Hung Yen province: Great Stupa of An Vien in Dong Cao pagoda to be completed

08/26/2014

Hung Yen is the place that has a long and proud tradition of culture, and a well-known "first Kinh Ky, second Pho Hien." Along with the history of thousands of years of building and defending the country, our fathers built sacred land of Hung Yen, with thousands of valuable relics, including temples, shrines and tombs...

Dong Cao pagoda is located in the ancient village of Noi Vien (now in An Vien Commune, Tien Lu district, Hung Yen province). This is an ancient pagoda built in the Le Trung Hung dynasty about 358 years ago. Since then, the pagoda has been restored and embellished many times, by such Abbots as Most Venerable Thich Thanh Tu; Most Venerable Thich Thanh Giao; Venerable Thich Thanh Tinh…

The threefold gate of the pagoda

The triple Jam worshipping house in Dong Cao pagoda

The pagoda looks to the West that was the direction of the Western land of Ultimate Bliss - a loving and compassionate world of the Buddha Amitabha. When we walk into this place we will feel serene, all the troubles of life seems melt away.

The ancestral worshipping house in the pagoda

An Vien great stupa in Dong Cao pagoda.

Given the serious degrade of Dong Cao Pagoda, in 2010, Venerable Thich Giac Nguyen together with local people contributed effort and money to restore and embellish many pagoda’s facilities including the ancestral worshipping house. The threefold gate, preaching hall, guesthouse, library and ancillary works... In particular, on February 19, 2014, a stone-laying ceremony was held to build a great stupa named An Vien. The stupa has a pyramidal shape with 13 stories; each story has the formation of a hexagon. Inside the stupa, there are 77 stone statues of meditating Shakyamuni Buddha. The Stupa symbolizes the Buddha's wisdom, bringing peace and blessings to the country. Worshiping stupa, the mind will be purified, thus wisdom will be heightened and seeds of love and compassion will be promoted, contributing to benefit to all sentient beings. The Great Stupa of An Vien is expected to be completed in late 2014.

Venerable Thich Giac Nguyen, Abbot of Dong Cao pagoda

Reportedly, Venerable Thich Giac Nguyen, appointed as Abbot of Dong Cao pagoda in 2011, always strives to fulfill his duties and mission entrusted to serve the spiritual life of the local people, guide local Buddhists to practice the religion progressively, and closely coordinate with local authorities and people in the spirit of "Safeguarding the nation, blessing the people", contributing to socio-economic development in the locality.