Born in 1921 at Bích Khê Village, Triệu Phong District, Quảng Trị Province, with the name of Đỗ Xuân Hàn. He left home to become a monk at a very young age with the Most Venerable Thuyền Tôn Thích Giác Nhiên as his teacher. He was given a Buddhist name of Tâm Thị, which was later changed to Thiện Minh when he was ordained the Most Venerable.

· In 1936, he completed the primary level of education at the School of Buddhism located at Trúc Lâm Temple in Huế.

· In 1938, he started the secondary level at the Bảo Quốc School of Buddhism, Huế.

· In 1943, he completed the secondary level.

· In 1944, he started the higher education level at the University of Buddhism Studies.

· In 1948, he received the Bhikkhu precepts and was ordained the primary rank at the Bảo Quốc Precept Ceremony. At the end of this year, he was elected president of the Đà Lạt Buddhism School; at the same time held a position of instructor for the Buddhism Congregation at Lâm Đồng Province. Concurrent to the above responsibilities, he established the Buddhist Youth Organizations at Lâm Nguyên, Cầu Đất, Trại Mát, and Trạm Hành. He also organized training camps for unit as well as sub-unit leaders of the youth organizations.

· From 1948 to 1952, he established Buddhist branches at Cầu Đất, Sông Hinh, Blao, Di Linh, Đơn Dương, and La Ba.

· In 1952, he was transferred and became president of the Khánh Hòa School of Buddhism. Here, he also established the first eight Vietnamese Buddhist Youth Organizations in a time frame of 8 months. Notably during this same year, he organized the Liễu Quán Regional Board of Directors.

· In 1955, along with several Honorables of the Northern and Midwest regions, and Mr. Mai Thọ Truyền, he organized the second Vietnamese Buddhist Organization General Conference.

Also in 1955, he organized and convened the third Vietnamese Buddhist Youth Conference at Đà Lạt with the purpose of reviewing the organizational format, expanding the Buddhist Youth Organization to rural areas, modifying the by-laws, and amending the format of the units of the youth organizations.

· In 1957, he went back to Huế to manage the Buddhism affairs of the Middle Region.

· In 1960, under his sponsorship, the Vietnamese Buddhist Organization National Board of Directors planned to organize a national youth camp at Nha Trang; however, the government did not grant permission, citing security reasons. During this year, a National Buddhist Youth Conference was held at Sài Gòn with Thích Thiện Minh as the presiding chairman. The purpose of the conference was to unify the Vietnamese Buddhist youth organizations. It was at this conference that the official by-laws was written.

· In 1963, during the movement to fight the religious (particularly Buddhism) prejudice and persecution, he held the leadership role of the United League to Protect Buddhism. He was arrested, along with several other monks and nuns, and students.

· In 1964, he assumed the role of Director of Youth for newly organized Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam. During this time, working beside the existing Buddhist Youth Organization, he also established such groups as Buddhist Youths (teenagers only), Buddhist Scouts, etc.

· In 1965, another National Vietnamese Buddhist Youth Conference was held at Sài Gòn, also under his presiding authority. The purpose was to review the Buddhism Study and Training program for all organizational levels.

· On 01 June 1966, he survived an assassination attempt but was critically injured.

· In 1967, although Buddhism was still being heavily suppressed and many Buddhist Youth leaders as well as members had even sacrificed their lives for religious freedom, Thích Thiện Minh organized a national conference for the Buddhist Youth Organization with the intention of discussing new and improved ways to operate the organization under the existing conditions.

· On 17 March 1969, he was arrested and sentenced to 15 years for reasons of leading the movements for peace and a more democratic government in Vietnam.

· On 11 November 1969, with the intervention of the International Amnesty and the Committee to Annul Thích Thiện Minh’s Sentence, he was released after 9 months of confinement and torture.

· In 1970, he attended the Peace and Religious Conference in Tokyo as Group Leader and Vice President of the conference.

· In 1973, he was the Acting President of the Buddhism Institute of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam.

· 1974, he was the Advisor of the Buddhism Institute and attended the Peace Conference in Louvain, Belgium.

· On 13 April 1978, he was imprisoned by the Vietnamese Communists. He was put in a dark basement cell, stripped bare of clothing, savagely beaten and tortured. After a period of confinement at this location, he was secretly transported to the Phan Đăng Lưu Prison Camp, along with several other monks. During this time, he was not allowed any visitation.

· On 17 October 1978, after 6 months of torture and abuse, he passed away at the age of 57.

· "A face bruised black and blue covered with long unkempt hair and beard in the coffin. The rest of the body was covered up. No one knew for certain the full extent of physical injuries inflicted and hidden from view."

· That was the last image described of the late Most Venerable Thích Thiện Minh when the Most Venerable Thích Trí Thủ and few other monks were finally allowed to come and view his body for the last time.

The Most Venerable Thích Thiện Minh was the one who laid the foundation for the Buddhist Youth Organization. His entire life was a role model for future generations. He was a Bodhisattva who had accomplished his pledges to serve Buddhism, to readily sacrifice himself for his country, fighting for peace and freedom for the people. His passing was a great loss for the Vietnamese people.

His death left the Buddhist community as well as the Vietnamese people with great sorrow and regrets. Nevertheless, his reputation and honor continue to shine, not only in Vietnam but also for all Buddhist communities in the world.

All leaders of the Vietnamese Buddhist Youth Organization today are heirs to the legacy he left behind. In our individual ways, we must continue strive to be deserving of being his followers and to be a leader in an organization that is still being guided by his ever-present spirit.