Thousands of mourners packed a temple in Vietnam‘s Buddhist heartland early Sunday to pay tribute to the unhurried Vietnamese monk and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh, credited with bringing mindfulness to the West.
The Zen grasp, whose reach internal Buddhism was as soon as seen as 2nd finest to the Dalai Lama, died susceptible 95 on Saturday at the Tu Hieu Pagoda within the metropolis of Hue.
Thich Nhat Hanh spent in relation to four decades in exile after he was as soon as banished from his space of birth for calling for an cease to the Vietnam Battle.
He wrote extra than 100 books on mindfulness and meditation and hosted retreats worldwide.
Early on Sunday morning, chanting monks carried his body covered by a yellow sheet alongside with decorative umbrellas throughout the throng of mourners.
The smell of incense wafted within the air, as they build his body in a picket coffin and positioned it in a hall embellished with yellow daisies.
Buddhist monks in yellow and brown robes recited prayers and followers wearing grey stood in restful contemplation of a outstanding life.
Among the mourners was as soon as Tran Dinh Huong, 46, who rapidly travelled from Hanoi to pay her respects.
“I learn plenty of his books and his words helped me so a lot when I was as soon as down or going through difficulties,” she told AFP.
“I dangle this may occasionally be a extremely very long time except Vietnam and the realm has the sort of extensive trainer again.”
Nguyen Nhat from Ho Chi Minh City mentioned it was as soon as deeply provocative to realizing the body.
“I love him for his easy and modest life,” he told AFP.
Thich Nhat Hanh spent 39 years in France and advocated for non secular freedom world broad.
Vietnamese authorities authorized him to reach to the country in 2018 but plainclothes police kept a vigil outside the pagoda compound carefully monitoring his activities.
His messages secure no longer always been welcomed as authorities in Buddhist majority one-birthday party Vietnam are wary of organised religion: in 2009 his followers had been pushed from their temple in southern Lam Dong province by hired mobs.
Nonetheless Cong An Nhan Dan newspaper — in point of fact apt the decent mouthpiece of the public safety ministry — published on Sunday an appealing tribute to the author, poet, scholar, historian and peace activist.
“Monk Thich Nhat Hanh from the Plum Village was as soon as a non secular trainer who had a deep and usual have an effect on internationally,” the obituary mentioned.
Thich Nhat Hanh’s coffin is anticipated to dwell within the hall for every week — as mourners decide turns to pray in front of it — sooner than a cremation ceremony subsequent Saturday.
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