A Buddhist monk who made a self-immolation. The self-immolation of 1963

Stories are known for the stunning cases when people for one reason or another decided to commit suicide, burning themselves and burning alive. Such a form of suicide is called self-immolation, and in most cases the person committing it does this to claim something, draw attention to something that is very important to him. In 1963 in South Vietnam there was just such a case - suicide through self-immolation was committed by a Buddhist monk Thich Quang Duc.

Social background

So, what was the reason why this Buddhist monk was forced to commit such an unimaginable act? Doka's self-immolation had political connotations and was directly related to the situation at that time in the country. It is known that at that time at least 70% (according to some data - up to 90%) of the population of South Vietnam professed Buddhism. However, the authorities that ruled the state created conditions in which the Catholic minority had significant advantages over the Buddhists. It was easier for the Catholics to move up the career ladder, they were granted numerous benefits, while the followers of the Buddha were treated like second-class people.

Buddhists fought for their rights, an important moment in this confrontation was 1963. In May this year, the authorities of South Vietnam prevented the holding of the Buddhist holiday of Wesak, using force against the crowd, which led to the death of nine people. In the future, the situation in the country continued to heat up.

The self-immolation of a Buddhist monk

June 10, 1963, some American journalists working in South Vietnam, it became known that the next day in front of the building of the Cambodian embassy something important is going to happen. Many did not pay attention to this message, but several correspondents arrived in the morning at the agreed place. Then to the embassy the procession from monks was pulled, at the head of which was driving Kuang Duc. The gathered brought with them posters on which the requirements for equality of confessions were written.

Further, a Buddhist monk, whose self-immolation was pre-planned and prepared, took a meditative posture, and one of his companions took out a can of gasoline from the car and poured its contents onto his head. Quang Duc, in turn, recited "Remembrance of the Buddha", afterwards with the help of matches, set fire to himself. The policemen who gathered at the site of the action tried to approach the monk, but the clergymen accompanying Kuang Duc did not admit anyone to him, forming a ring around him.

Evidence of eyewitness

David Hulberstem, a New York Times journalist, observed the self-immolation act: "I probably should have seen this sight yet, but once was more than enough." The man was flaming, his body wrinkled and turned into ashes, And the head turned black and charred.It seemed that all this is going on slowly, but at the same time I saw that this man burns out fast enough.The smell of burning human flesh, the sobbing gathered around the Vietnamese ... I was in a state of shock and could not cry , I was confused And I was so puzzled that I could not ask questions or write anything down, but what could I say - I could not even think.It seemed that self-control is available only to a burning monk, who for all this time has never stirred and Issued a single sound. "

The funeral

The funeral of a Buddhist monk was scheduled for June 15, but the date was later transferred to the 19th. Until then, his remains were in one of the temples, from where they were later transferred to the cemetery. Interestingly, the body of Kuang Duc was cremated, but the fire did not touch his heart, which remained intact and was recognized as a shrine. A Buddhist monk, whose self-immolation was accomplished for the sake of achieving common goals for all Buddhists, is recognized as a bodhisattva, that is, a person with an awakened consciousness.

Subsequently, the authorities of South Vietnam went on a confrontation with adherents of Buddhism. So, in August siloviki made attempts to confiscate the relics left after the death of Kuang Duc. They managed to remove the monk's heart, but they could not get hold of his ashes. However, the Buddhist crisis, which was marked in 1963, soon ended after the military staged a coup d'état and overthrew President Ziem.

Conclusion

Malcolm Brown, one of the journalists who were present at the site of the Buddhist monk's self-immolation, managed to take several photos of what was happening. These pictures were placed on the front pages of the world's largest newspapers, so the incident had a great political effect. Eventually the people of South Vietnam achieved recognition of their rights, and a Buddhist monk, whose self-immolation was committed for the common good, became a national hero.