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73-634: The pagoda was best known for the raids , in which the Army of the Republic of Vietnam Special Forces loyal to Ngô Đình Nhu , the brother of the Roman Catholic President Ngô Đình Diệm , raided and vandalised Buddhist monasteries and pagodas on 21 August 1963. Construction began on 5 August 1956, according to the plans drawn up by the architects Trần Văn Đường and Đỗ Bá Vinh , while the directing engineers were Dư Ngọc Ánh and Hồ Tố Thuận . The pagoda

146-517: A Buddha (since the Buddha's teachings have not been forgotten yet). Traditional Buddhists believe that Maitreya currently resides in Tushita heaven. However, Maitreya is not inaccessible, and various Buddhists throughout history have also claimed to have been visited by Maitreya, to have had visions of him, and to have received teachings by him. As such, Mahayana Buddhists traditionally consider Maitreya to be

219-423: A follower of Maitreya Buddha. Maitreya will be born to the chief priest of Sankha, Brahmayu, and his wife Brahmavati. In some sources his family name is Maitreya and his first name is Ajita. Maitreya will live as a householder, have a son, and then renounce the world and achieve Buddhahood like Shakyamuni. In some accounts, Maitreya will meet Mahakasyapa , who has been in samadhi on top of mount Kukkutapada since

292-482: A hope for the future, a time when all human beings could once again enjoy the spiritual and physical environment most favorable to enlightenment and the release from worldly suffering." The Maitreya legend has provided a positive view of the future for all Buddhist cultures, who have adapted and expressed the prophetic myth in different ways. According to Buddhist tradition, each kalpa (a cosmic period lasting millions of years) has several Buddhas . The previous kalpa

365-571: A later date. Maitreya's prophecy also appears in other texts like the Māhavastu , Lalitavistara , the Mūlasarvāstivāda -vinaya and the Divyāvadāna . Due to their similar names, some modern scholars like Przyluski , Lamotte and Levi have speculated that inspiration for Maitreya may have come from ancient Indo-Iranian deities like Mithra and the future Zoroastrian savior figure of

438-558: A palace at the center of Tuṣita Heaven (Pāli: Tusita ). Gautama Buddha also lived here before he was born into the world as all bodhisattvas live in the Tuṣita Heaven before they descend to the human realm to become Buddhas. Though the concept of the bodhisattva is different in Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism, both traditions of Buddhism share a belief in Maitreya bodhisattva as

511-474: A period of moral and social betterment. It is only then that Maitreya is expected to come. To be able to take part in this golden age, Buddhist devotees hoped to make enough good merit (through good deeds like giving and compassionate acts) which would condition their future rebirth. One mention of the prophecy in the Maitreyavyākaraṇa states that gods, men and other beings: Will lose their doubts, and

584-481: A throne. He is often represented as a northern Indian nobleman or prince with a full head of hair, fine flowing robes and jewels. Gandharan style images present him with a distinctive long hair loop folded at the top of the head. Maitreya is often depicted carrying a vase or bottle ( kamaṇḍalu ), an element which goes back to the Gandharan sculptures and which he shares with depictions of the deity Brahma (along with

657-430: Is a sun disc. This statue was crafted by sculptors from Biên Hòa , a city just north of Hồ Chí Minh City . It has been in its current state since 1969, when a gold coating was applied to it. In front of the statue of Gautama Buddha is the shrine dedicated to the relics of the Buddha, with the relics being held in a small stupa . Towards the front of the shrine is a small porcelain image of the "Laughing Buddha" Maitreya ,

730-547: Is allowed to enter Maitreya's palace (Vairocanakutalamkara-garbha), where he has a grand vision of the entirety of Maitreya's bodhisattva career. In addition, there are also several Mahāyāna sūtras which focus specifically on Maitreya, his teachings and future activity. Some key Maitreya sutras in the Chinese canon are the following: The Tibetan Buddhist canon meanwhile contains the following Maitreya sutras: Maitreya also appears in other literary works. The Maitreyasamitināṭaka

