Vietnam and the famous pagodas

Besides the beautiful sceneries, Vietnam is also a country of Bhuddism, one of the biggest religions of the world. So if you’re someone that not only wants to discover the beauty of nature, but also the mystery of religions, especially Bhuddism, then how about a tour to Vietnam to discover the magical, mysterious beauties?

The perfect sceneries of Vietnam

Vietnamese Buddhism has had a symbiotic relationship with certain elements of Taoism, Chinese spirituality, and the Vietnamese indigenous religion.
The foundation of the Buddhist concept of morality and right behavior, the eight fold path, consists of right views, or sincerity in leading a religious life; right intention, or honesty in judgment; right speech, or sincerity in speech; right conduct, or sincerity in work; right livelihood, or sincerity in making a living; right effort, or sincerity in aspiration; right mindfulness, or sincerity in memory; and right concentration, or sincerity in meditation.

Around Vietnam, there are a lot of beautiful, big pagodas, but below is the list of the most famous ones.

1. Pagoda of Ten Thousand Buddha

The Great Pagoda is built in a very large scale, and represented the modern architecture. The Pagoda is located in Quang Phu hamlet, Tan Thanh District, Ba Ria – Vung Tau province. The Pagoda holds many records in Vietnam Book of Record: The largest Hall (2006), the most numbers of Buddha statues (2007), and the largest monolith statue of Bodhisattva Maitreya made out of granite (2007)…

Pagoda of Ten Thousand Buddha

2. Hang Pagoda (literally The Pagoda in the Cave)

The 300-years-old pagoda is located in Ly Son island district, Quang Ngai province. The Pagoda is famous for its picturesque scenes that mesmerized anyone who comes to the island. The formal name of the pagoda is “Thiên Khổng Thạch Tự” (Thiên means sky or God. Khổng means colossus. Thạch means Rock. Tự means words – The pagoda name is The Rock made by God). The pagoda is located in a 24m deep cave, 20m wide and 3m high with many nooks inside.

Picturesque scenes of Hang Pagoda

In front of the pagoda is the statue of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva overlooking to the sea, as she always protects and bless the voyages for safe returns.

3. The Pagoda of Great Buddha

The pagoda, with its full name is the Monastery of the Great Buddha, is located on Mount Thiên Cấm (Forbidden by God) 710 m above sea level, An Hao Commune, Tinh Bien district, An Giang province.

The​ 34-meters-high great statue of Buddha Maitreya, who is having a calm smile with compassion and amnesty

The pagoda’s many structures consist of the 34-meters-high great statue of Buddha Maitreya, who is having a calm smile with compassion and amnesty. In 2013, the Asian Record Center has recognized the statue of Maitreya Buddha is the largest statue of its kind in Asia.

4. Mountain Pagoda of Chau Thoi

The pagoda is about 4 km away from the city of Bien Hoa (Dong Nai) and 24 km from Ho Chi Minh City. The pagoda is located in Binh An commune, Di An District, Binh Duong Province.

Mountain Pagoda of Chau Thoi

Over 300 years ago, Khanh Long, a monk who was in a missionary to the region, has found a beautiful place at the top of Mount Chau Thoi. He decided to build a small pagoda called Hoi Son pagoda, and then changed to Mount Chau Thoi Pagoda. This is the oldest pagoda in Binh Duong province.

5. The Seal of God Pagoda

Thien An Pagoda is located on the holy land of Mount Thien An, at the height 100 m higher than sea level in Quang Ngai Province. From a distant view, the trapezoid-shaped pagoda looks like a seal and because the pagoda is located next to the poetic Tra river so the local people used to call the pagoda “Thien An niem ha” (or the seal on the river.)

The Seal of God Pagoda

The middle of the pagoda, there is a 2-meter-deep holy well dug out the cool water from the ground. The tales and the miracles about the well are kept record in the books and in the fables of the local.

Pagodas always play an important role in Vietnamese spiritual life. So why don’t we try another interesting way to discover the Vietnamese culture, through the stories told by pagodas?