Steps of Dharma Propagation

People spend their lives walking on different paths. Our Master (Senior Venerable Thich Chan Tinh – The leader of Hoang Phap Monastery, HCMC), 49 years of Buddhist age and 65 years old, who gave up his position as the abbot of Hoang Phap pagoda, HCMC and Junior Ven. Thich Tam Truong became his heir.

His heart was full of love. As the bird did not get tired, he kept going to Ta Dung - Dak Nong for beneficial propagation. The shape of the Buddha appeared in his very steps. We respect him so much. However, the good causal condition having just been sowed had the trouble because he had to go to Cambodia urgently. We were so worried and wondered why this happened. After watching a clip at “The wheel of the Law” cinema house in Hoang Phap pagoda on 12thOct, 2022, we knew the truth; because Junior Ven. Thich Tam Truc asked him to come to Buddhist Affairs at Hoang Phap Pagoda – Cambodia, so he had to leave to continue the Tathagata’s mission that supported Venerable Thich Tam Truc in building the unfinished construction such as the 'Three Jewels' temple, school, garden ect.

Cambodia, which has the same border with VietNam on the South West side, has about 7 millions people. The population was reduced because of the genoside of the Pol Pot regime in the past. Particularly at the Sea lake, there are a lot of fish and shrimp, the ground surrounding it can grow crops and rice, wild bananas grow naturally. However, people there just live on the surface of the water all the time and they are poor and have low education. So, they can not invest in entertainment areas by themselves but the foreigners.

For Buddhism, there are many pagodas with many people worshiping and believing in Buddha. According to the customs and traditions of King Xi Ha Nuc's regime, people must become a monk before marrying a wife and that was the unwritten law passing down from generation to generation until now.

The relationship between Cambodia and Viet Nam is brotherhood in founding and developing two countries in a united way. Vietnamese people have lived in Cambodia for a long time, so their nationality is Cambodian. On the contrary, a number of Cambodians have lived in Vietnam for a long time, so they also have Vietnamese nationality. From that relation, people in Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, Tra Vinh, An Giang, and Kien Giang province are very religious people. There are two special and famous temples Angkor Wat and Andkor Thom with a long history along with the oldest and most ancient architecture that remains forever with time.

The Venerable and the monks had to pass the 300 km path to come to Hoang Phap pagoda in Cambodia. This is one of 46 establishments under Hoang Phap Monastery – Ho Chi Minh city; located on 21B national highway, Hamlet 1A, Svay Rolum ward, Takhmau city, Kandal Province, Cambodia. While he was talking to Venerable Tam Truc, we thought about impermanent lives. The Venerable and the monks wanted to leave a spiritual mark at Ta Dung but they could not do it and had to leave for Cambodia. Was this a challenge that makes life interesting?

We remember the laying stone ceremony that started to build Hoang Phap pagoda in Cambodia on Jan 23rd, Chicken year (2017). This was a good and historical event because the presence of the pagoda contributed much in meeting the needs of spiritual cultural activities, preaching dharma for the Buddhism, propagating for both Vietnamese people in Cambodia and Cambodian who spend time to come to the pagoda to worship the Buddha, to learn Buddha’s Drahma, to ease their minds. Moreover, the Master wished to build a school for children - the preschool of Dharma in a part of the pagoda’s area so they could meet the Three Refuges, learn English, Cambodian and Vietnamese for free in order to preserve the Vietnamese language and to remember their origins.

Some constructions were still messy because of the long-lasting Covid – 19 disease. Hoping that the propagating passion of the master and Venerable Tam Truc would become the medicines for the souls inspired and the construction soon completed. Deep inside their mind, they were willing to sacrifice for “blending and benefiting” (meaning blending themselves into the living world to benefit all living beings). Through the ups and downs in the history, the pagoda is still a spiritual cultural beauty, the Dharma belief for the Buddhists to return to the right path of the Buddha, to the source of endless love that changes delusions into enlightenment to head to truth – compassion – beauty.

A very important role of the Sanghas is to inherit and promote the extremely sacred and great career of the Buddha in order for Buddhism to live forever. We sincerely bow our heads in admiration for the courage, commitment, noble and silent sacrifice of our master and Venerable Tam Truc because they have to pass so many hardships that just few people know about. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the sponsors that made offerings and to the many near-far Buddhists who gave a hand to build the pagoda. They poured so much sweat, tears, blood and also smiles, and now it's almost completed. May each of you be as beautiful as a lotus flower, so elegant, gentle and holy. 

Some day, Hoang Phap pagoda in Cambodia will gain perfect success. Domestic as well as overseas people are extremely happy to welcome the new beautiful, large, and solemn pagoda which is an honor for Vietnamese Buddhism in general and for Hoang Phap Monastery - Ho Chi Minh city in particular. In the future, the pagoda will grow stronger and become the Buddhist cultural center in a foreign country. That is so proud! 

"Cultivating blessedness and wisdom, 

Bringing fame to Shakya and glory to monasteries"

(Most Thich Chan Tinh)

Hoang Phap pagoda, Oct 13th, 2022.

Nguyễn Thanh Thảo

Translated into English by Nguyen Khanh Hoa