I'm not entirely sure why, but today I couldn't stop thinking about the Buddhist monk, Thich Quang Duc, who committed the ultimate act of protest. Duc is considered a martyr because he self-immolated in public to protest the persecution and treatment of Vietnamese Buddhist monks, back in 1963. Despite the potential condemnation he probably would have received from his Master, Duc tried to show that in order to fight every form of oppression on equal terms, Buddhism also needed its martyrs.
This evening I decided to watch the video of his suicide, not only out of respect for his "gesture" (for want of a better term) but out of admiration for his amazing mental strength and conviction (or lack thereof, if we're talking Buddhism?). It really is quite sad to watch but it also helps me put things in perspective in times dire.
A fascinating thing to point out is that despite his body being cremated (again) after his death, his heart still remained in tact; it was subsequently considered holy and treated as a symbol of compassion.
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