Buddhism in Vietnam

Category: Buddhism by Regions

From Buddhist Encyclopedia

Buddhism in Vietnam is Buddhism that had been localized to Vietnam from India and later replaced with Buddhism from China. Vietnamese Buddhism has many characteristics different from Buddhism practiced in other countries.

Buddhism is the most influential religion in Vietnam, with about 80 percent of Vietnamese being Buddhists. The number of practicing Buddhists numbers about three million, those who frequently visit Buddhist temples and participate in Buddhist rites number about thirty million, and those living under the influence of Buddhism number in the tens of millions.

Formation and spread

Buddhism was imported into Vietnam fairly early, at around the beginning of the Christian Era with the legend of Chử Ðồng Tử studying Buddhism from an Indian monk. Luy Lâu (in Bắc Ninh Province), the capital of Giao Chỉ soon became an important center of Buddhism. Legends about Thạch Quang Phật and Man Nương Phật Mẫu appeared with the teachings of Ksudra in around 168-189.

Because Buddhism was imported directly from India, the word Buddha was directly imported into Vietnamese as Bụt, still in use in many folk tales. At that time, Vietnamese Buddhism was influenced by Theravada Buddhism, and Bụt was seen as a deity who helps good people and punishes bad people. In the 4-5th centuries, because of influence of Mahayana Buddhism from China, the word Bụt gradually lost its Buddhist meaning and was replaced by Phật from the Chinese pronuncation of Buddha.

Buddhism took roots in Vietnam very early. Lý Nam Đế (who became king in 544) was also known by the name Lý Phật Tử (Lý the Buddhist). In the Ly Ly and Tran dynasties, Buddhism developed rapidly, was seen as the state religion, and influenced all aspects of life. In the Le Dynasty, Confucianism replaced Buddhism as state religion and Buddhism entered a period of decadence. At the beginning of the 18th century, King Quang Trung took efforts to revive Buddhism by building and renovating temples, but died before accomplishing his goals. In the 20th century, although strongly influenced by the process of Westernization, Buddhism experienced a resurgence, beginning in the southern cities with important contributions from the monks Khánh Hoà and Thiện Chiếu.

Chùa Một Cột (One Pillar Pagoda) in Hanoi

In summary, the history of Vietnamese Buddhism can be divided into four periods:

• from the beginning of the Christian Era to the end of Chinese domination is a period of formation and development;
• Buddhism reached its zenith during the period of independence (Đại Việt);
• from the Lê Dynasty to the end of the 19th century is the period of decadence;
• from the beginning of the 20th century until now is the period of resurgence.

Three schools of Mahayana Buddhism, now most influential, were imported into Vietnam: Zen Buddhism, Pure Land Buddhism, and Vajrayana Buddhism.

Zen Buddhism

Zen Buddhism, known as Thiền in Vietnam, is a branch of Buddhism created by the Indian monk Bodhidharma in China at the beginning of the 6th centur. Zen is an abbreviation of Dhyana.

The first Zen sect in the history of Vietnamese Buddhism was established by the monk Vinitaruci. He was an Indian who arrived in China and then Vietnam in 580.

Pure Land Buddhism

Vajrayana Buddhism

Characteristics of Vietnamese Buddhism

Syncretism

Syncretism between Buddhism and traditional beliefs

Syncretism between different Buddhist branches

Syncretism between Buddhism and other religions

Yin-yang harmony

Flexibility

Hoa Hao Buddhism

Religious freedom

Current political issues regarding freedom of religion

Vietnamese Buddhists in Other Countries

The role of religion in maintaining culture

American Buddhist Centers