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Story 2. Vạn Hạnh, a monk and an adviser of kings

Along history we have people who didn’t have important positions but they affected deeply to historical stream. One of them is the monk, Van Han who had affected to dynasties Dinh, Le and Ly.
Buddhism went in Vietnam in the 2nd century but till Nam De Ly reigned the country Buddhism started to spread to people then it existed along with dynasties. Sometime Buddhism had a position as the national religion. Monks were people who had high education so they had reputation and people’s trust.
Co Phap (now Dinh Bang village, Thuan thanh district, Bac ninh province) was where Buddhism was born. A family followed Buddhism had given birth to a son in 932 who none knew his real name. Whole his life went with his nick name Dao Hanh. When he was a child he had show people his intelligent that he read many book and knew many things. When he was 21 years olds he followed Buddhism and was led by a monk having nick name Thien Ong, a high position-monk in Luc To temple. Dao Hanh chose the way that followed meditation and didn’t avoid others. He let himself live in others and find the way to help others, help the country. He was known as the greatest knowledge person in that time. He was not only great in Buddhism he but also had great knowledge about political problems. His words were predictions.
Therefore, Van Hanh was regarded as a adviser of kings he had given many advises. In 970, Hoan Le, the recent king called him to ask that they could get the victory before had a fighting with their enemies. He said surely: “Three weeks, only 21 days we will get the victory”. Then another time, when Le king planned to have a fighting with Chiem Thanh to save two messengers who were caught. But, he had a little hesitation so the king went to the temple to ask the adviser. Van Hanh asserted that they would win.
Two times, what he had said had happen.
A special event had happen which not only related to Van Hanh it but also affected to history that he had met a boy, Cong Uan Ly, who was brought come by Khanh Van Ly who asked him to teach the boy. Van Hanh realized that the boy had incredible intelligence. Therefore, he taught him by all things he had and brought the boy to a famous martial arts village to help the boy became a person who had both knowledge and strength. Dao Hanh always brought Cong Uan to go with him whenever he went out. He wanted Cong Uan to understand others and understand what they hoped.
With hoping that all talent people could help the country develop Van Hanh advised Cong Uan to participate contests which were organized by the king. Cong Uan passed the contests with the highest mark and became a member of “Tứ xương quân” which included astute soldiers who protected the castle. Then he was ordained to become a leader of the army. Cong Uan was known as a talent and kindness person.
As Dai Hanh Le died princess fought the others to usurp the throne then Long Dinh Le killed his brother. All things made people lost their trust with Le dynasty. Van Hanh also hated cruel actions of Long Dinh Le. He early realized that people wanted a real king who loved the country and loved his community. Of course, he didn’t need to find any where a person had all things people needed was next to him that was Cong Uan Ly.
Then Van Hanh planned to lead people toward Cong Uan Ly. Then rumors spread in the community that were that had a white dog in Ung Tam temple, the dog had black spots in its back was read “Thien tu” it meant son of god (the rumor meant that it will appeared a king who war born in the dog year and would be a king in the dog year – each year in vietnam was attached to a animal in 12 animals those were rat, ox, tiger, cat, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, pig) and Long Sam temple had a banyan tree which was eaten by worm and appeared a word “quốc” in its body (“quốc” meant country) it meant that Le dynasty would decayed and the country would have variation.
One day, when he was on his way from castle to his temple he visited to Minh Chau temple to meet La Quy An Dinh, a old monk in the temple. They had a conversation then the old monk complained to Van Hanh: “The ancient tree which stood in the head of village will be fallen down when the storm comes its body is eaten by worms and empty inside. Though that was a complaint having no value with others but Van Hanh caught an idea. That night, he woke up his fellow and had a conversation then he asked his fellow: “Carefully, if the thing was discovered we will lose our heads.”
Course, the next day the ancient tree was fallen down. In the morning, when people went cross they saw the tree had been fallen. That had some words in its body it was notched by chinese character. Only few old teachers could read the words. They were read:
“Thụ căn diểu – Mộc biểu thanh thanh
Hoa đao mộc lạc – Thập bát tử thành”
Though, all of them didn’t understand. Therefore, they went to temple to asked Van Hanh. He thought in while then he explained. To understand they had to understand each character and after understanding all of the characters they had meant that the king would died early and a courtier would replaced, Le would be replace by Ly.
Van Hanh said: “That is its means, but you have to keep it in secret.”
But, people were that if you asked them to keep secret things the secret would spread faster. Then the rumor spread out in the community to mandarins and including Cam Moc Dao, the great powerful mandarin that time. He knew that he couldn’t change the dynasty which almost fell down and he also realized a talent person who could replace the recent king and who had the family name Ly as the rumor. That was Cong Uan Ly.
Then the recent king, Long Dinh Le, had a great ill and died when he was 24 years old.
Van Hanh felt delight as he heard the king died. He predicted and said to his followers:
“Cong Uan is coming from the fighting to rebels. He will have the country in this day.”
Course, that day Cong Uan Ly was respected to be a king as he came back. Van Hanh came to castle to help his student in the first day he was the king.
Very few people knew that all rumors and the characters in the ancient tree were created by him, Van Hanh.
Though he was 70 years old but he had a hot heart and one other time, he became an adviser to help the new king reign the country.
May 1018, Van Hanh died without illness. That time, he was 80 years old. Thai To Ly (Cong Uan Ly) organized a feast to him and brought his ashed to Tien Son temple to respect.
As Nhan Tong Ly a king of Ly dynasty he was a person who had built Ly dynasty the dynasty had existed 216 years.

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