Vietnamese culture features Buddhist legacy

Meanwhile, Dr Dang Tai Tinh, former Director of International Cooperation Department under the Government Committee for Religious Affairs underscored the tolerance of Vietnamese culture, saying that it tends to protect its identity, yet is open to positive influence from foreign cultures.

Many international delegations from Buddhist nations have been surprised at the fact that Vietnamese pagodas are not just dedicated to Buddhist deities. There are different altars at each pagoda, worshipping Buddhist deities, Mother Goddesses, even national heroes. Facilities of different religions, such as churches and pagodas coexist in one area without disputes. This reflects the unique characteristics of Vietnamese Buddhism and the freedom and harmony in religious practices of Vietnam.

Tinh also highlighted the way Buddhism has mixed well with the ancient ancestors worshipping and practices of Vietnamese people. The Buddhist Vu Lan Festival is celebrated in tandem with the Vietnam Mother’s Day, when children express their gratitude towards their parents (especially mothers) and help ancestors’ souls find their way back to the earth, he said, adding that it has also become an annual large-scale Vu Lan Veggie Festival, inspiring vegetarian culture and environmentally friendly life style.

Buddhism upholds national patriotic tradition

In an interview with VNA correspondents, Most Venerable Thich Thanh Nhieu, Vice Chairman of the VBS Executive Council highlighted the strong attachment Buddhism has developed to Vietnam, saying that the religion weakened during the nation’s colonial period and thrived with peace and prosperity in the nation. It was considered the nation’s religion for the Ly Dynasty (1010-1225) and Tran Dynasty (1225-1400), when pagodas were built and upgraded nationwide and many kings became Buddhists.

He also underlined the patriotic tradition of the Vietnamese Buddhism. During the war against the US, many pagodas became bases or shelters for revolutionaries. Patriotic Buddhists stood by the nation and joined the revolutionary movement, shared sufferings and hardship with all Vietnamese for the cause of national liberation. Late Most Ven. Thich Quang Duc, who lit himself on fire to protest the war, encapsulated the revolutionary nature of the southern Vietnamese Buddhists in the 1960s.

Building on tradition, most dignitaries, monks, nuns, and Buddhists practice the grace of the nation as one of the religion’s four graces. Many dignitaries have participated in the nation’s political system, including the National Assembly, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, local People’s Councils, and socio-political associations. They also join patriotic movements, charity work, poverty reduction, environmental protection and climate change adaptation.

Annual requiems have been conducted to pray for peace for fallen soldiers in many cemeteries nationwide, including Con Dao, Phu Quoc, Truong Son, Quang Tri and Dien Bien cemeteries, Most Ven. Thich Thanh Nhieu said that the VBS considers this one of its key tasks, showing respect and gratitude to martyrs who died for national liberation and defence.

In an interview with VNA correspondents, Dr. Bui Huu Duoc, head of the Buddhism Department  of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs, said Buddhism has been growing fast, with the number of Buddhist followers rising to nearly 40 million people, more than 40 percent of the nation’s population.

The Vietnam Buddhism Shangha has chapters in all 63 provinces and cities, hundreds at district, communal level nationwide, and Associations of Vietnamese Buddhists in 11 nations worldwide. There are four Buddhism universities, eight college-level training programmes and 34 primary Buddhism schools.

The Party, State and Government have facilitated the development of all religions, including Buddhism. Their practices and outstanding contributions have always been recognised. The VBS was granted with the first-class Labour Order of the Party and State on the occasion of its 35th anniversary in 2016. 

Buddhist dignitaries, monks, nuns, and followers have been uniting and standing by the home country and its people, making significant contributions to the nation’s Doi Moi (reform), building and protection, thus enhancing Vietnam’s reputation on the international arena, Duoc reiterated.