AWAKENED ONE BIOGRAPHY - Suoi Tu Awakened Monastery

Who am I, so free and ever clear?
Who am I, so vast and without end?
Who am I, with life that flows and mends?
Returning Home — the fragrance softly spreads,
Across the sky,
where verse and silence blend.

AWAKENED ONE THICH THONG HOI

1. The Great Question of Birth and Death

From a young age, Awakened One Thich Thong Hoi began to see the fragility of worldly happiness. Even moments of family reunion were shadowed by the quiet sadness of separation, revealing that ordinary joy could never be complete or lasting.

As he grew older during a time of war, he witnessed homes destroyed, people scattered, and suffering and death everywhere. Human life appeared uncertain — alive today, gone tomorrow — with nothing in the world truly stable or secure.

From these experiences, a great question arose within him: How can the suffering of human existence be liberated? How can one break free from the cycle of birth and death?

2. The Path of Deep Contemplation

The Zen Master began studying sutras, treatises, and meditation teachings. A horizon of awakening, liberation, and true freedom opened before him, yet the deepest questions continued to burn within: Who am I? Where do I come from? Where do I go after death?

At the age of 23, while still a student at the University of Literature in Saigon, he lost all interest in ordinary life. Study, family, friends, eating, and sleeping no longer mattered. He resolved to leave everything behind and ordained under Venerable Thich Thanh Tu at Chon Khong Zen Monastery.

In 1975, amid great social upheaval, he entered years of direct engagement with life — cutting wood, building huts, farming, and helping establish Thuong Chieu Monastery. Through hardship, labor, and the suffering of the people, his contemplation grew even deeper.

3. Awakening and the Great Vow

On the full moon day of the fifth lunar month in 1979, while walking beneath two rows of green areca trees, the great question of birth and death surged to its peak. Suddenly, the pressure of years of contemplation burst open, and everything became clear.

In that moment, all the questions that had weighed on him for years were resolved. A vast, open, boundless, and crystal-clear space revealed itself. The Zen Master realized the True Home, clearly saw who he truly is, and penetrated the root of suffering and the cycle of birth and death.

From that awakening, the Great Vow continued to unfold. In 2004, he met Awakened One Thich Dieu Thien in Hawaii, where both recognized the same Awakened Destination and Great Vow. Together, they later established Suoi Tu Meditation Center, guiding beings back to the Awakened Source and liberation from the ego system, birth, death, and suffering.

Only once — now and forever,
The vast open mind plays freely with impermanence.
Coming and going, no longer hindered by anything,
Guiding beings home
to the Shore of the Awakened True Source.

AWAKENED ONE THICH THONG HOI

Only once — now and forever,
The vast open mind plays freely with impermanence.
Coming and going, no longer hindered by anything,
Guiding beings home
to the Shore of the Awakened True Source.

AWAKENED ONE THICH THONG HOI

I Have Returned!

Not an attainment, but a return to the Awakened Source — vast, boundless, empty and luminous; serene, fresh, unobstructed and free. What had been sought was revealed as Home itself.

From that realization, life was no longer driven by seeking, but flowed as compassionate activity. Coming and going, with nothing to hinder, Thích Thông Hội entered the world to awaken beings — helping others recognize that the Buddha Mind is not elsewhere, but their own true nature.

Through direct pointing and skillful guidance, many have awakened from ancient patterns of suffering and set forth the vow to return to the same Awakened Source.

The Great Vows

In 2011, both Awakened Zen Masters guided several retreats in the city of Dallas/Fort Worth. Many families developed the goal of awakening and liberating the source of suffering, and to live with true happiness and true love. In late 2013, both the Awakened Zen Masters established the Suoi Tu Meditation Center as a place to attend retreats and awakened sessions, to awaken all people to live with awakened mind until merged with the Awakened Source, breaking the cycle of birth and death.

THE MERGING OF

THE GREAT VOW

More than 20 years of Merging With The Great Vow

In 2004, by chance, Awakened Zen Master Thich Dieu Thien met Zen Master Thich Thong Hoi, in Hawaii. Right away, they had the instant miraculous knowing that the other was Awakened and they had the same exact Awake living and the Great Vow to Wake Up the world. Upon Awakened Zen Master Thich Dieu Thien’s invitation asking him to come to Universal Door Meditation Center to join her in her mission, Awakened Zen Master Thich Thong Hoi accepted, their Great Vows merged, and they continue to Wake Up the world together.

The two Awakened Ones originate from the same source of Awake and the Great Vow, they appear in two different physical forms, using different tools to Wake Up the wisdom mind of all people, yet the destination that they take us to is the same… to merge with Awake Source and liberate the original human attachment.

The Awakened Zen Masters have traveled all over the world establishing Awake Sangha, Waking Up students tirelessly day and night, for each student to understand, realize, and experience the Awake Mind and the capacity to become the Awakened Mind and liberating the ego system.

In late 2013, the Awakened Zen Masters co-founded Suoi Tu Meditation Center, located on a beautiful 4-acre site in Dallas. Zen Master Thich Thong Hoi is the Awakened teacher of Suoi Tu Meditation Center.

Born from the Great Vow of the Two Awakened Ones, these Awakened Monasteries were established as living fields of Awakening — sacred places where beings are guided to recognize the Clear Mind within themselves, be liberated from the suffering of birth and death, and realize Buddhahood.

Each monastery is not merely a place of practice, but a manifestation of the Great Vow: to help all beings return to the Awakened Source, awaken their true nature, and walk the path toward complete liberation.

We together, Wake Up the world,
Whether up to the mountains or down to the seas.
The Great Vow appeared completely,
Repaying the Buddha’s profound grace.
Embarking on this journey to fulfill
The Original Great Vow,
The Golden Light of the Dharma
Shines throughout the world

AWAKENED ONE THICH THONG HOI

AWAKENED ONE THICH DIEU THIEN

AWAKENED ONE THICH THONG HOI

AWAKENED ONE THICH DIEU THIEN