Vạn Hạnh Zen Monastery (Đà Lạt)
Lâm Đồng(Thiền viện Vạn Hạnh (Đà Lạt))

Overview & history
Vạn Hạnh Zen Monastery is a thiền viện (Zen monastery) located at 142 Phù Đổng Thiên Vương Street, Lâm Viên Ward – Đà Lạt, Lâm Đồng Province (Vietnam). This is an old Zen monastery and one of the famous tourist attractions of Đà Lạt.
History of the Monastery's Construction
1952: Construction of Đông Thành Niệm Phật Đường (Buddha Recitation Hall).
1957: Renamed as Vạn Hạnh Khuôn Hội (Vạn Hạnh Buddhist Association).
1964: Renamed as Vạn Hạnh Pagoda – Construction of the main hall, 9.6 m, brick walls, corrugated iron roof.
1980: The Sangha appointed Venerable Thích Viên Thanh as abbot of Vạn Hạnh Pagoda.
1983: Construction of the front hall, 4 m x 20 m, tiled roof.
1991: Construction of the sacred dragon scene with the manifestation of Avalokiteśvara (Quán Thế Âm).
1992: Vạn Hạnh Pagoda renamed as Vạn Hạnh Zen Monastery.
1994: Groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of Vạn Hạnh Zen Monastery on 10 November, Year of the Horse (12 December 1994).
2002: On 2 March, Year of the Horse (14 April 2002), groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Thích Ca Buddha Platform. The statue mould is made of cement and reinforced concrete, 24 m high, weighing over 60 tons. Beneath the lotus pedestal is an artificial mountain, inside which is a cave enshrining statues of patriarchs meditating in deep concentration. This project was designed by Venerable Thích Viên Thanh and executed by artisan Thùy Lam, with a total cost of over 1 billion 300 million VND.
Description
The most distinctive feature of the monastery is the outdoor statue of 'Śākyamuni Buddha Holding a Flower and Smiling' (Phật Thích Ca niêm hoa vi tiếu). The sacred statue is 24 m high and 20 m wide, with the right hand holding a lotus flower; this image is especially significant in Zen Buddhism and is known as 'niêm hoa vi tiếu'. According to the scriptures: Once, at the Vulture Peak assembly, when the World-Honoured One (Đức Thế Tôn) held up a lotus flower, the entire assembly was silent and bewildered, only Kāśyapa (Ca Diếp) smiled. The World-Honoured One then said: 'I have the Eye of the True Dharma, the Wondrous Mind of Nirvāṇa, the True Form of the Formless, this Dharma transcends words, from now I entrust it to Kāśyapa.'
The lotus flower from Vulture Peak over two thousand five hundred years ago has once again been vividly depicted in Đà Lạt City, within the grounds of Vạn Hạnh Zen Monastery. This is not only a sacred place for monks, nuns, Buddhists, and visitors from all directions to come and pay homage and make pilgrimages, but is also considered one of the unique cultural works representing the distinctive architectural features of Buddhism.
Photos
📷 Contribute photosVisiting tips
- Dress modestly; remove hats and keep quiet inside the main hall.
- Incense, flowers and offerings are usually sold right outside the gate; light an odd number of sticks (1 or 3).
- Most pagodas open from early morning to evening and are free to enter (some major sites charge a small scenic fee).
- Full-moon days, the 1st of the lunar month and Tet are very crowded; visit on weekday mornings for a quiet experience.
- Ask permission before photographing inside shrines; do not touch statues or altar objects.
Read more & references
Useful links to learn more before your visit:
Location
Coordinates: 11.97226, 108.44197
🧭 Directions on Google Maps