For a full moon offering today, am happy to first share this new post about a recent pilgrimage trip in SE Asia, this time to Danang, central Vietnam to see the Lady Buddha of Compassion statue there which looks out over the East Vietnam Sea. The tallest Buddhist statue in SE Asia (Indo-China). While in Danang, I also visited the five peak Marble Mountains, and the oldest Lin Ung Pagoda atop them, and share some photos and information about them below. Here is a short reel I made with photos and music of the statue and its stunning environs too.
The Lady Buddha statue leaves a long-lasting and meaningful impression on the mind and heart, and is well worth a visit to Vietnam for that alone. Not only because it is the tallest Buddhist statue in SE Asia/Indo-China, but as a female Buddha too, it is a symbol not only of love, compassion, peace but also of the crucial female and feminine qualities, so often neglected or denigrated. In a world full of toxic male violence, sexual objectification and degradation of women’s bodies and their role as mothers, endless wars, conflicts and lack of compassion, with patriarchal religions dominated by cruel, heartless misogynist men (often to the exclusion of women), this stunning statue is not only beautiful and inspiring but stands as a message of hope, freedom and inspiration for women and for freedom from such male confines and ideologies.
As I made prayers and aspirations next to the statue and from afar on the beach over the sea, I could feel that female, mother energy and wisdom radiating out in all directions from her glittering white light. The whole area had a divine presence indeed and it is hard to imagine that only a few decades ago there was a serious, deadly war being fought here with soldiers and guns. I also felt a pervading sense of melancholy sadness in that area, of young lives brutally taken, of bloodshed and horror. Energy remains in places, especially when there is much trauma, as I wrote about before when I visited the Drugpa Kagyu monastery in Ladakh (read here). Such is the nature of samsara, showing us the nature (and result) of impermanence and negative dualistic ego-driven mind states, and how peace is always possible with that ‘mother’ love, compassion, peace and wisdom on our sides.
Music? The Great Bell chant sung by Venerable Pháp Niềm with poetry read by Thich Nhat Hahn, The Moon Never Sets by Thich Nhat Hahn, Lady Liberty by Barbara Streisand, War by Edwin Starr (video with Vietnam War footage) and What’s Going On? by Marvin Gaye.
Written and compiled by Adele Tomlin, 25th January 2023.
The Lady Buddha of Compassion: tallest Buddha statue in Vietnam and SE Asia (Indo-China)
Sitting on a hilltop by the sea, the Lady Buddha is a 67-meters-tall statue known as Tuong Phat Ba Quan Am in Vietnamese, or Statue of the Goddess of Compassion who is believed to see, hear and sympathise cries of people in the world. Her right hand holds a water vase, containing nectar of life, and she holds a willow branch in her left hand, used to sprinkle the nectar on the prayers. Local fishermen also follow her as patron saint who they believe gives fortune and saves them on the sea and come to pray before setting sail. Standing on a blooming lotus, this perfect depiction faces the city, aiming to shelter its citizens from disasters. Locals believe that since her presence, typhoons don’t hit their hometown. From a wider view, as a part of the third Linh Ung Pagoda, itself and two other temples in Ba Na Hills and Marble Mountains, they create a triangle that fences off negative things to locals.
In China and SE Asia, the Buddha of compassion, Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin) is often depicted as female. For example, the mural in Mogao Cave 45 at Dunhuang shows some of the forms Guanyin takes when s/he manifests on Earth. The mural depicts Chapter 25 of the Lotus Sutra, which describes the way in which Avalokitesvara appears to all who need help, in whatever form. A detail represents several different scenes in which a human being is in a supplicatory posture facing another figure. That other figure is Avalokitesvara, manifesting on earth as either male or female, deity or human.
Lady Buddha Da Nang statue is inside Linh Ung pagoda courtyard with a height of 67m, the lotus diameter is 35m, equivalent to a 30-storey building. Lady Buddha is not only a statue, it is a temple as well, as each of its 17 floors houses twenty-seven Buddha statues for worship. A 2-meter Great Buddha statue is placed in the head. Local people call it Buddha in Buddha to describe the characteristic. On the first and 15th days of every lunar month, locals also come here to make prayers and aspirations.
History and Mythology -Bai But, the land of Buddha and bringing peace to the waters after terrible war
There is a local myth about the history of Linh Ung Pagoda on Son Tra Peninsula which is passed down from generations to generations. During the reign of emperor Minh Mang, Nguyen Dynasty, a Buddha statue drifted to the sandbank of Son Tra Peninsula. Believing that this was an auspicious sign, the local fishermen built a shrine to worship Buddha. Since then, the waves of the sea became calmer, making it easier for local people to do fishing work. For that reason, the sandbank where the statue drifted to is called Bai But, which means “The land of Buddha.”
