Bồ Đề Đạo Tràng (Châu Đốc)

Bồ Đề Đạo Tràng is a Buddhist architectural structure, located at the central square, in Châu Đốc ward, An Giang province, Vietnam.

Bồ Đề Đạo Tràng Pagoda (Châu Đốc) was established in 1952, initiated by Đặng Văn Lý (then Governor of Châu Đốc) and Phạm Ngọc Đa (President of the Theosophical Society), and was supported and contributed to by a large number of Buddhists from various places.

In 1951, Mr. Phạm Ngọc Đa contacted Venerable Jinara Jadasa in India to request a cutting from the sacred bodhi tree under which Buddha Shakyamuni once meditated. Upon approval, Mrs. Nguyễn Thị Hai went to bring the tree back to be planted on a plot of land granted by Governor Đặng Văn Lý in the centre of the town, opposite the Châu Phú village office. Before planting, a procession ceremony for the sacred tree was organised on a flower-decorated vehicle, making a round of the town on the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month, Year of the Tiger (3 February 1951). The official ground-breaking ceremony was solemnly held on the 16th day of the fourth lunar month, Year of the Dragon (9 May 1952). After the ground-breaking, following ancient tradition, the tree was watered with fresh milk.

It is said that, right before the night of the ground-breaking, the bodhi tree was cut off at the trunk by someone. However, the tree was still planted and survived, sprouting into four shoots (which have now become four large branches).

Because the bodhi tree originated from the Bodh Gaya in India, this place is also called "Bồ Đề Đạo Tràng". And to manage the pagoda and the tree, the Bồ Đề Đạo Tràng Association (Châu Đốc) was established.

According to the An Giang Records Book 2009, this is "the oldest bodhi tree in the province".

Initially, Bồ Đề Đạo Tràng (Châu Đốc) had a simple architecture. In the centre of the grounds was a small octagonal prism-shaped building with four entrances, enshrining a statue of Buddha Shakyamuni in meditation. Around the corners were couplets carved and painted gold on a red background, praising the compassion of Buddha Shakyamuni.

Later, the management board successively built several other structures, making the site more imposing, beautiful, and solemn. Notably, there is a four-sided pillar (marking related events and the individuals who established Bồ Đề Đạo Tràng in Châu Đốc), a Quan Âm pavilion, bell and drum towers, the ancestral hall, etc.

The first Buddhist relic is the aforementioned bodhi tree.

The second Buddhist relic is a small amount of soil from the base of the bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya in India (brought back by Mr. Trương Hưng in 2000), which is being venerated in the main hall of the pagoda (i.e., in the small octagonal prism-shaped building).

The third Buddhist relic (the most important) is a shiny white Buddha Shakyamuni relic gem, about the size of two grains of rice, which is also being venerated in the main hall of the pagoda. The notarised record attached to the four-sided pillar includes the following inscription:

Today, the 8th day of the 7th lunar month, Year of the Goat, corresponding to 17 August 1991, at Bồ Đề Đạo Tràng Pagoda, Châu Đốc town, An Giang province, the Buddha Shakyamuni relic gem brought from India by Venerable Kim Quang was gifted to the family of lay devotees Nguyễn Văn Phi and Nguyễn Thị Tuyết (No. 154 Lý Tự Trọng, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City). Now, the devotees wholeheartedly and joyfully offer it to Bồ Đề Đạo Tràng Pagoda in Châu Đốc town, represented by Association President Nguyễn Văn Năm. The relic is enshrined in a bronze stupa so that from now on, the fourfold assembly of Buddhists may venerate it for generations to come.

Every year, Bồ Đề Đạo Tràng (Châu Đốc) organises four main festivals: the full moon of the first lunar month (Thượng ngươn), the full moon of the fourth lunar month (Buddha's Birthday), the full moon of the seventh lunar month (Vu Lan), and the full moon of the tenth lunar month (Hạ ngươn).