Ven. Dr. Thich Nhat Tu was born in Saigon in 1969. After completing secondary high school, he became a novice at his early teens, under the spiritual guidance of the late Most Ven. Thich Thien Hue at Giac Ngo Temple and received full ordination in 1988. He is the founder of Buddhism Today Association and abbot of Giac Ngo Temple. He has extensively given public Dharma talks to Vietnamese communities in Vietnam, America and Australia. He is committed to propagate Buddhist teachings through education, cultural activities and charitable programs in order to benefit the individuals and the society at large.
QUALIFICATION
- Four year Diploma in Buddhist Studies (HCM City School for Buddhist Studies, 1992).
- B.A. in English (Ho Chi Minh City Normal University, 1994).
- M.A. in Philosophy (Delhi University, 1997).
- D.Phil. in Philosophy (Allahabad University, 2002).
ACADEMIC POSITION
- Chairman, Department of Buddhist Philosophy, Vietnam Buddhist University (VBU).
- Deputy Secretary of VBU Executive Council.
- Deputy secretary, Vietnam Buddhist Research Institute Executive Council.
- Editorial Board Member of Vietnamese Tripitaka Translation Project.
SANGHA POSITION
- Founder, Buddhism Today Association.
- 1992 till day: Abbot, Giac Ngo Temple.
- 2002-2012: Deputy secretary, Central Department of International Buddhist Affairs, VBS.
- 2002-2012: Executive member, Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) at HCMC.
- Deputy chairman and Secretary, Department of Buddhist Missionary, VBS at HCMC.
WORK EXPERIENCE
- 1988 till day: Author of more than 30 books on Buddhism.
- 1991-1994: Editorial Board Member of Hue Quang Buddhist Encyclopedia (9 volumes).
- 2004 till day: Coordinator, Curriculum Committee, Vietnam Buddhist University
- 2002-2007: Department of Buddhist Culture Secretary, VBS at HCMC
- 2002-2007: Director, Buddhist Music Association.
- Holding an extensive teaching experience at Vietnam Buddhist University, the Advanced School for Dharma Propagation, and several Buddhist Teacher Training Schools in Ho Chi Minh City, Ba Ria Vung Tau province, and Can Tho province. He has imparted a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of Buddhism and Dharma teaching methodology to thousands of Monastic Dharma-teachers-to-be over the last few years.
- Dharma Teacher for general public at different Temples such as Giac Ngo Temple, Hoang Phap Temple, Xa Loi (Buddhas Relics) Temple, An Quang Temple, Pho Quang Temple, Duc Quang Temple, Giac Nguyen Temple and provincial Temples as well as in Australia and America.
- Organizer of various Buddhist arts, paintings and calligraphy exhibitions as well as Buddhist cultural performances including dances, drama, and music.
- As a social activist, he has rendered a helping hand to unfortunate people in the rural areas of Vietnam, providing relief and charity including supporting orphanages, care for the elderly, and financial support for the poor, conducting free eye operations, providing free medical-care mobile clinics to victims of natural disasters such as hurricanes and floods.
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES
Ven. Thich Nhat Tu has attended and contributed papers at international Buddhist conferences such as the International Conclave on Buddhism and Spiritual Tourism (New Delhi), Fo Guang Shan International Monastic Seminar (Kaohsiung), the Fourth World Buddhist Summit (Bangkok), Dharma Drum Mountain World Center for Buddhist Education Conference (Taipei), the First World Buddhist Forum (Hangzhou), the 23rd General Conference of the World Fellowship of Buddhists (Kaohsiung), the First International Buddhist Conference (Kandy), the First International Conference on Buddhism in the New Era (Ho Chi Minh City), International Conference on Multi-ethnic and Multi-language Asia, and others. He has been appointed as the International Committee member of the UN Day of Vesak Celebration 2006 and Vice Chair, International Secretariat of the UN Day of Vesak Celebration 2007, Bangkok.
EDITOR
- Editor and publisher of Buddhism Today Books Series (more than 50 volumes on several subjects have been published in Vietnamese to meet the needs of researchers and practitioners).
- Author and editor of Buddhism Today Dharma Talks Series (More than 300 VCDs and Audio CDs on Buddhamdharma as taught by Ven. Dr. Thich Nhat Tu have been produced by the Buddhism Today Association for the general public).
- Editor and publisher of Buddhism Today Dharma Music Series (more than 25 CD albums have been published).
- Editor and publisher of the Vietnamese Tripitaka in MP3 format (The recording of the Vietnamese Sutta Pitaka translated from the Pali by Most Ven. Prof. Dr. Thich Minh Chau and that of the Mahayana tradition translated from the Chinese by various Mahayana scholars, the Agamas, and Vinaya Pitakas. The Abhidharma is being carried out. The first mp3 edition of Sutta Pitaka came into existence in May 2006 for celebrations of Buddha Jayanti and has been placed on one of its websites, http://tusachphathoc.com/, for downloading to both Macintosh and Windows computers. It is available for free for non-commercial purposes.
RETREATS
- He is organizer and moderator of A Fortnightly Retreat for about 1500 practitioners at Pho Quang Temple, HCMC.
- He has been conducted meditation retreats for thousands of inmates in several Rehabilitation Facilities and Correctional Facilities in South Vietnam, such as Tan Hiep (1200 inmates), Chanh Phu Hoa (1000 inmates), Phu Nghia (400 inmates) and Ba Ria Vung Tau (800 inmates).
- On February 5 and April 23, 2007, a total of 1850 long-term inmates of K.20 Prison, a security jail in Ben Tre Province, under his guidance, have observed vegetarianism and mindfulness practice as a path to inner freedom.
WORK PLACE
- Central Office, Vietnam Buddhist University, Thien Vien Van Hanh, 750 Nguyen Kiem, Quan Phu Nhuan, TP.HCM, Vietnam.
PRESENT ADDRESS
92 Nguyen Chi Thanh, P.3, Q.10, TP.HCM, Vietnam
Tel: +84-908-153-160 (cell); +84-8-830-9570 (home)
Email: thichnhattu@yahoo.com & buddhismtodayinc@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.buddhismtoday.com/ & http://www.tusachphathoc.com/
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Buddhist Thought Magazine, editor. Saigon: 1991.
Buddhist Daily Chanting Book. Saigon: Religious Publishing House, 1994.
A Guide for Writing Research Paper. Saigon: HCM Publishing House, 2002.
Buddhist Repentance Book. Saigon: Religious Publishing House, 2002.
Sutra on Amitabha Buddha. Saigon: Religious Publishing House, 2003.
Buddhist Prayer for the Death. Saigon: Religious Publishing House, 2003.
Buddhist Prayer for the Disease. Saigon: Religious Publishing House, 2003.
Contributor of Hue Quang Buddhist Encyclopedia, 8 volumes. Saigon: Religious Publishing House, 2005.
A Critique of Catholic Conversion in Asia. Los Angeles: Giao Diem, 2005.
Vesak Chanting Book. Saigon: Religious Publishing House, 2006.
Gratitude to Parents Chanting Book. Saigon: Religious Publishing House, 2007.
Transformation of Emotion. Saigon: The Asian Publishing House, 2007.