The Precious Gems of the Nation

That afternoon, Truong Han Sieu stood outside the governor’s residence. Sweat beaded on his forehead from the heat, yet his eyes were colder than a winter sky. The entire Tran dynasty court revered Buddhism; every king was a Zen master, and every official bowed at the temples. Only he—a pure Confucian scholar and an outstanding student of the chief intelligence officer, Tran Ich Tac—felt troubled whenever Buddhism was mentioned.

He did not dislike the Buddha's teachings due to ignorance. On the contrary, he understood them very well. It was precisely this deep understanding that revealed contradictions to him. His teacher, Tran Ich Tac, practiced meditative concentration profoundly, yet he conspired to sell the country to the Mongol invaders. "You cultivate in such a way, yet you betray your nation," Truong Han Sieu thought silently, tapping his fingers on the armrest of his chair. "You calculated these errors solely because you coveted the title of King of An Nam and surrendered to the enemy. What is good about Buddhism if it cannot prevent evil?"

His life was a series of upheavals. After being falsely accused, he had to flee the assassination orders issued by his own teacher. He hid for four years in limestone caves in Ninh Binh until Tran Hung Dao secretly found him and invited him to serve as a strategic advisor. He helped rebuild the military intelligence system, contributing significantly to the glorious victory against the Mongol Yuan army. He lived to nearly one hundred years old, witnessing many kings rise and fall, but his prejudice against Buddhism remained as solid as stone.

Then came the day when King Tran Anh Tong ascended the throne. The king was displeased that a key minister in the court disliked the faith revered by the entire nation. One day, a royal decree was issued, brief and allowing no debate: Truong Han Sieu must leave the capital, travel to Quang Ninh, and become the abbot of Quynh Lam Temple.

"Abbot of a temple?" Truong Han Sieu read the edict over and over. His hands trembled, not from fear, but from anger. A Confucian scholar, who had worshipped sages all his life, was now forced to do what he considered trivial work. He felt insulted. Yet, the king’s order could not be disobeyed. He set off on his journey, his heart heavy as lead.

In the early days at Quynh Lam Temple, he mostly sat alone in his room, avoiding all chanting sessions. However, the stillness of the monastic grounds, the gentle scent of incense, and the solemn atmosphere of the ancient temple began to seep into his mind. One idle afternoon, he entered the sutra library. The scriptures were arranged neatly, covered with a thin layer of dust on their mulberry paper covers. Curious, he picked up a volume and opened it. The ancient Chinese characters looked familiar, but the content was strange. He read, then read more, becoming so engrossed that he forgot dinner entirely.

In the following days, he threw himself into studying the Buddhist sutras with a focus he had previously reserved only for military strategy and history books. And he began to understand. He understood why the court adopted Buddhism as the state religion. He understood the virtue that Buddhism cultivated within the entire nation. At this point, his perspective on the victory against the Mongols changed completely.

On a clear moonlit night, he sat in the temple garden, rereading the poem he had just composed—the Bach Dang River Ode. The words were heroic yet steeped in philosophy: "The enemy vanishes, leaving eternal peace; not because of dangerous terrain, but because our virtue is high." He read aloud, then smiled—a smile of enlightenment. Indeed. Victory was not due to treacherous rivers, nor because our troops were more skilled. It was because our virtue surpassed the enemy’s virtue. And this virtue originated from spirituality, from the Buddha's teachings that our ancestors chose as the foundation of the nation.

Time passed. Truong Han Sieu’s illustrious achievements were linked to firm, sometimes ruthless decisions to defend the borders. But he knew that the source of every victory began with the inner transformation at Quynh Lam Temple. The Tran Dynasty, thanks to people like him who touched the core of morality, stood firm and kept the country peaceful through many ups and downs.

Truong Han Sieu passed away in old age, living to nearly one hundred years. The court placed him in the Temple of Literature, honored before even Chu Van An. This was a great privilege, rewarding his merit in defending the nation. But deeper still, it was recognition by a dynasty of someone who truly understood the virtue of the people.

The Meaning of the Story

The story of Truong Han Sieu shows that the immense value of Buddhism lies not merely in external rituals, but in its ability to cultivate virtue for an entire nation. Here, virtue means inner strength, the spirit of sacrifice, and the will to protect the country, formed upon a spiritual and moral foundation. When a nation takes virtue as its basis, even if the land is rugged or the army is small, that virtue becomes an invincible power, helping the country stand firm against all enemies.

Compiled from the dharma talk by Venerable Thich Chan Quang