Story 14 – Invoking Uncle Ho
Câu chuyện số 14 – Niệm danh cụ Hồ
by ThầyGià on 12 November 2008, translated by NgocXuan, edited by Horangi, updated 3/18/2024
About 5 years ago, one of my disciples performed the initiation ceremony for the stepson of a General in the police force. Possibly because of his having heard about the wonderful, mystical experience from his stepson, the General invited the disciple to his house in order to find out more about the supernatural. Following some discussions and exchange of stories, the General and his wife decided to ask for the initiation ritual.
The initiation ceremony requires one to recite the name of God or a religious leader whom one worships, but when the General was asked in which Buddha’s name they’d like to pray to, he replied, without hesitation, that they would like to pray in the name of Uncle Ho, the North Vietnamese leader. The disciple was surprised by this request, but composed herself and suggested that they choose a Buddha or some other religious leader.
Finally, they both sat down and joined their hands in prayer, invoking the name of a certain religious leader as part of the initiation ritual. About 20 minutes later, he stopped and recounted his mystical experience. Then he emotionally shared the following memorable event:
Once, while at Tan Son Nhat airport, preparing to board a flight to Hue in central Vietnam, the General witnessed police detaining an elderly monk. They were on the verge of escorting him back to the police station for interrogation. Approaching the scene, the General discovered that the monk had been apprehended due to the possession of gold bars. Upon inquiry, he learned that the gold was acquired through donations intended for the renovation of the monk’s monastery in Hue. Prompted to act, the General intervened, resulting in the monk’s release and granting him the freedom to proceed with his journey to Hue.
From that moment forward, they developed a close friendship, bridging the gap between a secular individual and a devout follower, finding solace in each other’s company.
As time passed, their encounters grew scarce, with only one notable exception: when the elderly monk fell ill and sought treatment at a hospital in Saigon. Upon his discharge, he made a point to visit the General, wheelchair-bound but determined, before returning to Hue.
Several years later, the General received the news of the elderly monk’s passing.
And precisely during the recent initiation ritual, he didn’t know whom to pray to, so he prayed to that elder monk, and the General saw that very monk (with his third eye) sitting in a wheelchair and smiling at him. He was deeply moved and stunned as he looked at the monk for more than 5 minutes.
As Old Guru’s disciple bid her farewell, the General and his wife personally escorted her from their home to her car, shielding her from the rain with their umbrella, expressing their heartfelt gratitude.
About a month ago, Old Guru heard a report that a pilot, acquainted with the family of one of his disciples, expressed a desire to undergo initiation by invoking the name of Ho Chi Minh. The disciple was perplexed and refused, insisting that the pilot must invoke a Buddhist title instead.
If only Old Guru had been there; who knows, perhaps he would have inquired of the spirit… and maybe that general and the young man would have their wishes fulfilled.
Indeed, there have been instances where some of my disciples requested to recite the name of Quan Thanh, a Saint and protector of the North, instead of a Buddha’s name, feeling a stronger connection to Quan Thanh. Despite this deviation, they still received spiritual confirmation.
Until next time
Old_Guru Sept. 7, 08
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