Vietnamese Buddhism Research Articles

Exchange and Accuracy between Vietnamese Buddhism and Indian Buddhism, Chinese Buddhism and Local Belief Culture

Due to the geographical location, Vietnam locates in the middle of Indo-China, which is affected by two Eastern cultures - ancient civilizations called India and China. Although Vietnam is far from India but it connects with Indian Buddhism and culture earlier than Chinese Buddhism and culture. This study will research more about the exchanging relationship between Vietnamese Buddhism, Indian Buddhism – Culture as well as Chinese one and traditional culture – beliefs through a specific historical era: Ly – Tran Dynasty. This is considered the peak time and the essence of the history of Buddhism in Vietnam.

Indian and Vietnamese Buddhism: Similarities and Differences

Indian and Vietnamese Buddhism: Similarities and Differences

The Situation of Buddhism In Da Nang From 1997 To The Present Day

This article systematically examines the situation of Buddhism in Da Nang from 1997 to the present in various aspects: organizational structure, places of worship, the monastic and follower community, as well as ritual activities, festivals, activities of assocications and groups, and charitable work. The author combines two main research methods of Historical Science (the historical method and the logical method) to exploit and use various sources of information. Additionally, the analysis and synthesis methods are employed to highlight the current status and dynamic factors of Buddhist activities in Da Nang. To complete the research objectives of the article, the author utilizes primary sources, including official documents, reports, articles, etc., from relevant agencies and scholars studying Buddhism in Da Nang since 1997. These primary sources are essential for the author to gain a comprehensive overview of the situation of Buddhism in Da Nang from 1997 to the present. Based on this foundation, the author will analyze and clarify the development of Buddhism in Da Nang during this period, contributing to the study of Buddhism in Da Nang specifically and Vietnamese Buddhism in general.

Strategic Use of Karma in Lan Cao’s Monkey Bridge

Most critics focus on the pain and suffering of the first-generation Vietnamese immigrants depicted in Lan Cao’s Monkey Bridge. This paper explores how Cao strategically uses the philosophy of karma in Vietnamese Buddhism to provide a method for alleviating their suffering in this novel. It argues that she employs karma to investigate the origins of the adversity and trauma experienced by the first-generation Vietnamese immigrants, including the pro-American attitude of the early Vietnamese authorities during the Vietnam War, the imperialistic actions of the United States, and the resulting karmic consequences. In addition, they demonstrate, through actions like forming “hui”, a way to change their fate and heal their trauma for later generations of Vietnamese immigrants, emphasizing positive transformation of karma. This paper suggests that the Buddhist philosophy of karma provides an effective strategy for Vietnamese American immigrants to reflect on the Vietnam War, overcome adversity, and heal their own trauma.

Thích Nhất Hạnh’s Early Critiques of Enlightenment Rationality and Academic Buddhism, 1956–1961

This article examines Thích Nhất Hạnh’s articles published in the journals Phật-Giáo Việt-Nam [Vietnamese Buddhism] and Liên-Hoa Nguyệt-San [Lotus Monthly] between 1956 and 1961. These articles reveal how Thích Nhất Hạnh developed a critique of the excess rationality of Western civilization through a reading of criticisms of the Enlightenment from philosophical and new-age Buddhist sources that were themselves European. When writing to an exclusively Buddhist audience, Thích Nhất Hạnh emphasizes the need for rational, ecumenical, and empirical discourse on Buddhism, whereas when writing to a non-Buddhist audience, he stresses the insufficiency of rational calculations and the need for a proper understanding of Buddhism to be derived from personal experience. These articles show the deep early influence of the Buddhist reform movement, international Buddhist political developments, and contemporary European philosophy on Thích Nhất Hạnh’s thinking.

Toward National Buddhism: Thích Nhất Hạnh on Buddhist Nationalism and Modernity in the Journal Phật Giáo Việt Nam, 1956–1959

This article examines Thích Nhất Hạnh’s work as editor in chief of the first national Vietnamese Buddhist magazine, Phật Giáo Việt Nam (1956–1959). It contextualizes him as both a product and a torchbearer of the Vietnamese Buddhist revival movement that began around the time of his birth and argues that, in contrast to the globalist image he cultivated after his exile, Thích Nhất Hạnh was once the most outspoken Buddhist nationalist in Vietnam. His unique contribution to Vietnamese Buddhism in the 1950s was his relentless advocacy for a national organization that could facilitate Buddhist nation-building efforts and help bring peace and democracy to Vietnam.

Individual and Collective Karma in the Works of Thích Nhất Hạnh

The version of Buddhism put forward by Thích Nhất Hạnh in his writing and teaching has led some scholars and Buddhist practitioners to question whether he is representative of Vietnamese Buddhism. This essay asserts that while Thích Nhất Hạnh’s framing of Buddhist doctrine was highly influenced by globalized Buddhist currents, it cannot be separated from the Vietnamese context from which he emerged. Through an examination of Thích Nhất Hạnh’s writings about collective karma [cộng nghiệp], this essay shows that his ideas of karma overlap with common understandings of karma in Vietnam, which see karma as being shared in the community and especially in the family. This view of karma stands in contrast to the individualism that is central to the modernist framing of Buddhism.

