Thầy già ngày 12 tháng 8, 2008
Deity Nguyễn Trung Trực – factual story
Story 2. ...continuation from Story 1 Chimđađa
Chimđađa is a Vietnamese with Cambodian roots but various events changed him to become a Cambodian with Vietnamese roots. This tale involved a Vietnamese deity called Deity Nguyễn Trung Trực.
The events which made Chimđađa uprooted from his town of Sóc Trăng to settle in Cambodia are very complicated suffice to say he had to go due to personal circumstances. Chimđađa recalled at that time he was very much in financial difficulties and also did not have any connections in Cambodia. But he was in a dilemma between the devil and the deep blue sea.
Wandering aimlessly along the avenues then returning to his temporary abode, he felt so desolate with complete despair at the situation.
One can comment that Chimđađa’s behaviour is unusual in that although he has been brought up as a Buddhist, when he reaches that point of despair he then sought help from various deities and spirits. This time he prayed to Deity Nguyễn Trung Trực, whose statue was present at his location at that time and that Deity Nguyễn Trung Trực was very much revered by the local community.
Chimđađa prayed most sincerely and his prayers were eventually answered. In his dreams Deity Nguyễn Trung Trực told him to be at a specific location and at a specific time the following day and his benefactor would come to help. He should also start his itinerary as instructed.
The following day as predicted in his dreams, there was a couple who came asking for his name and handed him a basket containing food and a packet of money. They said that they were instructed by Deity Nguyễn Trung Trực to do this.
Chimđađa was so encouraged and started towards the Vietnamese-Cambodian border but all the while continually worried because he did not have any papers to allow him to cross the border. He was also worried about the fact that he did not know anyone in Cambodia.
But surprises after surprises, miracles guided him to meet a few poor Cambodian women who invited him to become an abbot and look after the local monastery which was derelict because no local monks would come and stay. Gradually the local community managed to obtain official papers for Chimđađa to legally remain in Cambodia. And so Chimđađa followed his fate and settled on this foreign land.
Chimđađa confided that it was Deity Nguyễn Trung Trực who revealed to him and helped him a total of 3 times. The third and final time, he recalled Deity Nguyễn Trung Trực said to him: “here is the last part of Vietnamese soil under my jurisdiction, just march forward and there will be someone who will offer help on the other side”
In time, Old_Guru will retell other tales involving the Deity Lê Văn Duyệt and Saint Trần Hưng Đạo.
Old_Guru 12-08-08