SOUTH VIET NAM TRIAL BY FIRE THE AUTOMOBILE AT THE HEAD OF 
THE PROCESSION OF SAFFRON-ROBED BUDDHIST MONKS IN SAIGON SUDDENLY CHOKED TO 
A STOP AT AN INTERSECTION . THE OCCUPANTS OF THE CAR 
LIFTED ITS HOOD AS CHANTING PRIESTS BEGAN FORMING A CIRCLE SEVEN 
OR EIGHT DEEP AROUND THE VEHICLE . PRAYER BEADS CLUTCHED IN 
HIS HAND, A PHLEGMATIC, 73-YEAR-OLD MONK NAMED THICH QUANG DUC SAT 
DOWN CROSS-LEGGED ON THE ASPHALT IN THE CENTER OF THE CIRCLE 
. FROM UNDER THE AUTO'S HOOD, A MONK TOOK A CANISTER 
OF GASOLINE AND POURED IT OVER THE OLD PRIEST . AN 
EXPRESSION OF SERENITY ON HIS WIZENED FACE, QUANG DUC SUDDENLY STRUCK 
A MATCH . AS FLAMES ENGULFED HIS BODY, HE MADE NOT 
A SINGLE CRY NOR MOVED A MUSCLE . / OH MY 
GOD, " CRIED A WESTERN OBSERVER, " OH MY GOD . 
" CASTING THE BLAME . IN THE BUDDHIST FAITH, SELF-SACRIFICE IS 
OFTEN UNDERTAKEN TO TRANSFER THE SUFFERING OF OTHERS TO ONE'S SELF 
. THE MARTYR IS USUALLY CONSIDERED A HOLY MAN SO CLOSE 
TO NIRVANA THAT HE IS UNAFFECTED BY PAIN . QUANG DUC'S 
PREMEDITATED ACT WAS A DEMONSTRATION OF BUDDHIST DETERMINATION TO FORCE SOUTH 
VIET NAM'S ROMAN CATHOLIC PRESIDENT NGO DINH DIEM TO KNUCKLE UNDER 
TO DEMANDS FOR INCREASED RELIGIOUS FREEDOM (TIME, JUNE 14) . IN 
A WILL WRITTEN " BEFORE CLOSING MY EYES TO BUDDHA, / 
QUANG DUC WROTE : " I HAVE THE HONOR OF PRESENTING 
MY WORDS TO PRESIDENT DIEM, ASKING HIM TO BE KIND AND 
TOLERANT TOWARD HIS PEOPLE AND TO ENFORCE A POLICY OF RELIGIOUS 
EQUALITY . " DIEM'S REPLY WAS TO CLAMP VIRTUAL MARTIAL LAW 
OVER SAIGON . ALL THE CITY'S MAIN PAGODAS WERE SEALED OFF, 
AND BARBED-WIRE BARRICADES BLOCKED OFF STREETS . ON THE RADIO, DIEM 
BLAMED QUANG DUC'S " TRAGIC DEATH " ON " CERTAIN MINDS, 
POISONED BY SEDITIOUS PROPAGANDA . " REFUSING TO YIELD TO BUDDHIST 
DEMANDS, DIEM ADDED : " BUDDHISM IN VIET NAM FINDS ITS 
FUNDAMENTAL SAFEGUARDS IN THE CONSTITUTION, OF WHICH I PERSONALLY AM THE 
GUARDIAN . / THE WARNING . BUT DIEM'S INTRANSIGENCE TROUBLED THE 
U.S . IN SAIGON, U.S . EMBASSY OFFICIALS BLUNTLY WARNED DIEM 
THAT THE U.S . WOULD PUBLICLY CONDEM HIS TREATMENT OF THE 
BUDDHISTS UNLESS HE TOOK PROMPT ACTION TO REDRESS THEIR GRIEVANCES . 
BEHIND THE U.S . THREAT WAS THE FEAR THAT CONTINUED BUDDHIST 
DISCONTENT COULD CAUSE PASSIVE RESISTANCE TO GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS IN THE RURAL 
PROVINCES WHERE POLITICAL UNITY IS THE KEY TO VICTORY IN THE 
WAR AGAINST THE COMMUNIST VIET CONG . THE U.S . WARNING 
SEEMED TO SINK IN . AT MEETINGS WITH BUDDHIST LEADERS, GOVERNMENT 
OFFICIALS TENTATIVELY ACCEDED TO ALL THEIR DEMANDS THE GOVERNMENT PROMISED TO 
CHANGE EXISTING LAWS SO AS TO GIVE BUDDHISM EQUAL STANDING WITH 
CATHOLICISM, GRANTED BUDDHISTS THE RIGHT TO FLY THEIR FLAGS AT RELIGIOUS 
FESTIVALS . IT WAS THE FLAG RESTRICTION AT HUE LAST MONTH 
THAT SET OFF DEMONSTRATIONS IN WHICH NINE BUDDHIST MARCHERS WERE GUNNED 
DOWN BY GOVERNMENT TROOPS . UNDER PRODDING FROM BUDDHIST LEADERS, THE 
GOVERNMENT, WHICH HAD BLAMED THE VIET CONG FOR THE HUE TRAGEDY, 
RELUCTANTLY AGREED TO TAKE THE BLAME FOR THE INCIDENT . BUT 
IF THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD RENEGE ON ITS AGREEMENT, THE BUDDHISTS HAVE 
THREATENED TWO MORE RITUALISTIC SUICIDES ONE BY FIRE AND ONE BY 
DISEMBOWELMENT . 