803-611: Is based around when and how a devotee expected to encounter the figure of Maitreya: In all Buddhist traditions, Maitreya is prophesied to be the next Buddha who will arise in this world. He will attain Buddhahood far in the future (proximally 2000 years from now - 5000 years after Sakyamuni's Parinirvana). Since attaining enlightenment is thought to be much more likely while studying under a living Buddha, many Buddhists have hoped to meet Maitreya and train under him. As Buddhist studies scholar Alan Spongberg writes, Maitreya "came to represent

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876-701: Is derived from the Sanskrit word maitrī "friendship", which is in turn derived from the noun mitra , signifying "friend". The Pali form Metteyya is mentioned in the Cakkavatti-Sīhanāda Sutta ( Digha Nikaya 26) of the Pāli Canon , and also in chapter 28 of the Buddhavamsa . Some modern scholars like Richard Gombrich argue that the sutra is a later addition to the Pali Canon or that it has been edited at

949-523: Is known as the "Lord of Love" or the "Noble Loving One" ( Pakpa Jampa ). The root of his name is the Sanskrit word maitrī (Pali: metta ; meaning friendliness, loving-kindness). The name Maitreya is also related to the Indo-Iranian name Mitra . In all branches of Buddhism, Maitreya is viewed as the direct successor of Gautama Buddha . As the fifth and final Buddha of the current kalpa (eon), Maitreya's teachings will be focused around re-establishing

1022-410: Is not imminent and instead will happen millions of years in the future. In spite of this, Buddhist believers can hope to accumulate good karma so that when the time comes, they will be reborn to meet the future Buddha Maitreya and reach enlightenment under him. Scriptures which describe the future coming of Maitreya also describe the paradise like conditions of the world during Maitreya's time. His coming

1095-516: Is said to usher in a "golden age" of religion and civilization. Buddhist scriptures do not exhort believers to work to bring about this golden age (what Nattier calls "active apocalypticism "). This might be due to the Buddhist view of the cyclical nature of time and history. The cyclical nature of history is thus part of the Maitreya myth. Buddhists believe that there will come a time of Dharma decline in which social order and morality will decline and

1168-416: Is separated from the street by a gated fence. Inside the fence is a popular Chinese-style statue of Quan Âm holding a vial of elixir in one hand and making the gesture of removing obstacles with the other. The main hall of the pagoda is located on the upper level. Men ascend by the stairs on the left hand side, women by those on the right. The hall is rectangular in shape, and is supported by pillars. Facing

1241-565: Is traditionally said to have revealed to the 4th century Indian Buddhist master Asanga . These texts are important in the Yogacara tradition and are considered to be part of the third turning within the Three Turnings of the Wheel of Dharma . They teach the "consciousness-only" idealist philosophy of Yogacara Buddhism. Buddhist tradition associates Asanga (c. 4th century), one of the founders of

1314-544: The Cakkavatti Sutta: The Wheel-turning Emperor ( Digha Nikaya 26), Maitreya Buddha will be born in a time when humans will live to an age of eighty thousand years, in the city of Ketumatī (present Varanasi), whose king will be the Cakkavattī (wheel-turning emperor) Sankha. Sankha will live in the palace where once dwelt King Mahāpanadā, but later he will give the palace away and will himself become

1387-628: The Catholic -oriented Diệm regime. In the wake of the shootings of nine Buddhist protesters on the birthday of Gautama Buddha for defying a ban on the Buddhist flag , mass protests calling for religious equality erupted around the country. With opposition to Diệm growing, Nhu plotted an attack against Xá Lợi Pagoda , the largest Buddhist centre in Saigon, where the movement was organizing its activities. Tung's Special Forces under Nhu's orders were responsible for

1460-568: The Kushan Empire period (30–375 CE). He also appears in Mathura to a lesser extent. Maitreya is already depicted at Sanchi before the Kushan period. But art depicting him becomes much more numerous during the Kushan era, when his cult seems to have grown in popularity. In 4th- to 6th-century China, Buddhist artisans saw Shakyamuni and Maitreya as interchangeable, which indicates that the iconography of

1533-722: The Republic of Vietnam National Police Field Force ( Vietnamese : Cãnh Sát Dã Chiên – CSDC). Approximately 5,000 personnel served in the Special Forces during the Vietnam War. After the Fall of Saigon , those who did not manage to escape were sent to reeducation camps . The LLDB's largest operation occurred with the CIDGs, an immense network of ethnic minorities and Montagnards funded and trained with CIA-U.S. Special Forces resources. Historically,