The Statue of the Lady Buddha was built at the same time as Linh Ung Pagoda, from 2004 to 2010. Construction of this pair was initiated by Thich Thien Nguyen monk who became the leader of Linh Ung pagoda in the Marble Mountains. Taking into consideration the legends and the views, Thich Thien Nguyen wished to build a pagoda here. After he finished building Linh Ung Pagoda on Bana Hills, the authority of Danang gave the permission to build a pagoda here (in 2004). Skillful artisans from Non Nuoc marble village in those hills, were responsible for forming the statue. Two sculptors Thuy Lam and Chau Viet Thanh who had experiences in other huge works, were in charge. Money used to build it was from donations of monks, followers, locals and firms. After 6 years of construction, it was officially inaugurated, highlighting the emergence of Buddhism in Vietnam in the 21st century.
The geographical location
Lady Buddha Da Nang is located at Linh Ung Pagoda on Son Tra Peninsula 639 meters above the sea level and 10 kilometers away from the center of Da Nang City to the northeast. The pagoda faces the peninsula, overlooking the East Sea. There is Cu Lao Cham Island to the left of the pagoda and a spectacular view of Hai Van Mountain to the right. Da Nang’s Lady Buddha entry is free of charge. Wherever one is standing in any place in the city, you can easily see the Lady Buddha statue which leans on the mountain, facing the sea.
The Eighteen Arhats
From the main entrances, one can see 18 La Han (Eighteen Arhats) lining up in two rows leading to the main temple. The main temple is the praying area, in the middle is Siddhārtha Gautama, on the right is Avalokiteśvara, and on the left is Kṣitigarbha and The Four Heavenly Kings.
The youngest of the three Ling Ung Pagoda : Son Tra peninsula
There are three Linh Ung Pagodas in Da Nang located in a separate mountain and a different direction. For details of the oldest one on Marble Mountains, see below. In 2020, the youngest Linh Ung Pagoda came to life, and Son Tra Peninsula to the east was selected to accommodate it. Here are some photos below:
The five-peak element Marble Mountains, caves and pagodas
Marble Mountains is a group of five limestone peaks situated seven kilometres from downtown Da Nang. The five karsts (called Ngu Hanh Son in Vietnamese) are named after the five elements: Kim (metal), Thuỷ (water), Mộc (wood), Hoả (fire) and Thổ (earth). Over the centuries, Marble Mountains have held special significance for the people of Central Vietnam. The ancient Cham revered the karsts as a spiritual site, and Vietnamese emperors from Hue and legendary generals passing through paid visits to the peaks, adding to their store of legends.
Caves on the Marble Mountains
Marble Mountains is also home to a network of caves, tunnels, towers, and pagodas built by Mahayana Buddhists and the Nguyen Dynasty Kings. There are half a dozen large caves hidden away in the Marble Mountains, and many other small ones. All the caves in Marble Mountains have unique features, and some have fascinating stories of being discovered and used as hideaways over the centuries.
‘Wishes Answered Miraculously” : The oldest Ling Ung Pagoda on the Marble Mountains
One of the best parts of visiting Marble Mountains is seeing the stunning pagodas on the elevated perch. The oldest of the three Linh Ung Pagodas is situated on the eastern side of Water Mountain, which is the most majestic and magnificent mountain of that range. Linh Ung means “wishes answered miraculously” in Sino-Vietnamese. This place was built by wood and thatch and by bricks and tiles in 1825. In the same year, Thanh Thai (1891), the 10th king of the Nguyen dynasty.had his first visit to the mountain and renamed it to Ung Chan. He also rewarded it as a national pagoda because of its important role in the Buddhism history of the region. In 1901, a terrible typhoon damaged many structures there heavily but was quickly restored by monks and followers. The latest renovation was in 1992. During the American war, the Vietcong lived in the mountains and were helped a lot by the monks here.
The main shrine of Linh Ung pagoda was built in contemporary style combined with inherent tradition of pagodas in Vietnam, with curved roof in dragon shape, the solid pillars surrounded by sophisticated sinuous dragons. It has an amazingly detailed archway facing the sweep of Non Nuoc Beach. The courtyard contains small lotus ponds, bonsai plants and tilework of the main structure. Here are a selection of photos I took in and around the pagoda complex below:
Xa Loi Tower on the Marble Mountains
A short walk away from the pagoda, one reaches Xa Loi Tower. This 28-metre structure houses 200 statues of Buddha, and offers breathtaking views of the landscape below.
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