Reverend Tịnh Vương Nhất Tôn, Long-Hoa Sangha Chief,
photographed in Qui Nhơn on June 20, 1970.
Reverend Tịnh Vương Nhất Tôn, Long-Hoa Sangha Chief,
photographed in Qui Nhơn on June 20, 1970.
I would like to present all of the pictures on this small screen as follows:
The first picture is, to begin with, my mother, Nguyễn Thị Phụng.
Nguyễn Thị Phụng
Mother of Reverend Tịnh Vương Nhất Tôn, Long-Hoa Sangha Chief,
Nha Trang, 1973.
The second picture: We are entering the Precious Dharma Place[6] in Qui-Nhơn City, Bình-Định Province.
Reverend Tịnh Vương Nhất Tôn, Long-Hoa Sangha Chief (left) stepping from a car and proceeding at the Precious Dharma Place, Qui Nhơn.
[6] A temple of the Dharma Constitution.
The third picture: the person standing is Mrs. Nguyễn Thị Nghĩa, whom I would like to introduce as the wife of Mr. Linh Quang Viên, who at that time was serving as a Lieutenant General in the city of Nha Trang. That was when Mrs. Nguyễn Thị Nghĩa, the wife of Lieutenant General Viên, on a ceremonial occasion, went on a pilgrimage journey to Huế.
Mrs. Viên led a delegation to Huế for pilgrimage, while at the same time I was traveling to Đà Nẵng. Our two parties met, and they requested permission to attend the ceremony when I arrived in Qui Nhơn. All true Buddhist disciples of the Dharma Constitution were invited to return to participate in the ceremony and, at the same time, to listen to the Dharma teaching.
Mrs. Nguyễn Thị Nghĩa (standing)
Wife of Lieutenant General Linh Quang Viên
At the Precious Dharma Place, Qui Nhơn
This is the image of Mrs. Nguyễn Thị Nghĩa standing up, expressing her opinion about the Dharma Constitution that she had the chance to encounter: The Dharma Constitution specializes in doctrine, sitting meditation, and practicing the Buddha path; this association uses no form that could be called politics. She also spoke up about her personal aspiration and appreciation for the Dharma Constitution.
Mrs. Nguyễn Thị Nghĩa (standing)
Wife of Lieutenant General Linh Quang Viên
At the Precious Dharma Place, Qui Nhơn
This is the photo taken at the time when I went from Nha-Trang to Đà-Nẵng by a Boeing aircraft on September 9, 1973. Upon arrival, I was received by the Four Followers of Đà-Nẵng and escorted to the Dharma Precious Place. The Dharma Precious Place of Đà-Nẵng provincial city was located at the house of Phùng Nồng, who was a traditional herbal physician and running a medicinal herbs shop.
The Four Followers of Đà Nẵng gathered before the aircraft stairs to reverently welcome the Sangha Chief (in the middle of the stairs) upon His arrival to attest the opening of the Tao-Dharma in Đà Nẵng.
The Four Followers reverently escorted the Sangha Chief from Đà Nẵng airport to the gate of the Dharma Precious Place of Quãng-Nam Đà-Nẵng provincial city, which is located at the house of Mr. Phùng Nồng, a traditional herbal physician, at 59 Trưng Nữ Vương Street, Đà-Nẵng city.
Here is the photo taken when Mr. Linh Quang Viên was about to be transferred to serve as an ambassador to a country whose name I had momentarily forgotten. He hosted a small, intimate farewell meal and invited me to attend, to see him off before he departed overseas to take up his ambassadorial post—near France, somewhere… in Morocco, yes, that’s right.
The Reverend Sangha Chief seated at center, with Mr. Linh Quang Viên on His left and Mrs. Nguyễn Thị Nghĩa (Dharma name: Tạng Thảo) on His right. —1974.
This image shows a pilgrimage. At that time, my wife, Phan Thị Kim Yến, traveled together with the women of the Four Followers on a pilgrimage to visit temples in Khánh-Hòa Province.
