Memorial service for Supreme Patriarch Thich Pho Tue
The memorial service and the burial of the Supreme Patriarch Thich Pho Tue took place at Vien Minh Pagoda (Rang Pagoda) on October 24.
The memorial and memorial services were simultaneously held at the Office 2 of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in Ho Chi Minh City and at pagodas, monasteries, and Buddhist worship facilities across the country.
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Most Venerable Elder Thich Tri Quang read the memorial words. |
Reading the opening remarks of the funeral, Most Venerable Thich Duc Thien, Vice President and General Secretary of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, said that the Supreme Patriarch "left behind a legacy of virtue, a pure life, a shining example of the will to practice, and was the preeminent personality of a virtuous monk, who devoted his life to the Dharma and the nation."
The Venerable Elder, together with other Venerables, opened a Buddhist school to train monks and nuns, and devoted his whole life to compiling and annotating the Great Buddhist Dictionary; revising the Tripitaka... In the highest position, he still lived a simple, leisurely, and carefree life following the example of the Patriarch Bach Truong at an ancient temple in the middle of the lowland area of the Northern Delta.
"Although he was a learned monk, the Supreme Patriarch lived his entire life in seclusion in a peaceful village temple. Therefore, he was wholeheartedly worshiped by monks, nuns, and people. He always considered himself an old farmer monk, but became a symbol of the spirit of solidarity among religions," said Venerable Thich Duc Thien.
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The memorial service for Supreme Patriarch Thich Pho Tue took place at Vien Minh Pagoda (Rang Pagoda) on October 24. Photo:Huy Anh |
Next, Most Venerable Elder Thich Tri Quang, Deputy Dharma Master and President of the Buddhist Sangha's Council of Discipline, read a memorial speech recalling that when he was still alive, Most Venerable Elder Thich Pho Tue often taught, "A big temple or a big Buddha is not as precious as the teachings of teachers and students. The continuity of teachers and students is the lifeblood of Buddhism."
The life of the Supreme Patriarch is a priceless legacy left to the Vietnamese Buddhist Sangha today and in the future; his virtue has "achieved three things that everyone in the world bows down to admire: the highest position; the longest life; the brightest virtue".
When Venerable Thich Tri Quang read the memorial, in the temple yard, hundreds of monks, nuns, and Buddhists clasped their hands in front of their chests, listening and chanting Buddha's name.
After the memorial service, the coffin of Venerable Elder Thich Pho Tue was placed in the stupa in the grounds of Vien Minh Pagoda.
The Supreme Patriarch of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, Thich Pho Tue, passed away on October 21 at the age of 105. He was born in 1917 in Phung Thien village, Khanh Tien commune, Yen Khanh district, Ninh Binh province.
From 1987 to present, he has held many positions in the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha. The 6th National Buddhist Congress, in November 2007, unanimously honored Most Venerable Thich Pho Tue as the Supreme Patriarch of the Central Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha.