POSITION OF BUDDHIST NUNS IN CONTEMPORARY

VIETNAM AND THEIR ROLE IN SOCIAL WELFARE ACTIVITIES

THE THESIS
SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES OF
THE PUNJABI UNIVERSITY
IN FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
IN
RELIGIOUS STUDIES

By
NGUYEN THI HONG ANH
UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF
PROF. HARPAL SINGH PANNU
GURU GOBIND SINGH DEPARTMENT OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES
PUNJABI UNIVERSITY, PATIALA
28 JANUARY 201
1
GURU GOBIND SINGH
DEPARTMENT OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES
PUNJABI UNIVERSITY, PATIALA
CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the thesis P!"#$#!% !& B'(()#"$ N'%" #%
C!%$*+,!-.-y V#*$%.+ .%( T)*#- R!/* #% S!0#./ W*/&.-* A0$#1#$#*"
embodies the work carried out by bhku NGUYEN THI HONG ANH herself
under my supervision and that it is worthy of consideration for the award of the
Ph.D. degree.
PROF. HARPAL SINGH
PANNU
SUPERVISOR

2

DECLARATION

I hereby affirm that the work presented in this thesis is exclusively my
own and there are no collaborators. It does not contain any work for which a
degree has been awarded by any other University/institution.
SUPERVISOR
PROF. HARPAL SINGH PANNU NGUYEN THI HONG ANH
PROFESSOR RESEARCH SCHOLAR
DEPARTMENT OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES
PUNJABI UNIVERSITY, PATIALA


3
A02%!3/*(4*+*%$"
It gives me vast happiness to at this point this paper. I take this occasion
to express gratitude to the people who lend a hand me in the course of my Ph.D.
thesis without whose help and support I would have never been able to get
done this thesis. !irst and primary I wish to express my gratitude to the
"uddhist devotee laymen inside and abroad the country which have supported
me financially and religiously throughout the time of my study in India. It is
their aid and help that gave me the vigour and encouragement to arrive to an
overseas state and carry out research work in my sphere of attention.
These days I wish to express respectfully my advisers who were there to
guide me and motivated me to become scholar. #pecial gratitude to Dr. $urte%
#ingh &ang my first #upervisor who was forever wholehearted and inspiring. I
also wish to express my deepest gratitude to Prof. 'arpal #ingh Pannu 'ead of
Department of (eligious #tudies my second #upervisor who)s unfailing
support guidance and recommendation during my work has been invaluable by
providing assistance whenever needed.
I wish to express my gratefulness to respectfully Prof. (a%inder &aur
(ohi 'ead of Department of (eligious #tudies Dr. (a%esh (an%an Dr. *rvind
(itura% and other Profs. +ecturers in the Department of (eligious #tudies who
have helped me in Ph.D. and have laid the groundwork for me to completed my
thesis. ,therwise I also want make clear to my gratitude to the secretaries and
librarians in the (eligious #tudies Departments of Pun%abi whose were always
fervent to extend their help whenever I necessary it.
I am grateful to the staff members of the University of Pun%abi who
provided opportunities for me and my colleagues to needed for my research
work.
4
-y deepest gratitude to -ost .enerable Thich Tinh Dieu and -ost
.enerable Thich /u Dieu Thanh those who bring0up and educate me since I
retreat to be a bhikkhun1 monastic life. They have not only ordained me into the
path of "uddhist Dhamma other than also encouraged me to study in India. I am
indebted all that I have accomplished nowadays to them.
During the period of my research it is also significant to be familiar with
my Dhamma brothers and sisters from .ietnam at Pun%abi University who
helped me in collect material and suggested ways to get better my research
work.
I would like to express my reverence owe to my parents family and
relatives who have provided me their non0interruption support while I pursued
my "uddhist education. *nd my earnest acknowledgement goes to those whose
books have helped me for citation references and suggestions in my research
work and all my friends and relatives and family connections that had reliance
in me.
!inally I may every body long0lived in eternal peace with the blessing of
the "uddha.

PAIALA Bhku
NGUYEN THI HONG ANH
28
TH
JANUARY 201


5
ABBREVIATIONS
* *guttara0/ik2ya
" D The "ook of the Discipline
" + "uddhist +egends
3 . 3ullavagga
D D1gha0/ik2ya
Dh * Dhammapada 3ommentary
Dhp Dhammapada
Dial Dialogues of the "uddha
4 " 4ncyclopedia of "uddhism
I 4 " International 4ncyclopedia of "uddhism
5 52taka
& # The "ook of the &indred #ayings
- -a%%hima0/ik2ya
- . -ah2vagga
# #am6yutta0/ik2ya
#n #utta0/ip2ta
Th1 Ther1g2th2
.im .im2navatthu
.im * .im2navatthu 3ommentary
.in .inaya Piaka



6
CONTENTS
*cknowledgements
*bbreviations
3hapter ,ne7
INTRODUCTION
Introduction to the topic 8
#cope of the topic 98
3hapter Two7
ADVENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF BUDDHISM
IN VIETNAM5 A BRIEF SURVEY 9:
;. *dvent of "uddhism in .ietnam7 * "rief #urvey <;
9. -aterial -ilieu of .ietnam at the time of *dvent of "uddhism =<
<. 4xpansion of "uddhism in .ietnam7 * "rief #urvey >=
3hapter Three7
ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF BHI66HUN7
ORDER IN VIETNAM
;. "rief 'istory of 4stablishment of "hikkhun1 #agha in "uddhism ?>
;.;. The !irst ,rdination of "hikkhun1 #agha in "uddhism ?@
;.9. "hikkhun1 of -a%or *ffairs ,rdination :<
;.<. The #piritual *chievements of "uddhist /un in "uddhism ;A;
9. "rief 'istory of 4stablishment of "hikkhun1 #agha in .ietnam ;A8
9.;. ,rigin and 4stablishment of "hikkhun1 #agha ;A:
in .ietnam
9.9. .ietnamese "uddhist /uns (ole in 3ontemporary +ife ;9A
<. Position of "hikkhun1 of Different Traditions in
3ontemporary .ietnam ;<>
<.;. The "uddhist /uns belong to the -ah2y2na Tradition ;<?
<.9. The "uddhist /uns belong to the -endicant Tradition ;==
<.<. The "uddhist /uns belong to the Therav2da Tradition ;=?
3hapter !our7
VIETNAMESE BHI66HUN7 ORDER AND ITS
INFLUENCE ON VIETNAMESE LETTERS, ART,
ARCHITECTURE AND PHILOSOPHY
;. .ietnamese "hikkhun1 ,rder and Its Influence on +iterature ;>9
9. .ietnamese "hikkhun1 ,rder and Its Influence
on *rt and *rchitecture
9.;. ,n 3ulture ;?A
7
9.9. ,n *rt ;?;
9.<. ,n *rchitecture ;?@
<. .ietnamese "hikkhun1 ,rder and Its Influence on Philosophy
<.;. The Influence of "uddhism in Terms of Ideology
and -oral Philosophy ;??
<.9. Thought ;8=
<.<. 4thics ;8@
3hapter !ive7
VIETNAMESE BHI66HUN7 ORDER AND ITS
INFLUENCE ON VIETNAMESE SOCIETY
;. Borking with the #ick in 'ospitals and 'ospicesC ;:9
9. Borking with the PrisonersC ;:?
<. Borking with Drug *ddictsC 9A:
=. !und0(aising for the Poor and /eedyC 9;?
>. (aising .oice for 'uman (ights and *gainst ,ppressionC 99;
@. 3ompassionate *ctivities to the Belfare of 9=<
non0'uman #entient "eings etc.
3hapter #ix7
VIETNAMESE BHI66HUN7 ORDER AND ITS
CONTRIBUTION TO THE VIETNAMESE
SOCIETY5 PERCEPTION OF THE PEOPLE
;. .ietnamese "uddhist /uns 3ontributions in Peace 9>@
-ovement in 3ontemporary
9. The .ietnamese "hikkhun1 #agha for 4ducation 9?<
in -odern Time

3hapter #even7
CONCLUSION 98<09:<
BIBLIOGRAPHY 9:=0<AA


8
C).,$*- O%*
INTRODUCTION
"uddhism was the first religion in the world to establish a community or
ordained women on the premise that women can achieve spiritual liberation at
par with men. In the present day we tend to underestimate the significance of
this achievement but in India at the time of the "uddha society closely
followed the guidelines described by -anu. Bomen were under the protection
of their father when young their husbands when married and later the
protection of their sons. Bomen were regarded as possession to be handed down
under the dominance of men. The birth of sons allowed performing religious
and social obligation for women failing which their husbands were entitled to
take new wives. Bomen were allowed to perform religious rituals on their own
but were dependent upon men in every sphere.
1
Bithin this social context "uddhism opened up new horiDons. Bomen
under "uddhism were able to step out of their accustomed sub%ugation and
began to fulfill their ideal roles not only as wives and mothers but also as
propagators of the new religion on an eEual footing with men. This social and
spiritual advancement for women were ahead of the time and hence drew many
ob%ections from men including the monks. The "uddha was well aware of the
controversy that could arise as a result of this liberal attitude toward women.
Boman during the "uddhas time were livings in a much more
unfortunate situation than the women of the 9A
th
century. They were regard as
very lowly and mere child0bearers. They had little authority at home and did not
play any part in public activities at all. * large number of these women followed
1
Tsomo &. + F4d.G Sakyadhita7 Daughters of the Buddha /ew Hork #now +ion Publication ;:88 p. 99>.
9
the courageous example of -ah2pa%2pat1 $otam1 and embraced the homeless
life advocated by the "uddha. They decided to break out of their accustomed
roles and to achieve freedom not only from the moral social and domestic
restrains but also in the realm of spiritual endeavor.
During the "uddhas life time many women from all walks of life %oined
the order. -any of them were successful in learning the Dhamma and became
eloEuent teachers counting ministers and &ings among their listeners. (oyal
support has always been a key factor in the growth of religions and we see that
"uddhist nuns played a ma%or role in inciting the faith of royal families as well
as of ordinary people. 3ertain of the nuns who were outstanding in
remembering past lives in insight in observing Vinaya, and in teaching
received special praise from the "uddha.
These liberated women played a very important part in their communities.
They served as examples to women who remained in the household life as
reminders that they too could become liberated and lead an independent life.
They were sources of light and hope for bereaved mothers and childless
widows. They gave a sense of purpose to the wives of &ings and rich men who
led empty and idle lives of luxury. They helped relieve poor mens wives from
problems and drudgery. They saved young girls from the humiliation of being
handed over to the suitor who bid the highest. They liberated thoughtful women
from the ban imposed upon their intellectual development by convention and
tradition. If we read through the "uddhist texts we find many examples of
bhkus of great ability and spiritual accomplishment.
2

'istory of women in "uddhism dates to even before the "uddhas
enlightenment. *fter realiDing that physical austerities do not lead to liberation
#iddhartha $autama is said to have accepted an offering of rice pudding from a
2
Ibid. p. ;8:
10
village women named #u%2t2
3
and regained strength to become enlightened.
Thus since the very earliest days women have been credited as nurturers and
supports of the tradition symboliDed by #u%2t2 reviving #iddharthas physical
strength at a %uncture critical to his ultimate achievement. *lthough his cohorts
mocked him for this perceived weakness the "uddha continued to instruct and
counsel women thought his fifty0years0long teaching career. Bith #iddharthas
step0mother -ah2pa%2pat1 $otam1 in the vanguard women began to create their
own communities and the order of women renunciants the Bhku Sagha has
continued to thrive up to the present day. Bomen throughout India and later
abroad became renowned for talent as teachers and their miraculous powers.
This spiritual legacy has inspired women for centuries.
4
In some cases negative stereotypes of women prevalent in "uddhist
societies actually derive from "rahmanical 3onfucian or other sources yet
some are also found in both Therav2da and -ah2y2na texts. Bhether these
passages are the authentic words of the "uddha and his disciples or not they are
often used to legitimiDe negative typecasting of women. Interpretations of these
passages vary but they are difficult to %ustify or ignore. To repudiate the
canonical texts altogether is problematic for "uddhists. /ot only is it an affront
to the sensibilities of orthodox adherents but it also calls into Euestion the
validity of the texts as a whole. 4ven a reevaluation of the texts is essential if
women in "uddhism are to meaning apply and actualiDe the teachings the texts
contain.
In the earliest stratum of #Itras the "uddha affirms womens capacity to
achieve liberation and from among the thousands of women who achieve
3
$ayatri #en -aDumdar Early Buddhism and Laity &olkata 0 ?AA A?< India -aha "odhi "ook *gency 9AA:
p. 9A9
4
Tsomo &.+. F4d.G Buddhist Women across Culture: Realization Delhi #ri #atguru Publications Indian
"ooks 3entre 9AAA p. @.
11
nibb2na at that time names many individually for their exception Euality. The
-ah2y2na sItras which appeared several hundred years later symboliDe
wisdom as female and inclusively address the sons and daughters for good
family. *long with accounts of the virtuous lives and spiritual achievements of
women however we encounter repeated warnings against the temptations of
women and a prophecy as yet unfulfilled warning that womens admission to
the order would shorten the life of the Dhamma The images of women are thus
eEuivocal and often confusing. *n extreme example occurs in the
Up2yakauJalya sItra where the girl Daksinottar2 sets herself on fire out of
frustrated desire for the !odhisatt"a Pryakara and achieves the fortune result
of birth as a male in paradise surrounded by fourteen thousand celestial females.
4ven though the girl compounds lust with a horrifying suicide her meritorious
act of generosity to a male !odhisatt"a result in a heavenly male rebirth.
*nother perplexing example is the Tath2gataguhya sItra where innumerable
beings are cured of all diseases and afflictions by consummating union with the
!odhisatt"a .aidyar2%a manifesting the form of a girl. In the early -ah2y2na
sItra a women transforms herself into a male body upon enlightenment in
othersC she achieves enlighten in a female body. *ll these conflicting images
make the study of women in "uddhism complex and intriguingC there are
problems both in authenticating allusions to women in the texts and in
discounting the texts altogether.
5

Through most of "uddhist history the social approved roles available to
women those of wise and mother. In these roles laywomen accumulated merit
by tending to the family shrine making offering to the Sagha giving charity to
the needy and transmitting the "uddhist teachings to children keeping precepts
promoting ethical principles in the household. 3hanting the #Itras and
meditating. The most famous laywoman in the "uddhas day was .is2kh2 who
5
Tsomo &.+. ,p. 3it. p. 8.
12
regularly fed two thousand monks at her home and was offen called upon to
medical disputes.
6
The spiritual achievements of laywomen are described in a
number of texts such as the Saddharmaratn#"aliya where #ubhadra and her
younger sister achieve the state of #tream0enter F#ot2pannaG and #uman2 attains
the stage of a ,nce0returner F#akad2g2miG.
7
+aywomen were portrayed as
having more flexibility in "uddhist societies than previouslyC women had the
right to divorce remarry inherit and the freedom to practice religion without
depending on men. Bomen gain inspiration from the "uddhist teachings on
loving kindness and compassion that mothers have for their children. The
central role of the mother in ensuring the happiness and harmony of the family
is a common theme.
(eligious leadership in "uddhist countries is traditionally in the hands of
fully ordained monks F#anskrit7 Bhku, P2li7 Bhkkhu). The monks are revered
as the ideal model for human development and are financially supported by
devout members of the lay community primarily women. *round the ;;
th
century the Bhku Sagha died out in India and #ri +anka
8
and as far as is
known was never officially established in 3ambodia 5apan +aos -ongolia
Thailand or Tibet. In the >
th
century 3.4 the lineage of fully ordained nuns
(bhku in #anskrit and bhkkhun in P2liG was transmitted from #ri +anka to
3hina
9
and subseEuently to &orea and .ietnam. The lineage of fully ordination
for women has flourished in these countries uninterruptedly to the present day.
6
"imala 3hum +aw Women in Buddhist Literature .aranasi7 Indological "ook 'ouse ;:8; pp. :<0?.
7
Dharmasena Thera Ftrans. (an%ini ,beyesekereG 5ewels of the Doctrine7 Stories of the Saddharma
Ratn#"aliya F*lbany7 #tate University of /ew Hork Press ;::;G pp. 99=09>. In this text the "uddha describes
#uman2 the youngest daughter as senior in goodness to her father because of her superior spiritual attainment.
8
#ee /ancy !alk $he Case of the Vanishing %uns7 The !ruits of *mbivalence in *ncient Indian "uddhism"
&ns'oken Worlds: Womens Religious Li"es in %on(Western Culture Fed.G /ancy !alk and (ita $ross F#an
!rancisco7 'arper K(ow ;:?:G pp. 9A?09=.
9
&athryn *nn Tsai Li"es of the %uns: Biogra'hies of Chinese Buddhist %uns from the )ourth to Si*th
Centuries 'onolulu7 University ,f 'awaii Press ;::=G pp. <?0<8 ><0>= and @90@<.
13
*ccording to many traditional accounts when his maternal aunt and
foster mother F-ah2pa%2pat1 $otam1
10
in P2li -ah2pra%2pat1 $autam1 in
#anskritG was the first royal woman to reEuest fully ordination from the
Tath2gata and to %oin the Sagha, reEuested him to ordain her as a nun +ord
"uddha at first refused to give ordination to women and thereby to establish
"hikkhun1 Sagha. /evertheless -ah2pa%2pat1 $otam1 together with five
hundred women followers shaved their heads donned yellow robes and
followed him as homeless renunciates. Bhen she asked for ordination a second
and then a third time and was again refused the "uddhas disciple Lnanda
11
interceded on her behalf. Bith this fourth reEuest the "uddha agreed on the
condition that she and future nuns observe eight weighty restrictions FP2li7
aha-garudhamm2G.
Thus the Bhkkhun Sagha was formed about five or six years after the
"hikkhu Sagha. These eight weighty restrictions include the seniority rank of
nuns always being lower than that of the monks regardless of how long the
monk or nun vows were kept. +ord "uddha instituted such restrictions in
conformity with the cultural values of India at his time in order to avoid
disrespect by society for his community and conseEuently for 'is teachings.
'e also did so to protect the nuns and ensure them respect from the laypeople
In 9=8 ".3.4. about three hundred years after the passing away of the
"uddha &ing *Joka the great came to the throne. * great supporter of
"uddhism he sent "uddhist missionaries in nine different directions. 'is own
son -ahinda Thera traveled to #ri +anka to teach the Dhamma and establish
the Bhkkhu Sagha. Princess *nul2 the sister0in0law of &ing Devanampiyatissa
10
(an%ini ,beyesekere +ortraits of Buddhist Women, Stories from the Saddharmaratn#"aliya
*lbany7 #tate
University of /ew Hork Press 9AA; pp. 9A>0A@.
11
$ayatri #en -aDumdar Early Buddhism and Laity &olkata 0 ?AA A?< India 9AA: pp. 9A=0A@.
14
of #ri +anka after listening to the teachings of -ahinda Thera she asked him if
she could %oin the Sagha. ,n the proposal of -ahinda Thera &ing
Devanampiyatissa sent a messenger to India to reEuest &ing *Joka to send his
daughter #anghamitt2 Ther1 and some other bhikkhun1s to give the ordination
to *nul2. Thus upon reEuest from the king of #ri +anka &ing *Joka sent
#anghamittt2 Ther1 and other bhikkhun1s to establish the /unsM ,rder in #ri
+anka and thus together with the "hikkhu Sagha ordained Princess *nul2 and
other #ri +ankan women thus establishing the "hikkhun1 Sagha in #ri +anka
the first one outside India.
'ence the "hikkhun1 ,rder established at the time of the "uddha existed
until this day. !or centuries ordained women have practiced realiDed and
upheld the "uddhaMs teachings benefiting not only themselves but also the
societies in which they lived.
/owadays we can see the existence of "uddhist nuns in many other
countries where "uddhism asserts its influence as 5apan &orea 3ambodia
Tibet *merica Thailand and .ietnam. It is very imperative to say that the data
recorded for the ancient .ietnamese civiliDation are incomplete and
unsatisfactory.
,pinions differ as to the exact date of the introduction of "uddhism to
.ietnam. "y the end of the second century .ietnam developed a ma%or
"uddhist centre in the region commonly known as the +uy +Nu centre now in
the "Oc /inh province north of the present day 'anoi city. +uy +Nu was the
capital of $iao 3hP Fthe former name of .ietnamG and was a popular place
visited by many Indian "uddhist missionary monks on their way to 3hina
who were following the sea route from the Indian sub0continent used by Indian
traders. It was probably a former Taoist who had become a "uddhist -eou0
Po and a -aster from Hou0tcheou 3hina who was responsible for making
15
known the "uddhist teaching in .ietnam. "efore him other missionaries such
as -2ra%1vaka &aly2narIci and &Mangseng0houei had come from 3hina or
arrived by sea and had stayed some time in $iao03hNu cradle of the present
"uddhism .ietnam.
The historical accounts of the .ietnamese bhkus are only partial7 In
many periods of history little is known. The earliest reference is in the second
century 3.4. Throughout historyC however the women who ordained in .ietnam
were mostly from the royal0family class and already had led a family life before
becoming nuns.
"uddhism in .ietnam has endured miraculously despite the massive
destruction of war and the oppression suffered under both 3hristian and
communist government. *lthough the early history of the Bhku Order in
.ietnam remains shrouded in uncertainty nuns have worker enthusiastically to
promote the Dhamma in .ietnam building temples teaching and establishing
the Bhku Order. +aboring always under the patriarchal legacy of 3onfucian
social structures and values women did not gain positions in either the religious
or secular spheres but nevertheless played an important role in inculcating
"uddhist values and transmitting devotional practices.
12
-any .ietnamese women are convinced that it is through the women that
"uddhism is transmitted from generation to generation. -ost .ietnamese were
previously illiterate Fin the vernacular not to mention the classical 3hinese of
the "uddhist scripturesG they had a good grasp of basic "uddhist principles and
they were women who imparted these principles to the younger generation
especially through the medium of stories. The men of the village worshipped at
the small temple where 3onfucius and other deities were enshrined while the
women all went to the pagoda located at the respected "head" direction of the
12
Tsomo &. +. Fed.G ,p. 3it. p. ;>.
16
village to worship the "uddha when Euestioned why then do men hold the top
"uddhist positionQ" she responded that it is due to 3onfucian attitudes toward
gender which dictate a Euite unobtrusive role for wives and daughters. Bomen
are never to put themselves forward or hold public positions since it is
considered inappropriate behavior for themC instead they voice their ideals
through their husbands. The informants husband confirmed this venturing that
ninety percent of the real power was in women hands.
13

(eligion has begun to flourish in .ietnam in the last few years with
women as powerful participants in the process. ,f the thousands of nuns that
exist prior to ;:@9 many were killed during the war on disrobed in its
aftermath. The decade following the fall of #aigon was one of dislocation and
deprivation the future of "uddhism appeared very uncertain. (ecently
however there has been a resurgence of interest in religious life with women
entering the order in far greater numbers than men. Unlike the pro0communist
era nuns and monks now depend primarily on their own agricultural production
for a livehood. Bith limited time and few opportunities for religious instruction
it is unclear exactly what institutional roles nuns will play in future yet numbers
alone indicate that they will be a force in .ietnamese "uddhism that will lead to
a change in the status of women within the religious order.
Until now the early history source states that a princess of the +y
Dynasty Dieu /han F;A=;0;;;<G 3.4 became the first .ietnamese bhku,
other source cited by .en. Thich -an $iac in his article "4stablishment of the
Bhku Order in .ietnam" assert that the first bhku in .ietnam named Pho
-inh was ordained seven centuries earlier in =9: 3.4.
14
since the first time
"uddhism enter into .ietnam the bhkus have been strongly influenced by
13
Ibid. p. ;@
14
Thich -an $iac states that bhku Pho -inh was ordained by a bhku, Truc Phap Do. The orthodox
procedure for the bhku ordination reEuires "hiksuni as well as "hiksu preceptors. #ee more Tsomo. ,p.
3it. p. <:.
17
the tradition of -ah2y2na. They worked devotedly to promote the Dhamma in
.ietnam building temples education social welfare activities and establishing
the bhku nunneries which continues still now. They have enthusiastic effort
to %oin the society activities as well as field religion participate have working
accompany side by side with .ietnamese Bhku ,rder.
#ince inception the worldviews of the "uddhist organiDations have
always been integral to the culture and traditions of .ietnamese society. There
are some social problems which could be better addressed by "uddhist nuns in
much better way than the others. Bhkus help society simply by being a good
example of people who are unpretentious and live in the spirit of non0
harmfulness. It was term of "uddhist humanism is a philosophical perspective
based on the teachings of inherent dignity of all human beings their potential
for attaining highest wisdom about their condition and their essential nature of
altruism exemplified by the !odhisatt"a spirit of compassion. "uddhist
humanism focuses on the interdependence of humanity all sentient beings and
the environment seeking to create harmony through these interrelated
relationships.
The central focus of the teachings of +ord "uddha >@< ".30 =8< ".3
was on eliminating misery and sufferings from human life and leading the
individual to realiDe the highest potential of enlightenment. -aking no
reference to an external power of god "uddhism essentially is a humanistic
philosophy based on principles derived from deductive observation of reality
such as the Interconnectedness of all phenomena Fnothing exists in isolationG
and the Inseparability of #elf ,thers and 4nvironment7

*t deeper levels there
is a consciousness connecting all humanity and all this functions upon the
foundation of the natural environment.
18
'umanity is united by the inevitable phases of human sufferings
common to all people7 The !our /oble Truths and also by the universality of
"uddha nature7 the eEual potential for all people to live a creative harmonious
life. The manifestation of humanism is evident in "uddhist of teachings. !or
example the concept of /oble 4ightfold Paths For the ways leading to the
cessation of sufferingG in Lgama sItra and the spirit of altruism For compassionG
in -ah2y2na "uddhism are based on the beliefs of self respect and goodwill
toward other individualsC both are basic viewpoints of humanism.

It has been undoubted that good heath is prereEuisites to happiness. The
"uddha said that there are four pains in human life0birth aging sickness and
death. The biggest suffering among them must be the one resulting from
disease. The significance of overcoming human disease through religion is
different than through science. (eligion makes human being free from the pain
of disease and contradiction in a different manner. In "uddhism the ultimate
goal of medical treatment is not to eliminate pathogens but to save patients who
suffer from disease. In other words the purpose of treatment in .ietnamese
"uddhist nuns is to save human beings. 3aring for sick people in hospitals and
hospicesC visit and assisted the prisonersC share "uddha0Dhamma with drug
addictsC fund0raising for the poor and needyC compassionate activities to the
welfare of non0human sentient beings etc. with faith and compassion is the
most important religious salvation. 'elping those who badly need religious
inspiration reEuires a concrete and realistic approach not a transcendental
one.
15

Bhen the "uddha realiDed the truth he instructed his disciples to go to
local areas to disseminate his teachings and edify living beings. In monastic life
the "uddha taught his disciples to live simply. This was aimed at bring comfort
15
Tsomo &. + F4dG ,ut of the Shado-s: Socially Engaged Buddhist Women Delhi #ri #atguru Publications
Indian "ooks 3entre 9AA@. pp. 98>08?.
19
and benefit to all living being. #o the "uddha himself went out to edify living
beings in order to free then from suffering. The truth of "uddhism does not lie
in self0liberation but in the benefit and the happiness of all. This means that
hospitals and hospices care the prisoners drug addicts fund0raising for the
poor and needy compassionate to all human beings etc. are not only a merciful
to reach out to needy people but also a fine example of "uddhism)s ultimate
goal or freeing all living beings from suffering. To religious people social work
charity is a means of demonstrating and realiDing religious salvation.
The "uddha)s basic idea behind medical treatment is that the root of a
disease can be eliminate only when a morality doctor a kind0hearted nurse and
a patient make mutual trust and are united as one. In this sense "uddhist texts
highlight the morals of doctors gentle0hearted mothers while instructing the
duties of patients. The texts also said caring for the sick is the highest practice
for "uddhist monks or nuns and the merit from it is the most valuable among
the eight fields of blessing. !rom a religious standpoint providing services for
human being is eEuivalent to dedicating oneself to the patients. 4ventually this
also opens the door for religious attainment. #ince this act is to help the patient
and weak the service is all the more valuable.
;@
#o the places of social welfare activities are the places where life
disease destitute poverty stricken affliction and death are determined on daily
basics. Therefore it is extremely necessary to inspire the hope of being free from
disease and so to extend a helping hand to patients in hospitals in hospices in
centers of orphanages in centers of prison transform etc. (eligion has a great
role to play in relieving the pain of patients by taking good care of them.
In addition their spiritual studies and practice nuns can also directly
benefit society in many ways one of which is to become involved in issues
16
Ibid p. 98@.
20
concerning women. !or example bhkus can help with problems regarding
abortion prostitution menopause and other issues that women prefer to discuss
with other women. Bhkus can also help unwed mothers many of whom do
not want to have an abortion but do not know how to handle the situation.
Bhkus can also help women who suffer after having an abortion.
*lthough "uddhists discourage abortion some women undergo them.
*fterwards some of these women have regret and confused emotions about
their actions. Be need to help them accept that this act was committed teach
them means to purify its karmic imprints and encourage them to go forward in
their lives without the burden of a guilty conscience. #ome "uddhist women in
the over the world has begun to create rituals to help these women do this.
The nunsM order has great potential for whatever bhkus do will have a
ripple effect for "uddhist women all over the world. Till date the impact of the
"uddhists welfare movements in improving the Euality of life of the people in
.ietnam has been exemplary. The contribution of Bhku Sagha to education
and social welfare have been primarily in the fields of adult education
education of children working with the sick and dying working for drug
addiction and rehabilitation welfare of the poor and oppressed and so on.
This topic outlines findings out from research conducted on the
contribution of "uddhist organiDations to social benefit in .ietnam. It
demonstrates that .ietnamese "uddhism is clearly socially engaged not only in
practice but also from the viewpoints of the members of the "uddhist
organiDations who also argue that such practice has always been fundamental to
their "uddhist organiDations and is not a new observable fact.
Be must know the basic points of "uddhism. The "uddhas Euest for
supreme enlightenment was to find out the path of salvation of humanity from
21
the sufferings generated from the cycle of birth and rebirth. The basic cause of
the sufferings or Dukkha key pointed in "uddhism four rudiments in life i.e.
birth old age disease and expiry. /obody can shun from them.
#o far as the existing studies on the topic are concerned we find several
titles in the form of research papers in various %ournals and independent books
which discuss the origin and development of "uddhism in .ietnam. 'owever
apart from few doctoral dissertations and few research articles any independent
published book on the origin and development of .ietnamese "uddhist #agha
and particularly on Bhku Sagha its contribution is very difficult to find.
Bith regard to the origin development and contributions of .ietnamese
"uddhism Bhku Sagha to .ietnamese society the studies are very scarce. It
is Euite apparent from the foregoing discussion that the establishment of the
Bhku Sagha by +ord "uddha himself was a landmark event in the annals of
"uddhism as it opened the gate of final emancipation from the cycle of birth
and death for the women folk. /o other contemporary religious thinkers have
dared to take such a radical step.
'owever a good number of scholars affiliated to the study of the history
of "uddhism in .ietnam and its impact have produced several volumes of
literatures on the historical development of "uddhism in .ietnam. "ut as the
bibliographical catalogue of modern works on the Bhku Sagha and its role
in welfare activities in .ietnamese society readily demonstrates that these
studies with very few exceptions have not concentrated on historical
development of the institution of Bhku Sagha in .ietnam and its
engagements to the society for the welfare of the common masses. They have
pre0emptorily excluded these significant ob%ects of research on those aspects.
The present attempt would be made by the researcher to prepare a systematic
history of origin and development and of .ietnamese "uddhist Bhku ,rder
along with their position in contemporary .ietnam
22
The key ideals of the proposed thesis are presented in the next six
chapters as follows7
In this introduction we have already discussed the methododology to the
employed and general background of the topic. The ob%ective of the present
work is to investigate "Position of "uddhist /uns in 3ontemporary .ietnam
and Their (ole in #ocial Belfare *ctivities." Therefore in the first chapter it
has been tried to introduce that "uddhism was the first religion in the world to
establish a community or ordained women on the premise that women can
achieve spiritual liberation at par with men. The role of .ietnamese "uddhist
nuns society welfare activities in several fields as domestic society prominent
of social welfare work in religion to eliminated misery of all living beings. In
"uddhism the significant event that "uddha acknowledged womenfolk enter
into the "hikkhun1 Sagha, whether they would be able to realiDe the fruit of
#tream0entering F#ot2pannaG ,nce0returning F#akad2g2miG /on0returning
F*n2g2miG and #ainthood F*rahantG. 'istory of women in "uddhism dates to
even before the "uddhas enlightenment have demonstrated imaged and
supporters of the "uddhism tradition symboliDed by -ah2pa%2pat1 $otam1
#u%2t2 .is2kh2.. and +ord "uddha delivered the Dhamma for the welfare and
blessing of everybody. The "uddha disapproved of superstitious rites and
ceremonies and degrading ascetic practices. 'e strove to eradicated caste
distinction7
,ne does not become a "rahmin by birth.
,ne does not become an outcast by birth.
,ne becomes a "rahmin by act.
,ne becomes an outcast by act.
17

17
"apat P.. ./00 1ears of Buddhism /ew Delhi F#ixth (eprintG.;::? p. <A. #n. @=;F#utta0nip2ta @=;G
23
!rom this parable it is Euite clear that the "uddhas teaching meant to
carry man to safety peace happiness tranEuility attainment of nrvaa. The
whole doctrine taught by the "uddha leads to this end. 'e did not say things %ust
to satisfy intellectual curiosity. 'e was a practical teacher and taught only those
things which would bring %oy and blessing to man.
3hapter II an endeavor is done to show advent and development of
"uddhism in .ietnam. In this chapter content material milieu of .ietnam at the
advent of "uddhism expansion of "uddhism in .ietnam. The foreword of
"uddhism into .ietnam dates and routes of beginning debates that "uddhism
came directly to .ietnam from Indian traders and missionaries in the 9
nd
century
*.D. centuries before the massive waves of "uddhist influence which came
from 3hina. Indeed by the beginning of the <
rd
century .ietnamese "uddhist
monks were traveling in turn to India to get back more "uddhist sItra and do
advanced study. *ncient +uy +Nu during 3hinese invaded of .ietnam in the
early centuries *.D. shows that the .ietnamese people of $iao 3hau in present
day "ac /inh province .ietnam had "uddhism probably a -ah2y2nanist form
of "uddhism by the 9
nd
century ".3. and two or three centuries later had >AA
monks and was already sending "uddhist missionaries to #outh 3hina. The
3hinese feudal landlords who dominated $iao 3hi during much of this time
were 3onfucianists and Taoists. "ut from central of +uy +Nu in $iao 3hi
"uddhism spread to the rest of .ietnam gradually developing into a uniEue
.ietnamese "uddhism.
18

4vents remarkable here is "uddhism under the /go Dinh and 4arly +e
Dynasties examines "uddhist developments after .ietnams great victory of :<8
*.D. putting an end to ;AAA years of 3hinese domination. "uddhism under the
+y Dynasty reports on the ascendancy of "uddhism throughout this Dynastys
18
/guyen Tu 3uong Ren in -edieval .ietnam7 2 Study and $ranslation of the $hien &yen $a' 2nh 'onolulu
University of 'awaiiMs Press ;::?. pp. ;A0;9.
24
tenure F;A;A0;99>G. "ecause the +y &ings venerated "uddhism even urging as
many men as potential to become monks the technical strata complete much
monastic vocation. "uddhism under the Tran Dynasty describes the big changes
which took place in .ietnam during the transition from the +y Dynasty to the
Tran and the latter +e Dynastys. &ing Tran Thai Tongs great "uddhist works
and their special teachings are critiEued as are those of Tran /han Tong. "ut it
seemed that "uddhism had already attained the height of its ascendancy to
;=;=
19
.ietnam again fell under 3hineseC this time ten years under the influence
of the -ing dynasty a new impetus was given to 3onfucianism which produced
significant developments in philosophy and literature the influence of Taoism
grew also and there was an influx of Tibetan "uddhism in its tantric from. *t
the same the 3hinese sways confiscated all "uddhist books and had "uddhist
temples systematically destroyed.
In chapter III the origin and development of Bhku ,rder in .ietnam
this chapter document and data that they are scarce resources to analysis the
origin and development of .ietnamese Bhku ,rder history have recorded
due to the warfare. -ost of them merely list names and activities the starting
with abstract Prof. Dr. +e -anh That7 ,n the history of "uddhist nuns order in
.ietnam. The historical accounts of the .ietnamese bhkus are only partialC in
many periods of history little is known. The earliest reference is in the second
century 3.4. Throughout history however the women who ordained in .ietnam
were mostly from the upper class and already had led a family life before
becoming nuns.
The early history source states that a Princess of the +y dynasty Dieu
/han F;A=;0;;;< 3.4G became the first .ietnamese bhku however other
source cited by .en. -an $iac in his article 4stablishment of the Bhku
19
Billiam 5. Duiker Vietnam %ation in Re"olution 3olorado7 Best .iew Press/ "oulder ;:8< pp. ;80:.
25
,rder in .ietnam assert that the first bhku in .ietnam named Pho -inh was
ordained seven centuries earlier in =9: 3.4 since the first time "uddhism enter
into .ietnam the nuns have been strongly influenced by the tradition of
-ah2y2na. They worked devotedly to promote the Dhamma in .ietnam
building temples teaching and translations of "uddhist #cripture social
welfare activities and establishment the Bhku Sagha which continues still
now.
*nother source with bhku +ien Tuong has dedicated her article name7
S.ietnamese "uddhist nuns in the twentieth centuryT other .ietnamese bhku
Tri +ien with theme7 S/uns of the -endicant tradition in .ietnamT bhku
'uong /hu that mention to .ietnamese bhku in the contemporary the her
article has showed a portray of famous exemplary bhku of social activities
in contribution to rebuild .ietnamese 3ongregation of nunsC at the present
.ietnamese "uddhist nuns almost of practice religion of -ah2y2na school
combination Pure0+and. Their position in the different traditions of three
regions of /orthern 3entral and #outhern of .ietnam yet they lived in the
three regions of different but all union the performed of the "uddha of
teachings to apply in monastic daily of life to improve of their dignity spiritual.
They have enthusiastic effort to %oin the social activities benefit all living beings
as well as fields religion participate have working accompany side by side with
.ietnamese "hikkhu Sagha. 'ere also discussed of the eight special rules
(aha-garudhamma) those were many scholars pay attention. -iraculously
laywomen in "uddhist texts in -ah2y2na sItras pass this analytical it emerge
the enlightenment of liberation of women regardless class caste range rich
poor colored and races .. 3 2ll li"ing !eings !ecame Buddha(nature4
In 3hapter I. we will explore the .ietnamese Bhku Order and its
influence on .ietnamese +etters *rts *rchitecture and Philosophy. That will
scrutiniDe the role of .ietnamese "uddhist /uns. .ietnamese literature culture
26
and its impact on in details the discussion and classification in accordance with
raw material such as epigraphy etc. and other important documents of history on
the course of .ietnamese "uddhist +iterature development and its sharp
influence on .ietnamese +etters. Be divide those clues of evidences into
categories the -ah2y2na and 3hinese texts. The influence of .ietnamese
bhkus on literature and its impact which engendered the revolution in
.ietnamese culture and society deserves to be studied with more sympathy and
attention than has been accorded to it. The perform .ietnamese literature art
architecture religious rite and ritual will be the sub0title of the influence aspect.
In chapter . an attempt has been made to discovery the .ietnamese
Bhku Order and its influence on .ietnamese society. In this chapter much has
been mentioned about social and field activities of women working with the
sick in hospitals and hospices with prisoners with drug addicts etc. #ince
inception the worldviews of the "uddhist organiDations have always been
integral to the culture and traditions of .ietnamese society. There are some
social problems which could be better addressed by a "uddhist nun in much
better way than the others. /uns help society simply by being a good example
of people who are unpretentious and live in the spirit of non0harmfulness.
"esides their spiritual studies and practice nuns can also directly benefit society
in many ways one of which is to become involved in issues concerning women.
!or example bhkus can help with problems regarding abortion prostitution
menopause and other issues that women prefer to discuss with other women.
/uns can also help unwed mothers many of whom do not want to have an
abortion but do not know how to handle the situation. The fundamental doctrine
of +ord "uddha of the !our /oble Truths the 4ight !old Paths Dependent
,rigination 3ause and 4ffect Three Dhammas #eals7 #uffering
Impermanence and /o0self. *nyone who practices the "uddhas teachings
27
whether they are male or female to acknowledged the nature of the world and
relief all tribulation that they are encountering.
It was term of "uddhist humanism is a philosophical perspective based on
the teaching of inherent dignity of all human beings their potential for attaining
highest wisdom about their condition and their essential nature of generous
altruism no0self exemplified by the !odhisatt"a spirit of unbounded
compassion. "uddhist humanism focuses on the interdependence of humanity
all sentient beings and the environment seeking to create harmony through
these interrelated relationships.
In chapter .I an attempt has been made to examine .ietnamese Bhku
Order and its contribution to the .ietnamese society. In this chapter we will
present activities for peace of homeland. The recogniDed not sacrifices of
"uddhist nuns women during the .ietnam Bar. In the period from ;:@As0
;:?As "uddhist women made extraordinary efforts to halt the conflict in this
country. The .ietnamese !odhisatt"a of compassion is Uuan The *m.
*ccording to some scholars the .ietnamese altered her gender from a male to a
female "to better fit the needs of the people" since a female !odhisatt"a has
more compassion. .ietnamese "uddhism is compassionC intelligence and
involvement which means that "uddhists cannot disregard tribulation or
suffering but must aggressively work to cease it. -uch has been written in
recent years about the military contributions of *merican and .ietnamese
women during the conflict little has been said about .ietnamese women in the
peace steps forward. "esides this we also mention to investigating the bhkus
of education in modern of "uddhism .ietnam.
3hapter .II7 3onclusion
28
Due to "uddhism being always go companion with nation so that
flourishing in .ietnam today and the large number of nuns in social work and
spiritual practice is clear evidence that the "uddhist women of .ietnam are
among the most progressive and active in the world contributing their energies
to spiritual and social growth. The result of our entire enEuiry will be
summariDed here and we shall also present only a general conclusion of the
Position of .ietnamese "uddhist /uns and Their (ole in 3ontributions of
.ietnamese #ociety. Be will examine several theories advanced by both
.ietnamese "uddhism system of thought and %ustify which one has deepest
meaning in .ietnamese mind. !inally suggestion and expectation would be
debated in a manner to give explanation to the role of .ietnamese nuns
precisely. Development and its engagement in all activities of the most famous
.ietnamese "uddhist nuns who take part in dedicated the new fields philosophy
and Euintessence of "uddhism to the modern world. Till today .ietnamese
bhkus have been developing and distribute more and more progress and
social activities in order to carry blessing and prosperity to all people of
.ietnam. The activities of patriotic struggle movement for peace of homeland
Universities and Dhamma elementary schools high schools these events reveal
that .ietnamese "uddhist nuns have grasped its crucial role in social and spirit
improvement not only in the even now alive forever. Thankfulness to a history
of respect for women which has penetrated deeply in the consciousness of
.ietnamese men their position in .ietnamese "uddhist history were naturally
established from ancient time until the present.
C).,$*- T3!
ADVENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF BUDDHISM IN VIETNAM5 A
BRIEF SURVEY
29
.ietnam is a small country with the population of about 8A.AAA.AAA
Feighty millionG total land area of ;9?9>: sEuare miles eEual to <9:.>>@ sEuare
kilometers Fkm
9
G.
20
*t present "uddhist population in the world is about <AA
million and in .ietnam is about more than seven million. That is why "uddhism
is considered as .ietnamese traditional religion which has great affect on
.ietnamese culture now but "uddhism is not the same as an original religion in
.ietnam it is a mixed product of intercultural communications through a long
history.
21
Be express thanks to its favorable physical geography .ietnam
became not only a span of bridge connecting *sia with the Pacific continents
with islands in #outheast *siaC but also a line of intersection for merchants and
missionaries and a point of connection with various kinds of great cultures and
civiliDation all over the world.
22

.ietnam is located in #outh04ast0*sia with the #outh 3hina #ea on the
4ast +aos and 3ambodia on the Best and Thailand on the #outh0Best.
*ccording to the map drew by !rench historians in the beginning of nineteenth
century .ietnam is named "Indochinese Peninsula" here Indochinese means
between India and 3hina. It was also named as "Tonkin" or "$iao 3hNu" now
(ed (iver Delta. In 5#taka "uddhist collections the name "golden land"
(Suvaabhum)
23
is also including .ietnam in the region. In this geographical
position early before 3hristian 4ra .ietnam had been a bridge between India
and 3hina the two most ancient civiliDations of *sia and probably the most of
the world as well.
20
Billiam 5. Duiker Vietnam %ation in Re"olution 3olorado7 Best .iew Press/ "oulder ;:8< p. ;.
21
*ccessed at http7//www.crvp.org/seminar/A>0seminar/hoang.htm. ,n 9/9/9A;<
22
/guyVn Uuang /gWc F4dG $i6n $r7nh L8ch S9 Vi:t %am 'X /Yi7 /hX Zu[t "\n $i]o D^c 9AAA p. ?.
23
#ome 5#taka describe maritime ventures to a legendary Suvaabhum, but the vessels are always driven off
by bad weather and hence are not very explicit about the final destination. #ee '. P. (ay the Winds of Change:
Buddhism and the ;aritime Links of Early South 2sia Delhi7 ,xford University Press ;::= p. 8?.
30
"y the sea routes 'induism and "uddhism from India were imported into
.ietnam and became parts of .ietnamese culture before 3.4. /ow we can see
communities of 3hamp2 a community with their 'indis customs art and
religion F"rahmanismG living in the -iddle and Therav2da "uddhists in the
#outh of .ietnam. "y both land and sea routes -ah2y2na "uddhism together
with 3onfucianism and Taoism were also imported into .ietnam form India and
3hina.
9=
Be should say that right at the beginning "uddhism in .ietnam was a
mixed product of intercultural communication including "uddhism
3onfucianism and Taoism coexisting with the native belief. *ll these together
constitute .ietnamese traditional culture. In its structure "uddhism
3onfucianism and Taoism are altogether the basic ground. This structure is
similar in 3hina 5apan and &orea but in .ietnam according to the particular
conditions of cultural communication .ietnamese "uddhism is Euite not as the
same as other ones.
*s a result it had been founded in part by Indian colonists in the 9
nd
century 3.4 and from 3ambodia with both syncretism -ah2y2na and
Therav2da schools. The -ah2y2na form predominates in the /orth where
3hinese "uddhism had the strongest influenceC and the Therav2da form is most
excellent in parts of the #outh which has strong links to the "uddhism of
#outheast *sia. In other words .ietnam came to be the meeting place for the
two streams7 The -ah2y2na stream arrived in the /orth from India along the
silk route down into 3hina and then into .ietnamC and Therav2da stream came
to the #outh along the sea0coast through Thailand +aos 3ambodia and then
into .ietnam. Therefore .ietnamese "uddhism has two forms that is
-ah2y2na and Therav2da forms.
25
24
Billiam 5. Duiker ,p. 3it. p. @.
25
A. Skton, A Concise History of Buddhism, and Brmngham: Wnd Horse Pubcaton,
1994: 159f; D. Keown & et.a. Dctonary of Buddhsm, New York: Oxford Unversty Press,
2003: 326f.
31
Bhen "uddhism spreads to .ietnam the Dhamma adapting to the times
and the capacities of the people consists of two traditions the /orthern and the
#outhern. The #outhern tradition FTherav2daG emphasiDes everyday practical
realities and rapid self0liberation leading to the fruits of the arahats or Pratyeka
"uddha. The /orthern tradition F-ah2y2na or $reat .ehicleG teaches all0
encompassing truths and stresses the goal of liberating all sentient beings
leading to the complete 4nlightenment of the Tath2gatas. Bith both traditions
now existing in .ietnam we can give details how "uddhism came to .ietnam.
Purpose of the overview of "uddhism in .ietnam this first introduction
focus mainly on the great times and significant events that have great impacts
on .ietnamese "uddhist history so that one may observe clearly how "uddhism
has made immense contributions to the development and defensive of the
nation.
1. A(1*%$ !& B'(()#"+ #% V#*$%.+5 A B-#*& S'-1*y
'ow did the "uddhism approach to .ietnamQ * lot of people at first
believe that it came from 3hina. The reason is that 3hina is a big neighbor and
.ietnam was influenced strongly by 3hinese politics as well as culture for many
centuries. *ctually itMs not true. "uddhism came to .ietnam directly from India.
In the long0ago .ietnam was very much like the intersection between
India and 3hina FthatMs why the !rench call this country as IndochinaG. *t that
time either walking or by boat people made a trip from India to 3hina or via
versal in doing so they must cross .ietnam. .ietnam therefore was a good
place to stop by for foreign business people as well as "uddhist foreign
monks.
9@
26
*ccessed at http7//www.buddhismtoday.com/english/vietnam/country/AA>0.ietnamese"uddhism.htm. ,n
?/;/9A;<
32
"ack to around <
rd
century ".3 after &ing *Joka organiDed the Third
3ouncil a 3onference to 3ollect the Dhamma at Paal1putra F in .ietnamese
'oa Th_ ThXnhG Patna India he sent nine "uddhist monk delegates overseas.
The monks went from *fghanistan to the -editerranean to teach Dhamma ,ne
of these lead by #ona and Uttara went to "urma then Indochina including
.ietnam. /ow in 'aiphong 0 @A miles /ortheast of 'anoi there is a memorial
tower to commemorate &ing *Joka that was built by local .ietnamese
"uddhists at that time to express their gratitude to &ing *Joka. !rom that
evidence we may come up with conclusion that "uddhism came to .ietnam as
early as <
rd
".3 even previous to 3hina.
,pinions differ as to the exact date of the introduction of "uddhism to
.ietnam. "y the end of the second century .ietnam developed a ma%or
"uddhist centre in the region commonly known as the +uy +Nu centre now
in the "Oc /inh province /orth of the present day 'anoi city. +uy +Nu was
the capital of $iao 3hP Fthe former name of .ietnamG and was a popular
place visited by many Indian "uddhist missionary monks on their way to
3hina who were following the sea route from the Indian sub0continent used
by Indian traders. It was probably a former Taoist who had become a
"uddhist -eou0Po and a -aster from Hou0tcheou 3hina who was
responsible for making known the "uddhist teaching in .ietnam. "efore him
other missionaries such as -2ra%1vaka &aly2narIci and &a)ng0#en0'ui had
come from 3hina or arrived by sea and had stayed some time in $iao03hNu
cradle of the present .ietnam.
'owever a number of other "uddhist scholars gave many various
opinions on the date of "uddhisms advent in .ietnam for examples .en. Th`ch
abc /ghicp hold that "uddhism was introduced in .ietnam in approximately
33
<AA years ".3. Fi.e. the <
rd
century ".3.GC
27
+d 3ung and /guyVn +ang in ;
st
century 34C
28
.en. Th`ch -inh Tuc and other scholars expressed their views
that "uddhism initially was introduced in .ietnam in the ;
st
century *.D by
merchants and "uddhist missionaries who were seen route traveling by land and
sea from India and other #outhern *sian countries for 3hina but without
records of "uddhist missionaries. Until the end of the 9
nd
century and the
beginning of the <
rd
century "uddhist monks thereby arrived in .ietnam for
official preaching the Dhamma in this land. Thenceforth these missionaries are
very important in the history of .ietnam "uddhism.
29
.en. Th`ch Thicn 'oa
who was one of the great preeminent figures of .ietnamese "uddhism asserted
that "uddhism historically was presented in .ietnam at the end of the 9
nd
century *.D Fthe year ;8: *.DG by four preeminent "uddhist missionaries with
one 3hinese monk -ou0Po F-Nu Te or -Nu "]cC b.;@> or ;?AG and three
Indian monks &ang0#en0'ui For &hfgng Thng 'YiC d.98AGC -2ra%1vaka F-a0
'a0&i0.jcGC and &Xlasivi F3hi 3fgng +fgng TikpG or &alaruci F3hi 3fgng
+fgng +NuG.
30
.en. Prayudhayutto confirms the advent of "uddhism with both
forms of Therav2da and -ah2y2na approximately in the year ;8: *.D.
31
27
ThchcNghp, aoPhtVtnam, Ho Ch Mnh: ThnhHPhtGoThnhPhoHoCh
Mnh, 1995: 4h-25h-171.
28
L Cung, PhongTroPhtGo Men Nam Vt Nam 1963, Hue; NhXuatBnThunHa,
2003: 14; Nguyn Lang, op.ct, p.23.
29
Thch Mnh Tu, L}chSuPhtGoVtnam, HoCh Mnh:
ThnhHPhtGoThnhPhoHoCh Mnh, 1993: 35h-38h; }nhLuc & NhatTm,
PhtGoVtnam v TheG, Hano, NhXuatBnVanHa Thong Tn, 2003: 11h.
30
ThchThnHoa, 50 NmChn Hung PhtGioVitn!m, vo. I. Sagon: VnHaao, 1970:
22. See more n Thch Mnh Tu, bd. p.63h-56h-48h-61h; L Manh That,
L}chSuPhtGoVtnam, vo. I. Hue: NhXuatBnThunHa, 1999: 213h-298h-379h-
396h; Nguyn Lang, op.ct, p.72h; ThchcNghp, op.ct, p.171f.
31
Pra Ra|avaramun (Prayudh Payutto), "h!i Buddhism in the Buddhist #or$d, Thaand:
Amarn Prntng Group, 1987: 84; quoted from Buddhsm n Vetnam n D.C. Ahr,
Buddhism in the %outhe!st Asi!: A Cutura Survey, Deh: Sr Sat guru Pubcatons, 2001:
p. 120.
34
*ccording to .en. Prof. Peter 'arvey the date was in around <
rd
century *.D.
32
'owever all above events are the parts of the continuing discussion.
It was on the -alaysian islands where Indians arrived by sea 3hinese
historical materials tell of the gradual progress of 'induiDation beginning from
the second century *.D. The stone columns and tablets carved in #anskrit found
here date from no later than the fourth century. In Indonesia engraved #anskrit
characters of -ulavarman have been found in &utei "orneo dating from the
beginning of fifth century *.D. #tone tablets carved in #anskrit by &ing
Pulavarmani has been found in Bestern 5ava from the middle of the fifth
century. "ut +ord "uddha statues of the *maravati #chool discovered in
#ampaga F3elebesG on the #eguntang hill in Palembang F#umatraG the southern
part of $ember province were much older.
33
*ccording to He Tiao in
Havadvipa the first 3hinese contact with a 'induDed 5ava occurred as early as
;<9 *.D. ,n the basis of the above document $. !errand in a ;:;: issue of
5ournal *siatiEue stated that lIndonesias first contact with 'induism must
have occurred before the 3hristian 4ra.l Indian navigators were highly active in
this region from before the 3hristian era. They became even more active in the
second and third centuries *.D.
This state of affairs cannot be explained by "rahman ideology a religion
condemning relations with foreigners as not being pure. It can only be explained
by acknowledging that "rahman ideology was shaken to the roots via the
egalitarian ideology of "uddhism especially -ah2y2na "uddhism a prominent
"uddhist movement in India in the early years of the 3hristian era. The
32
Peter Harvey, An &ntroduction to Buddhism' Teachngs, Hstory and Practces, Deh:
Munshram Manohaa Pubshers, 1990: p. 159.
33
3ohn Buddha in der <unst des ,stens +eipDig ;:9> p. 98 and !.-. #chnitger The *rcheology of 'indu
#umatra +eyde ;:<? p. l.
35
-ah2y2na "uddhism movement not only advocated that all classes were eEual
that everybody was eEual but it also emphasiDed the !odhisatt"as ideology of
sacrificing living creatures including sacrificing ones own causes in order to
eliminate desire and suffering. !earless of long and dangerous %ourneys
difficulties encountered due to languages customs and habits !odhisatt"as
pursued first and foremost the lofty aim of "in .ietnamese7 3hmng sinh vn bidn
tho nguyd 6n pn6 l i.e. "helping mankind and saving the world without
differentiating among nations among regimes." It was possible to say that
"uddhist ideology especially the -ah2y2na sect freed the Indian people
including traders to go anyplace in the world.
34
-ah2y2na "uddhism confirmed the protecting role of +ord "uddha and
!odhisatt"as towards people who believed in them and repeated their names.
Indian sailors and traders often prayed for help from "uddha D1pankara FPhN 6t
/hidn ahngG and !odhisatt"a *valokiteJvara F"q t]t Uu]n Thk rmG. *. !oucher
in Iconography "ouddhiEue writes7 The name D1pankara symboliDed the names
of the islands Fd1pa and dv1paG and was considered as the "uddha protecting
merchant seamen. That is why Indian sailors and traders pray for his help during
their voyages. Bodhisatt"a *valokitesvara was well0known all over the !ar 4ast
as the "uddha with a thousand eyes and a thousand hands who had great
benevolence and great power and could save anybody believing in her and
repeating her name in their misfortunes. The fact is that Indian sailors and
traders took along "uddha D1pankara statues and !odhisatt"a *valokitesvara
statues to daily offer prayers and recite their names before certainly influenced
the people they visited. *dding up to the various cultural and religious factors
above there are other reasons for the Indian Diaspora for example7
<=
*ccessed at https7//preview.cua.edu/wwwscrvp/book/#eriesA</IIID0>/chapter0;.cfm
36
0 &ing *Joka)s invasion of &alinga on the 4ast 3oast of India in the third
century ".3. could have pushed people to migrate to foreign countries.
0 The &ushan invasion in the early years of the 3hristian era probably had
the same effect.
0 *ccording to $. 3otdes the author of 'istoire *ncienne Des 4tats
'induisms d) 4xtreme ,rient one of the ma%or causes of India)s expansion in
the early years of the 3hristian 4ra were economic and commercial.
,ther historical events led to improved commercial links between the !ar
4ast and the -editerranean #ea. *lexander the $reat)s eastern campaign the
foundation of -aurya)s dynasty and establishment of the following &aniska
dynasty in India the foundation of the #eleucids 4mpire and especially the
(oman 4mpire in the Best however increased trade in luxury goods attracted
the attention of a number of +atin scholars.
<>
These luxury goods included
spices perfumes and *loe wood which were not found in India but on islands
lying off her 4ast 3oast.
"efore the 3hristian era India bought gold from the route across "actria.
"ut in about 9AA "34 waves of migration in 3entral *sia cut off this route. In
the first century *.D India imported gold coins from the (oman 4mpire
<@
and
then melted them down for other purposes. 4ven today gold coins of this kind
can be found in India. 'owever India)s imports of these coins were abruptly
stopped when the (oman 4mperor stopped the illegal export of gold that was
hurting the (oman economy. *s such India had to soon turn to #outh 4ast *sia
and the !ar 4ast to acEuire the gold needed.
<?
35
4.'. Barminton $he Commerce !et-een the Roman Em'ire and =ndia 3ambridge7 University of
3ambridge ;:98 p. =:.
36
/guyen +ang ,p. 3it. p. 9>
<?
(. #ewell Roman Coins )ound in =ndia, +ondon7 (oyal *siatic #ociety of $reat "ritain KIreland ;:A= pp.
>:;0@<8.
37
'ence it becomes clear that there were many reasons for India)s
expansion to the 4ast. Depending on differing historical points of view different
reasons are given priority. The "uddhist belief promoted after *Joka)s dynasty
