The Burning Monk- Thich Quang Duc (1963) sat down in meditation position at Saigon. He then poured gasoline all over his body and set himself alight. He maintained his calm meditative position and did not even make a sound while his body burned and then within a few minutes toppled over. His body was consumed but his heart remained intact. It was placed in the Reserve Bank of Vietnam and is called the Symbol Of The Holy Heart.
He wanted to show people that we can do incredible things when we practice mindfulness. He also wanted to show the world the injustice that was being perpetrated on the Buddhist religion and community by a repressive regime. Needless to say, it worked pretty well and the government softened up on the Buddhist. He is a remarkable symbol of the incredible power the mind holds.
