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VIETNAMESE BUDDHISM:
PAST & PRESENT
PAST: From A.D. 43 to A.D. 1975 (except A.D. 1010 – A.D. 1400): foreign aggressions / civil wars.
PRESENT: From 1975 up to now.
Buddhism
arrived in VN
around the 2nd
century B.C.
Luy lâu, 25 km
Northeast of
Hà Nội, an
important
Buddhist
centre.
A. VIETNAMESE BUDDHISM IN THE PAST
I. Preserving the Nation culture and independence
• Sĩ Nhiếp (137 – 226): Chinese origin / barbarian
religion (Buddhism) / Pháp vân pagoda / Hồ.
• The text Lý Hoặc Luận (a summary of struggle on
culture): 37 pairs of questions and answers, late in
the 2nd century A.D. by Mâu Tử (a Chinese convert),
highlighting the superiority of Buddhism to
Confucianism and Taoism. A magical Buddha.
• Khương Tăng Hội (? – 280): A student of Mâu Tử’s,
bringing the cultural influence from Vietnam to Nan-
king, China under the reign of king Ngô Tôn Quyền in
247 A.D. An-ban-thủ-ý, a text on meditation, leading
to magical powers and seeing the Buddha.
Pháp vân Pagoda in Luy Lâu
Pháp Vân Pagoda
Pháp Vân Pagoda Pháp Vân Pagoda
II. New Buddhist ideology
Nobody saw the Buddha. Till the mid-5th century A.D., the doubt was discussed by Lý Miễu (a newly Buddhist tendency) and two monks, Đạo Cao and Pháp Minh (a supernatural Buddhism).
After Hội’s death, there were many uprisings. Strength from inside. Leaders Lý Thường Nhân, Lý Thúc Hiến (458 - 485). Especially, Lý Bí (mid-6th) found state of Vạn Xuân, Khai Quốc Buddhist pagoda.
Tì-ni-đa-lưu-chi zen school (580): The enlightenment is from within.
A magical Buddhism was turned into a secular or socio-political one.
Khai Quốc Pagoda in Hà Nội
(Past)
III. Vô Ngôn Thông Zen school and Independence
For a clear-cut solution of the crisis of Magical
Buddhism in mid-5th century and Taking part in the
protection and construction of the country – Vô Ngôn
Thông Zen school was founded.
In 820, Vô Ngôn Thông, a Chinese Zen Master, came
to Vietnam. He refused the viewpoint that Zen
originated from India or China and advocated that
Whoever enlightens is Buddha, Wherever is
enlightened is Zen. This Zen school asks for the
Buddhists to put their ideas into practice by engaging
in worldly life, politics.
When the Đường Dynasty in China became
weak and confused, the Viets started rising up.
Mai Hắc Đế (722) and Bố cái Đại vương (766 –
799) failed. But Khúc Thừa Dụ (906 – 907),
Khúc Hạo (907 – 917), Khúc Thừa Mỹ (917 -
923) and Ngô Quyền (905 -938) continuously
rose up, defeated the Chinese and started a
long, stable period of National independence on
every aspect with successive dynasties Ngô,
Đinh, Tiền Lê, and especially the Lý (1010 -
1225) and Trần (1225 – 1400) dynasties.
• It is during this period the intellectual Buddhist
monks were skilful counselors who helped the
leaders to gain success:
• Monk Định Không (730 – 808) said Buddhism can
only develop in an independent country.
• Monk Vạn Hạnh advised King Lý Công Uẩn to
shift the Capital from Hoa Lư to Thăng Long (now
Hà Nội) for keeping the National independence
long.
• Monk Pháp Thuận utilized prophecy to help king Lê Đại Hành (980 -1005) seize power. The verse “Quốc tộ” (The first Vietnamese theory of government):
“Quốc tộ như đằng lạc
Nam thiên lý thái bình
Vô vi cư điện các
Xứ xứ tức đao binh.”
(The state destiny is like winding strings,
The Southern Heaven opens the prosperous and peaceful sight.
Vô vi stays in the royal palace,
Everywhere stops hostility.)
IV. Thảo Đường Zen school and South March
• Under the Lý dynasty, one more Zen school -
Thảo Đường – was founded to meet a new
demand of the country.
Một Cột Pagoda under the Lý dynasty (Present) Một Cột Pagoda under the Lý dynasty (past)
• In 1069, Champa king, Chế Củ, offered 3
provinces Hà Tĩnh, Quảng Bình and Quảng Trị .
• Thảo Đường, a Chinese monk among the
prisoners was appointed Imperial Preceptor.
• Thảo Đường Zen school spent nearly 150 years
with 18 Zen Masters, half Successors laity, half
Successors monks.
• Tì-ni-đa-lưu-chi Zen school survived over 600
years, all Successors were monks.
• Vô-ngôn-thông Zen school surviving around 250
years had 3 laymen as Successors.
• The impact of Buddhism shifted gradually from
monks to laity
V. TRÚC LÂM ZEN SCHOOL
• King Trần Nhân Tông (1258 – 1309) with the idea “Cư trần
lạc đạo” (Living a worldly life and loving the Way).
• In 1307, the king received 2 provinces, Thừa Thiên and
Quảng Nam.
• The expansion of new territories and the menace of
aggressions put forward an urgent demand for population
growth.
