Climb to the top of Bo Chinh, visit Ong Nui pagoda

It has become a tradition that every January 24-25 is the death anniversary of Venerable Thich Vien Minh - abbot of Linh Phong Zen Monastery (Ong Nui Pagoda, located in Phuong Phi Quarter, Cat Tien Town, Phu Cat District) in the early days and also one of the people who contributed a lot to the development of the history of Buddhism in Binh Dinh. These days, visitors from all over the country flock to the pagoda to visit the temple and make pilgrimages. After hundreds of years, the death anniversary has become a big festival.

The magic of Zen

Ong Nui Pagoda is located halfway up Chop Vung peak - the highest peak of Ba mountain range (the Chinese name is Bo Chinh Dai Son) with the noble and mysterious beauty of a Zen monastery. The book Dai Nam Nhat Thong Chi (National History Institute of Nguyen Dynasty) records that Linh Phong Pagoda was formerly called Dung Tuyen Pagoda, built by monk Le Ban (popularly known as Ong Nui) during the reign of King Hien Tong. During the reign of King Tuc Tong, he conferred the title of Great Elder Zen Master Tinh Giac Thien Tri, and also gave a plaque with the title Linh Phong Zen Temple and a pair of parallel sentences: The coast meets good fortune, rain and dew fill the sky, permeating the land of Buddha/The Linh Phong mountain condenses good energy, auspicious clouds cover the human world.

Ong Nui Pagoda has a noble and mysterious beauty of a Zen monastery. Photo: NGOC NHUAN

In Linh Phong Tu Ky, Dao Tan wrote: During the chaos of the Tay Son period, the pagoda was destroyed, Mr. Nui passed away, the monks of the pagodas gathered together to bury him, and a tower was built on the right side of the pagoda. On the tower there is a parallel sentence: "Quyền đá tiễm thành sơn, tình tình u trinh Thường Lạc đất/ Chúng lưu nan vi thủy, man man vô te Đông Đình tiên" (meaning: "Quyền đá tiễm thành sơn, tình cảm u trinh Thường Lạc đất/ Chúng lưu nan vi thủy, man man vô te Đông Đình tiên"). On the right side are written the four words "Thai Đức bát niên" (ie the 8th year of the reign of Thai Duc Trung Tuong Emperor Nguyen Nhac during the Tay Son period (1785). From here we can know that Zen master Le Ban, aka Mr. Nui, passed away during the Tay Son period.

Dao Tan also recorded the time he hid in Ong Nui Pagoda, later he was reinstated and asked the court for money to restore the pagoda, as follows: “In the middle of the Kien Phuc - Ham Nghi era, I, Tan, resigned from my position and returned home to the south of the capital, entrusting myself to the Zen gate to avoid chaos... In the year At Mui, Thanh Thai era (1895), I, Tan, held the position of Minister of Public Works, reported the matter of Linh Phong Pagoda to the Western Palace to ask for favor. The Western Palace ordered 70 taels of silver to be released from the treasury and ordered the Provincial Governor to collect more people in the province, including the silver granted, to supervise the restoration of the pagoda. By the year Dinh Dau, Thanh Thai era 9 (1897), it was completed.”

Nestled on Ba Mountain, Ong Nui Pagoda bears many historical marks. During the resistance war against the US, this place was a solid revolutionary base in the Eastern Region. Through many historical changes, Ong Nui Pagoda has been rebuilt many times, becoming a pilgrimage site attracting many visitors from inside and outside the province, especially on the occasion of the death anniversary of Venerable Thich Vien Minh (this year on February 21-22), thousands of visitors from all over the country come to visit the pagoda and make offerings to the Buddha.

January go to temple

From the Lunar New Year of At Ty to the full moon of January, thousands of pilgrims visited Ong Nui Pagoda. Ms. Nguyen Thi Hai, in Nhon Hoa Ward (An Nhon Town), happily said, 3 years ago I visited Ong Nui Pagoda, this time I returned to visit the pagoda on the full moon of January, I saw the scenery had changed a lot, the scenery was more beautiful. There were many people visiting the pagoda, but everyone kept order, happily smiled and greeted each other, and prayed for all good things.

Visiting the temple, offering incense and praying to Buddha for all the best things in the new year. Photo: NGOC NHUAN

The first time she visited Ong Nui Pagoda with her family, Ms. Tran Thi Loan, a tourist from Song Cau Town, Phu Yen Province, confided: “I learned about Ong Nui Pagoda online and saw very beautiful pictures, but when I came here to visit, I was really surprised and impressed not only by the scenery but also by the way the people here welcomed me. My family and I went to the pagoda to visit, offer incense to Buddha and pray for a peaceful new year with good luck.”

Most visitors to Ong Nui Pagoda are impressed with the local people's trading and parking services. Everything is orderly and well-organized.

Mr. Pham Duc Kien, a motorbike taxi driver transporting passengers at Ong Nui Pagoda, said: “The self-managed motorbike taxi team transporting tourists to and from the pagoda has 18 members registered under the management of Cat Tien Town Police. We divide the schedule to pick up and drop off passengers, there is no fighting or soliciting. The fare for transporting passengers is also according to the town’s regulations.

The temple is also preparing to ensure that the upcoming memorial service is solemn and impressive. Venerable Thich Quang Nghiem, Abbot of Ong Nui Pagoda, shared: “Last year, the temple built two new kitchens for cooking and this year we continue to renovate and upgrade them to serve the memorial service. The amount of rice, vegetables and fruits has also been increased to cook thousands of vegetarian meals to serve pilgrims coming to the temple to make pilgrimages and receive blessings. Environmental sanitation work, creating a clean, beautiful and civilized landscape has also been carefully prepared.”

Mr. Do Xuan Thang, Permanent Vice Chairman of Phu Cat District People's Committee, said: The district directs relevant agencies, units and Cat Tien town to deploy solutions for environmental sanitation, traffic safety, security and order, fire prevention and fighting, food hygiene and safety; services are listed and sold at the right price publicly. Strengthen inspection, prevent and strictly handle violations in festival activities for profiteering, superstitious activities, disguised gambling, begging in the temple area...

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Ong Nui Pagoda with its charming scenery in the deep mountains and valleys, below are prosperous villages and green rice fields stretching out. Looking to the East is the blue sea, Thi Nai lagoon with green mountains and blue water, Quy Nhon city looming in the mist and clouds, the harmonious scenery holds the attention of tourists. Then everyone makes an appointment to go up to the top of Bo Chinh Dai Son, to attend the Ong Nui Pagoda festival on the 24th - 25th of January...

DOAN NGOC NHUAN

Source: https://baobinhdinh.vn/viewer.aspx?macm=18&macmp=18&mabb=331329