Since ancient times, Tra Vinh has been known as a land rich in historical and cultural traditions. Tra Vinh tourism also has a very unique feature of the river garden area. Coming here, people seem to be returning to the most peaceful and simple things, but equally interesting and attractive. Those who want to find a purely spiritual place, coming back to Tra Vinh can visit Truc Lam Zen Monastery in Tra Vinh.
By Thomas Vietnam at vemekong.com | Official Tra Vinh Visitor Guide
1. Better to Know as a Tourist
Ticket: Free
Spend-time: One hour (approx)
Hours: Dawn – Dusk
Food: Yes
Shop: Yes
Parking lot: Yes
Blog: https://vemekong.com/truc-lam-zen-monastery-tra-vinh/
Address: Located in Khoan Tieu hamlet, Truong Long Hoa commune, Duyen Hai town, Tra Vinh province.
Added values: Coming here, visitors not only admire the unique architecture of the monastery but also feel the peace and feel the quiet moments to forget about daily worries.
Nearby attractions and hidden gems: Looking for places to stop on your way to and from Truc Lam Zen Monastery Tra Vinh? Or maybe you found it too crowded here? We’ve got some ideas! Check out our list: Ba Dong Beach (5 minutes), Ba Om Pond (56 km), Vam Ray Pagoda (42 km), Con Chim Islet (54 km), Tra Vinh Market (52 km)…
2. Travel Guide to Truc Lam Zen Monastery Tra Vinh
It is 50 km from Tra Vinh city center, to the southeast, and 12 km from Duyen Hai town to the east. This is the only Zen monastery of the Truc Lam Zen sect in Tra Vinh province with an area of nearly 10 hectares in the Ba Dong marine mangrove eco-tourism complex. The Zen Monastery was built in two years and inaugurated on January 31, 2016.
Truc Lam Zen School is a Vietnamese Zen lineage formed during the Tran Dynasty, founded by King Tran Nhan Tong. The Truc Lam Zen sect has three outstanding Zen masters, Nhan Tong (Truc Lam Dau Da), Phap Loa, and Huyen Quang, collectively known as Truc Lam Tam To. This Zen school is considered a continuation but a merger of three Vietnamese Zen schools of the 12th century. With the founding of the Truc Lam sect, Tran Nhan Tong unified the pre-existing Zen sects and the entire Sect. Buddhist Association of the Tran Dynasty about a relationship.
The Truc Lam Zen sect has a strong spirit of entering the world, not having to give up this world to be enlightened. Although they are monks, Zen masters, and Buddhists are always engaged in life, happy with the joy of the country, in pain with the pain of the nation, when they are at peace, they still return to a life of monasticism.
In that spirit, Buddha Emperor Tran Nhan Tong chose Yen Tu mountain, a dangerous area in the northeast of the country as a place of ordination. Although he had left the throne and devoted himself to spiritual practice, he was still worried about the country, ready to return to lead the court and the people to fight the enemy. After repelling the invaders, the country was at peace, and the Buddha returned to his practice and study to bring his knowledge to the people. This is the spirit of entering the world that the previous Zen schools have not been able to do. It is this spirit that has created the strength of the Vietnamese nation during the 13th and 14th centuries and has brought Buddhism to its peak in the history of Vietnam. Emperor Buddha and Truc Lam Patriarchs advocated bringing the Zen sect to actively participate in society, building a prosperous country with compassion, wisdom, and morality of Buddhism. Since then, in the Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen sect, we can see prominent features of the religion imbued with the identity of the Vietnamese national culture, which is not dependent on and hybridized from the outside.
The Truc Lam Zen sect in history has gone through many ups and downs. Towards the end of the twentieth century and the beginning of the twenty-first century, Zen Master Thich Thanh Tu and other highly virtuous Zen masters joined hands to restore and develop the Zen sect that is committed to entering the world, associated with the Dharma with the nation. Many Zen monasteries were established nationwide to serve as a place to practice, research, and develop pure Vietnamese Zen sects, making many contributions to the history of this nation.
All the architecture at Truc Lam Tra Vinh Zen Monastery was designed and built according to the model of Vietnamese Buddhist temples of the Ly – Tran dynasties (from the 12th to the 14th centuries) on two floors. The tips of the blades at the end of the roof are gently curved, showing humility and harmony with the nature of the nation.
