A journey of spreading love to patients.

For over 25 years, in Duc Hoa commune, Tay Ninh province, the Tue Tinh Duong Traditional Medicine Clinic (Linh Nguyen Pagoda) has not only been a "support" for poor patients but has also spread a beautiful way of life, love, and sharing within the community.

Venerable Thich Nghia Thuan (traditional medicine practitioner Doan Ngoc Loi) examines a patient.

The Tuệ Tĩnh Đường Traditional Medicine Clinic was established in 2000, the brainchild of Venerable Thích Thiện Phúc (secular name Nguyễn Ngọc Thành). The Venerable, a monk and physician, dedicated his life to practicing medicine and saving lives. He not only directly diagnoses illnesses and prescribes treatments, but also personally searches for, harvests, and prepares medicinal herbs to ensure the quality of each herbal remedy.

After the Venerable Abbot's passing, that noble mission was continued by Venerable Thich Nghia Thuan (traditional physician Doan Ngoc Loi) and his disciples at the temple. Venerable Thich Nghia Thuan shared: “For a time, I worked as an assistant to my master. After the Venerable Abbot's passing, I vowed to inherit and continue that path, taking the spirit of serving the health of the people and all sentient beings as my guiding principle in medical practice. Clinically, I have encountered many cases such as spinal degeneration, hepatitis, kidney failure, stomach diseases, and even cirrhosis… No matter how difficult it is, as long as I have my health, I will continue to dedicate myself to helping people.”

After the medical examination, people wait to receive their medication.

Under the guidance of the Venerable Monk, the clinic continues to regularly provide free medical examinations, acupuncture, acupressure, and herbal medicine to the public every Sunday.

At Tuệ Tĩnh Đường, patients not only receive examinations and prescriptions but also receive attentive guidance on how to use medication, diet, and rest to achieve the best treatment results. Each prescription provides enough medication for 7 days. On average, the clinic serves more than 1,000 patients each month.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Giang (from Can Tho) shared: “A friend introduced me to this place for examination and medicine, and I feel much better. Here, Mr. Loi is very attentive and doesn't charge for the medicine, so I appreciate him very much.” Similarly, Ms. Nguyen Thi Diem (from An Giang ) confided: “I've known Linh Nguyen Pagoda for a long time. At first, I only went to the pagoda to worship Buddha, but then I heard they dispense medicine on weekends, so I came. After taking the medicine, I feel healthier, cooler, and more comfortable.”

Many people, after recovering from their illness, returned to support the clinic.

Each month, despite the contributions of many benevolent individuals, the temple still has to spend approximately 45 million VND to purchase medicinal herbs and equipment. The medicinal herbs are often donated by Buddhists and local people from various places, helping to reduce costs and maintain the clinic's operations.

Venerable Thich Thien Truc, Deputy Head of the Buddhist Representative Board of Duc Hoa - Hau Nghia - Hoa Khanh - My Hanh communes, informed: “We always coordinate between the monks and nuns of Linh Nguyen Ancestral Temple and the Inter-commune Buddhist Representative Board to find sources of medicine, ensuring sufficient medicinal materials for treatment. In addition, the Buddhist Management Board also focuses on training monks and nuns with knowledge of traditional medicine so that they can practice medicine regularly and for a longer period.”

Minh An

Source: https://baolongan.vn/hanh-trinh-lan-toa-yeu-thuong-den-voi-benh-nhan-a207116.html