Phat Hoc Pagoda is located at 11 Hoa Binh Boulevard, Ninh Kieu District, right in the center of Can Tho city. Although located in the center, it is always noisy and bustling, but when entering the temple, it is a quiet and peaceful space different from the outside. The pagoda has a long history, formerly the headquarters of the South Vietnamese Buddhist Association of Can Tho province, built by the Buddhist Association in 1951. In the past, the pagoda had only 3 floors, relatively simple architecture. In 2012-2014, the pagoda was overhauled into a 5-storey building, located majestically in the heart of the city, opposite the Khmer Munirensay pagoda. The temple has undergone many generations of abbots. Most Venerable Thich Thien Phuoc has been the abbot of the temple since 1965. The Venerable Master passed away in 1993. Venerable Thich Minh Thong succeeded the abbot and continued to make many contributions and promote the role of the temple in local Buddhist activities. The architecture of the pagoda is similar to many typical pagodas in the South, with a large main hall, many doors, surrounded by a spacious and airy corridor. From the outside looking in, the temple gate is built high, a small courtyard with shady old trees and decorated with many Buddha statues. The pagoda consists of a spacious main hall for worshiping Buddha, a pavilion for worshiping the ancestors, an auditorium (Chinh Tri) in which there is a statue of Thien Thu Thien Nhan and a room for the remains of past Buddhists. With each floor, the pagoda is decorated dignified and worships different Buddhas: Amitabha Buddha, Shakyamuni Buddha and Medicine Buddha. Coming here, people will let go of worries and sorrows in life, sincerely turn to Buddha to pray for family and relatives.
