She is Tue Minh (Pāli: Vijjāñānī). You can call her Minh or Sayalay Vijjā.
Knowing Buddhism
Vijjā is a native of Vietnam, raised in HCMC. She knew nothing about Buddhism during the first 15 years of her life. Then, she had the opportunity to know Buddhism and became a lay devotee when she was a high school student.
Renunciation
Having completed a learning program as a general physician with 2-year training, Vijjā left her home, renounced the worldly life, and entered the Mahayana nunhood. As being aware of the truth of life, which is suffering, based on the Buddha’s teachings and having undergone many years of unsatisfactoriness, she determined to become a nun to dedicate her entire time to learning and practicing Buddhist doctrine for mitigating personal miseries, then disseminate dhamma to assist conditioned companions.
While studying and dwelling in some developed Buddhist nunneries, she had favorable conditions to be exposed to Theravada doctrine. Being captivated by the practical and original instructions, she switched to wearing the robe of a Theravada Buddhist renunciant to comprehensively inspect and experience as a genuine nun.
Enhancing English
Being mature as a Buddhist renunciant indeed kindled her aspiration to learn English again. It is English that helped her navigate her path ahead, and her monastic life considerably shifted from then on. Hence, with basic English knowledge absorbed from secondary and high school, Vijjā restarted and flourished her English learning journey with a B.A. in English at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities. Then, during Covid-19 pandemic, she pursued a Master’s degree at UoPeople, the online university in the US, majoring in Master of Education in Advanced Teaching. Simultaneously, she completed an online Master’s degree of Buddhist studies at Kelaniya University, Sri Lanka. Currently, she is pursuing Online Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) program at U.S. Edgewood College.
Main objective
Vijjā’s objective is “learning by teaching” to promote her English skills so as to apply them in the real world of Buddhist doctrine, particularly cultivating meditative practice. In addition to learning, she practices English through instructing English classes, translating Buddhist materials and interpreting dhamma talks. After some years of temporarily completing the learning process, she occasionally turns to meditation to be gradually mindful of each bodily, verbal, and mental action and then lessen greed, anger, and delusion. That is the ultimate target of her whole monastic life on the path of attaining supreme enlightenment grounded on the Buddha’s teachings.
Developing instruction skills
Fortunately, as a meritorious, independent, and goal-oriented nun, Vijjā can overwhelm in the sea of knowledge by self-investigating over hours apart from degree learning programs, such as Buddhist English, Basic Pali Grammar, and foundational Abhidhamma. She intrinsically loves English, and she has devoted almost the whole day to enhancing her English learning and instructing skills. Additionally, she has a strong passion for passing down her understanding to the conditioned ones. Thus, she must constantly learn and investigate to enrich and broaden her knowledge about teaching and instructing methods.
Volunteer instructor – GROUP LEARNING
Further, to accumulate merit and fulfill her parami (perfections) on the path of enlightenment, along with nurturing her learning, practicing, and instructing skills, she has initiated and managed a non-profit online Group Learning and became an English instructor with various guidance, such as Pronunciation, Vocabulary, Listening, Reading, Speaking, Writing, Translation, Buddhist English, and basic Pali grammar from 2021 and has been developing VICASA community until now. That’s why she selected the path of online learning and instruction to save costs and be effective on the dhamma learning and practicing path.
Founding VICASA LIFELONG LEARNING
Since 2023, she’s developed GROUP LEARNING into VICASA LIFELONG LEARNING to sustain her long-term community. As a VICASA founder, Vijjā aspires to impart her knowledge, encountering, and experiences so as to motivate and inspire conditioned practitioners and ultimately fulfill her generosity parami. Thus, VICASA expects to be your partners on this exciting journey to self-discovery and gradually awakening attainment. With personalized mindset collaboration, we’ll work together to break through barriers, harness our unique potential, and support each other in achieving our learning and practicing goals. VICASA is here to collaborate with you every step of the way. Let’s embark on this adventure together.
Designing website VICASA.ORG
Most remarkably, to conveniently disseminate her personal knowledge and experiences accumulated throughout her renunciate life, she has begun to build this vicasa.org website. As a main web designer, content creator and collector, she and vicasa.org expect to contribute to the sustenance and longevity of Buddha’ sāsana.
She believes that all meritorious deeds will help her have the ability to foster more real experience and insight from the learners so that we can cooperatively fulfill our paramis further.
Thank you for your time and collaboration.
She looks forward to exchanging with you about this engaging learning and practicing journey.
With gratitude.
Sayalay Vijjāñāṇī (Tue Minh)
