A respected Vietnamese Buddhist monk becomes an internet sensation thanks to influencers. Thich Minh Tue started his 2,700-kilometer pilgrimage in his homeland in November and is conquering more and more social networks with his ascetic lifestyle.
Hundreds of thousands of followers have been documenting his journey on Facebook, which has now gone from Vietnam to Laos to Thailand on Tuesday, where he arrived at the end of December.
Next, the monk, who is making rapid progress, wants to cross the crisis-hit country of Myanmar – but it is not certain whether the authorities there will approve this. The former Burma has been in chaos and violence since a coup in 2021.
“Patience, compassion and wisdom”
One of his companions, 58-year-old Doan Van Bau, said he was deeply impressed by the monk’s humility. “During the journey with Master Thich Minh Tue, I saw how he strictly adheres to Buddhist precepts, is humble and patient, and at the same time possesses tremendous compassion and great wisdom. Tue is expected to reach India in May.
Three items of clothing and rice cooker
Tue’s followers are deeply impressed by his strict religious practice, which is characterized by an ascetic lifestyle. He owns up to three items of clothing (which he has fished from garbage bins), lives on handouts, sleeps in the wild and lives an eco-friendly life. He only has a rice cooker with him, in which he (also) collects donations.
Monk only sleeps sitting up
According to his own statements, the monk sleeps sitting up to shorten his sleeping times. “When I’m really tired, I lean against a tree or a wall,” he said.
Daily video clips posted by one of his companions regularly receive up to two million views on YouTube. There are also live broadcasts. Along the way, the monk is provided with food and water by countless worshipers who wait for him at the side of the road – but he says he only eats one meal a day.
Thousands want to see Monk
In his communist homeland, Tue is so popular with the population that the authorities even intervened last June. Because wherever he appears in Vietnam, thousands of supporters immediately gather. The large crowds reportedly caused traffic delays and increased public order concerns. The monk then temporarily disappeared from public view.
Source: Krone
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