in the year <AA "34 which abolished pre%udices about the purity of Lryans
may also have had an influence.
"uddhist monks often accompanied the sailors and traders in their
voyages with a hope of propagating their faith in foreign lands. These monks
were intellectual people without whose works the influence of "uddhism
'induism and #anskrit literature probably could have ever been thoroughly
integrated into 3ambodia 3hamp2 Indonesia and -alaysia.
*ccording to 3hinese historians the !unan &ingdom in 3ambodia was
founded in the first century *.D. by an Indian "rahmin called &aundinya. 3hina
did not have an official and direct relation to the !unan imperial court. The chief
mandarins in !unan are known to have been Indians because in 3hinese
historical materials their names start with SDhuT the surname previously given
to all Indians by the 3hinese.
-ore and more Indian people came to overseas areas in the 4ast mostly
by the sea routes mentioned above but what about overland routesQ There were
many overland routes but they were more difficult to travel through. !irst there
were favorable combinations of water and land routes. Instead of sailing
through the #traits of -alacca far away to the #outh Indian traders could
transport goods through the Isthmus of &ra on the -alay Peninsula and then go
along easy land routes to cross from this sea to the other within hours. !rom
#outhern India Indian traders could use Euite small boats to cross the narrow
waterway between the *ndaman and /icobar Islands or the one between *ceh
and the /icobars a little further to the #outh. The second route reached &edah
38
on the -alay Peninsula. *t *ceh and &edah archaeologists have excavated
many ancient ob%ects belonging to Indian civiliDation.
<8
Traders setting off from 3entral India could go by the land route crossing
the Three Pagodas Pass and sail along the &amburi (iver to the $ulf of
Thailand. !urther to the /orth it was possible to get to the $ulf of Thailand by
a land route which connects -oulmein with Tak (ahaeng nowadays a town on
a branch of the -ae /am Bang. There was another route linking the -ae /am
with the -ekong (iver crossing &orat #itep and the -un river valleys. It was
this route which led directly to the "assak region in the midstream of the
-ekong (iver in the 3ambodian &ingdom. This kingdom was probably
founded by Indian migrants before the 3hristian era. In the beginning of this
4ra Indian monks might have come to +aos by this route and from there
crossed the Trfung #gn ranges to Thanh 'va or /ghc *n provinces.
,therwise there was another route linking India with #outhern 3hina
through the /orth0east of India crossing *ssam "urma and Hunnan province.
This route might have been in use since the second century 3.4 or even before
this time.
<:
*ll of the geographical and historical facts above refute the theories that
"uddhism in reality first diffused from India to 3hina and then reached .ietnam
via 3hina. The fact of the existence of both water and overland routes
connecting India and 3hina without having to cross the sea most importantly
the two land routes through 3entral *sia facilitated the spread of "uddhism in
3hina cannot be denied. /either can one deny the influence of 3hinese
"uddhism on .ietnamese "uddhism. 'owever with the reasons given above
the possibility of "uddhism being introduced into .ietnam directly by India
38
'.$. Uuaritch Bales "2 %e-ly E*'lored Route of 2ncient =ndian Cultural E*'ansion" =ndian 2rt and
Letters Bashington D37 +ibrary of 3ongress ;:<> pp. ;0<;.
<:
*ccessed at https7//preview.cua.edu/wwwscrvp/book/#eriesA</IIID0>/chapter0;.cfm on ;>/;9/9A;9
39
"uddhism monks traveling via sea routes along traders long before it entered
#outhern 3hina.
=A
4ither by sea or land alone or in groups of two or three people and
sometimes traveling with traders foreign monks particularly from India or
3entral *sia came to .ietnam to spread "uddhism. /evertheless it is not easy
to reply clearly the Euestions such as7 Bhen did the first "uddhist monks come
to .ietnamQ Bhere were they fromQ 'ow many of them cameQ !oreign monks
whose names are mentioned in 3hinese or other historical sources as the
initiators of "uddhism in .ietnam were probably not the real initiators. In
regard to this it can be suggested that since 3hinese had a firm grip on .ietnam
there was every possibility that literature of that period was enforced by the
government to be pro03hinese.
It is known that in around <AA ".3.4. during 4mperor *Jokas reign
after the Third 3ongress for 3ompiling #Itras many "uddhist proselytiDing
delegations were sent to Best 4ast and #outh 4ast *sia. * delegation headed by
the two monks Uttara and #ona was sent to Suvaabhum, the golden land.
'istorical materials from "urmese "uddhism relate that the two monks came to
"urma to propagate "uddhism. /evertheless Thai historical materials also
indicate the two went to Thailand to spread "uddhism.
Bhich is the actual place these monks visitedQ 'istorians have not been
able to come to any solid conclusion regarding this Euestion. ,n the basis of
one 3hinese scholar)s materials &ing *Joka)s st>'a can be found in ancient
$iao 3hNu at the /ele FSmuddyTG wall affirming that the /ele wall is the
present .ietnamese coastal city of aq #gn.
#outh India was the first region which witnessed the appearance of the
Pra%w2 sItra. !or instance the Diamond sItra well known in is one of the most
40
Ibid.
40
important -ah2y2na sItras in the Pra%w2 collection. ,n the basis of the
collection of Pra%w2 sItras the learned .en. /2g2r%una F+ong ThWG promoted the
famous S-iddle wayT F-adhyamakaG which had a profound influence on
"uddhism as it did on 3hina. *n analysis of the Ren F3han in 3hineseG
literature of the Ren masters of the first two Ren sects .initaruci and .n /gnn
Thnng shows clearly the deep influence of Pra%w2 ideology. It is Euite likely that
the -ah2y2na Pra%w2 was directly transferred from #outh India to through
Indonesia and 3hamp2. In 3hina although the first Pra%w2 sItra was translated
by +okesama during the 'an Dynasty by the end of the second century 3.4 its
influence was not enduring and wide. ,nly after .en. &umara%iva F3fu -a +a
ThN 6pG came to 3hina at the beginning of the fifth century did the Pra%w2 sItra
become widely popular there.
=;
In $iao 3hNu at the beginning of the third century the Aasahasrka sItra,
translated by &hfgng Thng 'Yi was considered the oldest Pra%w2 sItra
(Aasahasrka). The Pra%w2 sItra Damasahasrik2 translated by +okasema
appeared later by the end of the 'an Dynasty F9>099A 3.4G
=9
at the second stage
of Pra%w2 +iterature.
=<
The Aasahasrka sItra is the oldest in the whole of the
Pra%w2 +iterature.
==
It surely came to .ietnam from #outhern India and not
3hina long before it was translated. In the "uddhist center of +uy +Nu there
were monasteries or schools where the Pra%w2 sItra was taught including the
Aasahasrka sItra later translated into 3hinese by &hfgng Thng 'Yi. In
addition the spread of "uddhism is continued from the beginning of the
3ommon 4ra through the following centuries owing to the contributions of
Indian 3entral *sian 3hinese and even .ietnamese monks themselves who
had studied "uddhism in India or 3hina. (ecords show that many 3hinese
=;
&. -uker%i =ndian Literature in China and the )ar East 3alcutta7 5ournal of *siatic #ociety ;:8: pp. :90<.
42
-aspero "+es ,rigins"esp. pp. :9 - :<.
43
5aidava #ingh 2n =ntroduction to ;adhyamaka +hiloso'hy Delhi -otilal "anarsidass 9AA9. p. :.
44
/guyen +ang ,p. 3it. p. ?=.
41
monks followed a #outhern route and stopped in $iao 3hNu before going to
India to look for "uddhist teachers. !or example Hu !a +an Hu Dao 3ui at the
beginning of the fourth century and -ing Huan in the end of the fourth century
#ui -ing Bu Zing Tan (un Rhi0'eng 'ui0/ing and Hi 5ing in the fifth
sixth seventh centuries respectively.
It has not contented with "uddhism in 3hina and the translated #Itras
they wanted to continue their study of "uddhism in India. Their %ourneys were
long and dangerous. #torms diseases pirates existed and threatened their
survival. Thus in order to prepare for their %ourneys they had to maintain their
physical strength increase their knowledge of #anskrit astronomy and also
learn about the customs and habits of the people at their destination. $iao 3hNu
was a very convenient place for such preparation. Bhen they went and
especially when they came back they talked with monks in $iao 3hNu about
their new knowledge of "uddhism and different "uddhist sects. They deposited
there their #Itra books which they had collected. *ll of this led to the further
spread of "uddhism in $iao 3hNu.
#everal .ietnamese "uddhist monks also set out to look for "uddhist
teachers together with 3hinese monks going S#outhwardT and SBestwardT.
#ometimes they went by themselves on the trading boats of Indian merchants.
#ome of their names were $i\i Tho]t Thidn F-oksadevaG &huy Zung Fdisciple
of -ingyuanG 'ue Diem Fdisciple of BuxingG Tri 'anh or 'ud 6 Thidn Fhis
#anskrit name was Pra%w2devaG and axi Thya ahng Fhis #anskrit name
-ah2y2naprad1paG.
=>
"efore arriving in India they passed many "uddhist
kingdoms in #outh 4ast *sia and #outhern *sia. #ome of them reached
#outhern India or Bestern India or /orthern India. -ost went because they
were not satisfied with the amount of "uddhism that had reached their country
45
/guyen Tu 3uong ?en in ;edie"al Vietnam: 2 Study and $ranslation of the $hien &yen $a' 2nh 'onolulu
University of 'awaiiMs Press ;::? p. <<@.
42
via monks from India 3hina or 3entral *sia. They also wanted to get first0hand
knowledge of what "uddhism was like in India and what society and people
with "uddhist beliefs were like there.
They made a great effort to study "uddhism and Indian society. #ome of
them had a very good command of "uddhism such as axi Thya ahng. 'e
could explain the treatise SDuydn #inh +uzn.T -any of these monks intended to
return to develop "uddhism in their homeland though some died on the way to
India or in India. *fter returning home they used the knowledge they had
acEuired to have discussions with monks or "uddhist followers in the region.
*ll of this helped the native people understand more about the "uddha)s belief
and brought a specific character to the native "uddhism.
"uddhism continued to spread throughout until the late stage of 3hinese
feudal domination and even until became independent in the tenth century.
There were however some changes in the introduction routes. The direct
#outhwestern routes from India were no longer used. /ew teachings of
"uddhism were introduced into .ietnam through /orthern routes including the
various 3hinese 3han sects. !or example the .initaruci and Bu Han Tong F.n
/gnn ThnngG sects of Ren "uddhism were introduced during the late 3hinese
domination stage. The 3ao Tang +in 5i and 3ao Dong schools were introduced
after the tenth century. "ecause as society at that time had features in common
with the 3hinese it easily accepted 3hinese culture including its beliefs. *t the
same time 'induism and Islam became more popular in India while "uddhism
declined in popularity. "uddhist missionaries were no longer sent out.
/evertheless previous Indian missionaries had already left their mark. They
were the first and one of the significant influences on the development of
"uddhism in .ietnam. They and others have helped to build up the features of
the history of "uddhism in .ietnam.
=@
*nd we surely assert that -ah2y2na
46
*ccessed at http7//www.crvp.org/book/#eriesA</IIID0>/chapter0;.htm. ,n 9A/</9A;9
43
"uddhism of .ietnam have appeared from very early and the most of the
important center in +uy +Nu.
9. M.$*-#./ M#/#*' !& V#*$%.+ .$ $)* T#+* !& A(1*%$ !& B'(()#"+
It is the believed that among the there were three great "uddhist centers in
ancient 3hina in the 'an 4mpire7 +uoyang F+xc Dfgng in .ietnameseG
Pengcheng F"Xnh ThXnhG and +uy +Nu Fnow Thuan Thanh "Oc /inh provinceG.
+uoyang which is on the banks of the +uo (iver is #outh of the Hellow river in
the /orthwest of 'enan province in 3hina. It was the capital of the 4astern 'an
Dynasty. 'istorical materials tell that 4mperor 'uang0Di F'oXn ak in
.ietnameseG of the 'an Dynasty Fcrowned in *.D. ;@>G
47
venerated +ord
"uddha and +ao TDu in one place. *t that time "uddhist sutras were translated
from #anskrit into 3hinese by Indian and 3entral *sian monks with the
cooperation of 3hinese monks. !or example7 the two Parthian monks *n Thk
3ao and *n 'uyen translated "uddhist sItras with a 3hinese man named !u
Tiao. In +uoyang there were two big pagodas7 "ai -a #i F"xch -{ in
.ietnameseG means Bhite 'orse Temple and 'ba Zfgng temple
48
FZuchang in
3hineseG.
Pengcheng was located in the 3hu &ingdom F99A09@> *.DG
49
on the
lower part of the HangtDe (iver FDfgng Te in .ietnameseG in which is now in
5iangsu F$iang TnG province 3hina. 'ere from the middle of the first century
*.D. the gentle folk followed both Taoism and "uddhism. The 3hu 4mperor
+iu Hing F'an 4mperor $uangwus sonG migrated to Pengcheng. *nd here he
recited prayers to both the transcendence of Taoism and the benevolence of
47
/guyen +ang Viet %am +hat @iao Su Luan ACritical Bistory of Vietnamese BuddhismG <.ols. 'anoi7 /ha
Zuat "an .an 'oc. 9AA8 p. <A
48
Ibid. p. <A
49
&athryn *nn Tsai FTr.G Li"es of the %uns: Biogra'hies of Chinese Buddhist %uns from the )ourth to Si*th
Centuries Delhi #ri #atguru Publications ;::> pp. 90<. #ee more 'ou 'an #hu FBistory of the Latter Ban
DynastyG chapters. =9 88.
44
"uddhism. 'e did penance fasted prayed and made offerings. In the year 9@>
there was a "uddhist organiDation consisting of foreign monks and 3hinese
scholars there.
+uy +Nu was the center of $iao 3hi in the center of the (ed (iver Delta
which is now Thuan Thanh district 'a "ac province in .ietnam. !rom here
there were many water routes and land routes leading to Pengcheng and
+uoyang. !rom early on Indian and 3entral *sian traders came here to trade
and then monks came to practice or spread "uddhism.
,fficial 3hinese records do not mention the "uddhist situation here at the
time because this region was considered to be a remote and barbaric area on the
#outhern border not worthy of attention. "ut it was here that one of the earliest
"uddhist 3hinese works appeared. It was +y 'oac +uan which was written by
-au Tu in the second century *.D. !rom here also some famous monks such
as &huong Tang 'oi were a #ogdiane monk grew in $iao 3hau went to 3hina
to propagated "uddhism. It is said the +uy +au "uddhist center was founded
earlier than those two centers and that "uddhism was spread from +uy +au to
Pengcheng and then to +uoyang. This seems credible. !rom various sources it
is possible to understand the "uddhist development in +uy +au in the early
