Maitreya statue on Ba Den mountain carries the soul of the four great spirits of An Nam

"Sacred" the sacred mountain

Ba Den Mountain is known as one of the few most sacred acupuncture points in Vietnam, especially this place is associated with the legend of Linh Son Thanh Mau - a monument in the religious life of the people of the South.

In Gia Dinh Thanh Thong Chi - an important historical document about the South during the Nguyen Dynasty written by Trinh Hoai Duc in the early 19th century, Ba Den Mountain is described as follows: "In the middle of the plain rises Ba Dinh (Ba Den) Mountain. On a beautiful day, from Saigon, you can see this mountain faintly appearing in the clouds. Legend has it that this is a sacred mountain, with a golden bell hidden in the lake. On moonlit nights, there are dragon boats swimming, dancing and singing melodiously..." Accordingly, Ba Den Mountain is considered a sacred mountain, the main mountain guarding Gia Dinh Citadel (ie Saigon), similar to Tan Vien Mountain in Thang Long or Ngu Binh Mountain in the ancient capital of Hue.

According to Professor, Doctor Tran Lam Bien, a lonely mountain standing alone in the middle of a vast field is always sacred: “This is the mountain that draws the life force of the Father Heaven down to the earth so that all species can thrive. It is also a cosmic axis connecting heaven and earth to promote happiness in every home, everywhere.”

The image of a lost soul on the third mountain is more than the image of the An Nam Tu Dai Khi image 1

So, in the middle of this thousand-year-old sacred mountain, what is the meaning of the statue of Bodhisattva Maitreya with his back leaning against the mountain, eyes looking out to the fertile plains and a joyful smile?

Many cultural experts believe that the statue of Maitreya Bodhisattva has contributed to further "sanctifying" the already sacred mountain, and represents people's desire for joy and peace.

According to Professor Tran Lam Bien, stone always conveys sacredness, so the existence of the Maitreya Bodhisattva statue made of sandstone is especially suitable for this border area, it itself exudes sacred meaning. "The statue is the realization of the dream of a peaceful and tranquil land, and for people's hearts to turn to a pure and beautiful mind" - said the Professor.

The image of a lost soul on the mountain is more than the image of the An Nam Tu Dai Khi image 2

Located at an altitude of nearly 1,000m above sea level, the statue of Bodhisattva Maitreya is crafted in a sitting position with his back against the mountain, a Buddhist rosary around his neck, his hands in mudra, a gentle face, a joyful smile and loving eyes. Professor Tran Lam Bien also said that the Maitreya statue on Ba Den mountain has restored the image of Buddha Maitreya at Quynh Lam Pagoda from the Ly Tran Dynasty - one of the "Four Great Treasures of An Nam" that was lost since the Ming Dynasty (including Bao Thien Tower, Quy Dien Bell, Pho Minh Cauldron, and the Buddha statue of Quynh Lam Pagoda).

“Obviously, the restoration of the Maitreya Bodhisattva statue is a desire to preserve the soul of the Maitreya statue from the Ly-Tran dynasty. This restoration reflects the patriotism of the Vietnamese people,” commented Mr. Tran Lam Bien.

Professor Bien also particularly appreciated and acknowledged the meaning and value of this project when placed in the Ba Den Mountain spiritual cultural complex, which has been invested in meticulously and delicately, such as the statue of Buddha Tay Bo Da Son, the exhibition of models of ancient Vietnamese pagodas...

The image of a lost soul on the mountain is more than the skeleton of the An Nam Temple, picture 3. — Maitreya Bodhisattva.

A magnificent and unique work

In the world and right in Vietnam, there are currently many giant Buddhist structures made of many different materials such as concrete, monolithic stone, even monolithic gold. However, the Maitreya Bodhisattva statue on Ba Den Mountain is a rare Buddhist structure in the world made from thousands of sandstone blocks, and is considered by experts to be a magnificent and unique structure.

Many experts believe that the unique value of the Maitreya Bodhisattva statue lies in the feat of assembling 6,688 sandstone stones with a total weight of more than 5,000 tons. Each stone weighs from 1.2 to 1.5 tons, is sculpted with a separate size and assembled with precision to the centimeter. There are stones in difficult positions such as the nose, mouth, and hands of the Maitreya statue, the construction unit sometimes had to spend 3 to 4 days just to assemble one stone with the method of hanging the stone upside down, which has never been applied in Vietnam.

According to Associate Professor Dr. Pham Trung Luong, former Deputy Director of the Institute of Tourism Research, this is an extremely magnificent project from a physical perspective, not to mention a spiritual perspective. “It is the attraction of the difference and the magnificence. Not anywhere in Vietnam, but even in the region, is it difficult to find such a large project,” said Mr. Pham Trung Luong.

The image of a lost soul on the mountain is more than the skeleton of the An Nam Temple, picture 4.

Located on the top of Ba Den Mountain with a complex of majestic spiritual structures, the Maitreya Bodhisattva statue also brings many new cultural and spiritual experiences to visitors when coming to the roof of the South. At the foot of the Maitreya statue is the Wish Bridge, a unique arch-shaped bridge for visitors to worship the Bodhisattva representing Joy and Forgiveness, and admire the panoramic view of the immense Dau Tieng Lake. From here, visitors can also watch the water music show with sound and light effects in the meditative colors next to the statue.

According to Researcher Nguyen Thi Thuy Hang - Director of the Institute of Intangible Spiritual Culture Science, with a height of 36m, this is an extremely massive statue, the pride of the people of Tay Ninh and the Vietnamese people in general. The Maitreya statue is placed with many new experiences of discovering Buddhist culture on the top of Ba Den mountain, Ms. Hang believes that: "Tay Ninh will be the first place in Vietnam to bring to the world knowledge and attractions about spiritual tourism in Vietnam in a systematic, in-depth and professional manner".

The image of a lost soul on the mountain is more than the skeleton of the An Nam Temple, picture 5. — Worship Maitreya statue.

Located on the top of Ba Den Mountain since late 2023, the Maitreya Bodhisattva statue has attracted millions of locals and tourists to worship. According to information from Sun World Ba Den Mountain, nearly 3 million visitors took the cable car to Ba Den Mountain in the first quarter of 2024, making Tay Ninh one of the top pilgrimage destinations in Vietnam.

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