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Thich Ca Pagoda is situated on a vast 28-hectare compound on the northern slope of Big Mountain, at 608 Tran Phu, Ward 5, Vung Tau. It is a renowned religious and tourist attraction in the coastal city of Vung Tau. The Thich Ca Pagoda complex can be roughly divided into distinct areas: Temples and Buddha Statue Gardens.
Temples within the Thich Ca Pagoda Compound
The Zen Monastery, located near the main entrance of the compound, faces Tran Phu Street. As you ascend the mountain slope from Tran Phu Street, the compound is divided into 3 levels. The lowest level comprises the Three Gates and the flower garden, the second level consists of several auxiliary buildings, and the highest level encompasses the Zen Monastery and the Buddha Statue Gardens.
Three Gates of Thich Ca Pagoda along Tran Phu Street
Beyond the Three Gates is a flight of stairs leading up to the second-level terrace on the hillside. After a small courtyard, there is another steep flight of stairs that leads directly to the main hall of the Zen Monastery - the lowest point of the third-level terrace.
The pathway to the main hall of the Zen Monastery from the courtyard of the second-level terrace
The Zen Monastery is a relatively simple temple built around 1957 by a retired Vietnamese official during the colonial French administration, for the purpose of practicing meditation in retirement.
The main facade of the temple is constructed and adorned very simply.
The interior of the Zen Monastery is also modestly decorated.
Besides the Zen Monastery, within the Thich Ca Pagoda compound, there are several other temples, namely Hoi Phap Temple and Hoa Son Temple, all situated behind the Xa Loi Shrine and the statue of the Compassionate Entering Nirvana.
Hoi Phap Temple, as viewed from the Xa Loi Shrine
The Hoi Phap Meditation Hall was constructed in 1970.
Originally built in 1970 as Tinh That Thien Hue Temple, the Hoi Phap Meditation Hall was renamed in 1972. The new temple was completed in 2004, adjacent to the Hoi Phap Meditation Hall.
Located quite near Hoi Phap Temple is the charming Hoa Son Temple, situated at a higher position on the hillside. To reach Hoa Son Temple from the area in front of the Compassionate Entering Nirvana Buddha statue, visitors need to climb several dozen steps leading to the temple gate.
The staircase leading to Hoa Son Temple and the scenery in front of the temple gate.
Hoa Son Temple was established by Venerable Thich Hue Chon (1943 – 2019) in 1969. Initially, it was just a simple meditation hut for practicing Buddhism. Over time, it gradually developed into its current form, remaining a small, elegant temple.
The interior of Hoa Son Temple is adorned with elegant wooden furniture.
Statue Garden
An integral part of the Thich Ca Phat Dai complex is the Statue Garden, which depicts key moments in the life of Lord Buddha Thich Ca. From the Meditation Hall, visitors ascend a series of steps to reach the Statue Garden area.
Diagram of the Enlightenment Pagoda of Lord Buddha
The statue of Bodhisattva's birth is placed on the same level as the main hall of Zen Monastery, right next to the staircase leading up to the other clusters of statues above. The statue is depicted as a young boy pointing one hand up to the sky.
The statue of Bodhisattva's birth – the beginning phase of the Buddha's life journey
The cluster of statues depicting the Bodhisattva's renunciation and the Elephant, Monkey offering fruits can be seen from afar
The cluster of statues representing the next stage of the Buddha's life is the cluster of Bodhisattva renunciation, arranged on a high slope to the left of the staircase leading from Zen Monastery up. On the right side of this staircase, facing the cluster of Bodhisattva renunciation, is the cluster of Elephant and Monkey offering fruits.
The cluster of Bodhisattva renunciation statues depicts the image of the Buddha renouncing, under the image of Prince Siddhartha shaving his hair, accompanied by a servant and the white horse Kanthaka.
Prince Siddhartha shaving his hair before renouncing
The most important structure of the entire complex: Thich Ca Buddha Tower – used to refer to this architectural complex – depicts the moment of Bodhisattva's enlightenment.
Rewinding time back to the 1940s, a Sri Lankan monk named Venerable Narada Maha Thera, during a preaching trip in Vung Tau, met and befriended a Vietnamese official (later the one who built Zen Monastery for meditation). In 1960, he returned to Vung Tau and often stayed at Zen Monastery. He planted a Bodhi tree here, brought from the ancient capital Anuradhapura of Sri Lanka (said to be derived from the Bodhi tree at the Bodh Gaya monastery – where the Buddha attained enlightenment), and proposed the idea of building a pagoda here to worship the Sakyamuni Buddha.
