Tây Tạng Pagoda

Tây Tạng Pagoda (西藏寺) is a Vietnamese Buddhist pagoda, currently located at 46B Thích Quảng Đức, Thủ Dầu Một Ward, Ho Chi Minh City. This pagoda belongs to the Mahayana tradition, blending the Lâm Tế Chúc Thánh Zen school with Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism, and has been recognised by the Vietnam Records Book as "The pagoda with the largest Bodhidharma statue made of hair".

Tây Tạng Pagoda was founded by Zen Master Minh Tịnh (also known as Most Venerable Chơn Phổ-Nhẫn Tế) in 1928 under the name Bửu Hương Tự (寶香寺). At that time, the pagoda was just a small hermitage (am) for worshipping the Buddha, built on a low hill with many ancient trees, where the Zen master practised and guided sentient beings. In 1937, after Zen Master Minh Tịnh returned from his pilgrimage to the land of the Buddha, the pagoda was renamed Tây Tạng Tự.

After a major renovation in 1992, Tây Tạng Pagoda took on an appearance closely resembling a pagoda in Tibet. Entering in front of the pagoda gate, one encounters a pair of parallel sentences composed by Zen Master Minh Tịnh, harmoniously combining the former and current names of the pagoda: 西歸獨妙天真寶/

藏出含靈地正香 Tây quy độc diệu thiên chơn Bửu / Tạng xuất hàm linh địa chánh Hương

(Meaning: Returning to the true, original mind, the enlightened nature, Buddha-nature / From the pure land of the mind, embracing all beings)

The main hall (chánh điện) has a square structure, with a central stupa, quadrilateral in shape, over 15 metres high. On the upper floor of the pagoda roof are five shrines dedicated to the "Five Wisdom Tathāgatas" (Ngũ trí Như Lai), the five Buddhas of Tibetan Buddhism. Inside, the main hall is arranged as a Dharma assembly as in the time of Shakyamuni Buddha. In the centre is a 2.3-metre-high statue of Shakyamuni Buddha in meditation. Around are Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in various positions, such as the lower level worshipping Kṣitigarbha (Địa Tạng) and Maitreya (Di Lặc); the next level worshipping Samantabhadra (Phổ Hiền) and Mañjuśrī (Văn Thù); the upper level worshipping Avalokiteśvara (Quan Âm), Mahāsthāmaprāpta (Đại Thế Chí), etc.

Notably, within the pagoda is a statue of Patriarch Bodhidharma (Đạt Ma Sư Tổ) recognised by the Vietnam Records Book as the largest statue made of hair in Vietnam. The statue depicts the form of the First Patriarch of Zen, Bodhidharma, walking, with a carrying pole on his shoulder; on the right end of the pole is the 'Càn khôn' bag, and on the left end is the Lăng Già sūtra chest. Hanging from the pole is also a conical hat (nón lá) characteristic of Vietnam. The statue consists of three separate parts, joined together with adhesive. Except for the frame, which is made of iron, the main material is hair collected from Buddhist devotees, combined with molasses and mortar. The statue is 2.83 metres high, with a width from the Càn khôn bag to the Lăng Già sūtra chest of 1.74 metres. The statue was made by Mr. Nguyễn Khắc Bửu together with Mr. Nguyễn Chí Cơ and Mr. Tôn Ngọc An over two years (1982–1983) before completion.

In addition, Tây Tạng Pagoda currently preserves a diary recording in detail, day by day, the images and events of the pilgrimage to the land of the Buddha, from Vietnam to India – Nepal – Tibet and back, undertaken by Zen Master Minh Tịnh. This diary can be considered a "Tây Trúc – Tây Tạng Chronicle", clearly noting the times, locations, and Buddhist activities throughout the journey, from his departure from Thủ Dầu Một (Bình Dương), leaving Nhà Rồng Wharf (Saigon) on 17 April 1935, until his return to Vietnam on 30 June 1937 (lasting 2 years, 2 months, and 13 days). The diary is handwritten by the Zen master in beautiful, clear, slanted quốc ngữ script, interspersed with notes in French, English, Tibetan, and Sanskrit. The diary is over 300 large pages thick and is still carefully preserved at Tây Tạng Pagoda. It can be said that the Master was a "little Xuanzang of Vietnam". Currently, Tây Tạng Pagoda is abboted by Most Venerable Thích Chơn Hạnh, who oversees the overall development of this ancient pagoda. The Buddha relics (xá lợi Phật) brought back from the land of the Buddha by Zen Master Minh Tịnh were divided into two parts: one part was solemnly enshrined at Thiên Thai Pagoda in Bà Rịa – Vũng Tàu Province, and the other part remains worshipped at Tây Tạng Pagoda.

Most Venerable Thích Nhẩn Tế – also known as Zen Master Minh Tịnh, the founding patriarch of Tây Tạng Pagoda

Most Venerable Thích Tịch Chiếu – the second abbot of the Pagoda

Most Venerable Thích Chơn Hạnh – the current abbot of the Pagoda