• Vienam continued its South March and Buddhism as a
cultural instrument was necessary to stabilize the new
territories.
• The next Lê dynasty (1428 – 1527) marked a newly
developing period of secular Buddhism based on the idea
of “Cư trần lạc đạo”. The Lê kings were ardent supporters
of Buddhism, especially king Lê Thánh Tông, well-versed in
both Confucianism and Buddhism.
Trúc Lâm Yên Tử
Chùa Đồng (Bronze Pagoda)
Hoa Yên Pagoda Mộ Tổ
Trúc Lâm Tam Tổ
VI. PERIOD OF NEW BUDDHISM
• In 1698, Lord Nguyễn Phúc Chu completed the
South March. The idea “Cư Nho mộ Thích” (Living
as Confucianist but loving Buddhism). Buddhists
of this period must master the art of
(Confucianism in) governing the country.
• 6 Zen schools, Tào Động, Trúc Lâm, Quốc Ân,
Thập Tháp, Chúc Thánh and Liễu Quán have still
existed until now.
• Under the French colony (1883 – 1945), many
eminent Buddhists were ardent patriots and
leaders of insurgent movements.
• In 1920’s, inspired by reformed movements in East
Asian countries, particularly the Chinese monk
Thái Hư Đại sư (1890 -1947), Vietnamese
Buddhist magazines and periodicals appeared with
a view to addressing political and social issues.
• In the 1930’s, there appeared 3 new Associations
of Buddhist studies.
• The unity of three Associations were hindered by
the French and lack of communication.
VII. VIETNAMESE BUDDHISM FROM 1945
• In 1945, Hồ Chí Minh formed the Vietnamese
People’s Democratic Government. Buddhists
participated in the construction of the country and
later on in the resistance against the French.
• In 1949, king Bảo Đại (1913 – 1997) assumed the
role of head of South Vietnam. In 1951 he signed
Decree No. 10 relegating all religions (except
Catholic and Protestant missions) to the status of
“public associations”.
• On assuming power in 1955, Ngô Đình Diệm
(1901 – 1963) retained Decree No. 10. In 1957 he
removed the Buddha’s birthday from the list of
official holidays.
• On June 11, 1963, under the repressive policy of
Diệm, the self-immolation of Monk Thích Quảng
Đức partly resulted in the overthrow of this regime.
Self-immolation Thích Quảng Đức
In 1964, the Vietnamese Unified Buddhist Sangha
was founded and Vạn Hạnh Buddhist University was
established.
Eminent monks Thích Trí Quang, Thích Tâm Châu,
Thích Nhất Hạnh (founder of School of Youth for
Social Service).
Vietnamese failed to seize a rare opportunity to
reform and explore the potential of Buddhist culture
in its country.
B. VIETNAMESE BUDDHISM IN THE PRESENT
• In 1975 Vietnam was unified.
• 09 Vietnamese Buddhist sects / associations
nationwide were unified in an Organisation called
“Giáo hội Phật giáo Việt Nam” (Vietnam Buddhist
Sangha) with its motto: “Dharma – Nation –
Socialism.” The Sangha is divided into two ranks: a)
Central and, b) Local.
• The Central Sangha includes a Sangha Patronage
Council (Hội đồng Chứng minh) and a Dhamma
Executive Council (Hội đồng Trị sự) including 09
Departments and 01 Institute as follows:
• 1) Tăng sự (Sangha affairs),
• 2) Giáo dục tăng ni (Training monks and nuns),
• 3) Hoằng pháp (Dharma propagation),
• 4) Hướng dẫn Phật tử (Guidance of laity),
• 5) Nghi lễ (Buddhist rites),
• 6) Văn hóa (Buddhist culture),
• 7) Kinh tế – Tài chánh (Economics and Finance),
8) Từ thiện xã hội (Social charity),
• 9) Phật giáo quốc tế (International Buddhism), and
• 10) Viện Nghiên cứu Phật học Việt Nam (Vietnam
Buddhist Research Institute).
The Local Sangha in cities and provinces also have
the same works as for the Central except the 10th.
A report of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in August, 2012:
• There have been 46,495 monks and nuns in the whole
country – Mahayana: 34,062; Theravada: 9,379 [Khmer:
8,574]; Mendicant: 3,054. There also have existed 14, 778
monasteries and temples – Mahayana: 13,710; Theravada:
527, Mendicant: 541, ...
• Over 200 monk and nun students are studying abroad and
over 100 have returned homeland after completing their
Ph.D or M.A.’degrees. Particularly, in early 2012, 15 monk
and nun students started school in Taiwan for their Buddhist
studies.
• There exist 4 Buddhist Universities in Hà Nội, Huế, Hồ Chí
Minh and Cần Thơ; 8 Buddhist colleges, 31 Buddhist high
schools and over 1,500 Elementary monk and nun students
in the whole country.
Vietnam Buddhist University in Hồ Chí Minh City
• There exist over 65 Tuệ Tĩnh Đường (Buddhist
clinics) nationwide. The Sangha spent over
214,643,530,274 VND (≈ 1,000,000 USD) for the
social and relief works for the first 6 months of
2012.
• As for the Vietnamese Buddhists abroad, the
Sangha has a number of intimate foundations or
persons in North America, Australia and Europe
(Germany, Czech, Hungary, Russia, Poland,
Ukraine).
Thank You