Standing at center is Phan Thị Kim Yến, wife of the Reverend Sangha Chief; to her right is Mrs. Nguyễn Thị Nghĩa, wife of Lieutenant General Viên.
The image taken at the Avalokitesvara statue, on Rù-Rì Pass, Nha-Trang, 1974.
That same year, the Reverend Sangha Chief attested the Dharma Precious Place in Huế City. That was also the year when the Reverend Lord transmitted “The Doctrinal Teachings” and “The Precious Product Appearing To The World, the True Sutra” at the Central Superior Association.
This is an image of my family sitting. After the ceremony was completed, we gathered together in an intimate, customary family gathering—just as we always do.
The Reverend Lord’s family gathering on His birthday—the Tao-Dharma Birthday at the Central Superior Association, on the 24th day of the 12th lunar month, Year of the Rat (1973).
This image shows me sitting out on the porch of my wooden house; the house is very small, like a hermitage. I would often sit there to enjoy the cool afternoon breeze. That was part of my everyday life—sitting there.
I still remember clearly: when I was sitting there, taking the picture, that was the year I wrote the book Under the Appraisal of the Universe and Humanity.
I have found out the quintessential substance in the Universe. This quintessence is the living substance. If human beings do not have the quintessential substance, they are not in the condition of being nourished by the Universe. Nevertheless, humans must have the living substance of quintessence.
To my close people: Just read the book Under the Appraisal of the Universe and Humanity to see my clear explanation about this quintessential substance in more detail. Reading it would be much clearer than if I were to try to summarize it here.
On the porch of a tranquil home at 42 Hồng Bàng Street, Nha Trang, Vietnam.
—Year of the Dragon (1976)
This is an image for the purpose of practicing the Dharma, but still developing, such as the cultivating that is taking place in the following two pictures. This is so that all Dharma practitioners gain the life of self-reliance, being vigorous in life, not coming into a pagoda to be a ‘Buddha,’ sitting there and being fed by others. That lifestyle is not suitable to my life; I still struggle and overcome in life. Every disciple of mine is "a human standing among other humans," very virtuous.
Reverend Tịnh Vương, Sangha Chief, holding a young tree.
The Reverend Lord (standing on the left, wearing sunglasses) and Master Di Như (standing in the right corner, Dharma name at the time: Pháp-Khả) participating in tree planting in the A-Đề Forest.
Reverend Tịnh Vương wearing sunglasses, leading the way.
—A-Đề Forest, 1971.
The Four Followers of An-Nhơn district respectfully asked Reverend Sangha Chief to attest the foundation for building the Dharma Precious Place .
—A-Đề Forest, 1971.
Here is the image of a land plot I was granted, about 30 kilometers from Nha-Trang city, called Vĩnh Phước, Phú-Hữu village. That garden was A-Đề garden, located at the foot of the mountain. My aspiration was to deforest that place, for what? For later, there might be a modest sum to build a hut or a temple, to nurture and support brothers and sisters who would come to practice sitting meditation.
The Reverend Sangha Chief in Phú-Hữu village, 07-14-1962.
In 1962, the Reverend Lord attested the opening of the first Dharma Assembly in Phú-Hữu village and transmitted the Dharma Teachings. The Reverend Lord later composed the poem “Half a Fragment, Endlessly” on the 24th day of the 12th lunar month, Year of the Tiger (January 19th, 1963).
Reverend Sangha Chief delivering Tao-Dharma teachings in Phú-Hữu village
Reverend Sangha Chief, holding incense, attesting the A-Đề Forrest.
I say hello to the Four Followers: I wish for you to generate the Bodhi Mind and Vow, the great vow following the Bodhisattva conduct, to use “Form-Hearing-Scent-Taste-Touch-Dharma without being defiled by them.” That is the path of the Bodhisattva conduct, the highest rank among all other Dharma Subjects.
(click here for its pdf file in booklet form)
Translated by Tâm Nguyệt, USA.
Acknowledgements: This work has been supported by the Reverend Long-Hoa Sangha Chief, Supreme Maitreya Buddha through the Reverend Lord's miraculous Dharmas.
Following in the Footsteps of the Master,
November 2022