Namo the Original Master Sakyamuni Buddhaya
Memorial Ceremony of the Most Venerable
Zen Master Thích Tuệ Sỹ
The Most Venerable Zen Master Thích Tuệ Sỹ, a learned monk, translator of many important Sutras-Scriptures, Vinaya– Disciplines, and Abhidhamma-Treatises; The author of valuable Buddhist research works, after a period of illness, passed away at Phật Ân Buddhist Temple in Đồng Nai province at 4 p.m. on November 24, 2023.
Venerable Master Thích Tuệ Sỹ, Dharma name Nguyên Chứng, was born in 1945 in Pakse (Laos), his parents’ original residence in Quảng Bình Province, Vietnam. He is a disciple of the Most Venerable Elder Master Thích Trí Thủ (1909-1984), First President of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha.
At the age of 12, he returned from Paksé to Saigon, then returned to Huế, studied at Từ Đàm Buddhist Temple with the Most Venerable Master Thích Thiện Siêu (1921-2001), then studied at Hải Đức Central Buddhist institute in Nha Trang and Quảng Hương Già Lam Monastery in Saigon.
He graduated from the College of Buddhist Studies in Saigon in 1964, founded by Zen Master Thích Nhất Hạnh (1926-2022). After that, he graduated from the Buddhist studies department of Vạn Hạnh University when he was only 22 years old.
In 1970, with research projects, valuable treatises on Zen studies and Buddhist Philosophy,, including his first work Outline of meditation studies and most prominently, Buddhist Philosophy of Emptiness, Master Tuệ Sỹ was specially appointed as a full Professor at Vạn Hạnh University by the Most Venerable Elder Master Thích Minh Châu as Rector (1918-2012). He was the youngest professor at Vạn Hạnh University at that time.
In 1971, thầy was appointed by the Venerable Thích Minh Châu as General Secretary of Tư Tưởng (Thought) magazine – the mouthpiece of Van Hanh University. In addition, he also worked as editorial secretary, editor, and participated in collaborating with many contemporary newspapers and research magazines such as Vạn Hạnh, Hải Triều Âm, Khởi Hành, Thời Tập, etc.
Master Thích Tuệ Sỹ is famous for being erudite scholar and fluent in many ancient and living languages such as Chinese, Sanskrit, Tibetan, English, French, German, Russian, Japanese, etc. For most of his entire life, he devoted most of his time and enthusiasm to translating and commenting on Buddhist Texts, especially the Agama Canons. His excellent translations have been officially published and reached readers in Vietnam and overseas.
Nearly 30 of Master Tuệ Sỹ’s works have been published and reprinted many times in Vietnam.
The most significant of which are Dīrgha Āgama, Madhyama Āgama, Ekottarik Āgama, Saṃyukt Āgama – Hồng Đức Publishing House;
Abhidharmakośa-bhāsya (5 volumes) – Hồng Đức Publishing House;
Abhidharma Dharma aggregates of complete Commentaries – Hồng Đức Publishing House;
Abhidharma, the Collection of Different Subjects of complete Commentaries- Hồng Đức Publishing House;
Vimalakīrtinirdeśa – Hồng Đức Publishing House;
Vijñaptimātratāsiddhi-śāstra (Essays on consciousness) – Hồng Đức Publishing House;
Essence of Buddhist philosophy by Junjiro Takakusu – Hồng Đức Publishing House,
Zen essays by Daisetsu T.Suzuki (Co-translator with Trúc Thiên, 3 volumes) – HCM City General Publishing House (1992), reprinted by Trí Thức Publishing House;
Meditation & Prajna – Hồng Đức Publishing House, etc.
In addition, Master Tuệ Sỹ also wrote, compiled, and introduced many works of commentaries on Buddhist scriptures, history, and philosophy, etc., which have been printed into books, published, and republished in Vietnam recently as follows:
Philosophy of Emptiness – Hồng Đức Publishing House;
Overview of Karma – Đà Nẵng Publishing House;
Buddhist Meditation – Đà Nẵng Publishing House;
The Legend of Vimalakirti – Hồng Đức Publishing House;
Śrīmālā-siṃhanāda-sūtra-vyākhyā (The Sutra of Lion’s Roar of Queen Śrīmālā) – Hồng Đức Publishing House;
Yoga Bodhisattva Precepts – Hồng Đức Publishing House;
蘇東坡, Distant Dream Horizons – Hồng Đức Publishing House;
Adhikaranaśamathā (the Dharma to resolve the unharmonious things among monastic people) – Phương Đông Publishing House;
Dream of the Annamite Mountain range (Giấc Mơ Trường Sơn (poem) – Đà Nẵng Publishing House;
Thousand miles Journey by oneself (Thiên lý Độc Hành) (poem) – Đà Nẵng Publishing House;
Refrains for Piano (Hoàng Cầm Tình Khúc (poem) – Hồng Đức Publishing House, etc.
Master Thích Tuệ Sỹ is a great author who has contributed many important works to Buddhism. He also edited and annotated the Vietnamese translation of Dharmagupta Vinaya by the Most Venerable Thích Đỗng Minh, the translation of the Ekottarik Āgama by Master Thích Đức Thắng and presided over the translation of the popular Buddhist canon – Leading to Buddha’s insightful wisdom, etc., has also been published in Vietnam.
Master Tuệ Sỹ also personally teaches classes on the Dharmagupta Vinaya (the fourfold virtuous Disciplines), Mahayana Sutras and Treatises to Buddhist monks and lay Buddhists at Quảng Hương Già Lam Monastery as well as some other places via online methods.
It is known that Master Tuệ Sỹ was taken from the hospital to Phật Ân Buddhist Temple yesterday morning, November 23, 2023.
Today, in the United States, we received news from Vietnam, the Most Venerable Elder Zen Master Thích Tuệ Sỹ passed away at Phật Ân Buddhist Temple, Long Thành City, Đồng Nai Province, at 4 p.m. Vietnam time on November 24. 2023.
Buddhist monks, nuns and lay Buddhists in Vietnam as well as overseas would like to wholeheartedly pay homage to the enlightened Spirit of the Most Venerable Zen Master Thích Tuệ Sỹ, who recently passed away.
At Pháp Nhãn Temple, we wholeheartedly pray for the Enlightened Spirit of the Most Venerable Elder Master who was born up to the Buddha land, will soon return to Saha world, to continue the path of propagating the Dharma of the World-Honored One, especially the works of translating, compiling, and studying Vietnamese Buddhist scriptures.
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