The bells seem to emphasize the calm in the room of the Zen monastery on a small hill. Monk Thich Vien Thanh told of these unique bells that he collected bombs and bullets in the provinces of Quang Tri, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai and Lam Dong in order to melt them into bells for peace. Thanh has been the director of Van Hanh Zen Monastery since 1980. He makes a significant contribution to developing the monastery into a unique facility like it is today:
“Van Hanh Zen Monastery was founded in 1952 by some Buddhists when they moved from central Vietnam to Lam Dong in the Tay Nguyen highlands in search of new life. At that time the pagoda was only nine square meters and had a corrugated iron roof. In 1980 the Buddhist Association appointed me head of the pagoda. From then to 1994 we gradually expanded the pagoda into today's grand and grand Zen monastery Van Hanh. In 2002 we built a large Buddha statue here. "
The mentioned Buddha statue is 24 meters tall and weighs 60 tons. His right hand is holding a lotus flower. Under the lotus there is an artificial mountain with images of the saints inside who are meditating. There is also something special in this meditation room that is located in two small rooms next to the bonsai garden. Thousands of quartz stones that the pagoda ladder has collected over the past few decades are kept here. Many pictures and maps made of granular quartz stone can also be seen here. According to monk Thich Vien Thanh, the gemstone material will endure over time. Therefore, stone paintings are made and kept in order to preserve a precious treasure for future generations.
“I started making stone paintings in 2007. I make these pictures out of quartz stones and sand from the beaches in Binh Thuan and Ninh Thuan. They are only used for exhibition, not for sale. "
Monk Thich Vien Thanh has also collected more than 2000 antiques, including 200 old stone mortars. There are also many statues of poultry and animals made of stone and wood, a system of classic scales, copper pots and plows and harrows made of iron and wood. Each item is carefully stored by the monks in the Van Hanh Zen Monastery, with a label of its origin. Monk Thich Vien Thanh continues:
“We are currently designing the showroom. We will open it to visitors after we have systematically arranged the items. For example, we will build the model where a buffalo pulls a plow. We will also make rice threshing machines into models so that visitors can understand their use. ”
The stories of the pagoda leader bring interesting surprises to visitors. When visitors come to Van Hanh Zen Monastery on a particular afternoon, they can hear stories like this to feel reassured and happy in their lives.
Thu Hang
