Raw data
The Thien Uyen Tap Anh (fourteenth century copy of 10th century text) tells of a "Great Master" named Khuong Viet who first reside at this monastery (c. 950 CE). He later moved to Khai Quoc." According to Dat Nuoc Qua Cac Doi, "Thuong Lac District belongs to the present-day Tinh Gia District, Thanh Hoa Province, Vietnam.
See Cuong Tu Nguyen, Zen in Medieval Vietnam: A Study and Translation of the Thien Uyen Tap Anh (Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 1997) Note 51, p.368.
Input by: stewart gordon, Jan 14, 2010
"Though having studied Buddhism and entered his monkhood in Giao Chau, Khuong Tang Hoi’s prestige was great when he propagated Buddhism in Jianye. He was respected by King Sun Quan who ordered the construction of the "Kien So" pagoda and monks’ meeting hall called Phat Da ly (Buddha’s place). The word "Kien So" suggests that before that time there had been no pagoda and no monks’ meeting hall in Jianye in particular and in general, though King Sun Quan had before received and lavishly entertained Chi Khiem, a Buddhist recluse in Central India, who had fled from Luoyang."
The History of Buddhism in Vietnam; Vietnamese Philosophical Studies, II, Chief editor: Nguyen Tai Thu; Authors: Dinh Minh Chi, Ly Kim Hoa, Ha thuc Minh, Ha Van Tan, Nguyen Tai Thu. ISBN 1-56518-098-4 (paper). 2009.
http://www.crvp.org/book/Series03/IIID-5/front.htm
Chapter 3 - The First Buddhist Missionaries in Vietnam
http://www.crvp.org/book/Series03/IIID-5/chapter-3.htm
it is NOT a city of (建業 Jiànyè) in China - tmciolek, Feb 2010.
Input by: tmciolek, Feb 18, 2010
"Thiền Master Khuông Việt匡越 (930-1011) […] belonging to the fourth generation in the line of Vô Ngôn Thông, of the Phật đà temple佛陀寺, Cát lợi吉利 village, prefecture Thường lạc [in simplied latin characters: Phat da temple, Cat loi village, prefecture Thuong lac - tmc, Feb 2010], was born into the Ngô吳 family of the Cát lợi village, descendant of Emperor Ngô Thuận吳順帝. He was a man of stalwart build, free in behavior. In his childhood he
made his study in Confucianism. As growing up, he inclined to Buddhism. Together with his fellow students he received the full ordination under Master Vân Phong雲風, at the Khai quốc temple 開國寺. […]" Tue Sy (n.d.:52)
History of Buddhism in Vietnam. 1997. Tài Thư Nguyẽ̂n
"Cat Loi village in Thuong Lac district; the location of this village is unknown. … Cat Loi village as well as the Pho Da pagoda are where the monk Khuong Viet had cloistered, and in Bac Giang (belonging to Ha Bac today). … "
http://books.google.com/books?id=tUN8tC0ftJcC&pg=PA86
Bac Giang, Vietnam Page
Other names: Thuong, Phu Lang Thong, Phu Lang Thuong, Phu Long Thuong,
World:Vietnam:Tinh Bac Giang
Lat 21.2667 Long 106.2000
http://www.fallingrain.com/world/VM/71/Bac_Giang.html
Also note, that in N. Vietnam there is a place called "Thuong Lac", but it is located in a wrong (for our purposes) place, i.e. S of Hanoi
Thuong Lac, Vietnam Page
Other names: Thuong Lao,
World:Vietnam
Lat 20.8333 Long 105.7333
http://www.fallingrain.com/world/VM/16/Thuong_Lac.html
Input by: tmciolek, Mar 2, 2010
Final data (and their sources)
Lat/Long coordinates' accuracy:
The monastery in question is assumed to be situated actually no farther than 20 km from the point defined by the coordinates below.
General location of the Phat Da monastery, VN.
Lat 21.2667 Long 106.2000
Mapping & images: Falling Rain Genomics (http://www.fallingrain.com), 2009.
Google Map link:
Final data - explanatory notes
1. Monastery's name
- Phat Da monastery
2. Monastery's modern country & province
- Vietnam:Tinh Bac Giang
3. Monastery's alternative/historical names
- 佛陀寺 - Tue Sy (n.d.:52)
4. Monastery's lat/long coordinates
- Somewhere in the vicinity of Bac_Giang whose coords are: Lat 21.2667 Long 106.2000 - http://www.fallingrain.com/world/VM/71/Bac_Giang.html
5. Other known nearby Buddhist monasteries
final data ….
6. Modern name of the known nearest city, town, or village
7. The settlement's alternative/historical names
- Thuong - http://www.fallingrain.com/world/VM/71/Bac_Giang.html
- Phu Lang Thong - http://www.fallingrain.com/world/VM/71/Bac_Giang.html
- Phu Lang Thuong - http://www.fallingrain.com/world/VM/71/Bac_Giang.html
- Phu Long Thuong - http://www.fallingrain.com/world/VM/71/Bac_Giang.html
8. The settlement's coordinates
- Exactly, Lat 21.2667 Long 106.2000 - http://www.fallingrain.com/world/VM/71/Bac_Giang.html
9. Monastery's major Buddhist tradition
- Mahayana
10. Monastery's Buddhist sub-tradition
*Ch'an/Zen
11. Date-early
final data ….
12. Date-intermediate
- c. 950
13. Date-late
final data ….
14. Details of contacts with other monasteries
- This monk moved to the Khai Quoc monastery.
15. Type of evidence regarding the monastery
final data ….
16. Additional notes
- This monk was deeply involved with advising the government and served at court for many years.
17. Corrections & addenda to this page were kindly provided by
final data ….
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