In Gratitude to the Three Patriarchs of Truc Lam – A spiritual and cultural exchange connecting the past and the present

The event was co-organized by the Cultural Heritage Research Institute, Ngoa Van Yen Tu Cultural Tourism Joint Stock Company, and the Colorful Natural Life School Club, with the participation of monks, nuns, Buddhists, and those interested in culture and history.

The Three Patriarchs of Truc Lam, including Tran Nhan Tong, Phap Loa, and Huyen Quang, are eminent monks who made great contributions to the establishment and development of the Truc Lam Zen Sect, a Zen lineage deeply imbued with Vietnamese national identity. Among them, Huyen Quang is the third patriarch, who continued the path of practice and propagated the Dharma in the Dong Trieu region, which is considered the sanctuary of Truc Lam Buddhism.

Through many historical ups and downs, this land seemed to be forgotten. In the past 15 years or so, with the attention of the Buddhist community and local authorities, precious heritages have gradually been restored and promoted.

This year's tribute activity bears the significance of remembering predecessors and is an opportunity for the community to delve deeper into Truc Lam Buddhism. Through talk shows and exchanges, attendees can listen to stories about the life philosophies and religious ideologies of the patriarchs, as well as the meaning of Buddhism in Vietnamese life from the past to the present.

According to senior monks who have deeply researched the Truc Lam Zen Sect, the Dong Trieu region in Quang Ninh is one of the most important sanctuaries of Vietnamese Buddhism. This is not only the birthplace of the Tran Dynasty but also the place where King Tran Nhan Tong attained Buddhahood. However, due to historical changes, for a long time, this area was not adequately invested in to become a commensurate spiritual and cultural center.

Besides organizing the exchange, researchers also emphasized the importance of preserving and promoting the heritage values of the Truc Lam Zen Sect. This is not only the responsibility of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha but of the whole society. The restoration and protection of relics related to the Three Patriarchs of Truc Lam contribute to preserving cultural values, promoting spiritual tourism, and creating additional motivation for socio-economic development.

Looking back at history, Tran Nhan Tong was not only a wise king who successfully led the resistance war against the Mongol invaders but also the founder of the Truc Lam Zen Sect, taking Buddhism as the foundation to unite people's hearts and build the country. He is a testament to the engaged spirit of Vietnamese Buddhism, where the head of a nation could renounce the throne to seek a path of happiness and peace for all people.

The lessons from Tran Nhan Tong and the Truc Lam Zen Sect remain valuable today. It is a harmonious combination between religion and life, between tradition and modernity, between spiritual practice and social service. These very values have helped Vietnamese Buddhism remain closely tied to the nation through hundreds of years of history.

At the exchange, delegates listened to representatives of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha share on the theme "Merits of the Three Patriarchs of Truc Lam and the contributions of the Third Patriarch Huyen Quang to the Dharma and the Nation"; the flow of Truc Lam Buddhism in the past and present...

Also at the event, there were poetry recitations on the theme of Truc Lam, the position of the Ngoa Van Hermitage sanctuary in the minds of Vietnamese people, an exchange on the theme of "Zen in Calligraphy"...

Through this spiritual and cultural exchange program, the Organizing Committee hopes to widely spread the core values of the Truc Lam Zen Sect, helping the community better understand an important period in the history of Vietnamese Buddhism. At the same time, this is also a call for all levels, sectors, and the whole society to join hands in protecting and preserving the nation's precious heritages.