Thích Quảng Đức
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Thích Quảng Đức |
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| Religion | Mahayana Buddhism |
| Other names | Bồ Tát Thích Quảng Đức (Bodhisattva Thích Quảng Đức) |
| Personal | |
| Born | 1897 Hội Khánh, French Indochina |
| Died | 11 June 1963 (aged 65–66) Saigon, South Vietnam |
| Senior posting | |
| Based in | South Vietnam |
| Title | Buddhist monk |
| Period in office | 1917–1963 |
| Religious career | |
| Ordination | 1917 |
| Post | Chairman of the Panel on Ceremonial Rites of the Congregation of Vietnamese Monks Abbot of the Phước Hòa pagoda |
Thích Quảng Đức (1897—11 June 1963, born Lâm Văn Túc), was a Vietnamese Mahayana Buddhist monk who burned himself to death at a busy Saigon road intersection on 11 June 1963. Quang Duc was protesting the persecution of Buddhists by the South Vietnamese government led by Ngô Đình Diệm. Photographs of his self-immolation were circulated widely across the world and brought attention to the policies of the Diệm government. John F. Kennedy said in reference to a photograph of Đức on fire, "No news picture in history has generated so much emotion around the world as that one."Malcolm Browne won a Pulitzer Prize for his photograph of the monk's death.
Quảng Đức's act increased international pressure on Diệm and led him to announce reforms with the intention of mollifying the Buddhists. However, the promised reforms were not implemented, leading to a deterioration in the dispute. With protests continuing, the ARVN Special Forces loyal to Diệm's brother, Ngô Đình Nhu, launched nationwide raids on Buddhist pagodas, seizing Quảng Đức's heart and causing deaths and widespread damage. Several Buddhist monks followed Quảng Đức's example, also immolating themselves. Eventually, an Army coup toppled Diệm, who was assassinated on 2 November 1963.
Accounts of the life of Quảng Đức are derived from information disseminated by Buddhist organizations. He was born in the village of Hội Khánh, in Vạn Ninh District of Khánh Hòa Province in central Vietnam as Lâm Văn Túc, one of seven children of Lâm Hữu Ứng and his wife, Nguyễn Thị Nương. At the age of seven, he left to study Buddhism under Hòa thượng Thích Hoằng Thâm, who was his maternal uncle and spiritual master. Thích Hoằng Thâm raised him as a son and Lâm Văn Túc changed his name to Nguyễn Văn Khiết. At age 15, he took the samanera (novice) vows and was ordained as a monk at age 20 under the dharma name Thích Quảng Đức. The Vietnamese name Thích () is from "Thích Ca" or "Thích Già" (), means "of the Shakya clan." After ordination, he traveled to a mountain near Ninh Hòa, vowing to live the life of a solitary Buddhism-practicing hermit for three years. He returned in later life to open the Thien Loc pagoda at his mountain retreat.
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