The burning monk.
Today we remember the Buddhist monk who burned himself to death in protest of the repression by the Vietnamese government. Thich Quang Duc torched himself on June 10th 1963 in the middle of a busy Intersection after he's fellow monks poured gasoline on him.
The Vietnamese government was trying to end Buddhism in the Country, a religion which had a following of more than 70% of the Vietnamese population. This attracted violent protests from the public which were highlighted in May that year on the Birthday of Gautama Buddha where the Buddhism flag had been banned from flying in Hue on Vesak. Buddhists around the country flew the flags that day attracting a violent response from the government forces getting 9 people killed that day.
The crisis went on for more than a month after that day but with little attention from around the World despite the wide coverage by the media. Finally the monks and nuns organised and arranged on act which would pull the attention of everyone around the world. They called the media to witness and broadcast the events that would go on on 10th June.
Quang Duc arrived with a car along with two other monks in the middle of the road a few blocks away from the presidential palace on the fateful day. He went calmly and sat on a cushion placed their by one of the two monks he came with as the other opened the car trunk and pulled out a five-gallon petrol can. The can was emptied on Duc's head during which he was seen reciting a prayer.
He then struck a match and dropped it on himself. Spectators around went into silence as some wailed and prayed.
It took 10 minutes for Duc's body to get fully immolated as people looked on. The body then toppled backwards onto it's back and a group of monks picked it and prepared it for recremating.
Duc's heart which didn't get damaged was reserved in a glass chalice. And till today, it's considered as a symbol of compassion. It's this event that attracted a feed back from various international countries that stopped the repression against Buddhism in the country.
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