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1606-554: The Saoshyant . However, David Alan Scott points out numerous differences in their artistic portrayals (even in the same geographic region) and discrepancies which make this direct link unlikely. He specifically points out the very ancient Buddhist roots of Maitreya in the earliest Buddhist texts . Scott does point out that both deities are personifications of the virtue of friendship , so they do have that in common ( maitrī ). There are many Mahāyāna sūtras which describe and discuss

1679-420: The Yogacara school, with the bodhisattva Maitreya. According to traditional accounts, after twelve years of retreat and meditation, Asanga encountered a dying dog and treated his wounds by removing the maggots from the wounds to a piece of Asanga's own flesh. It was only after his act of love and compassion that Asanga had a vision of Maitreya, who turned out to be that very dying dog. Maitreya then took Asanga to

1752-565: The ARVN in recruiting and training as well as sending groups into communist areas in South Vietnam to gather information. US Special Forces referred to the LLDB as "LL" or "LIMA-LIMA" using the phonetic alphabet. Over the radio they were called "XRAY" so it would not reveal the unit as CIDG. In March 1970, aware of the impending withdrawal of U.S. Special Forces from Vietnam as part of a general withdrawal,

1825-703: The ARVN's leadership consequently changed. In 1964, the U.S. Army's 5th Special Forces Group was officially assigned to Vietnam. The LLDB worked closely with the U.S. command and although the Americans funded the CIDG camps, the LLDB assumed ultimate responsibility. These camps were commanded by the ARVN Special Forces, supplemented by U.S. Special Forces advisors. From 24 June to 1 July 1964 under Project DELTA , LLDB teams performed five parachute drops into Laos to gather intelligence. By 1965, LLDB personnel were working with

1898-408: The Buddha of the future. Between the small statue of Maitreya and the large statue of Gautama is a golden image of multi-armed Cundi (Chuan De) bodhisattva sitting in meditation on a lotus blossom. The bodhisattva 's many hands grasp familiar attributes such as the sword, the wheel, and the trident. Elegant Chinese-style vases on either side of the shrine hold flowers of various colors. The walls of

1971-497: The Buddha's Dharma on Earth. According to scriptures, Maitreya's teachings will be similar to those of Gautama (Śākyamuni). The arrival of Maitreya is prophesied to occur during an era of decline when the teachings of Gautama Buddha have been disregarded or largely forgotten. Despite many religious figures and spiritual leaders claiming to be Maitreya throughout history, diverse Buddhist sects insist that these are false claims, while underscoring that Maitreya has yet to appear as

2044-431: The Buddhist community was carried out by Tung's men in 1963. In a small pond near Đà Nẵng, a hugely oversized carp was found swimming. Local Buddhists began to believe the fish was a reincarnation of one of Gautama Buddha's disciples. As pilgrimages to the pond grew larger and more frequent, so did disquiet among the district chief and his officials, who answered to Ngô Đình Cẩn , another younger brother of Diệm. The pond

2117-611: The CIA in the United States and commanded some 1,840 men under the direction of Nhu. Tung's most notable military activity was leading a group run by the CIA, in which ARVN personnel of northern origin were sent into North Vietnam, posing as locals, in order to gather intelligence as well as sabotaging communist infrastructure and communications. They were trained in bases at Nha Trang, Đà Nẵng and sometimes offshore in Taiwan , Guam and Okinawa . Of

2190-518: The CIDG. During the rule of President Ngô Đình Diệm , the Special Forces were used mainly for repressing dissidents. Despite the fact that South Vietnam was struggling against the communist insurgency of the Viet Cong in the rural areas, the Special Forces were mostly kept in the capital Saigon , where they were used to prevent coups or harass regime opponents. Under Diệm, the Special Forces were headed by Colonel Lê Quang Tung , who had been trained by

2263-524: The Cross found in some Christian churches. The fourteen scenes are as follows: Above the entrance, facing the shrine itself, is an especially big image of Gautama Buddha seated in meditation underneath a fig tree. The bell tower of Xá Lợi Pagoda was opened in 1961. The tower stands 32 m, has seven stories, and is the highest bell tower in Vietnam . On the highest level, there is a bell weighing two tonnes, which

