The Venerated Master Nguyễn Thành Nam: Founder of Coconut Buddhism, Part 1 of 2 (INT)

If you have an opportunity to visit Âu Lạc Bến Tre province, known as the “Coconut Kingdom,” you will hear about the Coconut Buddhism. This gentle spiritual group was established based on the noble ideals and compassionate teachings of the Venerated Enlightened Master Nguyễn Thành Nam. As Supreme Master Ching Hai explained during a gathering with our Association members, Master Nguyễn Thành Nam was once respectfully known as the Coconut Monk: “In Âu Lạc, there was a spiritual practitioner. He lived on coconut alone. People called Him the Coconut Monk. That’s right. He was very famous. So, see how people's strong will overcome everything They can overcome everything.”

Nguyễn Thành Nam was knowledgeable and wealthy. But He knew He had a greater purpose than material success. In 1945, with His family’s permission, He renounced worldly life and went to the mystic Thất Sơn (Seven Mountain) Range to cultivate Himself spiritually in a temple on Tượng (Elephant) Mountain. He practiced ascetism over a period of three years, doing silent retreats and meditating on a large rock near the temple.

In 1964, He went to Cồn Phụng Island in Bến Tre Province and built the Âu Lạc Buddha Temple where Coconut Buddhism first began. And the Master also said: “Virtue, Benevolence, Compassion Uniting everyone to save the Buddha’s children I practice asceticism (Dhutanga-niddesa) To save the world in the Kali-Yuga For forty-five years, I have but one goal: Obeying God and Buddha to save humans.”

There were many miraculous and extraordinary stories that occurred during His life which are still remembered and recounted by His disciples to this day. The Master never showed off His magical power. Because the fully enlightened Masters like the Buddha in the past didn’t show off their magical powers. Therefore, the Master didn’t show it, but He had magical powers. One time, the Master saw a monastery on fire. He raised his finger and pointed like this, then the wind blew out the fire and the fire was extinguished. And one example of the Master’s manifestations was, when a person was about to visit Him next day, that night, she would see the Master. Some people saw the image of an old man sitting in meditation, some saw an image of an engineer.

Master Nguyễn Thành Nam’s simple lifestyle and noble thinking has inspired many people. He always advised people to be vegetarian, do good deeds, and pray for world peace. The Coconut Master encouraged: “Everyone, young or old, rich or poor, an intellectual or a peasant, if you can become vegetarian… and especially if you can help humanity return to the evolved lifestyle of a vegetarian, you would earn immeasurable merit.”