Inculturation and hegemony: The Case of Quan Âm Nam Hải (Guanyin of the Southern Sea)

Abstract: Quán Âm Bồ Tát (Guanyin Bodhisattva) has been part of the long history of Vietnamese Buddhism. Long considered as a patron and protective presence for mariners, the worship of Nam Hải Guanyin (Guanyin of the Southern Sea) as a sea god along the Central and Southwestern coast of Vietnam is a relatively recent phenomenon in which multiple factors, some of them unprecedented, are at play. Based on fieldwork in Central and Southwestern Vietnam, this essay analyzes how Nam Hải Guanyin became a major presence in the religious practices of coastal communities in recent times, describing how Nam Hải Guanyin, as icon and symbol, has been part of a process of systematizing worship and institutionalizing beliefs in order to spread the influence of Buddhism and develop tourism in the locality. To do this, I analyze the participation of religious practitioners, including authorities, Buddhist organizations, and indigenous communities.

Truitt, Allison J. Pure Land in the making: Vietnamese Buddhism in the US Gulf South. 226 pp., illus., bibliogr. Seattle: Univ. of Washington Press, 2021. £25.99 (paper)

Journal of the Royal Anthropological InstituteVolume 29, Issue 2 p. 482-482 Book and film reviews Truitt, Allison J. Pure Land in the making: Vietnamese Buddhism in the US Gulf South. 226 pp., illus., bibliogr. Seattle: Univ. of Washington Press, 2021. £25.99 (paper) Lam Minh Chau, Lam Minh Chau Vietnam National University – HanoiSearch for more papers by this author Lam Minh Chau, Lam Minh Chau Vietnam National University – HanoiSearch for more papers by this author First published: 10 May 2023 https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9655.13942Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL No abstract is available for this article. Volume29, Issue2June 2023Pages 482-482 RelatedInformation

The Rise of Vietnamese Nuns: Views from the Buddhist Revival Movement (1931–1945)

In this article, with the aim of better understanding the development of Vietnamese Buddhist nuns, the period of the Buddhist revival movement is investigated. This event is considered a turning point for Vietnamese Buddhism. In addition, it will help to shed light on the status of Vietnamese nuns. In this article—which is mainly based on archival documents kept in the National Overseas Archives (the French colonial archives held at the Archives Nationales d’Outre-Mer) and the National Archives Center I, Buddhism periodicals, and memoirs—the status of Vietnamese women during the French colonial period is clarified, as well as the positive effects of the colonial regime in regard to the change in women’s perceptions. Then, the differences in the nuns’ situation in three regions are analyzed. Finally, an exploration is conducted into the rise of nuns during the revival movement and the emergence of reformist nuns. Indeed, it is reformist nuns that have shaped the image of modern Vietnamese nuns. Moreover, they also created a direction by which the following generations could continue along, as well as playing an important role in the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha.

Social security activities of the Lien Tong Tinh Do Non Bong sect

Under the leadership of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, the Lien Tong Tinh Do Non Bong Buddhist (LTTDNB) practices based on the Buddha’s teachings with an inclination towards the practice of the pure land method of Mahayana Buddhism. The founder of the sect is Venerable Thien Phuoc Nhat Y, founded at Linh Son Pagoda (Ba Ria - Vung Tau province) in 1957. The social welfare activities of the LTTDNB sect over the past 60 years have positively influenced people, Buddhist monks and nuns living in the Southeast region, as well as many other parts of the country, especially the multi-faceted contributions to the social security movement since its inception. The LTTDNB sect has left its own mark on Vietnamese Buddhism, focusing on Mahayana sutras and upholding the Zen way of life in the spirit of the six precepts. The contributions of the LTTDNB contributed to national security and people’s safety, and joined hands to reduce the problems of society, all are rooted in the Buddhist spirit of compassion and selflessness. This study provided a brief introduction to the LTTDNB sect and the active activities of the sect in ensuring social security, and at the same time drawing the meaning of practice and service of the sect for Vietnamese Buddhism in modern times.

Review: Pure Land in the Making: Vietnamese Buddhism in the US Gulf South, by Allison J. Truitt

Review: <i>Pure Land in the Making: Vietnamese Buddhism in the US Gulf South</i>, by Allison J. Truitt

Gender Roles in Transmitting Vietnamese Buddhism to Taiwan: Two Case-studies of Vietnamese Buddhist Nuns

This paper introduces the works of two Vietnamese Buddhist nuns in Taiwan. They both envision a permanent or long-term stay in Taiwan and have purchased properties to function as their temples. They provide services to the Vietnamese diaspora. Special attention will be given to the discussion of gender role in the transmission of Vietnamese Buddhism to Taiwan and an assessment of what Buddhist feminist Rita Gross calls “the prison of gender role” in the works the nuns conduct.