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2336-650: The Dharma. Chinese Buddhists consider the rotund monk Budai as an emanation of Maitreya in China. Buddhist yogis and scholars, like Dao'an , have also sought to receive visions, teachings, or guidance from Maitreya in this present life. Various stories are recorded of individuals ascending to meet Maitreya (through meditation and samadhi ) or of Maitreya descending to meet them here on earth. The most famous of these revelations in Mahayana Buddhism are five scriptures Maitreya

2409-588: The Intelligence Directorate of the Joint General Staff (JGS). This directorate was usually known by the nickname "the 7th Technical Directorate" and was divided into three sections: The ARVN also fielded an airborne-qualified special strike unit, 81st Airborne Ranger group ( Vietnamese : Liên đoàn 81 Biệt cách dù ), under the direct command of the JGS. It can be counted as part of the Special Forces and

2482-468: The LLDB and the montagnards. Ultimately, however, the advisers could not exercise complete jurisdiction because the South Vietnamese were technically, though not realistically, in charge of these programs. During the period of Vietnamization (1969–1972), the number of U.S. advisers was reduced, then eliminated, which forced the LLDB to assume complete control over tens of thousands of ethnic troops, which

2555-950: The Middle and the Extremes"), Abhisamayalankara ( "Ornament for clear realization"), and the Ratnagotravibhaga (Exposition of the Jeweled lineage). The Chinese tradition meanwhile maintains that the five revealed scriptures are: the Yogācārabhūmi , *Yogavibhāga [now lost] , Mahāyānasūtrālamkārakā , Madhyāntavibhāga and the Vajracchedikākāvyākhyā. Mahayana sources contain various mantras and dharanis of Maitreya. His common name mantra (as taught in Shingon Buddhism ) is: oṃ maitreya svāhā Another Maitreya mantra taught in

2628-623: The South Vietnamese considered such minorities inferior, especially the semi-primitive mountain tribes, and this diminished effective cooperation and a mutual sense of purpose between the LLDB and its Central Highland militia. Command and control was frequently strained, a factor that contributed to an unsuccessful rebellion in September 1964, by tribal groups loyal to the United Front for the Liberation of Oppressed Races (FULRO). The degree to which

2701-504: The Special Forces were formed at Nha Trang in February 1956. During the rule of Ngô Đình Diệm , the Special Forces were run by his brother, Ngô Đình Nhu , until both were assassinated in November 1963 in a coup . The Special Forces were disbanded in 1975 when South Vietnam ceased to exist after the Fall of Saigon . The Special Forces came into being at Nha Trang in February 1956 under

2774-625: The U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV) agreed to convert CIDG camps into ARVN Border Ranger camps. The most highly regarded of the CIDG units, the Mobile Strike Force followed the conversion and integration into the ARVN as well. The LLDB were eventually disbanded in December 1970. The former indigenous reconnaissance team personnel previously assigned to work with MACV-SOG (the US military reconnaissance office for MACV) were regrouped into

2847-505: The autumn of 1961, Special Forces units began Operation Eagle at Bình Hưng with a night parachute assault. In September 1962, United States Special Forces personnel assumed responsibility of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)'s border surveillance and Civilian Irregular Defense Group (CIDG) programs and began working with the ARVN Special Forces. The Special Forces continued to expand and began to increasingly operate with

2920-502: The back wall of the pagoda into the grounds of the adjoining US Aid Mission, where they were granted asylum. Thich Tinh Khiet, the 80-year-old Buddhist patriarch of Vietnam, was seized and taken to a military hospital on the outskirts of Saigon . The commander of the III Corps of the ARVN , General Tôn Thất Đính , soon announced military control over Saigon, canceling all commercial flights into

2993-766: The bodhisattva Maitreya. He appears as a supporting character in several important Mahāyāna sūtras such as the Lotus Sutra , Vimalakirti Sutra , the Golden Light , the King of Samadhis Sutra , and the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines . In the Gaṇḍavyūha Sutra meanwhile, Maitreya has an entire chapter in which he preaches the Dharma to the pilgrim Sudhana in one hundred and twenty one verses. Then Sudhana

