May 2, 2007 — If someone told you a Vietnamese monk was creating an enormous concrete dragon at St. Thomas' Nirvana Temple, would you believe them?
For all the skeptics out there, one visit to the temple, overlooking Mandahl Salt Pond, is certain to dispel all doubts.
But that's not the only incredible aspect about the temple.
Using no plans or drawings, monk Thay Thich Hoang Hien is transforming the construction site into a truly unique and beautiful Buddhist temple.
Nirvana Temple is the real-life dream of Dr. May Trieu, who talked about the temple during a morning tour this week.
Trieu said temple construction began three years ago with an initial budget of $600,000, but due to an expanding vision, the budget had nearly tripled to $1.5 million.
And the work is still not done.
Even though he had never visited a temple before, builder and designer Robert W. Hoskinson has succeeded in creating a remarkable structure. The setting is already strikingly beautiful, even though the project's completion is still six months away.
Trieu said, “Originally my family was sponsoring the project, but now others are generously helping with donations. Of course, with work still to be done, we are still looking for financial help.”
Speaking for the monk, whose English is minimal, Trieu explained that “Thay” means “master” or “teacher” in Vietnamese and that Thay Hien is not only a Buddhist master, but also a master craftsman and artist.
Although he has already finished several large archways, it is his sculpture of Yuan Yin and the dragon that is the centerpiece of his work at Nirvana. This was an unplanned project, but one he felt needed to be built.
The story of Yuan Yin, the goddess of compassion, has many variations, but she is often depicted on a dragon.
During his three-month stay, Thay Hien has woken up every day at 3 a.m., meditated, eaten a light breakfast and then worked, sometimes until 11 p.m. Trieu says Thay Hien's work is determined by daily inspiration; he never knows from day to day what he will be working on.
He also never knows from day to day what obstacles he may face. The recent unrelenting rains washed away the dragon's scales, again and again. But in the Buddhist tradition Thay Hien simply kept working to replace them — usually with his twinkling smile intact.
He also wouldn't think of killing the mosquitoes that have swarmed his work area following the rains. In a recent Dharma talk, Thay Hien said (roughly translated), "You could be killing your brother from another lifetime."
Trieu told of her first meeting with Thay Hien at his temple in Ho Chi Minh City. She was visiting with her sister and saw one of his remarkable dragons and fell in love. Over the span of several days, she repeatedly asked him if he would make one for them.
Each time he refused.
Two years later, while working on a temple in Belgium, Thay Hien met Trieu’s father, and the two became friends. To honor the father, the monk agreed to make a dragon, but neither knew that Thay Hien was the same monk that the daughters had met in Vietnam.
“I couldn’t believe it when we finally met the monk who was going to make our dragon. It was such good karma,” Trieu said.
Trieu’s parents live in Belgium and help support many temples and villages in Vietnam. They made a donation to one particular temple, and the monks honored them by making a large jade Buddha, which now sits in Nirvana Temple.
A Fascinating Life
Thay Hien is from the Mahayana school of Buddhism, stresses the duty to work compassionately to relieve the suffering of others. Now in his 50s, Thay Hien has worked in temples throughout the world, but his life story, as told by Trieu, has been varied.
Thay Hien came from a family of seven boys and one girl and was attracted to Buddhism at a very early age. He became a lifelong vegetarian at age 5, much to his mother’s dismay. Here in St. Thomas, as in every place he goes, he relies on food brought and donated to the temple.
When he was quite young, Thay Hien left his home to live and study in a temple. When he was in his 20s, he returned home, only to find that his parents had arranged a marriage for him. He felt obligated to adhere to their wishes and became a devoted husband, father of four, and a successful, wealthy jeweler.
After 13 years, he became very ill and was unable to eat or drink. He meditated, prayed and said he would give up everything if he could become a monk. After one week of prayer, he regained some of his strength and escaped to a nearby temple by leaving through the window. They directed him to a monastery in the mountains, where he became a monk and master builder and artist.
Trieu said that the Dalai Lama and famous Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh and other spiritual leaders are expected to visit the temple after its completion.
For more information and photos, visit the temple's website.
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