Pure Land in the Making: Vietnamese Buddhism in the US Gulf South

ABSTRACTSince the fall of Saigon in 1975, Vietnamese Buddhists who resettled in the Gulf South have gathered for worship in rented apartments, mobile homes, converted garages, vacant offices, fishing camps, even vacant lots. They have also raised funds to build a number of temples, especially during the 2000s, in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. In the process, Vietnamese refugees and immigrants have built an indelible Buddhist presence in a region that previously knew little about this religion. How this presence came to be and what it meant in practice for the Vietnamese form the backbone of this important monograph by the anthropologist Allison Truitt.

PHILOSOPHICAL THOUGHT IN THE ZEN POETRY OF TRUC LAM YEN TU

Buddhism is not only a religion but also a kind of human wisdom in the impermanent life. Over thousands of years of the nation's history, Buddhism is still one of the religions with great influence on many aspects of social life. Buddhism in the Tran Dynasty unified many schools for the first time into Truc Lam Zen Buddhism and developed into its own independent sect of Vietnamese Buddhism. The philosophical thought of Zen Buddhism was increasingly developed and was not only popular in the court, but also spread widely in the world and had a great impact on society. In this paper, the author analyzes some basic content of philosophical thought in the philosophical thought of Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen sect, thereby pointing out some values and limitations in this school's philosophical thought.

Pure Land in the Making: Vietnamese Buddhism in the US Gulf South. By Allison J. Truitt

Pure Land in the Making: Vietnamese Buddhism in the US Gulf South. By Allison J. Truitt

The General Buddhist Association of Vietnam 1951–1964 (Tổng Hội Phật Giáo Việt Nam): A Forgotten Step Towards the 1964 Buddhist Church

This paper provides an overview of the Buddhist community in the 50s and 60s, addressing the creation of the first national Buddhist association: the General Buddhist Association of Vietnam (Tổng Hội Phật Gio Việt Nam, GBA). Most academic works sum up the GBA to the date of its foundation by three regional delegations of Buddhists believers in May 1951, and its participation in the political crisis of 1963, the so-called Buddhist Crisis. Its genesis, the internal structures of this first national association, the philosophy and new national narrative of its leaders, their conflictual and distant relationship with secular power and other Buddhists group, remains largely unknown. Providing a new set of contextual elements, this analysis of the GBAs history will contribute to our understanding of Vietnamese Buddhism history in the 20th century, in its continuities and inconsistencies. Essentially a failed first attempt to build a Buddhist church the history of the GBA is highly revealing of the long-standing aspirations of its creators and should be understood as a transitional step between early reform movement and the 1964 UBC. Emphasizing on cultural, social, and political matters, this paper is mainly based on barely used primary sources available in Vietnam.

Social Media, Vernacularity, and Pedagogy: Youth and the Reinvention of Contemporary Vietnamese Buddhism

Social Media, Vernacularity, and Pedagogy: Youth and the Reinvention of Contemporary Vietnamese Buddhism

PHẬT GIÁO VIỆT NAM—GÓC NHÌN LỊCH SỬ VÀ VĂN HOÁ [VIETNAMESE BUDDHISM—FROM A HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE]. By TrầnThuận. TP. Hồ Chí Minh: NXB Tổng Hợp Thành Phố Hồ Chí Minh, 2019. Pp. 343. Paperback, VND 140,000.

Religious Studies ReviewVolume 47, Issue 3 p. 406-406 Short Reviews of Recent Publications: East Asia PHẬT GIÁO VIỆT NAM—GÓC NHÌN LỊCH SỬ VÀ VĂN HOÁ [VIETNAMESE BUDDHISM—FROM A HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE]. By Thuận, Trần. TP. Hồ Chí Minh: NXB Tổng Hợp Thành Phố Hồ Chí Minh, 2019. Pp. 343. Paperback, VND 140,000. First published: 30 October 2021 https://doi.org/10.1111/rsr.15444Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume47, Issue3September 2021Pages 406-406 RelatedInformation

Allison J. Truitt, Pure Land in the Making. Vietnamese Buddhism in the US Gulf South

Une decennie apres la chute de Saigon qui scella, le 30 avril 1975, le sort d’un Viet Nam independant et desormais confronte aux defis de la reunification, peu de temps apres que Michael Cimino et Francis Ford Coppola ne realisent deux monuments du cinema hollywoodien mettant les Etats-Unis face a ses propres demons, The Deer Hunter (Voyage au bout de l’enfer) pour l’un en 1978, Apocalypse Now pour l’autre en 1979, c’est un realisateur francais, et non des moindres, Louis Malle, qui traita un...