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Lion Raised by Monkeys: Patience and Identity for Vietnamese-American Families
To address the difficulties of raising children in North America, a story told by the Buddha is recounted regarding a lion cub raised by a monkey. After a mother lion loses her cub in a fall, a monkey adopts the baby, teaching it to eat fruit, climb trees, and speak the monkey language. When the mother lion later finds her daughter, the young lion angrily rejects her heritage, believing herself to be a monkey. Realizing that anger and force are ineffective, the mother lion uses patience, loving speech, and apologies to befriend the daughter. Through walking meditation and looking into a stream to see their reflections, the daughter realizes her true nature as a lion, learning to roar and jump, yet retaining the positive skills and appreciation for her adoptive monkey family.
This story illustrates the relationship between Vietnamese parents and their children growing up in the United States. Parents often lack the skill to transmit Vietnamese culture, resorting to shouting or force, which alienates their children. Parents must learn the patience of the mother lion to help their children realize they are both American and Vietnamese. Children are encouraged to profit from the jewels of both cultures, becoming real Vietnamese-Americans who can serve both societies. Practicing the Five Mindfulness Trainings helps in becoming excellent members of both communities.
Introductions are provided for several monks and nuns, including Thầy Tịnh Mãn, Thầy Pháp Hướng, Thầy Pháp Trí, Sư cô Chân Vĩ, Sư cô Hiếu Nghiêm, Sư cô Tịnh Nghiêm, Sư cô Viên Nghiệp, Sư cô Bích Nghiêm, Sư cô Giải Nghiêm, Sư cô Hỷ Nghiêm, Sư cô Từ Nghiêm, Sư cô Thục Nghiêm, Sư thầy Đàm Nguyện, Sư cô Chân Bảo Lâm, and Sư cô Trinh Ngọc. Brief backgrounds are shared for many, such as Thầy Pháp Trí’s landscaping work, Thầy Pháp Hướng’s photography and flute playing, and Sư cô Chân Bảo Lâm’s recovery from cancer through practice and surgery. The books Bước tới thảnh thơi and Stepping into Freedom are recommended for those interested in monastic life.