The ancient temple on Linh Son mountain

Legend has it that, in the early 19th century, a monk from central Vietnam lived in seclusion in a cave in the forest. Villagers heard chanting coming from the cave. Realizing he had been discovered, the monk left the cave, leaving behind a map indicating the location for building a temple on the slopes of Linh Son Mountain. Therefore, when the temple was completed, the people named it Linh Son Temple.

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit and admire the temple. From National Highway 1A, it's about 5 km by motorbike to the foot of the rocky mountain, then you follow a narrow path along the mountainside to the main hall of the temple. Although the road is long and difficult, many tourists from far away still come to the temple. They not only come to light incense and pray to Buddha for blessings, health, and happiness, but also to admire the majestic mountain scenery, view the temple, learn about the history and culture of Buddhism, and enjoy the fresh air of the lush, verdant Linh Son mountain range. According to historical records, the temple was founded around 1938-1939, initially just a cave beside the Ham Rong stream. During the resistance war against the French, the villagers moved the Buddha statue hidden in the deep cave and demolished the old temple. It wasn't until 1986-1987 that the people here had the means to rebuild the temple on the old site, rebuild the triple-arched gate, and create many more landscapes according to folk beliefs. Currently, the temple still preserves ancient treasures of historical value, such as: a rectangular bronze seal, a bronze bell, a statue of the monk Buu Tang, a statue of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva… and many other valuable relics. In the center of the main hall of the ancient temple is the Buddha, to the right are the statues of Shakyamuni Buddha and the Goddess of Mercy, and to the left are the statues of folk deities. The ancient temple is situated beside the Ham Rong stream, where water overflows through the rocks, creating a regular gurgling sound. The mountainous landscape of Vinh Hao is gloomy and tranquil. Around the mountains are many natural caves shaped like frogs' mouths, dragon's mouths, dragon's navels, ancestral caves… Many natural caves seem to have been arranged and created by human hands. This rare natural scenery makes the ancient temple even more sacred and attractive, drawing many tourists to admire and worship Buddha. If visitors come to Linh Son Temple during the rainy season, the Ham Rong stream rises and overflows over large rocks, creating many waterfalls that look truly poetic. In some places, rocks are stacked on top of each other in steps, eroded by the water, leaving the surface smooth and flat; sitting on a rock feels wonderfully cool.

Visit Linh Son Pagoda by the Ham Rong stream, with its many mysterious and sacred natural caves. The spiritual culture, ancient architecture, and diverse natural caves of the pagoda are attracting tourists who come to admire the beautiful scenery, worship Buddha, and learn about Buddhist teachings. In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, when people feel tired, they seek out Linh Son Pagoda as a spiritual journey , to visit the pagoda, and admire the beautiful natural scenery and majestic mountains and forests.

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