In 1963, he sat down in a street in Saigon in the meditative position. He poured gasoline all over his body and set himself alight. He maintained a calm and meditative posture as his body burned, and then he simply toppled over. His death was dramatic but not all that different in nature and spirit from the deaths of many other Buddhist leaders and saints. One remarkable difference, however, was that his death was shown on many different televisions all around the world.
Whether you agree with his actions or not, Ven Thich Quang Duc?s immolation tells us at least three things that I want to talk about tonight. The first thing it tells us is a deeply Buddhist, but sometimes forgotten, truth — that human beings are capable of incredible actions when they practice mindfulness.
His body was consumed, and all that remained was his heart.
[pdf]http://www.dhammikaweb.com/pdfs/The-Most-Venerable-Thich-Quang-Duc.pdf[/pdf]
[flv]http://www.dhammikaweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/buddhist-monk-self-immolation.flv[/flv]
2 comments
meya mithya drushtiyak bawa mata sitheyi
Non-violence and self-immolation are linked, since “Without a spirit of understanding, and tolerance, Buddhism can no longer be itself.” Compassion and a dedication to peace impelled Buddhists to oppose the war. Buddhists who immolated themselves also set an example for future generations to resist oppression by all means. Thus, a direct line runs from Thich Quang Duc to the Vien Hoa Dao activists of today like Thich Quang Do, Thich Huyen Quang and Vo Van Ai who have constantly demonstrated incredible courage, dedication to morality, commitment to peace and human rights and concern for the welfare of their people.