Heart Book: Awakening Respect

Ladies and gentlemen!

Venerable Thich Thong Lac, whose real name is Le Ngoc An, was born on May 28, 1928 in his maternal hometown: 18 Vuon Trau village, Tan Thoi Nhi commune, Hoc Mon district, Gia Dinh province (ie Ho Chi Minh City today). now).
His father was Le Van Huan, dharma name Thich Thien Thanh, an oriental physician, from a Confucian family, hometown in Trang Bang, Tay Ninh.

His mother is Nguyen Thi Nhung, a primary school teacher, from a Confucian family, the daughter of a Mr. Elder in Tan Thoi Nhi commune, Hoc Mon district, Gia Dinh province.
When he was young, he liked to follow his father to learn and practice, so his father gave him the Dharma name Thich Tu An. In 1936, when he was 8 years old, his parents allowed him to become a monk under Venerable Thich Hue Tanh at Phuoc Luu pagoda, Trang Bang town, Tay Ninh with the Buddhist name Thich Thong Lac.

In the beginning, he was HT. Hue Tanh, HT. Long An, HT. Thien Tai, HT. Thien Hoa directly teaches classics and Chinese studies. Venerable Thich Thien Hoa also sent him to Hue Nghiem Buddhist College and Van Hanh University.

Some time later, he was introduced by the Venerable monks to teach at Bodhi schools. At that time, he was studying at Saigon University of Literature and continued to study abroad. Besides, there were times when he also participated in patriotic movements, fighting for independence and freedom for his Fatherland. In 1970, while studying and teaching at schools in Saigon city, I learned that my father was seriously ill. He returned to care for and raise his father. Three months later, his father passed away. Seeing his father's illness and death. The person thinks: “This life is nothing, only suffering. So what is the point of running after fame and fortune? So he left the worldly fame and fortune and followed Venerable Thanh Tu to practice Zen Buddhism.

After three months of summer retreat at Chon Khong Zen Monastery, he went to Hon Son off the coast of Rach Gia, Kien Giang, climbed to the top of Ma Thien Lanh, ate forest leaves, drank spring water, and practiced Zen Buddhism alone all the time. nine month period. But in his heart he still missed his mother so much that he returned to Trang Bang, lived with her and continued to practice.
Although he practiced diligently, because he did not follow the Dharma, he did not see liberation. After practicing, my mind is still troubled, I have to go to the doctor for pain, and taking medicine cannot control life and death. He was very depressed, no longer wanted to live, 10 years in the closet was very arduous, in the end there were only a few thoughts to reason about winning and losing; Know your past and future very clearly, but to be a fortune teller? He wants to die, but if his mother is still alive, dying would be unfilial.