His self-sacrifice in severing his own arm as an offering to the Buddha, and the fact that the arm remains intact after 46 years, is regarded as a testament to his enlightenment and boundless compassion.

A spiritual calling from childhood

Phan Trong Kiem, known in monastic life as monk Kiem, was born on September 16, 1941, in Yen Giang village, Hong Loc commune, Loc Ha district (now part of Thach Ha district, Ha Tinh province), into a poor farming family as the youngest of eight siblings. From an early age, he exhibited a deep spiritual inclination.

According to Phan Trong Thong, 77, a relative of monk Kiem, stories of his spiritual disposition were known throughout the region. By age three, he used separate dining utensils, and by age seven, he was releasing animals and spending hours reading Buddhist scriptures.

At 16, Kiem climbed Mount Hong Linh to seek refuge and training at Huong Tich Pagoda. At the time, the temple was desolate and in disrepair, overseen only by an elderly nun who did not formally take him as a disciple but granted him the Dharma name Thich Thien Tue. From that point, he began solitary ascetic training.

For nine years, monk Kiem labored to restore the temple - breaking stones, hauling materials, and meditating in nearby caves by night. After the nun passed away, he lived alone in the dilapidated pagoda, preserving and protecting it while deepening his spiritual practice.

At just 25, monk Kiem rebuilt Huong Tich Pagoda nearly from scratch and began spreading the Dharma to thousands. His efforts transformed the site into a revered place of pilgrimage.

An incorruptible arm - “diamond relic” of compassion

1987, monk Kiem left Huong Tich to practice in a small hermitage in Con Tooc, Phuc Loc commune. A year later, he returned to his native village to continue his mission. He established Huong Thuong Lien Dai and committed himself to the Bodhisattva path - teaching, healing, and helping the poor.

He was known for traveling barefoot, regardless of weather, to preach, release animals, and offer help to the suffering. People remember him not only as a teacher but also as a healer.

One of his most remarkable spiritual acts was the offering of his own body. On June 19, 1977, monk Kiem severed a finger from his left hand to offer to the Buddha. Two years later, on June 19, 1979, he carried out the extraordinary vow known as “thí phát nhục thân” - offering his own flesh.

At 3 a.m., at Huong Tich Pagoda’s main hall, he placed his left arm on a wooden lotus pedestal, formed the samadhi mudra with four fingers, and used a knife in his right hand to sever the arm. He lost consciousness shortly afterward.

Upon waking later that morning, he wrapped the wound with wild sim leaves and part of his robe, and asked a visiting mother and daughter to bury the arm in the eastern garden of the pagoda.

A week later, a local spiritual practitioner named Quyen, guided by what he believed to be divine instruction, exhumed the arm and brought it to his home for veneration. Astonishingly, the arm remained intact.

In June 1990, Quyen returned the incorrupt arm to monk Kiem’s family. Today, the preserved limb - still displaying the mudra - is enshrined in a crystal reliquary at the family’s ancestral altar.

Locals and pilgrims revere it as a “diamond relic,” a symbol of spiritual realization and sacrifice.

A spiritual legacy beyond death

Monk Kiem passed away on April 3, 2018, at the age of 78, after a life of teaching and compassionate service. His legacy lives on through the Dharma teachings he imparted and the incorruptible arm - seen as a miracle and a spiritual treasure.

“Monk Kiem always encouraged us to live simply, compassionately, and mindfully,” said Phan Trong Thong. “He exemplified sacrifice and ceaseless service to all beings.”

A resident of Hong Loc described him as a “living monument to Buddhism and infinite compassion,” adding that his teachings and relic continue to inspire those who seek enlightenment and serve others.

Mai Dinh Phong, Party Secretary of Hong Loc commune, remarked, “Monk Kiem was not only a great spiritual teacher but also a role model of humility and dedication. He lived modestly, asked for nothing, and gave everything to the Dharma and the community.”

Duy Tuan - Thanh Sen