The Disease from the West

**Summary:** A Vietnamese man recounts his time working in Africa, where he faced the sexually unrestrained lifestyle of his Western colleagues, and how only the Buddha's teachings helped him preserve his integrity.

The dim yellow light from a sidewalk café in Saigon cast a glow on Minh’s tanned face. It had been over three years since he had seen the Master, ever since he had decided to accept an engineering contract at an oil mine in Africa. Now, sitting before his teacher, his eyes still shone with an indescribable fear, as if he had just escaped a long nightmare.

“I went to work for an oil and gas company in Africa,” he began, his voice dropping low. “First, let me tell you how they live over there.”

The Master nodded, his gaze patient and waiting.

Minh swallowed dryly, his hand unconsciously gripping the cup tightly. “I just realized that thanks to attending dharma talks, thanks to knowing the Buddha's teachings, I was able to restrain myself. Their lifestyle over there is truly terrifying regarding sexuality.”

Minh paused, as if sinking into horrifying memories. “There, I worked with both Africans and Europeans. They came together. Both groups were exactly the same in that regard. They lived in an unimaginably promiscuous way about sex. They had husbands and wives, but they would take whoever and whatever they encountered, wherever they found it. It was unbearable, yet they saw it as completely normal. Seeing such a society was utterly overwhelming.”

He looked straight into the Master’s eyes, his voice choked with emotion: “And I was one of the few Vietnamese there. The only reason I could hold my ground was because I knew the Buddhist teachings. I tried to preserve myself, but I truly could not integrate into their way of life.”

The Master was silent, his deep eyes seeming to perceive a whole world sinking into chaos. “This is the reason why Islam hates the West,” he said slowly, “because of this, this licentiousness. When sexuality is given this much freedom, it shatters the family structure, it shatters the entire social structure.”

Minh nodded, his hands trembling: “I understand now. Over there, they encourage promiscuity by every means. Fashion shows, famous singers—they display their bodies rather than their talents. I saw those images everywhere, from advertisements to films, and people considered it normal, considered it freedom.”

“And when freedom becomes toxic,” the Master continued, “it destroys every foundation. The family is no longer a shelter, parents no longer have the right to teach their children, and children no longer need to obey. Society becomes a lonely crowd, with each person following their instincts.”

Minh continued his story: “I met a Belgian couple on a bus. They had no children and preferred to live comfortably with each other. When I spoke about the Eastern filial piety, the man said: 'I know about that, but things have changed now. That doesn’t exist anymore, it’s not relevant.' I was so disappointed, Master.”

The Master sighed: “Europeans have advanced in science and technology, but in their culture, they are declining. They think they are superior and they pull the world down with them. Meanwhile, our Eastern Confucianism teaches that parents must love their children and be firm in teaching them, what we call 'love through discipline and guidance, gentleness in strictness.' This way, when children grow up, families are very stable, very orderly, and people can rely on one another.”

Minh looked out at the bustling streets of Saigon, where Western influences were seeping into every corner. “I understand now. Freedom without limits becomes destructive. And I know what I must do to preserve the beautiful culture of my people.”

The Master smiled, his eyes full of hope: “That is correct. Each person who can preserve themselves, each family that can maintain its order, will help society gradually return to balance. That is our responsibility.”

**The Meaning of the Story**

The story reveals the danger of an overly liberal lifestyle, especially concerning sexuality and family relations. When instincts are not restrained by reason and morality, they shatter social structures, devastate families, and plunge people into chaos. Conversely, Eastern culture, with Confucianism and Buddhism, offers a middle way of calm and standards, helping people learn to control their instincts, maintain stable families, and build a sustainable society. Each person needs to recognize the value of traditional culture to help contribute to building a peaceful world.

Compiled from a dharma talk by Venerable Thich Chan Quang.