LEGEND OF THE BUDDHA'S WELL
Thien An Mountain is a sacred mountain in Quang Ngai , shaped like an isosceles trapezoid, covering an area of approximately 360 hectares and rising 100 meters above sea level. According to local legends, about four centuries ago, the Thien An mountain area was considered a haunted place, with dense forests inhabited only by wild animals. Therefore, no one wanted to climb Thien An Mountain; only woodcutters occasionally went there, but they absolutely dared not stay overnight in this desolate forest.
The inner gate of Thien An Pagoda
One day, Zen master Le Diet, whose Dharma name was Phap Hoa, from Fujian Province (China), a practitioner of the Linji school of Zen Buddhism, came to that sacred forest to establish a thatched hut for meditation. The hut was built on the mountaintop, with the Tra Khuc River serving as a "bright path" in front, and the Long Dau mountain range running north to the west.
The Zen master recited scriptures daily, befriending the mountains, forests, and wild animals. One day, a group of people went up the mountain, drank from a spring to the southeast of the hermitage, and encountered the Zen master meditating. The virtuous character of the true ascetic touched the group. Upon returning, they told others about the master on the secluded mountaintop. Gradually, his good reputation spread, and the hermitage welcomed more visitors, who joined hands in building the temple.
According to the legend of Thien An Pagoda, because the hermitage lacked sufficient drinking water and the journey up and down was too arduous, Zen Master Le Diet decided to dig a well. However, after digging down about 8 meters, he still couldn't find water. In his confusion, a young monk appeared from somewhere, asking for shelter and offering to help dig the well. When the well gushed with cool water, the young monk was nowhere to be seen. The Zen Master sent people down into the well to search everywhere, but they couldn't find him. Today, the inscription on the pagoda reads: "The master dug a well on the mountain / When water was found, he was gone without a trace."
The tomb of Mr. Huynh Thuc Khang on Thien An Mountain
Since then, many people believe that the story of the young monk was a result of the Buddha's gratitude for the Zen master's sincerity, which led him to send someone to help, and this well is called the Buddha's Well. For hundreds of years, the Buddha's Well has never run dry.
The Buddhist well, currently about 21 meters deep and over 2 meters in diameter, is located to the left of the main hall of Thien An Pagoda. Built of laterite stone, it retains its ancient charm. Next to the well, the pagoda has recorded a brief history of its excavation.
According to local people and cultural and archaeological researchers, Thien An Mountain, also known as Ho Mountain, and Thien An Pagoda were built on the foundation of an ancient Cham tower. The construction of such pagodas along Central Vietnam, Quang Ngai, and Binh Dinh is not uncommon, and is related to the expansion of the southern territories by our ancestors.
The ancient Buddhist well is located to the left of the temple.
According to Dr. Doan Ngoc Khoi (an archaeologist in Quang Ngai), the Lam Te Zen sect always chose mountains and hills for their practice, so they built hermitages on mountain peaks such as Thien An, Thien But, and Linh Tien Pagoda in Quang Ngai; the Thap Thap Amitabha Pagoda (Binh Dinh) was also built on the foundation of a Cham tower. In Quang Ngai, there are always wells near the pagodas. Meanwhile, the Cham people were masters of finding water sources and digging wells. The fact that Cham wells left along the coast of Quang Ngai and some central provinces have fresh, year-round water and never dry up clearly proves this. Therefore, it is also possible that the Buddha well at Thien An Pagoda existed before Zen Master Phap Hoa came to establish his hermitage for practice, and then the Zen Master dug the well deeper to obtain water.
LORD NGUYEN NGUYEN ISSUES A DECREE CONFERRING THE EMPEROR TO THE GOLDEN TABLET
Upon entering Thien An Pagoda, one sees the date 1627, but according to records here, the pagoda was built in 1694 and completed a year later, during the reign of Lord Nguyen Phuc Chu in Dang Trong (Southern Vietnam). Lord Nguyen Phuc Chu personally bestowed the golden plaque "Sac Tu Thien An Tu" (Imperial Decree of Thien An Pagoda) upon the pagoda in 1717. The plaque was restored in 1916.
Thien An Pagoda is built in the shape of the Chinese character "口" (kou), with the main hall in the front, followed by a small courtyard, the abbot's residence, and on either side are the west and east buildings, a warehouse, and a kitchen. The pagoda's large bell, cast by the Chu Tuong bronze casting village (in Duc Hiep commune, Mo Duc district, Quang Ngai province), is 2 meters high and 0.7 meters in diameter at the mouth. It is often called the "divine bell." This bell is rung to offer alms to wandering souls and to pray for the well-being of the people.
The pagoda within the temple grounds is the place where the founding master Pháp Hóa passed away.
To the east of Thien An Pagoda are the stupas where the abbot and founding master of the pagoda are buried. Outside the pagoda grounds, from the triple-arched gate towards the northwest, is the tomb of the patriot Huynh Thuc Khang, which has been built in a dignified and peaceful manner by the Quang Ngai provincial government.
Today, Thien An ancient temple remains lush and green throughout the four seasons. Many people come to the temple to worship Buddha, enjoy the beautiful scenery, and pray for peace… On the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month, and especially in spring, visitors from all over come to the temple to offer incense and admire the Buddha well, drinking its water for good luck. (to be continued)
THE SEAL OF HEAVEN IS STAMPED ON THE RIVER
According to the Đại Nam nhất thống chí (Comprehensive Gazetteer of Đại Nam), Thiên Ấn Mountain has a flat summit, approximately several acres in size, with four square, flat sides, resembling the shape of a seal, hence its name. On the mountain is a temple, and in front of the temple is an ancient well, 55 cubits deep, with very sweet water. Legend says that a monk once built the temple there, but suffering from a lack of drinking water, he dug a well on the mountaintop, in front of the temple, and spent 20 years digging before reaching a water source. After the well was completed, the monk passed away, and to this day, the abbot of the temple relies on that well.
The southern foothills rest on the Tra Khuc River, the northern side connects to La Vong Mountain, the eastern side adjoins Tam Thai Mountain, and the western side borders Long Dau Mountain. When Tan Minh Marquis Nguyen Cu Trinh was the Governor of Quang Ngai, he wrote a poem praising 10 beautiful landscapes in Quang Ngai, and this was the scene of Thien An Niem Ha (Heaven's Seal imprinted on the river). In the 11th year of Minh Mang (1830), the image of this mountain was engraved on a bronze cauldron. In the third year of Tu Duc (1850), it was listed among famous mountains and recorded in the dictionary.
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