Sweet Potatoes and Dharma: The Story of His Holiness Enlightened Master Fabric Monk (Sư Vải Bán Khoai) (vegetarian), Part 2 of 2

His approach to teaching the Dharma was simple and accessible, encouraging people to recite the Buddha’s name, practice kindness, refrain from harmful actions, and live by ethical values. As He said: “Buddha and Heaven love those of virtue, Buddha and Heaven do not desire people’s money and wealth. Saints and Deities cherish those who are filial and grateful, They love virtuous people, not needing ducks or pigs. Ancient Saints never took lives; Which Deity ever commanded killing living beings?”

His legacy is the poetic text “Sấm Giảng Người Đời (Prophetic Teachings to People).” This work contains warnings and moral guidance and calls for ethical and spiritual renewal in times of social unrest and decline. It was later embraced and expanded upon within the tradition of Hòa Hảo Buddhism, and many consider Sư Vải Bán Khoai to be a spiritual precursor or incarnation leading to the appearance of Venerated Enlightened Master Huỳnh Phú Sổ (vegan), the founder of the Hòa Hảo faith.

Book One, opening “Prophetic Teachings to People,” declares that the era of decline has arrived, and cosmic forces have set the stage for a new, higher age to begin. It frames the impending transformation as both inevitable and Divinely orchestrated. “This year the time has come, Buddha requested that humans’ sins be forgiven. This year, we must urgently be diligent, Spreading the Dharma far and wide for self-cultivation. Ones who do good deeds and act with kindness, Practice in one lifetime, receive immediate blessings. […] The world is coming to its ends, North wind blows in the South, West wind the East. The Heavenly system is changing, Do not miss your only chance to join the Splendid and Glamorous Gatherings. Those who strive to cultivate themselves, With sincerity, will later sit on the lotus dais. The violent and arrogant ones, Will be taken by devils to hell for punishment.”

Master Sư Vải declares that the Enlightened King will ascend to a high position and usher in a golden era of virtue. “Nations surround on all four sides, Buddha and the Saints work without rest. Enlightened King resides in the Southern Palace, Buddha and the Saints work to gather Divine powers. […]” “The Enlighted King ascends to a high position, Establishes a golden era of virtuous and heroic beings. Selects those loved by Buddha, To entrust the nation to the Enlightened King. […]”

In 2023, we received a thank you letter to our Most Beloved Supreme Master Ching Hai (vegan) from Hữu Phước in Âu Lạc (Vietnam).

“I would like to send You my deep respect and gratitude for Your efforts to save the world from destruction and to help humans avoid natural disasters, pandemics and wars during the past decades. Thanks to Your Love, patience, non-stop work, deep-long-continuous meditation retreats, and Blessings from Heaven, every day there are countless souls of humans and animal-people that are liberated and enjoy Heaven forever.

It has been known that You reincarnated in different human bodies in different countries in order to elevate this Earth. Just in the South region of Âu Lạc (Vietnam) alone, from 1807 to 1947, You reincarnated at least five times as: Buddha of Tây An, His Holiness Fabric Monk (Sư Vải Bán Khoai), Buddha the Master (Đức Phật Trùm), The True Master Ngô Lợi (Đức Bổn Sư Ngô Lợi), and Prophet Huỳnh Phú Sổ.

Through those incarnations, You taught the Aulacese (Vietnamese) people to recite the Buddha’s Name, be vegan, and find their True Self, (and many of Your disciples at that time attained the Tao). Your books of Prophetic Teachings, Your sacraments are still being passed down and preserved by the Aulacese (Vietnamese). When studying those Teachings, people will recognize Your Love for the Aulacese (Vietnamese) in particular, and for humanity in general, which cannot be described completely by human language. […]”