Saigon, June 11, 1963 – Thich Quang Duc, a Buddhist monk, borrows a turquoise Austin Westminster sedan from a brother and drives to Saigon, South Vietnam. Once he arrived in Saigon, he doused himself in gasoline. While meditating, he sets himself on fire. Why …?
NGO Dinh Diem
After a series of anti-Buddhist measures, South Vietnamese Catholic leader Ngo Dinh Diem banned the tradition of flying the Buddhist flag in the annual festivities on Buddha’s birthday. Monks continued in protest by marching with the banned flag in front of the national broadcasting station. Troops fired into the demonstrating crowd, killing nine Buddhists.
June 11, 1963
Thich Quang Duc had now arrived and joined a crowd at a nearby pagoda. At the intersection of Phan Dinh Phung Boulevard and Le Van Duyet Street, the car stopped and Duc and two other monks got out. One placed cushions on the floor, while the other monk took a five-liter jerry can from the trunk. Thich Quang Duc sat on the cushions in the lotus position (a position in which Buddhists meditate) while the other monk poured gasoline over him. While meditating he was set on fire. The demonstrating monks made a large circle around him, so that no police could reach them. This unusual protest action shook Ngo Dinh Diem ‘s position .
Coup
Duc ‘s action led to a lot of international publicity and pressure on Diem . Discontent in Vietnam continued to grow, including people in Diem ‘s government . On November 1, 1963, disgruntled officers of the South Vietnamese army led by General Duong Van Minh staged a coup. Diem and his brother were killed during the coup .
Symbolism
Thich Quang Duc ‘s body was almost completely burned. However, his heart did not burn. Even during the cremation, the heart remained intact. The heart was considered sacred and was placed in a glass chalice in the Xa Loi Pagoda .
Source: Jac. de Nijs Anefo, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA-3.0)
World-famous photo
A photo was taken of the burning during the demonstration on June 11, 1963, which later became known worldwide. The photo was voted WorldPress Photo and was used many years later for the cover of an album by the rock band Rage Against The Machine .