predominant form of Buddhism in Vietnam is
a combination of Pure Land and Zen. Zen practice, with its emphasis
on meditation is mostly pursued among the monks and nuns, while
Pure Land philosophy and practice is preferred by the lay-people.
Truc Lam's Zen Monastery, in South
Vietnam's Da Lat City is about
300 km from Ho Chi Minh city. It is located on the Highland which
has been famous for its temperate climate and scenery since the
time Vietnam was a French Colony.
This is one of the largest Zen meditation
study centres in Vietnam, with equally large numbers of nuns and
monks. The centre has many English speaking members. The centre
is not only popular locally but also among Vietnamese abroad for
meditation studies. The centre is under the teaching of the Venerable
Thich Thanh Tu, a renowned teacher in meditation over many decades.
The Venerable's teachings and lectures are embraced, practiced and
circulated in many different forms of media around the world by
In the south there is a sizeable minority
of Theravadin Buddhist, mainly among the ethic Khmer people (Khmer
Krom), but also among the Vietnamese. Theravadin monks study alongside
Mahayana monks at Saigon's Van Hanh Buddhist University.
There is also a unique Vietnamese form
of Buddhism which evolved in the southern provinces, and is a successful
combination of Theravada and Mahayana. While much of the philosophy
is Mahayana, the Sangha (monks and nuns) follow the Vinaya rules
(code of ethics) quite strictly, and go on the traditional alms
round every day. As for example, the Venerable Minh Dang Quang (see
picture) who was the founder of the Vietamese indigenous
Buddhist order .
During colonial times, many hybrid Buddhist sects
evolved, and most are still active today, especially among overseas
Vietnamese communities. These include Hoa Hoa, a lay-based, militant,
form of Buddhist Protestantism, and Cao Dai, a Vietnamese attempt
to combine the worlds great religions, which emphasises prophecy
and ritual, and is organised along the lines of the Catholic church,
with a Holy See, Popes, and Cardinals, etc.
was and still is a profoundly Buddhist country. The Sangha are
very involved in the community,and temples often run schools,
orphanages, medical clinics, and homes for the disabled. Lay people
play an important role in religious life. Because of historical
circumstances, Vietnamese Buddhists have faced much persecution
in the last fifty years.
Most monks and nuns enter at a young
age, and within the temples, education is greatly valued and encouraged.
Most Vietnamese Sangha go to university, and now some hold jobs
as teachers, doctors, lawyers and journalists. Many are also proficient
in foreign languages, especially Chinese and English.
The main Buddhist festivals are Vesak
(Buddha's Birthday) and Vulan (Ullambana). Vietnamese traditionally
visit the temple on the fifteenth day of the Lunar month (Ram),
and also in the various festival days of the Mahayana Buddhas and
Bodhisattvas. Committed lay people go through a formal ceremony
of "taking refuge", where they are given a Buddhist name.
They wear a traditional grey costume over their normal clothes when
they go to the temple, to signify their status as serious Buddhists.
There is a large and well organised lay youth movement called "Gia
Dinh Phat Tu" (Lit: Family of Buddha's children) which is similar
to the scouts. The official American name of the organization is
"Vietnamese Buddhist Youth Association". This organization
has an official website in Vietnamese at: www.gdpt.net.
There is great equality between monks
and nuns, as there is between men and women throughout Vietnamese
society. Monks are addressed as "Thay" (Teacher), Nuns
as "Su Co" (Sister). All Sangha take the name "Thich",
to signify that they have left their worldly family, and have joined
the family of the Buddha. Buddhists greet each other by placing
their palms together at chest level and saying, "Mo Phat"
(Praise Buddha). An alternative form of greeting is to recite the
name of Amitabha Buddha.