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3066-523: The celestial realm of Tushita and transmitted to him several Buddhist scriptures (the so called "five dharmas of Maitreya"). The Chinese and Tibetan traditions disagree on which scriptures are included in the "Five Dharmas of Maitreya". In the Tibetan tradition, the five texts are: Mahāyānasūtrālamkārakārikā , ("The Adornment of Mahayana sutras"), Dharmadharmatāvibhāga ("Distinguishing Phenomena and Pure Being"), Madhyāntavibhāgakārikā ("Distinguishing

3139-479: The city and instituting press censorship. Across the country, hundreds were estimated to have died or vanished, and more than one thousand monks were incarcerated. The pagoda served as the headquarters of the Vietnamese Buddhist Association until 1981, and as its second office until May 1993. The site includes a number of buildings, including the main ceremonial hall and the bell tower. The pagoda

3212-561: The current regent of the Buddha's Dharma in Tusita. Many Buddhists throughout history have cultivated merit through good deeds in order to be reborn in Tusita and meet Maitreya bodhisattva there in their next life. This may be combined with the wish to descend back down to earth as part of Maitreya's future entourage. Mahayana Buddhists such as Dao'an , Xuanzang , Yjing , and other masters of East Asian Yogacara , have expressed devotion for Maitreya and have sought to be reborn in his pure land ,

3285-631: The designation of the First Observation Battalion/Group (FOG). By 1960, most Special Forces units were involved in the FOG program. At Long Thành , they were trained in intelligence gathering, sabotage and psychological operations (PSYOP). The main duties of the Special Forces entailed the recruitment and training of one-to-four man teams in intelligence, sabotage, and psychological warfare missions in North Vietnam . The success of these missions

3358-491: The eighty groups of operatives, numbering six or seven per group, that were deployed in 1963 via parachute drops or night time sampan journeys, nearly all were captured or killed. Those who were captured were often used for propaganda by the North Vietnamese. Tung was heavily criticised for his management of the operations. In 1963, South Vietnam faced civil unrest in the face of Buddhist protests against discrimination by

3431-453: The entrance is the shrine, which is dominated by a large statue of Gautama Buddha . The statue of Gautama depicts the Buddha seated in meditation on a lotus blossom. He is wearing the garb of a monk. As usual, he is depicted with ears lengthened by the use of jewelry (indicating his royal origins), closely cropped curly hair (indicating renunciation of the worldly life), and a large protuberance on his head (indicating aptitude). Behind his head

3504-490: The ethnic troops resented. Maitreya Maitreya ( Sanskrit ) or Metteyya ( Pali ), is a bodhisattva who is regarded as the future Buddha of this world in all schools of Buddhism , prophesied to become Maitreya Buddha or Metteyya Buddha . In some Buddhist literature , such as the Amitabha Sutra and the Lotus Sutra , he is also referred to as Ajitā (Invincible, Unconquerable). In Tibetan Buddhism he

3577-592: The founder of the Yogacara tradition through his revelation of various scriptures like the Mahāyānasūtrālamkārakā , and the Madhyāntavibhāga . Maitreya has also been employed in a millenarian role by many non-Buddhist philosophies and religions, such as Theosophy , New Age , the White Lotus , as well as by modern new religious movements , such as Yiguandao and Falun Gong . The name Maitreya

3650-458: The gates and smashed their way into the pagoda at around 00:20 on 21 August 1963, as Xá Lợi's brass gong was clanged as a warning signal of the attack. Nhu's men were armed with pistols, submachine guns, carbines, shotguns, grenades and tear gas. The Special Forces were joined by truckloads of combat police in army camouflage uniforms. Monks and nuns who barricaded themselves behind wooden shields were attacked with rifle butts and bayonets. The gong of

3723-441: The hair loop). Because of this, some scholars argue that the water bottle and hair loop are symbols of his brahminical origins, and indeed, some stories depict Maitreya as being born to a Human family during his last life. Maitreya is also often shown in a heaven realm, indicating his current location (Tushita). In Indian symbolism, the kamaṇḍalu pot symbolizes immortality ( amrita ), fertility, life and wealth. In Buddhism,

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3796-401: The human lifespan will also decline. There will be war, sickness and famine. The Buddha's Dharma will then be lost. After some time, the world will begin to improve again, and human lifespans will begin to increase. It is at the peak of this rise in goodness in the far future that Maitreya will arrive. As such, in the traditional Buddhist view, first there will be a period of decline, followed by

