Supreme Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang of the UBCV sends Lunar New Year’s Greetings to Vietnamese Overseas and thanks Amnesty International for campaigning for his release in response to question by Y Lan Penelope Faulkner, Radio Free Asia

Y Lan Penelope Faulkner: Most Venerable Thich Huyen Quang, Supreme Patriarch of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam, could you tell me your impressions upon hearing about Amnesty International Group 65 in Canada’s campaign for your release ? On the eve of the Lunar New Year, could you bestow some words of greeting to the Vietnamese Diaspora and all Vietnamese Buddhist monks, nuns and lay-followers living overseas ?

Homage to Lord Buddha !

As Supreme Patriarch, and on behalf of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV), I extend my warm thanks to Amnesty International in Canada for the thousands of letters they have sent to the Vietnamese and Canadian governments calling for the re-establishment of the UBCV’s legal status and campaigning for my release and religious freedom, so that I can continue to serve the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam as I did before 1975. I learned of this campaign from the Director of the International Buddhist Information Bureau in Paris.

Your selfless actions warm my heart, and that of all Vietnamese Buddhists. There is an old saying: “Across the four oceans, all men are brothers”. Today, your concern for the plight of others in such a far-away country as Vietnam demonstrates this spirit of humanity which transcends all borders, political opinions and religious beliefs. In Buddhism, we call this Universal Compassion, the commitment to save all beings from suffering, regardless of origin or race.

I also take this opportunity to thank the government and people of Canada, who, for so many decades, have shown such generous hospitality to Vietnamese Boat people in their quest for freedom. You gave them refuge, a safe haven in which to settle and live freely in accordance with their ideals and beliefs. This is a fine example of civilisation, one that should teach a lesson to developing countries such as Vietnam.

In this Lunar New Year of the Rat, I send my warm greetings to all Vietnamese living in the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia and around the world. I wish you health, peace and happiness in the New Year, and urge you never to forget your native land.

I especially thank the Vietnamese Communities in Australia, California and other parts of the United States for publicly speaking out in support of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam in our struggle for religious freedom and human rights.

To all Buddhist monks, nuns and lay-followers overseas, I send greetings of good health and success; may solidarity and harmony may reign amongst you always. I wish you good fortune and peace in the New Year, and urge you to keep a steadfast faith and fulfil all tasks confided by Lord Buddha, so you can make your own life meaningful and help Buddhism to prosper and thrive.

I warmly commend your efforts to spread Buddhist teachings in far-off lands, and for unwaveringly standing by the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam. Particularly, I wish to thank all those who have diligently respected and observed Edict No 9, which I promulgated, as well as the recent Notices and Circulars issued by the UBCV’s Executive Institute “Vien Hoa Dao”. These texts are aimed to reorganize and reinforcing the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam in this period of new challenges, to honour two thousand years of Vietnamese Buddhism, and shed lustre on the contribution of our forefathers and all those who have given their lives to protect our people, defend our territorial sovereignty and preserve our faith.