Thich Minh Tue, born Le Anh Tu, a 43-year-old from central Vietnam, traveled the country on foot as part of his personal pilgrimage. Earlier this month, Tue reached Cam Xuyen district in Ha Tinh province, where he was greeted by hundreds of supporters gathered to hear him speak.
Tue clarified that he is neither a Buddhist monk nor affiliated with any institution under the Buddhist Sangha of Vietnam. In recent years, he studied Buddhist teachings and practiced asceticism, which involves giving up material comforts to accept hardships, such as abstaining from food and wearing simple clothing, in order to achieve enlightenment.
Originally from Ha Tinh province in north-central Vietnam, Tue moved with his family to Gia Lai province in the central highlands in 1994. A former monk, he adopted the Buddhist name Thich Minh Tue . “'Minh' means brilliant, while 'Tue' means intelligence,” Tue explained, noting that he retained his Buddhist name after leaving his pagoda (monastery). “The whole name means “the shining way.” » (VnExpress)
Thanh Do, former director of a Buddhist research organization and lecturer at the Buddhist University of Paris, suggested that Thich Minh Tue's popularity was largely due to his embrace of Buddhist ideals. “The core of Buddhism for a clergyman is precepts, determination and wisdom,” he said, adding that by following the precepts, clergy become more determined, meaning they acquire wisdom, which in turn inspires the laity. (Radio Asia Libre)
Tue has been traveling around Vietnam since 2017 as part of his ascetic practices. At first he occasionally traveled by bus, but as of 2020 he travels only on foot, except when using ships to cross waterways. He said he had visited almost all of Vietnam during his travels.
“My journey is the walk of a lifetime,” he said. “I do not intend to spread any message since everything in Buddhism was taught by the Buddha. I just want to practice according to the Buddha's teachings to complete myself. When I walk, I pray that everyone will always be happy with their families. (VnExpress)
Tue said he had previously doubted Buddhist teachings, but now that he was more mature, he wanted to follow them to seek greater happiness. He noted that he spent a lot of time thinking about his decision before seeking his parents' approval to leave home and move on.
During his journey, Tue collected roadside rags and trash bags to assemble into clothing. He said he ate only one meal a day, bathed in rivers and streams, rested on roadsides and used gas stations to relieve himself.
“For me, the journey on foot is not difficult. When I am on the move, if my mind is peaceful and happy, there is no obstacle in my way,” he said. (VnExpress)
As Tue's journey continued, many people dressed as monks joined him. Although Tue does not consider them his disciples, he welcomes anyone wishing to join his journey, asking only that they seek the approval of their family. He encourages his followers to return home whenever they feel ready.
Recently, Tue was approached by people asking to take photos and record videos with him. He expressed a preference for people to walk alongside him rather than creating scenes.
Despite not being in contact with his own family for six years as he avoids phones and social media, Tue expressed his gratitude to his parents. He emphasized that he had never called himself a monk and did not feel worthy of the title.
Tue's father, Le Xuan, 84, said the family had four children. Tue, the second-born, joined the army after high school, underwent vocational training and later worked in Phu Yen province. In 2015, Tue returned home and asked his parents to be "liberated" to follow the ascetic path. After some consideration, his parents agreed.
Le Xuan revealed that he was only able to find out his son's whereabouts through videos of Tue's trip released in the media. “We saw that he was thin and didn't eat well, so we felt sorry for him. But it’s his path and we support him,” he said. (VnExpress)
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