3ommon 4ra.
This story written in +inh /am Trich Uuai of how 3hu Dong Tu became a
monk is well known7 aqng Te and Tien Dung opened shops and traded with
many foreign merchants. ,ne day aqng Te set off in a boat with a foreign
trader. They called at Uuynh .ien For Uuynh .iG -ountain for fresh water.
Dong Tu met an Indian monk in a tent there. The monk taught him "uddhism.
Then he stayed on the island to learn "uddhism. 'e gave gold to his friend to
conduct his business and told him to pick him up on the way home. Bhen
leaving for home Dong Tu was given a bamboo stick and a bamboo leaves hat
45
which might perform miracles. *rriving back in his country Dong Tu explained
"uddhism to Tien Dung. +ater they left their businesses and set out to look for
teachers of "uddhism.
50
The traders mentioned in this story must have been
Indians who came to our country by sea. !rom this story we see how attractive
"uddhism was to .ietnamese working people for both Dong Tu and Tien Dung
were only traders. In addition in /go 3hi there was a letter sent by .ien 'uy
to Tuan 'uc in 9A? *.D.
51
In the letter there is a paragraph praising #| /hikp F#hi Zie in 3hineseG
for keeping $iao 3hau peaceful for more than twenty years. lBhenever he
came there was the sound of bells and flutes the streets were full of horse
carriages followed by ten 'o people holding incense sticks.l l'ol people meant
Indian monks
52
who were numerous in $iao 3hNu at that time. They
accompanied #| /hikp wherever he went.
The treatise +y 'oac +uan F(eason doubtG written by -oa0Po F-Nu TeG at
the end of the second century reported that the number of native and foreign
monks in $iao 3hau was large. Debauched practices appeared among them
which were criticiDed by -Nu Te7 l#ome of the monks drink too much wine
have wives and children have too much money and many valuables and often
deceive people.l
53
*part from the sin of killing some of the monks in $iao
3hau committed four of the five sins prohibited by "uddhism. *ll the things
mentioned above show that "uddhism had been established for a long time. It
bears repeating that &huong Tang 'oi F9AA09=? *.DG one among the first
monks spreading "uddhism in 5iangdong F3hinaG left his home to become a
"uddhist monk in $iao 3hau Fthe /orth of .ietnamG. ,nly after becoming a
50
Ibid p. =:. #ee more FThich /hat 'anh, ;aster $ang Boi: $he )irst ?en $eacher in Vietnam and China
3alifornia Parallax Press "erkeley 9AA;G.
51
Ibid p. <?
52
Ibid p. ?A.
53
Ibid p. <>.
46
famous monk here did he go to 3hina to disseminate +ord "uddhas Teachings.
In the foreword of the *n "an Thu H sItra which he translated and annotated
he wrote l-y parents breathed their last when I was ten years0old boy twenty
enter monastic life the Three -asters also died I felt very sorrowful absent
people who could give advice me." The Three -asters were Upadhyaya
&armadana and *carya who were in charge of "uddhism ,rdination for
&huong Tang 'oi.
54
The Three -asters presence in any "uddhist investiture was necessary in
3hina from the middle of the third century. +ikewise the story of +uong 3ao
Tang recounts that Tang 'ois parents were traders from 3entral *sia. They
came to $iao 3hau to do business. It was very clear that Tang 'oi left his home
to become a "uddhist monk in the /orth of .ietnam. 'e also learned 3hinese
characters and #anskrit here. 'e glossed and translated #Itra books in the /orth
of .ietnam and then went to 5iangdong to spread "uddhism.
The .ietnamese "uddhist material entitled Thien Uyen Tap *nh /gu +uc
Fcompiled from the late ;;
th
century to the early ;<
th
centuryG refers in some
detail to the "uddhist situation at +uy +au. The book describes how the Uueen
mother +inh /han For H +anG of the +y Dynasty asked the monk Tri &hong
FThong "ien 0 the teacher of the princeG when and how "uddhism had been
introduced into .ietnam. 'e told her the history of the propagation of "uddhism
in 3hina and in .ietnam and Euoted the monk Tan Tians answer to #ui
4mperor Bendi about "uddhism in $iao 3hau as follows7 l$iao 3hau has
routes leading to India. "y the time that "uddhism was introduced into 3hina
twenty "uddhist towers had already been built more than five hundred monks
trained and fifteen volumes of "uddhist sItras the "uddhas sItra in !orty0Two
3hapters which appeared at $iao 3hau in the 9
nd
century translated in +uy +Nu.
Then monks like -a 'a &y .uc &huong Tang 'oi 3hi 3uong +uong and
54
Ibid. p. ?9.
47
-au Tu went to 3hina to spread "uddhism.
55
This Euotation is direct evidence
that "uddhism flourished in $iao 3hau a long time prior to its introduction to
#outhern 3hina.
The foundation of the "uddhist center in +uy +Nu was probably
influenced by -ah2y2na "uddhism starting from the second century ".3. This
was an active "uddhist ideological movement which harmoniously combined
independence of opinion and "uddhist flexibility of character with the
enthusiastic dissemination of "uddhism regardless of sacrifice and misfortunes.
It is possible to say that with the appearance of the -ah2y2na ideological
movement "uddhism flourished and reached beyond Indias borders to far
away countries including .ietnam. There are two main points to be made about
the introduction of -ah2y2na "uddhism to .ietnam.
!irst it was a peaceful invasion not a military one as in the case of 3hina
and later Islamic countries. The 'induiDed kingdoms of the -alay Peninsula
Indonesia &ampuchea and 3hamp2 in the early 3hristian era were independent
of the l-other 3ountry Indial although in their imperial courts there were
many Indian advisers and monks.
#econd it is necessary to distinguish the two Indian cultures7 "rahmin
culture which was essentially hierarchical and founded on national pre%udice
and "uddhist culture which advocates eEuality and is against national pre%udice.
Therefore "uddhism could adapt itself to the customs habits and political
historical situation of every country and nation where it was introduced. The
superiority of "uddhism became more apparent with the -ah2y2na ideological
movement. The lPra%w2 +iteraturel representing -ah2y2na ideology first
appeared in the #outh of India and from there spread either to the /orth of
55
Buddhism in Vietnam presented by Prof. Dr. +e -anh That and "udden $yoshi at the International
*ssociation of *sian #tudies held in 'ouston TZ !ebruary 9;09@ 9AAA.
48
India through 3entral *sia to 3hina or through sea routes to #outheast *sia
including -alaysia Indonesia and .ietnam.
It was sub%ect became clear when the starting points of the propagators of
the "uddhist faith who went by sea to #outh0east *sia and the !ar 4ast were
carefully studied. Professor +ouis de la .allee Poussin supports this idea7 l*ll
the ports in 4ast India took part in the spread of Indian civiliDation abroad
especially those in the #outh of India.l
56
#ome 3hinese monks like Pu Zian in the fifth century and Hi 5ing in the
late seventh century set off at Tamraliptti the $anges (iver estuary to return to
3hina. It was also from this estuary that Indian traders sailed in their Euest for
gold at the time when the 5#takas sItras were being compiled. In his books
'istoire *ncienne Des ttats 'indouists d4xtreme ,rient The IndianiDed
#tates of #outheast *sia $eorge 3oedes had mention that almost every part of
India was involved in spreading Indian civiliDation abroad but #outhern India
played the greatest role.
57
In a word in the early centuries of the 3hristian era "uddhism was very
popular and flourishing in +uy +Nu owing to its important geographical
economic and political position at that time. +uy +Nu was one of the three
ancient towns F3} +oa +ong "idn and +uy +NuG of .ietnam at that time. It lay
on the banks of the DNu (iver five kilometers from the au~ng (iver. In +uy
+Nu people cultivate mulberry trees to raise silkworm manufacture silk and
cloth. -any postal and water routes ran across +uy +Nu. !or example7 The land
route to Pha +ai Dong Trieu Uuang /inh and then to the .ietnamese 3hinese
border Fcurrently (oute ;8 in .ietnamG to the water route running from the Dau
(iver through the Duong (iver the (ed (iver and to the 3hina #ea or the one
56
Dynasties et 'istoire de lInde ;:@8 p. 9:<.
57
3oedes $eorge $he =ndianized States of Southeast 2sia Balter !. .ella F4ditedG and #ue "rown 3owing
FTranslatedG 'onolulu7 University of 'awaiiM Press ;:@8 p. =:.
49
through the +uc Dau (iver the Thai "inh (iver and to the #outh 3hina #ea.
+uy +Nus advantageous position made it a busy economic center.
*gricultural products handicrafts and fine arts from the (ed (iver Delta
were brought here. !orest products like precious wood sandal wood perfumes
and elephants tusks from the /orth and the Best of .ietnam were gathered
here too. *nd from here cloth pottery and glassware of the delta were
transported to the highland regions. Traders from 3hina India and 3entral *sia
came here to do business. They took goods to other countries or brought them
back to their countries. +uy +Nu became a great international commercial center
that many foreigners called on or stayed.
58
It was convenient for diplomats and
messengers from southern countries to stay in +uy +Nu for a short time to study
the situation in 3hina before going to one of its capitals in +uoyang 3hangan
or 5ianye. +uy +Nu was also a convenient port of call for monks from India #ri
+anka or 3entral *sia who intended to spread "uddhism in 3hina. They came
to +uy +Nu to learn the language and the customs of 3hina. Bith the help of
.ietnamese monks who knew both 3hinese and #anskrit they translated
"uddhist sItra from #anskrit into 3hinese. !or instance the high0ranking monk
&huong Tang 'oi was very successful in spreading "uddhism during &ing /go
Ton Uuyens reign.
59
3hinese monks who wanted to go to India to study
"uddhism also stopped in +uy +Nu for some time in order to learn #anskrit and
get in touch with Indian monks in $iao 3hNu to ask them about the most
convenient way to India.
*fter many centuries +uy +Nu was also a political center of the northern
dominating authority. This center had been founded long before the #i /hieps
reign probably in the Rhao Tuos reign F".3. ;?:G. *fter occupying /am .iet
in RhaoTuos reign the 'an dynasty still considered +uy +Nu as the center of
58
/guyen +ang ,p. 3it. p. 9>.
59
Ibid p. =A.
50
$iao 3hi in 3hinese historical recordsC +uy +au is mentioned as the first in the
list of ten districts of $iao 3hi.
In the spring of the ;@
th
year of the 5ian Bu era people in $iao 3hi rose
up and attacked +uy +Nu. The 3hinese $overnor #u Ding had to free. Three
years later the uprising failed. 3hinese rule once more established the
administrative center of $iao 3hau in +uy +Nu. +ater in the years ;=90;=<
frightened of the danger of rebels attacks the 3hinese governor Rhou 3hang
moved the administrative center to +ong "ien district. "ut it was not peaceful
here either so the invaders moved back to +uy +Nu.
*t this time #i /hiep
60
became the governor of $iao 3hau. 'e intended
to found a kingdom in #outh .iet F/am .ietG independent from 3hina.
Therefore #i /hiep made an effort to build up +uy +Nu into a big town and a
secure fortress. #i /hiep died before his intention was realiDed. 'is son #hi 'ui
became governor. *fter the 'an dynasty collapsed $iao 3hau was ruled by the
Bu. The Bu 4mperor learned about #i /hieps ambition7 'e sent +u Da to
$iao 3hau instead of #hi 'ui. Bhen +u Da came to +uy +Nu he killed #hi 'ui
and moved the administrative center. +uy +Nu once more lost its central position
and became only a district.
Under Tang Dynasty rule over .ietnam F@;80:A? *.DG the invaders
established the administrative center in Tong "inh Fpresent0day 'anoiG. "ut a
year later -anager +i Daliang saw that +uy +Nu was more advantageous so he
moved the administrative center back lo +uy +au as before. *t this time people
in $iao 3hau were in a constant state of rebellion. The $overnor +i Daliang left
+uy +Nu until ?A>08A> *.D. "ut one day when the Director +i Huanxi left the
castle for a walk he saw a river in front of the castle running upstream.
3onsidering it a bad omen he hurriedly gathered his soldiers and left +uy +Nu.
60
/guyen 3uong Tu ,p 3it. p.;A.
51
This fact was related in Dai .iet #u &y Toan Thu as follows7 lIn /ovember
89= +i Huanxi saw the river running backwards outside the castle. 'e thought
that the people here would rise up against him and he thus moved to Tong "inh
now 'anoil.
It has been the administrative center of $iao 3hi for many centuries +uy
+Nu was in a position to spread and develop "uddhism. *lthough the rulers
were from the /orth they had a 3onfucian and Taoist outlook and believed in
the /orths magic. Their ideology of hegemonies and racism despised the
beliefs of the dominated country. "ut in reality they helped recogniDe the
superiority of "uddhism over 3onfucianism and Taoism in explaining mans
misfortunes and the way to be free from them and showing man the way to
nirv2a. $radually they changed their minds and attitudes and developed a
great interest in "uddhism. They invite Indian monks to teach them "uddhism
and pray for them as well. #uch a situation influenced the native people. -ore
and more people began to follow "uddhism.
"eing a political and economic center +uy +Nu could also develop as a
cultural center. In hopes of escaping from the troubles of their homeland many
3hinese scholars came here for they loved this peaceful land. -erchants from
India 3entral *sia and 5ava were also learned men. They not only brought
goods for exchange but also knowledge from their homeland about medicine
agriculture astronomy customs and beliefs. (eturning home they not only
took goods but also knowledge of the culture of $iao 3hau and *sian countries.
+uy +Nu naturally became a focus of different cultures. The development of a
number of languages for communication was stimulated. The $iao 3hNu
language 'an characters and #anskrit were all used in trading and to diffuse
"uddhism. -any monks and native people could use these three languages
perfectly. This promoted the translation of "uddhist sItras and the spread of
"uddhism in the land.
52
"uddhism in +uy +Nu however was not Euite like the "uddhism of the
"uddha or the "uddhism of contemporary India. It was influenced by the
ideological traditions and beliefs of $iao 3hNu and other *sian lands. Indian
monks had to accept this fact. "uddhism in +uy +Nu at that time was similar to
Taoism. There were features of "uddhism and Taoism in its expression and
explanation. "uddhism in India and the Best encouraged kindness and purity
and forbade the killing of living creaturesC it also sought to "abolish of sexual
misconduct" FHuan 'eng 'ou 'an 5iG. The concepts of kindness and no killing
