THANH HOA – Long Cam Pagoda in Ha Trung district was built during the Ly dynasty and now keeps a pair of stone bells with a sound like bronze bells.
Long Cam ancient pagoda is located on the north bank of the ancient Ma River, now a tributary of the Len River, located on the slopes of Co Son mountain in Trang Cac village (Ha Trung town, Ha Trung district). Long Cam itself has a beautiful landscape with ancient architecture, surrounded by fields and peaceful countryside.
According to abbot Thich Dam Quang, Long Cam is one of the oldest temples in Thanh. In 1,020, on the way from Thang Long on a tour through Thanh, King Ly Thai To stopped far away in this mountainous area, where Trieu Da had built a fortress in the past, and Trieu Quang Phuc was stationed. In a dream at night, the king felt that the gods of the mountains and rivers of this country supported and gave him more strength. Thanks to that virtue, Ly Thai To ordered the temple to be built, named Long Cam.
The most impressive for Buddhists and tourists from all over the world when visiting Long Cam pagoda is the pair of ancient stone blocks placed in the temple yard. Two large Khanh Khanh, weighing about 300-400 kg, with the same gray-blue stone color, are hung on stone pillars and placed parallel to each other.
The first one is smaller in size, quite simple, without elaborate patterns but has a special resonance. Master Thich Dam Quang said that with this stone, just clapping his hands will emit long, low-pitched cries. If you use a wooden mallet to knock it, it will ring like a bronze bell, echoing far away.
There is no clear evidence, but the monks believe that Khanh was placed at the same time as the temple, thousands of years ago. But there is also an opinion that the date of the ancient Khanh is closer, around the Later Le period, about 300-400 years ago.
The second altar has a cloud pattern, which is not the temple’s. It used to be in the temple on the side of Thuong village. A few decades ago, Thuong Pagoda fell, many worshiping objects were broken, some people regretted the precious Khanh and hid it in a pond to preserve. Later, that person hired someone to pick it up and bring it back to Long Cam pagoda, so the pagoda hung next to the ancient Khanh in the yard.
The biggest difference between the two antiques is also the reverberation. With a small stone kiln, just patting it with your hand will make long, high-pitched cries, while the new big one is brought back from Thuong village, no matter how hard you knock it, it will only make a deep “creak, click” sound. opaque.
According to the abbot, the khanh is one of the ancient tools of Buddhism. Currently, there are not many ancient stone altars like in Long Cam pagoda. “The sound of the rock has a very magical effect on meditators. Once the Zen masters have entered a certain state of concentration, heaven and earth will fall around them, their bodies and minds will remain motionless. But just a small ringing sound is enough to wake them up,” said monk Dam Quang.
Currently, tourists from all over the world still often come to the temple to manually tap on the ancient stone to hear the cry, so that the soul can be at peace. Some people knock on Khanh to pray for luck, peace or self.
In addition to the two ancient stone altars, Long Cam Pagoda also has a bell that was cast more than 200 years ago. Weighing only 70 kg, but the bell rang very far, standing many kilometers away could still be heard.
Long Cam Pagoda has been restored many times but still retains the original architecture.
In front of the main hall of the ancient temple, there are four thousand-year-old stone columns carved with ancient Chinese characters, talking about the history of this family.
Monk Thich Dam Hao, Deputy Abbot of Long Cam Pagoda is reading ancient steles at the two gables. “The steles talk about the restoration and donation of fields to the pagodas of the old feudal mandarins,” said Mr. Hao.
At the entrance to Long Cam pagoda, there is a large mango tree, hundreds of years old, with luxuriant branches and leaves.
The mango tree has a diameter of three adults to hug.
Inside Long Cam Pagoda, there are also eight statues of eight ancestors who used to practice at the temple, which are considered rare and sophisticated works of art. Next to it are relics that are hundreds of years old, even nearly a thousand years old, which have been advanced through restoration times.
Monk Thich Dam Quang regularly chants sutras every day to pray for peace and prosperity in the country.
Over the past 10 centuries, many feudal dynasties in the later generations were very interested in this unique temple. Many people with guests also consider this as a place to go to worship the Buddha to pray for peace, sightsee, cultivate temperament, and leave behind many poems.
Every year on the occasion of Tet or the full moon day, the first day, a lot of people and tourists from all over the world come to visit and worship Buddha at the ancient temple of Long Cam.
Source: Documentation of Long Cam Pagoda.
Photo: Internet (vinlove.net)