune in this material world?…”. He abandoned the worldly aspirations of glory and wealth to follow the Venerable Thich Thanh Tu to practice meditation.

After a three-month rain retreat at Chan Khong Meditation Monastery, he went to Hon Son Islet, off Rach Gia Coast, Kien Giang Province and stayed on Ma Thien Lanh Peak. He ate forest leaves, drank stream water, and fully devoted himself to solitary practice for nine months. However, he missed his mother so much he could not be consoled, so he went back to his home town of Trang Bang to live with her and continue his cultivation.

Despite his determined and continual practice, he could not achieve the freedom from all the suffering, because he had not been taught the true original teachings of the Sakyamuni Buddha. Fortunately, he got a copy of the Nikaya Sutra translated by the Venerable Thich Minh Chau from Pali into Vietnamese. After studying and understanding thoroughly the content of the Nikaya Sutra, he began to independently practice the unique method of the Sakyamuni Buddha’s original teachings. In July 1980, after six month’s practice, he attained full enlightenment and was able to master life and death.

At the end of 1980, his mother departed this life peacefully, after practicing the original Sakyamuni Buddha Dharma under his guidance for three month. Since then, the master gave his whole mind to the revival of Buddhism:

– The first activity was to restore the ancient AM Pagoda with the new name CHON NHU Monastery.

– The second was to revive the spirit and direction of the Sakyamuni Buddha’s original teachings. Building upon the experience of his Buddhist practice, he wrote a great number of books specializing in teaching the morality of humanity based on the law of cause-and-effect, the way to live without causing suffering to oneself, other people and other sentient beings, and the only path to master BIRTH, AGING, SICKNESS, and DEATH. His books were read by Buddhist followers in Vietnam and overseas.

The Master Thich Thong Lac’s life of practicing and spreading Buddhism lasted over 44 years and was full of hardship and challenges. There were also many ups and downs at Chon Nhu Monastery, but he always kept on rowing firmly in a state of INNER PEACE (no desire, no anger, no ignorance). He piloted the Chon Nhu boat to the shore safe and sound. As a result, Chon Nhu Monastery has stood proudly and imposingly, and developed unceasingly.

At zero hour of 2nd January 2013 (i.e. the 21st day of the eleventh month of the Vietnamese lunar year of the Dragon), the Fully Enlightened Master Thich Thong Lac dropped his physical body and entered into Nirvana, after having entrusted the future generations with the mission to preserve the Sakyamuni Buddha’s original teachings. With his zeal for this cause, “Chon Nhu will always remain a place for re-establish morality based on humanity and the law of cause-and-effect, the way of living without causing suffering to oneself, other people and other sentient beings. This place will always be remembered as a landmark in the history of the Vietnamese people and all humankind!”.

Now and for thousands of years to come, the light of the Sakyamuni Buddha’s original teachings restored by the Fully Enlightened Master Thich Thong Lac will brightly shine on this planet. In the serene magnetic field (no suffering) here and everywhere, long live Master Thich Thong Lac!

With respect and regards,
Thich Mat Hanh