Wind from the hands

NHAN DAM - a Buddhist — Volunteers fan pilgrims visiting the Quan The Am Pagoda (Ngu Hanh Son) to keep them cool. PHOTO: HXH

1. "Venerable Buddha, your life is like a vast ocean, yet I can only draw water from it with my two hands!", Buddhist layman Vo Dinh Cuong once wrote in his "Confession," serving as the preface to his famous work "Golden Light of the Dharma," published in 1945.

Of course, lay Buddhist Vo Dinh Cuong had to carefully consider which image to use to best praise the Buddha. Should he follow the path of a psychologist? Or an archaeologist? Ultimately, he decided not to present the Buddha's life "with an abstract language, with many metaphors and mysterious myths," because that could give readers a false impression of his true nature…

However, this decision was not entirely accepted by his contemporaries. After publishing only a few issues, he received a letter from a Buddhist monk in Hanoi from the editor-in-chief of the Vien Am magazine (published in Hue, with Dr. Tam Minh - Le Dinh Tham as editor-in-chief).

The Venerable Monk requested that the editorial board of the Vien Am magazine cease publishing "The Golden Light of the Dharma." Fortunately, the erudite editor-in-chief from Dien Ban ( Quang Nam ) encouraged Mr. Vo Dinh Cuong and continued publishing. When the book was printed, in the introduction, Mr. Le Dinh Tham praised the author, saying, "He wholeheartedly recounted the history of Buddhism with fluent writing and an elegant style that makes readers feel as if they are living in an atmosphere of compassion."

Indeed, author Vo Dinh Cuong has reason to worry. The landscape has changed several times, traces have faded from people's memories, and written words have become blurred in historical records. Documents are lost or inaccurate. Customs and rituals have changed. "Although the relics of the Venerable are preserved in temples, pagodas, and shrines, they cannot escape the stains of time," he wrote.

2. Exactly 80 years after the author of "Golden Light of the Dharma" sensed the "colors of time" staining the relics of the Buddha, for the first time, relics of the great enlightened one were brought to Vietnam. The Quan The Am Pagoda at the foot of the Marble Mountains ( Da Nang ) was the final stop before the national treasure returned to India after a month-long visit to three regions of Vietnam.

In his words of gratitude on a June afternoon, Venerable Thich Thong Dao, Deputy Head of the Standing Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Association in Da Nang City, dedicated his "final but equally important" words to the volunteers from all over the country who contributed to this "one-of-a-kind" Buddhist event.

“Throughout this month-long journey, the images of the Buddhist robes, the volunteers, the fans, the chanting of Buddhist prayers, the gentle reminders, the diligent guidance of pilgrims, the provision of water bottles and meals, the sleepless nights spent serving the crowds of pilgrims… will forever be etched in our hearts,” said Venerable Thich Thong Dao, visibly moved.

Indeed, when I was standing in line at the beginning of Su Van Hanh Street (near Le Van Hien Street) waiting to venerate the Buddha's relics, the image of the fans that Venerable Thich Thong Dao had just mentioned immediately caught my attention.

The Sư Vạn Hạnh road leading to Quan Thế Âm Pagoda isn't very long, only about 540 meters, but including the sections where pilgrims have to queue within the pagoda grounds, it's twice as long. To "cool down" the dense crowds, volunteers lined up on both sides, constantly fanning themselves day and night. They stood in rows, a few meters apart.

I tried to count the number of people "waving" the fans, but couldn't. All I know is that they take turns, forming a large service force of tens of thousands. They come from monasteries and Buddhist centers in Da Nang, Quang Nam, Hue, Quang Tri… and even some who have returned from abroad. They guide people, offer drinks, cook, and fan… In the kitchen alone, there are 3,000 people busily preparing vegetarian food days in advance. “Your silent sacrifice and selfless spirit of service are the glue that binds you together, creating extraordinary collective strength,” praised Venerable Thich Thong Dao.

Even the Venerable P. Seewali Thero, Secretary General of the Mahabodhi Society of India, expressed surprise. He shared at the farewell ceremony that, throughout the past month, wherever he went in any province or city, he witnessed the peace, happiness, and overwhelming emotions of the crowds coming to pay their respects.

He was surprised and couldn't believe his eyes at the reverence the Vietnamese people showed for the Buddha's relics. He said he would never forget the scene of volunteers or children carrying their elderly parents a short distance to pay their respects to the Buddha's relics. The image was beautiful, imbued with human kindness and devotion to the Dharma...

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The Buddha relics recently enshrined at Quan The Am Pagoda were brought from Mulagandha Kuti Vihara in Sarnath, India. Since 1931, this national treasure has been preserved and enshrined in Sarnath. Surprisingly, Venerable P. Seewali Thero revealed that Sarnath is also where the Buddha delivered his first sermon.

On a late afternoon in early June, I slowly followed the stream of people to pay homage to the Buddha's relics. As I felt the cool breeze rising from the volunteers waving their fans, my heart calmed down. Unconsciously, I raised the green fan I had hastily bought at the beginning of Su Van Hanh Street. I no longer wanted to keep the breeze to myself.

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