When the boy reached school age, his mother sent him to an uncle who was a student at the National Academy (Quốc tử giám) at the time. Nguyễn Nghiêm was very intelligent, and had an excellent memory, with a gift in literature composition and improvisation. No wonder he was much loved by his uncle. The family expected the young man to become a successful royal subject. However, at 16 when he read Records of the Three Patriarchs, a historical collection of the lives and works of the first three patriarchs of Trúc Lâm Zen School, he learned that the Third Patriarch, who had passed the national examination with the highest score, and had been assigned a well-respected position in the royal court, soon resigned to become a monk. Nguyễn Nghiêm came to a sudden realization: "In the past there was such a man who had been successful and famous, but who got tired of fame and searched for a spiritual development path instead. Why should I, an unknown young student, choose to follow his abandoned track?" With a strong determination he then made up his mind and abandoned the academic pursuit in order to enter monastic life. It is worth mentioning that Vietnam at that time was divided and ruled by selfish and greedy lords and their feudal clans. A clever young man, Nguyễn Nghiêm would probably have recognized the nation's status quo, as well as witnessed and felt the multitude's sufferings. The majority of young men who were born in such a period would choose either to enter the ruling class and cause more sufferings to the people, or to fight against the current system and the rulers. Nguyễn Nghiêm luckily had a chance to read Records of the Three Patriarchs, and hence found a way of liberation for himself and others. The story about the Third Patriarch had inspired him, and helped him find the Way to become a Buddhist bhikhu seeking inner peace.
He first came to Hoa Yên Temple and there met the Zen master Abbot, Most Venerable Tuệ Nguyệt. Upon seeing him, the Abbot asked, "Where are you from?" "Suchness," calmly replied Nguyễn Nghiêm.
Tuệ Nguyệt knew that Nguyễn Nghiêm had an inborn Dharma character , and could be a great monk to disseminate Buddhist teachings in the future, so he accepted the young man to be his disciple, and gave him the Dharma name Tuệ Đăng. Soon Most Venerable Tuệ Nguyệt demised. Tuệ Đăng and his Dharma brother Như Niệm took a vow to become ascetics, and began to travel to learn Buddhist Dharma.
After a while Như Niệm got settled and became an abbot at Cô Tiên Temple, while Nguyễn Nghiêm continued his Dharma learning journey.
(To be continued)
Source:
http://www.daophatngaynay.com/vn/phatgiao-vn/con-nguoi-vn/10759-Huyen-thoai-ve-vi-thien-su-Viet-lung-danh-the-ky-17.html
25/04/2012
