From the age of 12 years old, I embarked on uncovering my very own legacy. As I entered this life, the essence of the Dharma was embedded in my consciousness. Throughout my journey from youth to career-building, my inner voice consistently guided me towards the monastic path – at 21, 35, and finally at 49, when it became the right time .I call it  “A journey of homecoming.”

In 2008, a founder who was an entrepreneur and Buddhist layman-  President of the Vietnamese Buddhist Association in Moscow with a lay name ‘Phúc Mỹ’, that was me. During an event celebrating Buddha’s birthday with the Vietnamese community, those who held faith and cherished the path of the Buddha’s enlightenment, a moment ​​triggered an abrupt surge of ​​questions within me:

“Where does this faith lead us?

Where does this path take us? Where is this faith in millions of people being practiced? What is the ultimate truth? How do we sustain and continue the stream of Buddha’s enlightenment?”

This aspiration became a source of inner strength for me, as an entrepreneur, to continue economical development with intention, removing myself from extravagance. A journey under the name Mangala, now known as Maha Mangala.

In 2010, when I returned to the Ocean Villas Village on the Non Nuoc Beach – Marble Mountains, the vow I made in 2008 began to manifest. It was a “mystical” story, but to me, it was a truth, as I heard the “sounds of nature” about the significance of this land. The message was like a “dream,” and I found myself awakening in the midst of a vast space, with only me and the sea. I searched for a broom and ascended to the meditation hall of the house that is now a Buddhist temple. Standing on the threshold, suddenly the sound of thunder resounded in the blue sky, and in the sky appeared three majestic, white clouds. After that night, Mangala Zen Garden was born.

The transformation of the building with the purpose of  “Mangala Zen Garden” began in 2012 and was completed in 2014. During those years, Mangala became a place of spiritual awakening for Buddhist monastic communities from various countries, including India, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Taiwan, and the Mai Thon monastic group. For me, this was the most victorious fated connection! The opportunity to engage with Buddhist cultures from many countries and the diverse practices of various traditions gradually helped me fulfill my pledge and understand the core values on the path of Buddha’s enlightenment. In 2017, I left Mangala and moved to the Dalat Central Highlands to live the life of an ascetic. Five years were the ‘awakening years’, and in 2023, I returned with the message of “REBIRTH.” Mangala is reborn with great blessing as “Maha Mangala,” and I return to the life of a “Freedom Ascetic”. The journey of ‘awakening’ has taken Mangala and me on this path together!