The Bodhi tree root brought by Venerable Narada from Sri Lanka and planted since 1960
The idea of building the Sakyamuni Pagoda by Venerable Narada was promptly embraced by Buddhist followers. Additionally, they proposed building the Thich Ca Buddha Tower – also known as the Golden Father Buddha statue – and many Buddhists contributed financially to build this statue.
The statue base is octagonal, 5.6 meters high. The Buddha statue sitting atop a 6-meter lotus throne was completed in 1962, and within the statue's body lie 3 relics of the Buddha's Sakyamuni.
Thich Ca Buddha Tower, also known as the Golden Father Buddha statue
The cluster of Buddha statues preaching the Dharma wheel is placed in an octagonal house, featuring the Buddha preaching the Dharma wheel seated on a lotus throne, with the five brothers Kieu-Tran-Nhu listening to the sermon in the Lumbini Garden.
Venerable Kieu-Tran-Nhu is the first disciple of the Buddha to attain Arhatship, the first member of the Sangha. He and his brothers – known as the 'five brothers Kieu-Tran-Nhu' – were the first recipients of the Buddha's sermon in the Dharma wheel turning event of Buddhism.
Lumbini Garden is one of the sacred sites of Buddhism in the city of Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh, India - where it is believed that the Buddha Shakyamuni first preached the Dharma wheel (Turning of the Wheel Sutra) to his first disciples (the brothers Kieu-Tran-Nhu).
The cluster of Buddha statues preaching the Dharma wheel is placed in an octagonal house.
The cluster of Elephant and Monkey offering fruits is situated in the area between the cluster of Bodhisattva renunciation and the cluster of Buddha preaching the Dharma wheel. This cluster recounts the story of a white elephant and a white monkey, both former leaders of their herds, who, feeling neglected in their old age, left to seek seclusion in the deep forest. There, they coincidentally encountered the Buddha meditating and were joyfully uplifted by him, willingly serving the Buddha.
The cluster of Elephant and Monkey offering fruits.
The statue of the Buddha entering Nirvana is placed at the highest position in the statue garden area. From the area of the clusters of Buddha preaching the Dharma wheel, Elephant and Monkey offering fruits nearby, one must ascend several steps to reach the area where the statue of the Buddha entering Nirvana is placed. From the front courtyard of this cluster, there is a small path leading up to the Hoa Son Pagoda mentioned earlier.
The statue of the Buddha lies facing the West, measuring over 12 meters long and 2.4 meters tall, surrounded by statues of 9 Arhats standing with folded hands.
The cluster of Buddha entering Nirvana statues
The final architectural cluster in the Buddha statue garden is the Xa Loi Buddha Tower, as mentioned when Venerable Narada proposed its construction in 1960. After a period of fundraising efforts, the ceremony for laying the first foundation stone took place on June 4, 1961; the official groundbreaking ceremony was held on July 20, 1961. Construction was completed on January 30, 1962, and the consecration ceremony took place over a year later, on March 10, 1963.
The Xa Loi Buddha Tower
The Xa Loi Tower stands 17 meters tall, with an octagonal cross-section gradually tapering upwards, crowned with a lotus-shaped spire. Inside the tower, 13 relics of the Buddha's enlightenment, offered by Venerable Narada, are enshrined.
Four pinnacles contain soil brought from 4 Buddhist holy sites.
At the four sides beneath the base of the Stupa, four pinnacles are placed, each containing soil brought from 4 Buddhist holy sites:
The serene space of Thich Ca Buddha Tower, cool and elegant under the canopy of trees on the slope of Great Mountain – despite the bustling traffic on Tran Phu Street – makes climbing the high, steep stairs not burdensome for elderly tourists.
Previously, tickets were sold for visitors to visit Thich Ca Buddha Tower, but since 2001, the selling of tickets has been abolished, and this remarkable Buddhist architectural complex is freely open to Buddhist followers and tourists for sightseeing.
Also since 1989, this Buddhist architectural complex has been classified as a national heritage site by the Ministry of Culture - Information, according to Decision No. 1987/VH/QD issued on December 14, 1989.
Author: Ngô Hòa Nam
*This article is part of the Mytour Golocal program
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