3869-570: The main hall play host to a sequence of large panels depicting fourteen scenes from the life of the Gautama Buddha , from his birth as Prince Siddhartha to his attainment of nirvana . The images were created by Dr. Nguyen Van Long of the Gia Dinh Art School. Arranged sequentially high on the two side walls, the images are reminiscent of the depictions of the life of Jesus or of the Stations of

3942-418: The net of the passions, they will manage to enter into trances, and theirs will be an abundance of joy and happiness, for they will lead a holy life under Maitreya's guidance. Thus, many Buddhists throughout history have sought to develop the necessary merit to meet Maitreya on Earth during the life of his final Buddhahood. This includes many Theravada Buddhists. One famous Theravadin who expressed this wish

4015-457: The next 180,000 years. According to the commentary of Anāgatavamsa, his teaching will last for 360,000 years. Buddhists believe that Maitreya is currently a spiritually advanced bodhisattva (a being who is practicing the path towards full Buddhahood ) in Tuṣita heaven where he will remain until it is the right time for him to descend to earth to attain Buddhahood. Maitreya currently resides in

4088-419: The pagoda was drowned out by the burst of automatic weapons fire, the sound of exploding grenades, shattering glass and human screaming. One monk was thrown from the balcony down to the courtyard six meters below. Nhu's men vandalized the main altar and managed to confiscate the intact charred heart of Thích Quảng Đức , the monk who had self-immolated in protest against the policies of the regime. Two monks jumped

4161-499: The palace at the center of Tuṣita. One Theravada example is the legend of the monk Malaya-Mahadeva, who is said to have traveled to Tushita and met Maitreya according to the 11th century Rasavāhinī . Modern figures like Xuyun , and Taixu  have also expressed the wish to meet Maitreya in Tushita. Maitreya is also believed by Buddhists to manifest "emanation bodies" ( nirmanakayas ) on earth in order to aid living beings and teach

4234-587: The passing of Shakyamuni. According to some accounts, Mahakasyapa will then hand Shayamuni's robe to Maitreya. Buddhist texts from several traditions say that beings in Maitreya's time will be much bigger than during the time of Sakyamuni. To these gigantic beings, Buddha's robe barely covers two fingers and a modern human appears insect sized. Some sources state that Maitreya will be 88 cubits (132 feet, 40 meters) tall and will live for 88,000 years. Like Maṅgala Buddha , his rays will make people hard to distinguish between day and night. His teachings will preserve for

4307-432: The raid on 21 August 1963, in which 1,400 monks were arrested and hundreds were estimated to have been killed, as well as extensive property damage. These attacks were replicated across the country in a synchronised manner. Following the attacks, U.S. officials threatened to withhold aid to the Special Forces unless they were used in fighting communists, rather than attacking dissidents. Another infamous religious assault on

4380-401: The similar pūrṇa- kumbha (full bottle) also symbolizes "auspicious abundance", wisdom, health, longevity, wealth, prosperity, and the Buddha's infinite quality of teaching the Dharma. In Tibetan Buddhism, it is termed a bumpa (wisdom urn, ritual vase). According to Jan Nattier , there are four main types of the Maitreya myth which we find throughout the history of Buddhism . The typology

4453-400: The torrents of their cravings will be cut off: free from all misery they will manage to cross the ocean of becoming; and, as a result of Maitreya's teachings, they will lead a holy life. No longer will they regard anything as their own, they will have no possession, no gold or silver, no home, no relatives! But they will lead the holy life of oneness under Maitreya's guidance. They will have torn

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4526-468: The tribal minorities influenced the war cannot be underestimated. They provided intelligence, acted as scouts, and in many cases became effective guerrilla soldiers. Thus, the South Vietnamese, despite their racist attitudes, needed the assistance they received from the Montagnards, and U.S. Special Forces and Australian Special Air Service (SAS) advisers acted as intermediaries when clashes occurred between

4599-529: The two figures were not fully established at an early date. An example is the stone sculpture found in the Qingzhou cache dedicated to Maitreya in 529 CE as recorded in the inscription (currently in the Qingzhou Museum, Shandong ). The religious belief of Maitreya apparently developed around the same time as that of Amitābha , as early as the 3rd century CE. Maitreya is often depicted standing or sitting on

