Awakened Zen Master Thich Thong Hoi - Universal Door Meditation Center

AWAKENED ZEN MASTER

THICH THONG HOI

AWAKENED ZEN MASTER

THICH THONG HOI

THE POWER OF RESTLESS QUESTIONING

When Zen Master Thich Thong Hoi was young, he started to question about life. He realized that the worldly happiness is very fragile…the moments of togetherness cannot bring true happiness because of the fear of the moments of separation.

Growing up in the face of the country at war and witnessing people scattered, dead, and suffering, he realized that life is impermanent…living today and dying tomorrow…nothing is sustainable. Since then, many questions were formed: How to liberate from the suffering of human life? How to break the cycle of birth and death? He began to study the sutras, the Buddhist doctrines, and materials about meditation. The Awake horizon was opened, but deep down he had many questions. Who am I? Where do I come from? Where do I go after death? How to Wake up to break the cycle of birth and death?

These restless questions are what led him to his final Awakening.

1949 - Life Long Search for Awake Destination

When he was a child, witnessing the scenes of reunion and separation around him, Zen Master Thich Thong Hoi realized that worldly happiness was fragile. Even though reunited, he was not completely happy because he was afraid that the day of separation would come.

Teens

Growing up in Vietnam, watching the country at war, families and people separating, and the painful deaths, he realized that human beings live today and die tomorrow, there is nothing that lasts forever.

1959 - Restless questioning about birth and death

From there formed many restless questions: How to liberate from the suffering of human life? How to liberate from the cycle of birth and death?

1964 - Restless questioning about birth and death

Zen Master Thich Thong Hoi began to study sutras and Zen doctrines. The horizon of Awake, liberation, and freedom opened up his mind, but there are many questions unsettled in his heart. Who am I? Where do I come from? Where do I go when I die? How to Awaken, liberate from the human system forever drifting in the cycle of birth and death?

1968 - Restless questioning about birth and death

The war was escalating day by day, drowning in gunshots and bullets, people were suffering in separation, death, and the future of young people was stuck with no way out. As thoughts about human existence grew more distressing and profound, his mind was increasingly consumed, causing deep contemplation and restless nights.

1968 - Restless questioning about birth and death

Tired in the depth of thought Tried to come up, but was sunk deeper. I struggled in choking pain and scream with hateful voices…

1973 - Going to College

At the age of 23, he was a student at Van Khoa University, Saigon, but he no longer valued human life; studies, relatives, friends, eating, sleeping, his body was pale, thin, the family did not know why.

1973 - Ordain, realizing only Awakening can liberate the cycle of birth and death

Zen Master definitively decided to leave everything and become a monk with Venerable Thich Thanh Tu at Chon Khong Monastery, Vung Tau. Zen Master said that he gave up, but there was nothing to give up, he no longer valued the human system because of his restless questions. If he could not fully Wake Up and liberate from the human system, living was like dying, there was nothing worth staying back for.

Restless questions grew stronger

After ordaining and living on the mountains, Zen Master studied the sutras and Zen doctrines every day. He believed more and more that he had the capacity to Awaken. He studied diligently but deep inside he was not clear yet because the restless questions were still left unanswered.

1975 - Country in chaos from war

By 1975, the country had changed greatly, people were running around in chaos. Sometimes, the scenes of his family struggling in chaotic war appeared, thinking to himself, “I have not been Awakened and not liberated yet, how can I help anyone else?”

Real life experiences of ordained life

Next, there were days of commitment, real life experiences of the ordained life… going to the forest to cut trees, palm leaves, and grass for thatch in order to build Thuong Chieu Meditation Center. Every day, hoeing for 8 to 10 hours on a 50-acre piece of land, planting peanuts, farming, growing vegetables, and squash, etc… On those days, “Heads felt like they were on fire, feet soaking in deep mud" and scenes of people starving, hungry, in Zen Master, the burning concerns building more and more.

Returning to the south Vietnam

A few years later, Zen Master Thong Hoi returned to the south, sometimes in Am Khong Tinh, Dong Thap with Master Phuoc Tinh; At that time he stayed with Master Giac Thanh, at An Khong Am in My Luong, Long Xuyen.

