Truong Sa echoes the sound of temple bells
(Baonghean.vn) - Truong Sa now has all the beloved mainland scenery. The first time I set foot on Truong Sa, I was forever impressed by the silhouette of the brown shirt faintly appearing at the top of the wind and waves, then the sound of the temple bell ringing and fading into the sky and sea of the Fatherland.
Among the 6 majestic pagodas in Truong Sa, I was both lucky and regretful to be able to sincerely perform the ceremony and immerse myself in the bell sounds of half of those 6 pagodas.
It is said to be lucky because not everyone has the opportunity to go out.Truong Sato perform ceremonies, to chat with monks on remote islands. Saying that it was regretful that without big waves and strong winds, I would have been present at 2/3 of the pagodas on the islands. On the journey to Truong Sa, the first planned destination wasSong Tu Tay Island, where the ship commander introduced the largest and most beautiful temple in Truong Sa, but big waves prevented the group from going to the island.
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| A glimpse of the temple roof on Song Tu Tay Island. Photo by Manh Hung |
As if understanding the mood of the delegates, the commander of the KN 491 ship tried to steer the ship as close to the island as possible so that everyone could see the temple clearly. From afar, the temple appeared in the traditional style, with two floors and a curved roof, tilted under the wind and rain.square table. The ladies were filled with regret, wishing only to quickly reach the islands of Nam Yet, Sinh Ton, and Truong Sa Lon to fulfill their wish, because performing the ceremony in Truong Sa just hearing about it made them feel so sacred.
Arriving at each island, after the welcoming ceremony, the delegation lit incense, the group leader and the abbot played the bells, which resounded in the wind, in the darkness, into the heart of the island, into the bowels of the sea, the deep and simple sound. Even I, who did not understand much about Buddhist teachings, felt the sound of the bells like bodhi seeds sown from the heart, protecting and evoking peace. Since childhood, I have been familiar with the sound of temple bells, so familiar that it almost unintentionally became my biological clock, now in the middle of the vast ocean, hearing the bells again makes me feel nostalgic.
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| Delegates ring the bell of Truong Sa Lon Pagoda. Photo by Manh Hung |
Late in the afternoon, Mr. Le Quang Dung, the head of the Nghe An Photographic Artists Association, and I walked with our lenses on Nam Yet Island and suddenly felt strangely peaceful. The sunset blended with the sound of the temple bell and the sound of the waves. The two of us sat down on the sand, welcoming each bell with extreme joy. "Maybe only once in a lifetime, uncle." Mr. Dung whispered to me as if he wanted to "swallow" the sound of the peaceful bell that kept ringing forever...
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| Sinh Ton Pagoda on Sinh Ton Island. Photo by Manh Hung |
Walking briskly, I looked up to see the national flag and the Buddhist flag fluttering in the wind, carrying the salty, stinging air. As soon as the bell rang, I was at the main hall of Nam Huyen Pagoda. Monk Thich Tam Tri, the abbot of the pagoda, shouldered a hoe, his shirt drenched in sweat, having just returned from somewhere. I asked: "Are you tired, monk?" He replied: "Seeing the soldiers working hard, I helped them hoe the soil for some vegetable beds. I'm not tired at all, it's just to exercise. Knowing that I'm a vegetarian, my brothers didn't let me lack vegetables, tubers, and fruits." Previously, he lived at Tong Lam Lo Son Pagoda (Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa). In 2013, he volunteered to come here to be the abbot with the soldiers to guard the islands of his homeland.
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| Delegates perform a ceremony at Sinh Ton Pagoda on Sinh Ton Island. Photo by Manh Hung |
“Practicing anywhere, only by going far and practicing asceticism can one truly understand the Buddha's teachings about human life. Fishermen cling to the sea all year round, the 6 pagodas in Truong Sa make the mainland always present in their minds, becoming a spiritual support, so that they do not feel lonely, so every time they have a chance to go to the island, they go to the pagoda to burn incense, I chant sutras and pray to Buddha hoping for peace and calm seas so that people can have good business, because the sea is unpredictable. And the soldiers help me clean the pagoda every week, here it is as close as a big family" - teacher Tri shared.
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| Delegates asked for calligraphy from the abbot of Truong Sa Lon Pagoda. Photo by Manh Hung |
I asked about the time to ring the bell, the teacher said: “Twice a day, 5am and 6:30pm, and on the 15th and 1st of the lunar month, ring it at 9am. The soldiers and people on the island hear the bell and feel peaceful and relaxed. Truong Sa converges all the countryside, so the bell sound here also converges the tones of the lowland areas of the North, through the sunny and windy Central region to the river and fruit-filled South, seemingly condensing the S-shaped strip of land into an echo, resonating with the sea breeze, with people's hearts, so that everyone clasps their hands and prays for peace for every home, joy for everyone, for the country to calm down the storms and strong winds.”