Today, Sunday the 18th, we got up pretty early and traveled across the province to visit a Buddhist temple on the outskirts of Hanoi. After breaking free from the gravitational pull of the city we set out across plains of rice paddies.
I'd never seen rice cultivated on such a large scale before coming to Vietnam. I've seen a few fields in the US devoted to rice but rice is such a staple here that in some places it covers the countryside from horizon to horizon, continuous except for the occassional family cemetary plot or bamboo hedgerow. On windy days the rice undulates with each gust of wind; it's reminiscent of midwestern wheat fields.
The temple is wedged between the stone escarpment of a small tree covered hill and a traditional Vietnamese village. Children played soccer barefoot in a small muddy clearing just before the temple. The village houses themselves are almost Hacienda style with clay tile roofs and brick and stucco walls. We ascended the steps of the temple from the base of the hill in a hushed procession. At the top of the stairs I half expected to see an old man sitting, full lotus style atop a satin divan, stroking his snow white fu manchu beard (like in Kill Bill vol. II). Instead we were greeted by a gregarious monk dressed in the somber coffee colored robes of a Mahayana Buddhist monk.
Our host, Thay Thanh, led us around the temple and gave us an extensive overview of the history of Buddhism in Vietnam from the 3rd century to today. We toured rooms devoted to different buddhas and historical figures of interest to the buddhist community. Before leaving we dined on a luxurious vegan meal with all manner of meat substitutes - it was delicious and satisfying to know that no living being was harmed in the making of the meal. We also visited a site, just up the hill from the rear of the temple, that supposedly occupies the intersection between several different magical power veins running through the earth. The site is infused with the power of these veins and is very spiritual. Several columns have been erected at the site and a pit - similar to a lion's pit at a zoo - was dug into the ground and lined with rocks and a carving of a dragon. I would be lying if I said that I felt anything magical coursing through my spirit as I knelt to touch the rocks - but it was cool anyway.
I'd never seen rice cultivated on such a large scale before coming to Vietnam. I've seen a few fields in the US devoted to rice but rice is such a staple here that in some places it covers the countryside from horizon to horizon, continuous except for the occassional family cemetary plot or bamboo hedgerow. On windy days the rice undulates with each gust of wind; it's reminiscent of midwestern wheat fields.
The temple is wedged between the stone escarpment of a small tree covered hill and a traditional Vietnamese village. Children played soccer barefoot in a small muddy clearing just before the temple. The village houses themselves are almost Hacienda style with clay tile roofs and brick and stucco walls. We ascended the steps of the temple from the base of the hill in a hushed procession. At the top of the stairs I half expected to see an old man sitting, full lotus style atop a satin divan, stroking his snow white fu manchu beard (like in Kill Bill vol. II). Instead we were greeted by a gregarious monk dressed in the somber coffee colored robes of a Mahayana Buddhist monk.
Our host, Thay Thanh, led us around the temple and gave us an extensive overview of the history of Buddhism in Vietnam from the 3rd century to today. We toured rooms devoted to different buddhas and historical figures of interest to the buddhist community. Before leaving we dined on a luxurious vegan meal with all manner of meat substitutes - it was delicious and satisfying to know that no living being was harmed in the making of the meal. We also visited a site, just up the hill from the rear of the temple, that supposedly occupies the intersection between several different magical power veins running through the earth. The site is infused with the power of these veins and is very spiritual. Several columns have been erected at the site and a pit - similar to a lion's pit at a zoo - was dug into the ground and lined with rocks and a carving of a dragon. I would be lying if I said that I felt anything magical coursing through my spirit as I knelt to touch the rocks - but it was cool anyway.
posted by S D at 8:47 PM
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