An aspect of the three-teachings in the Trúc Lâm buddhist of the Trần dynasty in Vietnam: th unique Tam Phủ system in the Bảo Đỉnh Hành Trì associated with master Huyền Quang (1254-1334)

Abstract

This article presents a discovery about the unique Tam Phủ system in a textbook on Buddhist rituals compiled by Master Huyền Quang during the Trần Dynasty, titled Bảo đỉnh hành trì. The Tam Phủ system in this book is an aspect of the three-teachings syncretism in Trúc Lâm Buddhism during the Trần Dynasty in particular and East Asian Buddhism in general. The unique features of the Tam Phủ in Bảo đỉnh hành trì, focusing on the triad of Black - Yellow - White colors and the three emissaries Đoàn Tử Du - Triệu Công Minh - Liễu Nghị, form the basis for our hypothesis that Bảo đỉnh hành trì has been almost entirely preserved from the Trần Dynasty to the early 20th century and continues to this day. This triad of emissaries is not found in the Buddhist and Taoist scriptures of China, nor in later Vietnamese literature. Could this be an innovation of Trúc Lâm Buddhism during the Trần Dynasty? Interestingly, the characters as Triệu Công Minh and Liễu Nghị appear in Chinese legendary literature, while the origin of Đoàn Tử Du remains unclear. Furthermore, by placing the Tam Phủ của Bảo đỉnh hành trì alongside a relief depicting King Trần Nhân Tông on a stone stele at Giàu Pagoda dating in 1336 in Hà Nam, we interpret the Tam Phủ symbol on the artifacts (suggesting that it might not be the character "Vương王'' as previously interpreted, but rather the Tam Phủ symbol).