The Establishment of Thường Chiếu Thiền Monastery
The establishment of Thường Chiếu Thiền Monastery was an important milestone that marked a turning point in the history of Vietnam Thiền at the end of the 20th century. Founded by Most Venerable Thích Thanh Từ, at present its Abbot is the founder’s major disciple, Most Venerable Thích Nhật Quang. Before it became the headquarter for the dissemination of Vietnam Thiền, Thường Chiếu had struggled very hard through a lot of difficulties, especially at the beginning of its establishment.
Between 1973-1974, while teaching the second class at Chân Không Abbey, Most Venerable Thích Thanh Từ noticed that, as the number of learners was growing, so was the need for a better place for monks and nuns to live and practice Thiền. Knowing about this, a Buddhist couple who were the owners of Linh Quang Temple at Cát Lở donated 52 hectas of their land at Phước Thái - Long Thành to Most Venerable Thích Thanh Từ, in order that it could be used to build a Thiền community in the countryside. Thường Chiếu Thiền Monastery thus came into existence.
Phase 1 (1974-April 30, 1975): The Beginning
The first temple to be built on the donated land was a thatched cottage standing alone in the midst of white sand, stones and gravels. Most Venerable Thích Thanh Từ assigned Brother Ðắc Huyền to be the pioneer abbot. The sangha consisted of only four monks. The monks, having descended from Tuong Ky Mountain, had to struggled very hard with the arid land for survival. Most Venerable Thích Thanh Từ always encouraged his disciples each time he came down from the mountain to visit them. He encouraged them through not only his words but also his own deeds, as he himself actually got involved in breaking the soil, and planting crops and other vegetables. It is almost impossible for us now to recall Thường Chiếu of those days: a thatched cottage, an oil lamp at night, and the scotching sun during the day. A huge challenge to all who came! Thường Chiếu of those days scarcely dared to have any thought about the future. Still, Most Venerable Thích Thanh Từ mobilized and supported all the monks’ spirit, nurtured and empowered their resolution to pursue the noble Ultimate Goal, and to overcome all difficulties. Anyhow, “The beginning is always the most challenging,“ as the saying goes.
April 30, 1975. National liberation was completed. A turning point in Vietnam history which affected the monastic life of all the monks and nuns in the Sect. Those in the second class at Chân Không and Bát Nhã had to come down from the mountain to start a new life on the farm. Brothers Phước Hảo và Ðắc Pháp helped as guides to monks and nuns in their spiritual practice and manual labor. After two months Brother Nhật Quang was assigned Head of the sangha. It was no surprise, for change is constant, as in a game.
Phase 2 (1975-1986): Economic Self-Support to Overcome Difficulties
Brother Nhật Quang was the Head of the sangha of 20 Buddhists. Most Venerable Thích Thanh Từ built another thatched cottage and a small hut of leaves next to a bamboo tree, which is his recluse hut now. The 52-hectare land was divided, so that monks and nuns would be able to grow vegetables and crops for self support and sustenance in small groups. The residential areas occupied about 10 hectares.
It was at this time when Bách Trượng’s Monastic Rules started to be applied. “One day without work, one day without food.” Spiritual practice. Learning the Dharma, and labor became three essentials in the life of Thiền practitioners at Thường Chiếu, and at other successive communities, such as Viên Chiếu (1975), Linh Chiếu (1980)....Most Venerable Thích Thanh Từ compared spiritual practice to breathing; Dharma learning, drinking water; and labor, having meals. All three were essential to Thiền practitioners. To consolidate rules and disciplines in the monastic life, Most Venerable Thích Thanh Từ modified Chân Không Monastic Rules, and introduced a common version of rules and disciplines to be applied in all Thiền communities. This spirit of spiritual practice, Dharma learning, and manual labor gradually formed, and became a driving life force to the sangha. This force spread and permeated all over the Thiền communities, from the arid paddy fields, the hoes and soil breakers, to pushing the cart full of firewood, and digging wells and creeks for irrigation. It was like a powerful and heroic song ringing inside every member of the communities.
Phase 3 (1986-1999) Reconstruction
After descending from the mountain, the sangha at Thường Chiếu only had a few thatched cottages with walls made of straw and mud for dwelling. After 10 years these cottages began to decay, and needed reconstruction. This phase was another huge hurdle, a challenge and a test to the monk and nun residents. They had to labor very hard, not only in the fields of rice and crops, but also on the construction sites. Most Venerable Thích Thanh Từ often said to his disciples,” In any situations, your spiritual practice must be considered your breath.” He had many small huts built for his disciples to take turn practicing seclusively after months of hard work. That way they were again empowered, and developed more inner strength. The motto they lived by was, “Spiritual practice is breathing, Dharma learning is drinking water, and manual labor is having meals.” This has been the precious makeup of the character of Thường Chiếu residents of the bygone years as well as of the present time. During this phase there were 20 Thiền residents.
From 1999 to the present: Focus on Practice
Thường Chiếu has improved day after day. Thường Chiếu at present is a majestic and colossal monastery that has had no predecessors. It includes the Main Shrine Hall, the Patriarch Hall, the Meditation Hall, the Guest House, the Bell Casita, the Drum Casita, the Arahat Hall, the Library, the Thiền Sect Archive, and a system of over 20 recluse huts with a total of over 200 practice residents.
Thường Chiếu has become a center for the dissemination and training for Vietnam Thiền Sect founded by Most Venerable Thích Thanh Từ in the 21st century. The mission of this Sect is to “ directly point to the True Mind” which all practitioners need to look inward to realize, and to live with the true self.
Most Venerable Thích Thanh Từ taught his disciples,” As monks and nuns, all of us wish to learn the Dharma, and to have a safe place to live and practice. Thường Chiếu now has both to meet monks’ and nuns’ needs; do not waste time, make a strong resolution to practice, in order to attain our goal, and not to feel ashamed about our life as monks and nuns.” That was why Most Venerable Thích Thanh Từ named this phase “Focus on Practice.”
Most Venerable Nhật Quang, Abbot at Thường Chiếu, said, “The two words Thường Chiếu remind us of our responsibilities. Our Master, Most Venerable Thích Thanh Từ has dedicated his whole life to training monks and nuns, a dedication that has no match. Donors have contributed a lot of their wealth and energy. Our predecessors have bequeathed to us this legacy, our successors are expecting a lot from us. Could we stay input and watch our lives passing by? Could we neglect our duties and responsibilities to let the whole cause that our Master, Most Venerable Thích Thanh Từ restored and re-established disintegrate into pieces? These questions await heartfelt answers from all of us, those who are on the verge of life and death, before we return to our true home.”
Sources:
http://www.thuongchieu.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=420
Sources:
http://www.thientongvietnam.net/
http://www.truclamvietzen.net/
http://www.thientongvietnam.net/cacthienvien/dirs/thuongchieu/index.html
http://www.thuong-chieu.org/uni/TrangChu.htm
