Seven brothers gathered that day (Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bui Manh Hung, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Thi, Vu Gia, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hoang Dung, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dang Ngoc Le, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bui Manh Nhi, Dr. Ho Quoc Hung), only Bui Manh Nhi and I had the worst health, although there were a few people who had "tasted cancer" like Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hoang Dung and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dang Ngoc Le, but everyone still talked and laughed heartily.
At this age, looking back at our reputation, career, house, wife and children, etc., we thank God, because as our ancestors said: "Looking up, we are not equal to anyone, but looking down, how many people are equal to us". The same goes for Bui Manh Nhi.
Both husband and wife chose teaching as their profession, both have academic titles and degrees, and both have pension books in hand. Both daughters have grown up, studied well, and become useful members of society; their house is not more luxurious than anyone else's, but they are not afraid of the sun and rain; they have friends who respect them, who share their joys and sorrows... To me, life is like that, there is nothing better.
People live with love
I met Bui Manh Nhi at "Tu Du Coffee" in the 80s of the last century - a sidewalk coffee shop at the corner of Nguyen Thi Minh Khai - Cong Quynh streets.
At that time, we were young and just starting out in writing, so we often came here to listen to our seniors discuss literature and send our articles to poet Hoai Anh (Ho Chi Minh City Literature and Arts Newspaper) or writer Tran Van Tuan (Saigon Liberation Newspaper). After that, we became close friends and started hanging out with each other.
Photo of Associate Professor, Dr. Bui Manh Nhi (second from right) on the morning of March 12, 2023
When my son was young, I sent him to take extra English lessons at a kindergarten near his house. At that time, he lived in the dormitory of the Pedagogical University on Pasteur Street with Mr. Ho Si Hiep, Mr. Lam Vinh, etc. Before picking up my son, I often stopped by his room to chat for a while, and through the window watched my son singing with his friends.
He is a loving person. When he went to Russia to study for his doctorate, every time he came back he brought gifts for my family, like a wallet for me, a powder box for my wife, and a wind-up plastic chicken that jumps up and down for my son, he loved it.
Through his own efforts, he has achieved success in both his career and his reputation. We are happy for him. When I was sick, he also had words of encouragement and I also determined that who can predict the future? The road ahead is hazy, the fog is heavy, but every action is not ashamed of the conscience, then life or death is nothing to worry or fear. Live happily. Every day of joy is a day of profit. My optimism unintentionally encouraged many people. The day we met at the restaurant at Thong Nhat Hall, he also said the same thing.
Shocked, unbelievable
This morning (April 5), through the newspaper Nguoi Lao Dong, I heard the news of his passing, I was a little shaken. Life and death, it sounds simple, but it is not simple at all, because each person has a different personality, different thoughts, different perceptions of life, different experiences, which ultimately leads to each person having an absolutely different perspective on life and death. Therefore, read for fun, listen for fun, that's all.
Associate Professor, Dr. Dinh Phan Cam Van, former Head of the Department of Literature, Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, shared: "Yesterday morning, I came to visit and chat for about 30 minutes. I didn't expect it to happen so quickly. I was shocked and couldn't believe it."
Believe it or not, but once you reach old age, you will see that everything in this world is predetermined, whether it is good or bad, no one knows in the end. What appears before your eyes is just the process of life's development, not necessarily the result.
Before going to Singapore for a liver transplant, he called me several times and I once encouraged him that life is like being submerged in water, the more panicked, the more afraid, the more desperate he is to struggle, the closer death comes. Therefore, when faced with such situations, he needs to calmly adjust his state to respond to the surrounding danger, not to closely follow the danger and confront it.
Struggling also leads to death, fear also leads to death, why not calmly find a way to live in death? In the Analects, there is a passage where Gui Lu asked Confucius about death: "Cam van tu", Confucius replied: "Vi tri sinh, yen tri tu" (If you don't know life yet, how can you know death?).
Buddhism says: " Birth is suffering, aging is suffering, sickness is suffering, death is suffering, separation from loved ones is suffering, meeting with those you hate is suffering, not getting what you want is suffering ", but as Associate Professor, Dr. Dinh Thi Cam Van shared, "death is suffering" may not come to you.
In the Buddhist "Repentance and Vows" there is a passage: " When life is nearing its end/ Knowing the time of death/ Body is free from illness and suffering/ Mind is free from attachment/ Thoughts are not confused/ As if entering meditation/ Buddha and the Holy Assembly/ Hands holding a golden platform/ Together come to guide/ In the space of a single thought/ Born into the Pure Land/ Lotus blooms and sees Buddha/ Immediately hears Buddha's vehicle/ Quickly opens Buddha's wisdom/ Saves all living beings/ Fulfills Bodhi vows ".
I think and hope so.
Farewell to Associate Professor, Dr. Bui Manh Nhi, a friend of the past.
Associate Professor, Doctor of Science, Meritorious Student BUI MANH NHI
Born in 1955. Hometown: Thanh Loi, Vu Ban, Nam Dinh .
Former Standing Member of the Party Committee of the Ministry of Education and Training, former Standing Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the Ministry, former Head of the Department of Organization and Personnel of the Ministry of Education and Training, former Chief of Office of the State Council of Professors, former Principal of Ho Chi Minh City University of Education. 30-year Party membership badge. First-class Labor Medal.
Passed away at 4:15 a.m. on April 5, 2023 (February 15 (leap day), year of the Cat). At the age of 69.
The coffin will be laid to rest at: National Funeral Home, No. 5 Pham Ngu Lao Street, Ward 3, Go Vap District.
Visitation begins at 6:00 p.m. on April 5, 2023. Memorial service: 6:30 a.m. on April 7, 2023. Procession: 8:00 a.m. on April 7, 2023. Cremation at Phuc An Vien Cemetery Park, District 9, Ho Chi Minh City.
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