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MESSAGE ADDRESSED TO THE WHOLE POPULATION OF VIETNAM , TO ALL VIETNAMESE BUDDHISTS AND ALL FRIENDS OF VIETNAM Concerning the Grand Requiem Masses, to be held in Vietnam , to offer prayers and healing energy to those who suffered unjustly as victims of war. Thủy Lục Giải Oan Bình Đẳng Cứu Bạt Trai Đàn Great ceremony of prayers for the offering to the wandering souls who dwell in the land and in the water, for complete salvation and liberation of injustice, in a spirit of non-discrimination. The Assembly of Peace and Wellness has just started The stream of Compassinate Nectar has already flowed Wandering souls from the ten directions Please take refuge in the strength of the Dharma and walk the path of liberation The words of the Dharma are powerful They have the capacity to transform suffering and dissolve injustice The International Delegation of Plum Village, under the guidance of our teacher, Zen Master Thích Nhất Hạnh, will visit and offer retreats in Vietnam, his homeland, for the second time, from February 19, to May 09, 2007. While there, we will cooperate with Buddhist leaders in Vietnam and abroad, those members and non-members of the Buddhist Church of Vietnam, to organize three great ceremonies. We respectfully and solemnly inform all Buddhists in and outside of Vietnam, as well as to all friends of Vietnam, that three Grand Requiem Masses will take place in Sài Gòn, Huế, and Hà Nội. Their aim is to offer prayers and compassionate energy to transform suffering and injustice experienced by victims of the war in Vietnam, whether they have passed away or are still living. These Masses are titled “ Thủy Lục Giải Oan Bình Đẳng Cứu Bạt Trai Đàn”which means:Great ceremony of prayers for the offering to the wandering souls who dwell in the land and in the water, for complete salvation and liberation of injustice, in a spirit of non-discrimination. We have already sent letters of invitation to high venerable monks and nuns in Vietnam and abroad, inviting them to participate in, and to give support to, these Masses. We have great confidence that their immense compassion and loving-kindness will wholly embrace all those who have been victims of the war, casualties on either side, dead or alive, communists or anti-communists.
We all know that to have a future for our country, we must have the capacity to walk together, hand in hand, as brothers and sisters, as people of the same nation. This can be accomplished only when we are able to accept one another and to forgive one another. Hence, it is essential that we should be able to heal the wounds in our hearts and to voice our sufferings and experiences of injustice. The Grand Requiem Masses serve this purpose. At these Masses, we will come together, acknowledging one another as brothers and sisters of the same family. We will pray for our loved ones who died unjustly, in the jungles, at sea, in prisons, on remote islands, or in collective burial sites. We will have the chance to cry for our unfortunate relatives and loved ones, as Trịnh Công Sơn cried in his Love Song of Person Gone Mad:
I had a lover died in battle at Pleime I had a lover in war-zone D Died in battle at Đồng Xoài Died in Hà Nội Died hastily along the frontline
I had a lover died in battle at Chu Phrong I had a lover died on the river Died out there on the rice fields Died in the dark jungle, burnt as charcoal…
During the war, 13 million tons of bombs and 72 million liters of Agent Orange were dropped on our land, which claimed countless lives of humans and animals and ravaged lands and forests all over our country. At present, there are about 300,000 bombs and land mines of various types still lie dormant all over our land and on average, each week, there is someone who is crippled or dies, for unknowingly stepping on them. The number of soldiers who died, from both the North and the South, is 1,250,000.
The enormous amount of weapons and ammunitions, that both sides used to kill each other, was of course supplied by outsiders. Four millions civilians, from both the North and the South, either died or were injured. All together, the war cost Vietnam five and a half million lives. Not only foreigners killed, tortured, murdered, and oppressed us, but we, when forced to oppose and to hate, also killed, tortured, murdered, and oppressed each other. The battlefields in Vietnam were some of the bloodiest battlefields ever. One million men, women, and children became boat people, half of whom perished in the sea. Thousands more died gradually and unjustly in detention camps. Our country and people have sustained so much pain, suffering, and injustice, without any opportunity to speak out.
These victims of war are all our people. We shall wholeheartedly pray for all of them, in the spirit of inclusiveness and non-discrimination. According to the Buddha's teachings and also following the principles of psychotherapy, if we continue to repress our hurts and suffering, we will not be able to heal. Therefore, it is necessary to bring them up in the field of mind consciousness to recognize, to acknowledge, to grieve, and to accept. At the Masses, we shall practice in the spirit of brotherhood, to transform hatred, without animosity or resentment, to accept and to forgive one another. This is the Pure Nectar of the wonderful Buddhadharma.
Our people, from the elders to the young, all have deep love for our country and our roots. We all want independence, freedom, unity, and peace for our country. But when we were placed in a difficult situation, we had to fight one another and became victims of a long and severe struggle. Many of us went through tragic and deplorable circumstances, the injustice of which is not yet known to all…Now our nation is unified, peace has been reestablished, we have the opportunity to reunite, hand in hand, to accept each other, to pray for each other, to pray for those who died and for those who are still enduring the injustice, so that all of us can have a chance to heal our wounds. These Masses are one of the practices to heal wounds, to reestablish connection to each other, and to lessen the amount of suffering and injustice that have accumulated.
We are aware that organizing events such as these Masses will not be easy or simple. There are those who will be against these events. Perhaps they have suffered so much in the past or are still afraid to acknowledge the pains deep down inside themselves and in others. They are, therefore, not yet able to open their hearts. However, the majority of our people have opened their hearts to forgive and to accept. Most of us wish to have the chance to heal our wounds. Recognizing this need, we humbly undertake this work. We sincerely hope the high venerable monks and nuns, everyone in Vietnam and abroad, as well as those who have different political views, understand and lend support, so that this dharma work can be fulfilled.
The Masses will be organized as follows: - The first Mass will take place at Vĩnh Nghiêm Temple, Sài Gòn, from March 16 to 18, 2007, using Southern ceremonial style.
- The second Mass will be held at Diệu Đế National Temple, Huế, from April 02 to 04, 2007, using Central ceremonial style.
- The third Mass will be organized at National Buddhist Institute of Learning, Sóc Sơn, Hà Nội, from April 20 to 22, 2007, using the Northern ceremonial style.
We invite everyone to set up an altar at home to offer incense and support throughout the three times that the Masses are held. We are aware that 866 sanghas (from 47 countries) in the tradition of Plum Village will organize praying sessions and send supporting energy during these times. We will also organize ceremonies to rescue souls of boat people lost at sea. We respectfully invite everyone to join the Masses and to send us names of your loved ones, their ages, the date and place of their death or accident. If you are unable to attend, you may send this information via email. We will read this information aloud throughout the days and nights of the Masses. There will be sutra chanting, food offering, praying, dharma talks…offered to the deceased as well as the living.
Please contact the following addresses:
Village Des Pruniers, Từ Nghiêm temple 13 Martiniau F 33580 Dieulivol – France
Thôn Thượng 2 Xã Thuỷ Xuân - Huyện Hương Thủy T ỉnh Thừa Thiên - Việt Nam
Thôn 13, Xã Đamb'ri - Huyện Bảo Lộc We wish everyone a peaceful Spring,
Overall Organizing Committee Grand Requiem Mass Organizing Committee Ceremonial Organizing Committee, solemnly declare.
Facts and Figures derived from the following sources:
*Lonely Planet Publications, Australia , Vietnam |