1979 - Awakening

While there, on the morning of the full moon day of May 1979, that morning, Master Giac Thanh went to the market, Zen Master Thong Hoi was at home, pacing back and forth under two rows of green areca, the restless question about birth and death and the Awake Destination still remained swirling in the mind. were swirling ceaselessly in his mind.

1979 - Awakening - Opening up a vast empty space

The whole world seemed to focus on a big, one-pointed within him, and the urge to return to "Awake Home" became more and more intense. Suddenly, the restless questions that had long weighed down his inner mind burst forth. Like a strong wind blowing through, sweeping away all of the clouds. All the restless questions that Zen Master had pondered for many years were instantly clear, opening up a vast, empty, transparent space with indescribable joy.

1979 - Awake Home

Heaven and earth, grass, trees, flowers, seeing with his Awake eye, everything seemed to be fresh, bright, purely beautiful and clear… Right there, Awakened Zen Master Thich Thong Hoi clearly knew "Awake Home", who he truly is, and fully Awakened, liberating the source of cycle of birth and death that causes endless suffering.

Returning to Da Lat

Zen Master continued to deeply absorb the previous Awakening.

Returning to Da Lat

Some time later, Awakened Zen Master returned to Huong Van Tinh Xa, Da Lat, depending on the conditions, day after day working in the garden, night after night sitting in meditation.

1993 - Opening Wisdom Mind in My Tho

In 1993, when he returned to My Tho, Awakened Zen Master took the name Tinh Xa Huong Van, depending on the time, depending on the place, he opened wisdom mind and pinpointed stuck points to help sentient beings merge with Awake mind and liberate the sufferings of birth and death.

2001 - Inivitation to go to America

In 2001, with an invitation to go to America from Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh of Plum Village, Awakened Zen Master took the opportunity to visit Master Giac Thanh and stayed with him until Master Giac Thanh passed away in October. For the next few months, Awakened Zen Master Thich Thong Hoi traveled back and forth between Vietnam and America a few times.

2003 - Opening Wisdom Mind at Chon Khong Meditation Center Hawaii

Then in 2003, he was invited to continue his mission to open wisdom mind of people at the Chon Khong Meditation Center in Hawaii.

2004 - Merging of The Great Vow

While in Hawaii, in 2004, it was predestined, Awakened Zen Master Thich Thong Hoi met Awakened Zen Master Thich Dieu Thien, founder and abbess of Universal Door Meditation Center. As soon as they met, both instantly knew that they were from the same original Awake source, therefore Awakened Zen Master Thich Dieu invited him to Universal Door Meditation Center in Houston, Texas to continue Waking Up students together.

2005 -Waking Up students together at Universal Door Meditation Center

In 2005, Awakened Zen Master Thich Thong Hoi came to Universal Door Meditation Center. The Great Vow of the two Awakened Ones merged, and they began to guide all students. The two Awakened Zen Masters dedicated days and nights to help many Awake students realize, trust, experience the capacity to Wake Up in themselves, and have the determination to become Buddhas and liberate the original attachment in this lifetime.

2011 - Waking Up families in Dallas, TX

In 2011, two Awakened Zen Masters led many retreats in various parts of the country, including the city, of Dallas/Fort Worth, where many families aspired to seek Awakening to have true happiness in life.

2013 - Establishing Suoi Tu Meditation Center

As the right conditions appeared, at the end of 2013, the two Awakened Zen Masters established Suoi Tu Meditation Center in Dallas, continuing to help all people to return to the Awake Mind to liberate the ego of birth and death.

For most of his life, with the Great Vow to Wake Up the Buddha potential in all people, Awakened Zen Master Thich Thong Hoi, along with Awakened Zen Master Thich Dieu Thien and the Pho Mon-Suoi Tu sangha, has traveled to many states within the United States, to California, North Carolina, Minnesota and to many countries such as Australia, Canada, India, and Vietnam.

2023 - The Great Vow continues...

As the path to Wake Up all human beings opens bigger and wider with each passing day, Awakened Zen Master Thich Thong Hoi, from his Great Vow, continues to help people to realize, trust, experience, and merge with the Awake Source, liberating the cycle of birth and death.

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Waking Up the Awake potential
in all people

“Wake Up in the morning,

Clear Awake goal appears.

Merging into Awake World,

Liberating the suffering of birth and death.”

~ Awakened Zen Master Thich Thong Hoi ~