4672-455: Was an extensive Buddhist play in pre-Islamic Central Asia (c. 8th century). The Maitreyavyakarana (a poem in śatakam form) in Central Asia and the Anagatavamsa of South India also mention him. In the Greco-Buddhist art of Gandhara , in the first centuries CE in northern India, Maitreya was the most popular figure to be represented along with Gautama Buddha . Numerous sculptures of Maitreya have been found in Greater Gandhara from

4745-471: Was cast in the model of the bell of Thiên Mụ Pagoda in Huế . Army of the Republic of Vietnam Special Forces The Army of the Republic of Vietnam Special Forces ( Vietnamese : Lực Lượng Đặc Biệt Quân Lực Việt Nam Cộng Hòa , or LLDB ; Chữ Hán : 力量特別軍力越南共和) were the elite military units of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) . Following the establishment of the Republic of Vietnam (commonly known as South Vietnam ) in October 1955,

4818-406: Was launched by the ARVN against Diệm. Knowing Tung was a loyalist who would order his Special Forces to defend Diệm, the generals invited him to Joint General Staff (JGS) headquarters on the pretext of a routine meeting. He was arrested and later executed along with his deputy and younger brother, Lê Quang Triệu. Diệm and Nhu were also executed after being captured at the end of the successful coup and

4891-462: Was mined, but the fish swam on unhindered. After raking the pond with machine gun fire, the fish still lived. To deal with the problem, Tung's forces were called in. The pond was grenaded , killing the carp. The incident generated more publicity as newspapers across the world ran stories about the miraculous fish. ARVN helicopters began landing at the site, with ARVN paratroopers filling their bottles with water which they believed had magical powers. Tung

4964-428: Was opened on 2 May 1958, by the Most Venerable Thich Khanh Anh. The pagoda was built to enshrine a sample of the relics of Gautama Buddha , giving its name. A series of raids in response to Vietnamese Buddhists' protests for civil rights in the face of religious persecution from the government of the Roman Catholic President Ngô Đình Diệm . Squads of Special Forces, led by Lê Quang Tung and combat police flattened

5037-427: Was poor. Although minor sabotage and unrest was fomented, Hanoi declared that all agents were to be killed or captured. Those who were captured were interrogated and executed. In 1961, the Special Forces and the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) 1st Infantry Division , based in the northernmost area of South Vietnam, conducted a joint operation against Communist infiltrators in northern Quảng Trị Province . In

5110-403: Was reported to have been planning an operation at the request of Nhu to stage a government organised student demonstration outside the US Embassy, Saigon . In this plan, Tung and his operatives would assassinate U.S. ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. , other key officials and Buddhist leader Thích Trí Quang , who was given asylum after being targeted in the pagoda raids. On 1 November 1963, a coup

5183-414: Was the vyuhakalpa (glorious aeon), and the present kalpa is called the bhadrakalpa (auspicious aeon). The Seven Buddhas of Antiquity ( saptatathāgata ) are seven Buddhas which bridge the last kalpa and the present kalpa, they begin with Vipassī and end (so far) with Gautama (Shakyamuni). Maitreya is thus the eighth Buddha in this line. According to traditional Buddhist sources Maitreya's advent

5256-627: Was the Sinhalese king Duṭṭhagāmaṇī . In Mahayana Buddhism, Buddhas preside over pure lands , such as Sukhavati . Once Maitreya becomes a Buddha, he will rule over the Ketumati pure land, an earthly paradise sometimes associated with the city of Varanasi (also known as Benares) in Uttar Pradesh , India, and in other descriptions, the kingdom of Shambhala . Various Buddhist sources give details about Maitreya's birth, family and country. According to

5329-516: Was under the Special Forces command, later being placed under the JGS command. The unit was bloodied during the 1968 Tet Offensive and the 1972 Easter Offensive when it was launched into battle to relieve the garrison of An Lộc northwest of Saigon from a People's Army of Vietnam siege. Some former LLDB personnel were formed into a new clandestine unit, the Vietnamese Special Mission Service (SMS), while others went to serve in

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