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Thich Quand DucBuddhist monk, self-immolator
Country:
 Vietnam |
Content:
Biography of Thich Quang Duc
Thich Quang Duc was a Buddhist monk and a self-immolator. He is most famous for the circumstances surrounding his death. On June 11, 1963, Thich Quang Duc set himself on fire at a crossroads in Saigon as a protest against the persecution of Buddhists by the new regime. Self-immolation in the East is a surprisingly popular form of protest, as it draws attention to the demands of non-violence against evil. Thich Quang Duc became one of the most well-known self-immolators in Vietnamese history.
Early Life and Monastic Practice
The biography of Thich Quang Duc has been preserved in the form of various fragments collected by various Buddhist organizations. It appears that Thich Quang Duc was born in the village of Hoi Khanh, in the Khanh Hoa province of Vietnam. At the age of seven, he began studying Buddhism under the guidance of his uncle. At the age of 15, he became a novice monk (samenera), and at 20, he became a fully ordained monk. It was at this time that he took the name Thich Quang Duc, as he was originally named Lam Van Tuc at birth. After taking the required vows, the monk went to a mountain near the city of Ninh Hoa, where he spent three years as a hermit. Later, he would build a pagoda at his place of hermitage. After the end of his term as a hermit, Thich Quang Duc began to travel through central Vietnam. After two years, he settled in a pagoda near Nha Trang. In 1942, Thich Quang Duc became the official inspector of the Buddhist Association in Ninh Hoa, with the responsibility of overseeing the monks in his native province. He was also known for his efforts in constructing new religious structures, and under his guidance, at least 14 temples were built.
Spread of Buddhism and Persecution
In 1934, Thich Quang Duc traveled to southern Vietnam to spread his faith. It is known that he spent at least two years in Cambodia during this time. After returning from Cambodia, Duc continued to lead the construction of new temples and pagodas, resulting in a total of 17 buildings under his supervision. Serious problems for the Buddhists began after Ngo Dinh Diem came to power. At that time, around 70-90% of the country's population were Buddhists, but Diem, a Catholic, pursued an aggressively hostile policy towards Buddhists.
Persecution of Buddhists drew some attention from representatives of other countries, although not very actively. The real uproar in the world press began after the events of June 11, 1963. The day before, a number of American journalists received a warning that something important would happen at a certain Saigon intersection the next morning. Many journalists ignored this message, thinking that the persecution of Buddhists was temporary and not serious. However, some journalists arrived at the designated location. Shortly after, a procession of monks from a nearby pagoda reached the intersection. They officially declared their opposition to the government and Diem's policies, and demonstrated this opposition in a rather unusual way. It is known that one of the monks tried to volunteer, but Thich Quang Duc, being older and more experienced, had the advantage. Thich Quang Duc took a lotus position on a special cushion at the intersection, and one of the monks doused him with gasoline. After making a final prayer to Buddha, Thich Quang Duc lit a match and instantly caught fire. The police tried to break through to him, but other monks prevented them. One policeman, however, managed to get through the circle of monks and fell to his knees in reverence before Thich Quang Duc. Photographs of the event spread around the world and brought considerable attention to Ngo Dinh Diem's regime. One of the photographers, Malcolm Browne, even received the Pulitzer Prize for his photograph. Thich Quang Duc's body was later cremated, but his heart was left intact. His farewell letter was also given widespread publicity.