3. What to Do – See – Eat at Truc Lam Zen Monastery Tra Vinh
Stepping through the three-way gate, to enter the main hall, is a large courtyard, 150 m long and structured into two steps, where the abbot gives a sermon or the temple, and the local holds cultural events. The period of walking along the length of the yard is a necessary preparation for a change of mind so that Buddhists and visitors from all over the world give up all sexual desires, and heartbreak, create peace and enter the world freely.
The main hall of Truc Lam Zen Monastery has an area of 27 x 45 m, 11 m high, on a 1.4 m high rock foundation, the largest of all Buddhist monasteries in Tra Vinh province today. Although there are casuarina forests blocking the wind ahead, from the sea, with a distance of about 10 km, you can see the majestic and majestic roof of the Zen Monastery inland. The whole frame of the main hall is made of ironwood imported from abroad, elaborately carved by skilled artisans from Bac Ninh.
Unlike other monasteries that often worship the Buddha Tathagata in the meditation posture, ie the Buddha attained enlightenment and entered nirvana, the statue of Buddha in the main hall of Truc Lam Zen Monastery is in the position of “Non-flowering vi Tieu”. In the story of Buddha, he held up a lotus flower and Anan Hanh smiled. This is the largest bronze Buddha statue in Tra Vinh, 3.5 m high, weighing more than 3 tons, offered from the famous bronze casting village of Hue ancient capital.
The difference from other Buddhist monasteries, in addition to worshiping Buddha Tathagata, Bodhisattvas, and practitioners of Buddhist teachings, the main hall of Truc Lam Zen Monastery also solemnly worships the statue of Le Thanh Mau. Nguyen Huu Canh is considered the great fairy of the Southern region. At the rear of the Zen Monastery, three Truc Lam Three Patriarchs, namely Buddha Emperor Tran Nhan Tong, Phap Loa, and Huyen Quang, are worshiped along with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and other Vietnamese monks who have made merits in the world and have passed away. This difference clearly shows that the core ideology of Truc Lam Zen School is Buddhism incarnate, Buddhism associated with the nation. Also from this thought, in parallel with the statue of Buddha’s mother Avalokitesvara, Truc Lam Tra Vinh Zen Monastery worships the statue of Mother Au Co, helping Buddhists near and far towards the origin of the nation.
The 25 m high statue of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara is seated on a 6 m high pedestal, creating a general height of 31 m, which is also the tallest model Buddha in Tra Vinh province. In Buddhist teachings, Avalokitesvara is a Bodhisattva with a thousand eyes and a thousand hands, possessing supernatural powers and seeing through all of the worlds, promptly detecting and saving sentient beings. Therefore, the gentle but majestic statue of the mother Buddha looks out over the vast East Sea, helping people to go to Tra Vinh beach and feel more secure when facing many dangers from strong winds and waves.
Truc Lam Zen Monastery is holding many records among Buddhist monasteries in the Tra Vinh area such as the temple closest to the East Sea, all the architecture closest to the traditional national architecture, the largest main hall, The largest Buddha statue, the largest Avalokitesvara statue, the largest common rose, the largest capacity lecture hall, the largest courtyard in front of the main hall…
Truc Lam Tra Vinh Zen Monastery has been generously donated by leaders, businesses, and businessmen across the country and donated several valuable ornamental plants and artifacts.
With the historical and traditional values of Truc Lam Zen School, the value of architectural art, and the value of landscape and environment, Truc Lam Tra Vinh Zen Monastery is a place of Buddhist pilgrimage and a place of worship. Only spiritual tourism strongly attracts Buddhists, tourists from near and far to visit, sightsee, worship the Buddha and turn their hearts back to the heroic national roots.
4. Free Itineraries from VeMekong
As a local travel expert, we have some ideas for you to think about.
From Tra Vinh center:
Route 1:
Route 2:
Route 3:
If you do not have much time left, it is easy to check out spots in one full day by boat or with bike or with motorbike and car. But there are much more than tourist sites like these in Tra Vinh. Make sure you have more time to feel and explore more about the hidden gems and the culture, food, night life, wildlife and forest as well. Top tip: Stay in a homestay nearby, so you have more chances to visit it and surroundings. If you are looking for the package Tra Vinh daily tour with local, you can contact www.vemekong.com or Hotline/WhatsApp/WeChat/Zalo +84939888559; email: hello@vemekong.com
5. Google Maps of Truc Lam Zen Monastery Tra Vinh
Google Maps made a name for itself helping people travel from one place to another, avoid traffic (You probably know the route from your hotel to the gas station by heart, but what you can’t be sure about is gridlock), measure a distance, get back to the hotel on time, share the location…
6. Visit Truc Lam Zen Monastery Tra Vinh by yourself
Solo traveller? Travelling on your own means you will get out of any difficult situations by yourself. This, in turn, leads to more satisfying travel experiences and helps you improve your problem-solving skills. These days we rarely get the chance to sit with ourselves and simply be. That’s why you should consider the time you spend alone on your trip as a gift.
