Hien Mat Pagoda, also known as Ruong Lon Pagoda, is located in Long Khanh city, Dong Nai province. The pagoda was built in the Pure Land style, with unique architecture and pure and cool space, attracting many visitors from near and far to pilgrimage.
The temple gate is uniquely designed with large bamboo pillars. Airy space with the main green color from the surrounding trees and the grass under the feet. Walking through the temple gate is a peaceful, green scene. In the area of about 1 hectare, there are miniatures, sculptures depicting Buddhist relics, Buddha statues are beautifully carved, harmoniously and beautifully displayed in the spacious and cool grounds. for visitors peace and tranquility every time you visit.
In addition, the pagoda also has many rocks of all shapes, arranged into natural shapes. The stones are elaborately honed into tables, chairs, Buddha statues, pieces of ceramic and porcelain cups that are cut evenly, beautiful and used to build boats, monks, dragons and serpent platforms arranged evenly under the The canopy is arranged very harmoniously
This is considered an ideal destination for visitors interested in learning about the culture and spiritual tourism, giving visitors moments of peace and tranquility when coming to Long Khanh city.
Where is Hien Mat Pagoda?
Hien Mat Pagoda is a nun pagoda belonging to the Tonkin sect, because it is located on a vast field of Ruong Lon hamlet, Bao Vinh commune, Long Khanh city, Dong Nai province , so it is also called by people with a popular name. The interesting thing is Ruong Lon Pagoda .
It is known that at first, the ancestor of the pagoda was the nun Thuong Phap Ha Bao who was a monk at Linh Son Thach in Ninh Phuoc district, Ninh Thuan province, but for some reason people did not allow him to stay there so he went south and choose the remote countryside of Long Khanh to build a small temple in 1984.
After that, thanks to the help of the kind people in the area, the temple was built as impressive as it is today, with an area of about 1ha. Then attract a lot of pilgrims to visit every day.
The work is located on a large land (Photo by Fb Dong Nai Discovery)
Unique architecture of Hien Mat Pagoda
1. Temple gate
The first interesting point of Hien Mat Dong Nai pagoda is the temple gate. Instead of building a massive three-door gate or five mandarins like other temples, this place uses a very familiar image of rural Vietnam, which is bamboo. Accordingly, large yellow bamboo columns with a bit of green leaves curl, cluster together into an arch to welcome visitors.
On the top of the gate, there is a statue of a thousand-eyed Bodhisattva made of white jade sitting on a lotus, surrounded by branches of apricot blossom and two giant cement-based sala trees – a tree symbolizing the Buddha. extremely prominent and attractive.
On the temple gate is a unique thousand-armed mandarin statue
In addition, the bamboo tree is also designed as a bridge across a small stream. Because in the past, the entrance to Hien Mat Pagoda also had large bamboo groves. At the same time, in Buddhism, the antiquity of bamboo growing under the bush is the symbol of convergence of the followers and the hollow bamboo is the symbol for the mind not to lead the Buddhist back to being.
The bamboo tree stands out in front of the gate
From that, it can be seen that the temple gate is not simply a place to welcome visitors to the temple but also a work of art that contains a lot of love for Buddhism of the designer and builder of it.
2. Main hall
The main hall of Long Khanh Ruong Pagoda has an area of 30 m2 – the largest of all the works and built in a unique Pure Land style, with an octagonal, bright red tile roofing, located in the middle of a large garden. , represents the eight paths of liberation from the bath of suffering while practicing practice.
Inside the main shrine is only a large Buddha image placed in a glass cage and a few small wooden statues. Maybe many people will find it strange, but when placed in the context of building a temple, it is extremely reasonable. The temple was built only with the money of monks and poor people in the area, so limited funding is not enough to place a majestic bronze or gilded Buddha statue like other temples.
The inside of the shrine is quite simple
But that could not reduce the great belief in the Buddha’s ancestors of the nuns and followers, nor could it “obscure” the impressive beauty of the temple. Therefore, every day many people come to visit, making the space in the temple always smoky …
3. Campus
When stepping through the gongs of Hien Mat Pagoda , visitors will see a peaceful, green landscape appearing in front of you, with a stretch of grass and lots of old trees or bonsai pots that are carefully trimmed. deft everywhere.
Highlights are the bell tower, the empty tower is located right in front of the main hall, placed on a high concrete pillar and 3 floors with bright red tiled roof, typical architectural style of ancient temples with curved tail. Soaring like a boat. Above the top is placed a turquoise porcelain vase, symbolizing the vase of nectar of the Buddhas.
Outstanding stupa at the temple (Photo by Fb Dong Nai Discovery)
Besides, the statue gardens recreating the Buddhist relics in the ancient temple of Hien Mat also make visitors admire. It is the image of the Buddha Guanyin sitting on the phoenix’s back, the 12 prayers of the merciful Avalokiteshvara, the beautiful garden – where the Buddha first taught the sermon under the bodhi tree and is Riverbank of Anoma with clear lake, pure lotus flowers and stones of many shapes – where the Buddha’s hair-cutting practice … All create beautiful masterpieces to “take a breath”.
Unique Buddha garden (Photo by Fb Nguyen Huong)
In addition, in the temple grounds, there are many stones with many different sizes that are elaborately honed into tables, chairs, statues or pieces of porcelain and china, skillfully cut, then grafted. Dragon boat with delicate painting platforms, making everyone extremely loved. The wonderful thing is that all of them are found and brought to the temple by the poor people in the upland field, through which they can see how precious and precious their hearts are.
The pictures of porcelain cups are ingeniously covered
How to move to Hien Mat Pagoda
From Bien Hoa city , you follow Nguyen Ai Quoc to Hanoi Highway / National Highway 1A in Tan Bien, then along Highway 1A to Ho Thi Huong Street in Suoi Tre, Long Khanh Town. When you reach the 2nd largest intersection, turn left onto Hoang Dieu Street, go all the way, turn left onto Ngo Quyen, turn right at the first intersection, turn right onto Duy Tan street, then go straight to Ham Nghi street, at the shop. Kim Loan Grocery, you turn right and walk while looking on the left side of the road to see the pagoda.
Hien Mat Pagoda in Dong Nai can be said to be the ideal destination for travelers who want to discover the spiritual culture and enjoy moments of peace, tranquility, and purification of the soul.
Photo: Internet