It is possible for solo travellers to use google maps and do it alone. But sometimes they need to update local maintained roads and bridges which close and lead you a longer road than the road from google maps. It is just about the time. It takes more time to find the correct garden to come. Adventure is always fun. Wifi is strong in Tra Vinh village! The locals find it hard to speak English as well. Top tip: Sticking to one canal and keeping going along it which gives you more things to see and avoids getting lost. Contact vemekong.com to hire a car, scooter with English-speaking-guide or cycling tours in Tra Vinh.
7. Responsible Travel and Advice to Visit Truc Lam Zen Monastery Tra Vinh
Don’t get us wrong. But we assure you that you totally agree with us. “Do not give candy and things to the children when you plan to visit any local villages”, the kids will leave the school and follow the sweets and later they find some things to give you or sell to you. The garden is a little forest, don’t pick and touch the flowers or fruits without the local’s smiles. We deal with traveling green and leaving green behind, not plastic. Top tip: Vemekong.com are some of the companies that care a lot about responsible travel and local respectation.
8. Amazing Video flycam/drone of Truc Lam Zen Monastery Tra Vinh (4k)
If a picture says a thousand words, it stands to reason that the video says many times more.
9. Incredible Tips for Photography, Specialists, KOLs, Media and Influencers
To get the best of the best for your unique writing, featuring, photo, video and insider’s stories. We do recommend you to have a local travel expert, the one who always gets more ground information and makes sure every single element is solved perfectly. Vemekong (very exclusive Mekong) team is your priority choice. Email and have a private talk with them to customize your journey smoothly, personal and the most ultimately amazing. You can contact www.vemekong.com or Hotline/WhatsApp/WeChat/Zalo +84939888559; email: hello@vemekong.com
10. Pro Tips
Tra Vinh Khmer pagodas are solemn places, so you should choose beautiful clothes that are still polite and discreet. In the temple grounds, there are many animal statues such as elephants, snakes, etc. If you go with the children, please remind them not to climb because these are sacred symbols of the Khmer people.
The monks don’t ask for money, although donations won’t hurt.
If you plan to extend your tour to Tra Vinh homestay, do not forget to bring mosquito repellent cream.
Visit Tra Vinh or do any customized tours, please choose reputable providers with boat trips equipped with lifebuoys, jackets, motorcycle and cycling tours with the helmets. Safety is a priority! Choose Tra Vinh responsible tours which help you give back while traveling. It’s a cliché, but it’s true.
Tra Vinh food & drink guide ranges from street food, authentic, fancy to fusion foods. As a tropical land of many fresh vegetables and homegrown gardens, which always make Tra Vinh cuisines fresh, close to nature and very traditional. If you are a food lover, don’t hesitate to put other bites onto your food lists such as Cong Cake, Tra Cuon’s Sticky Rice Cake, Bun Nuoc Leo Tra Vinh’s Noodle Soup, Macapuno Coconut…
Bring your hat, sunglasses, and sunblock, scarf to wear when visiting temples, pagodas, and the cathedral.
Bring the raincoat if you’re planning a trip to Tra Vinh in the rainy season, as Tra Vinh always looks fantastic in the full rain and full sun.
Tra Vinh tourist attractions are magnificent itself, but if you have enough time, don’t forget to put other places onto your bucket lists such as Hang Pagoda, Nôdol Pagoda (Stork temple), Khmer minority people’s museum, Ba Dong Beach, Ba Om Pond, Ang Pagoda, Vam Ray Pagoda, Truc Lam Zen Monastery Tra Vinh, Cau Ke Ancient House or Huynh Ky Old House, Kampong Ksan pagoda, Con Chim islet – community-based tourism…
Hopefully, the above tips will help you to come up with a great plan for your adventure in Tra Vinh, Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Have a safe trip!
“Sleep less, travel more, respect more” – Thomas Vietnam – Local travel expert.
Thank you