of living creaturesl were "uddhist and the concept of labolition of sexual
misconduct" was Taoist.
The "uddha was the ancestor of morality the forefather of divinity. The
"uddha was the $odhead who could vanish or appear or change to be round or
sEuare old or young. The "uddha could go in the fire without being burnt step
on knives without being hurt. 'e could fly instead of going on footC he remains
safe in calamities clean in dirty places. 'e could fly when he traveled and
glitter when he sat. F-au Tu +y 'oac +uanG
+uy +Nu "uddhism had features in common with the popular beliefs of the
peasants that "uddha was thought to be everywhere and know everything. 'e
could save the good and punish the bad. !or example the "uddha in the lTam
3am !olk #tory of .ietnamese"
61
was thought to be a $od who had the
supremacy to carry out miracles. 'e could change natural phenomena into gods
who could bring happiness and abolish misfortunes such as the stone and the
statue of Tb Ph]p in the l-an /fgng #toryl or the stick and the hat in the
"#tory of 3h aqng Te.l
!rom +uy +Nu "uddhism spread to the deltas of the (ed (iver the -{
(iver and the 3\ (iver. The symbol lTb Ph]pl of +uy +Nu was introduced
61
Ibid p. =?.
53
everywhere in the country. +ater people in .an +am F'\i 'fng provinceG and
#on Tay Fon the bank of the (ed (iverG worshipped lTb Ph]p.l "uddhism took
part in making it a beloved image and its worship an established custom. 4very
year people from all over the country come here to attend the traditional fair.
In this conclusion an examine has been revealed that +uy +Nu "uddhism
was combined closely with traditional beliefs. It showed the psychology the
desire and the outlook of peasants who grow (Wet Rice Fin .ietnamese +ma
/fcG in the delta of the (ed (iver. Therefore it has survived intact for
thousands of years. +uy +Nu "uddhism has not been influenced by other
"uddhist #chools although many different "uddhist #chools were later
introduced into .ietnam. In the history of "uddhism in .ietnam +uy +Nu
"uddhism has played a significant position and it created connection to the
contemporary "uddhist world.
8. E9,.%"#!% !& B'(()#"+ #% V#*$%.+5 A B-#*& S'-1*y
.ietnam "uddhism was developed under three features forms deriving
from largely 3hinese "uddhist influence like F;G The *0'am F#kt7 LgamaG
tradition dated from the 9
nd
centuryC F9G The Thion F3han or RenG tradition
initiate in the @
th
centuryC and F<G T_nh aY FPure +andG tradition. *fter the ;9
th
century the predominant form of blend of Ren FThionG and Pure +and arose and
thereafter characteriDed .ietnamese "uddhism to the 9A
th
century. Ren practice
with its emphasis on meditative is mostly pursued among the monks and nuns
while Pure +and philosophy and practice are preferred by the lay people.
62
The basic feature of .ietnamese "uddhism is the very harmony unity of
Therav2da and -ah2y2na traditions while Thailand #rilanka +aos 3ambodia
"urma and so on belong to Therav2da "uddhismC and .ietnam Tibet 3hina
62
A. Stton, op.ct. p. 160. See more n Thch Mnh Tu, op.ct. p.82h; }nhLuc & NhatTm,
op.ct. p.15h.
54
5apan /epal etc. relate to -ah2y2na "uddhism. ,therwise .ietnamese Ren
masters did not base on the meditative methods practiced by Indian and 3hinese
Ren mastersC on the contrary they created themselves their own meditative
practice suiting their national character and tradition.
63
It is the most remarkable
that Trmc +Nm Ren tradition in .ietnam which was founded by 4mperor Trn
/hNn Tnng F;9>80;<A8G flourished well. This is the first .ietnamese Ren
tradition manifesting not only independent characteristics of .ietnam but also a
harmonious combination of Indian and 3hinese "uddhism. *fter +0Trn
Dynasties Trmc +Nm Ren tradition and the other Ren ones seemed to be dimmed
and underdeveloped.
Until the end of the 9A
th
century Ren master Th`ch Thanh Ty restored and
re0established the .ietnamese Ren tradition. 'e guided practitioners in the
meditative methods which he synthesiDed from meditative experiences of three
famous Ren masters Fi.e. 4mperor Trn /hNn TnngC -aster Ph]p +oa and
'uyon Trang F;9>=0;<<=G but without following and Ren tradition schools.
*s a result of the ;:?As Ren master Th`ch Thanh Ty built three immense
monasteries namely7 3hgn &hnng in ;:?AC Thfung 3hiku in ;:?=C and Trmc
+Nm. Trmc +Nms Ren monastery in #outh .ietnams aX +xt city is about 98A
km from 'q 3h` -inh 3ity. This is one of the biggest Ren study centers in
.ietnam under the supervision of Ren master Th`ch Thanh Ty a renowned
teacher in meditation over many decades. 'is teachings and lectures are
embraced practiced and circulated in many different forms of the media around
the world by .ietnamese "uddhists.
64
"y the >
th
century the inherence of the predecessors Dhamma preaching
careers was maintained by both foreign and .ietnamese monks as7 axt0-a0ao0
63
nh Luc & Nhat Tm, Ibd. p.28f.
64
Ibd. p.16f.
55
"X FDhammadevaG 'uc ThOng 'uc +Nm axo Thion and aXm 'ong etc.
The "uddhist monks made their great contribution to the transmission and
development of "uddhism during the period of domination by /orthern
invaders.
65
The period of real development of "uddhism .ietnam began with
the two mission advent in >8A and 89AC those are "uddhist monks .initaruci Fd.
>:=G from India and Bu0Han0Tong F.n0/gnn0Thnng ?>:089@G from 3hina. *t
that time this land had twenty stu'#s to house the precious relics offered as a
diplomatic present by the 3hinese emperor many temples and >AA monks
many of them were famous by their immense knowledge and their rigorous
discipline.
66
Until the power of &ing ainh Tidn 'oXng Fainh "Y +|nh :@80
:?:G who was the first emperor of independent .ietnam and who gave his
defense to "uddhism started an era of prosperity and thriving for the doctrine
lasting to ;AA:.
In this time a monk named /gn03hNn0+fu FRen master &hunng0.ict
:<<0;A;;G who was reputed as a distinguished scholar as a talented poet and
as well0versed in the practice of contemplation was soon discussing on the
internal external and important national affairs with the &ing at the court.
"eing very satisfied with the monks teaching and guidance emperor ainh0"Y0
+|nh appointed him as #agha0r2%a FSagha PresidentG in :@: and elevated
/gn03hNn0+fu to the dignity of Imperial 3ouncilor with the laudatory surname
of &hunng0.ict F#ervant of .ietnamG in :?;.
67
65
Thch Mnh Tu, op.ct. 69h.
66
Ouoted from Buddhism in Vietn!m, n D.C. Ahr, op.ct. p.121; C.S. Prebsh, History
)iction!ry of Buddhism, Deh: Sr Sat guru Pubcatons, 1995; 14f. See more n L Manh
That, *+,c%-PhtGioVit N!m, vo. I, HoCh Mnh: NhXuatBnHoCh Mnh, 1999: 32h-
311h; Nguyn Lang, op.ct.p.111h-148h; L Manh That, Nghi.nC/uV0"hi0n1y2n"3Anh,
Ho Ch Mnh: NhXuatBnHoCh Mnh, 1999: 250h-170h; Thch Mnh Tu, op.ct. 84h-
116h-201h-218h.
67
D.C. Ahr, bd., p.121; D. Keown & et.a., op.ct., 327; LCung, op.ct.,15; Nguyn Lang,
p.185; LManhTht, *+,c%-Ph4tGioVit N!m, Vo. II. bd, p.404h; LManhTht,
Nghi.nC/uV0"hi0n1y2n"3Anh, bd, p179h; Thch Mnh Tu, p.138h; ThchcNghp,
56
The stage from the ;A
th
to ;=
th
centuries marked a new era of the
independence of axi.ict nation and the prosperity of .ietnamese "uddhism.
During the period of the four Dynasties7 ainh F:@80:8AGC the former +d F:8A0
;AA:GC + F;AA:0;99>GC and Trn F;99>0;=AAG
68
"uddhism took an important
and significant position in .ietnamese society at that time. It placed a
preeminent role not only in the development and broadens of the "uddhas
dogma but also in intensification the state by engaging in political social and
cultural services. It resulted in construction of thousands of pagodas and stu'#s
all around the country among of which Dien 'uu pagoda F,ne Pillar pagoda
present dayG in 'anoi Fthe capital of .ietnam of /orth nowG was the most
illustrious.
,n the other hand the monarch became not only devoted "uddhists but
active and efficient sponsors of "uddhism. *s a result &ing ainh "Y +|nh
established a state0sponsored .ietnamese Sagha and initiated the practice of
appointing eminent monks to advisory positions at court or offices formerly
exclusively by 3onfucian scholars. The !ormer +d dynasty F:8A0;AA:G
recogniDed the scriptural basis of .ietnamese "uddhism after importing the first
complete 3hinese Tripit 6 aka. In the + dynasty &ing +0Th]i0Tnng F;A980;A>=G
in admiration of "uddhism expansion a practicing "uddhist layman with his
exceptional fervor under the guidance of his master Thion0+{o of .n0/gnn0
Thnng sect announcement the construction of :8 pagodas whose completion of
taxes in favor of the peopleC the restoration of all "uddha statues in the existing
temples followed by another fiscal amnesty in ;A@<C and the building of the
Didn0'ju pagoda in ;A=:C etc. In addition with the support of &ing +0Th]nh0
Tnng F;A>=0;A?9G the 3han and Pure +and synthesis gained a dominant
position among the .ietnamese people to such an extent that it maintains
dominance to the present day. In the Trn Dynasty the rulers also restored
1.179f.
68
/guyen Tu 3uong ,p. 3it. pp. ;<09;.
57
several "uddhist pagodas as places of pilgrimageC typically &ing Trn0/hNn0
Tnng F;9>80;<A8G himself established the Trmc0+Nm school of "uddhism which
fusing 3han0Pure +and "uddhism with 3onfucianism and Taoism encouraged
unity of .ietnamese against the #ino0-ongolian invaders. *s a result
"uddhism became an essential element of patriotism which was then focused
against 3hamp2 and *ngkor the two powers that barred .ietnams march to the
#outh.
!urthermore it is noted that some of the &ings resigned their power after
a time of reigning and became 3han master such as7 +0Th]i0T} F+03nng0
Un ;A;A0;A98GC +0Th]nh0Tnng F;A>=0;A?9GC Trn0Th]i0Tnng F;99>0;<A8GC
and in particular &ing Trn0/hNn0tnng a great "uddhist scholar who after his
two triumph over -ongol FHuang-engG abandon the throne and became the
founder of Trmc0+Nm F"amboo $roveG at Hdn0Te -ountain. It was the first
.ietnamese 3han sect that had been founded and the &ing was consecrated as
the first Patriarch of Trmc0+Nm 3han sect of .ietnam. In these period many
"uddhist monks not only engaged in politics but also were appointed both #tate
3ounselors and /ational masters namely7 &hunng0.ict
69
F/gn03hNn0+fu ::<0
;A;;GC .xn0'xnh FQ0;A;8GC aa0"\oC .idn03hiku F:::0;A:AGC -{n0$i]c F;A>90
;A:@GC Thnng0"icn FQ0;;<=GC .idn0Thnng F;A8A0;;>;GC Ty0axo0'xnh FQ0;;;?GC
#ng0Phxm F;AA=0;A8?GC -inh0&hnng F;A@@0;;=;GC /gY0rn F;A9A0;A88GC
"\o0$i]m FQ0;;?<GC Ph0.NnC and Tuc0Trung0Thfng0#| FTrn0Uu~c0Tu[n
;9<A0;9:;GC etc. Bith their obviously true prestige they contributed to make
not only the teaching and practice of Dharma brilliant and successful but also
the country peaceful and thriving. *nd above all 3han -aster .xn0'xnh made
his immense contribution to the enthroning of &ing +0Th]i0T} the founder of
the + reign and was later granted the title Sagha President FThng Th~ngG
69
Ibid pp. ;;;0;;9.
58
F#agha0r2%aG.
70
During this $olden *ge .ietnamese "uddhist thought
literature and architecture were best developed and influenced "uddhist
characteristics in + reign in poetry in prose and in scripture which lasted 9=
years F;9:>0;<;:G at Uuinh0+Nm pagoda under the auspices of &ing Trn0*nh0
Tnng F;9:<0;<;=G was the most influential one. The great task was carried out
by -aster Ph]p0+oa Patriarch of the Trmc0+Nm 3han #ect alongside hundreds
of monks and lay followers making over >AAA engravings of "uddhist
#criptures including those composed by the Trmc0+Nm sect. -aster Ph]p0+oa
F;98=0;<<AG made his best contribution of the growth of over ;>AAA monks in
more than 9AA Trmc0+Nm monasteries then. /ext to master Ph]p0+oa was
master 'uyon0Uuang F;9>=0;<<=G thus forming the Trinity of Trmc0+Nm
Patriarchs the symbol of the "uddhist $olden *ge. -aster 'uyon0Uuang a
great monk scholar and poet led a secluded life at -ountain 3nn0#gn F'\i
Dfgng provinceG teaching the Dhamma practicing 3han menditation and
composing poems after twenty years of service to the 3ourt.
71
*nother interesting feature of +0Trn "uddhism is its trend of blending
"uddhism with Taoism and 3onfucianism forming the theory of Three Identical
70
See n N.R. Reat, op.ct., p.129f; D. Keown& et.a., bd., p.327; ThchThnHoa, p.24;
LCung, p.15h; Nguyn Lang, p.184h-357h; LManhTht, Nghi.nC/u"hi0n1y2n"3Anh,
p.179f; D.C. Ahr, p.122h; S. Dutt, Buddhism in 5!st Asi!, Deh: Indan Counc for
Cutura Reatons, 1996: 107h; LManhTht, *+,cs-PhtGioVitn!m, vo.II, p.404h to
617h and vo.III, 2002, .17h to 749h; Thch Mnh Tu, p.137h-166h-264h;
ThchcNghp, p.179h; NguynOuangNgoc, p.66h-70h-95h; A ecture devered by
Thch Thanh T. ao Php Dn Tc Chu Ngha X HL
PhuongChmhoatngngancuaGoHPhtgoVt Nam- (Dhamma-Naton-
Socasm s the Motto for Rght Actvty of Vetnam Buddhst Sangha), at the Memora
Semnar to the Twenty Years of Foundaton of Vetnam Buddhst Sangha (November 7,
1981-November 7, 2001) on November 7, 2001 n Hano capta, n 6789uH:i"h;o67Nim
<0 Nm"h=nh*3GioH:iPhtGioVit N!m>"he %umm!ry ?ecord of memori!$ %emin!r
to the "@enty 8e!rs of Aound!tion of Vietn!m Buddhist %!ngh!, Hano:
NhXuatbnTnGo, 2002: 29h.
71
Nguyn Lang, p.279h-313h-331h; Thch Mnh Tu, p.179h-364h-380h.
59
Tradition (eligions in .ietnam. This growing tendency of combining the three
religions together in a harmonious way resulted in procuding experts in the
three branches of learning. -an of them were 3han masters &ings and court
mandarins who played a very active role as leaders in several struggles against
the #ungs army and later the -ongols invasions. In peace time as well as in
war time these "uddhist made their great effort to bring welfare and happiness
to their nation. In the period of unprecedented prosperity of .ietnamese
"uddhism both Taoism and 3onfucianism were good0developed and became
very popular with all social ranks.
72
"y the end of the Trn Dynasty F;=A?0;=;=G as 3onfucianist scholars
gained their nonopoly at court "uddhism gradually lost its influence especially
after the invasion of the -inh in ;=;= axi0.ict rulers oppressed .ietnamese
"uddhists by setting most of "uddhist texts books on fire and destroying a large
number of pagodas. -oreover numerous talented monks were sent to 3hina in
exile. 3hinese governors introduced 3onfucianism to .ietnam from :<: to
;=A?. *ll that lay in the policy of assimilating to .ietnamese into the 3hinese
and spreading 3onfuicanism as the only dominating doctrine while keeping
"uddhism and Taoism under draconian control.
73
In ;=98 the +ater +d Dynasty F;=980;>9?G established itself as sovereign
in .ietnam until the end of ;8
th
century. In fact the /orth of .ietnam was ruled
by the powerful Tr_nh +ords while the /guyVn +ords ruled in the #outh and
continued the #outhward expansion of the .ietnam. *s part of their own
attempts to consolidate stablisation and developement of country the /guyVn
+ords were eager to foster new forms of "uddhism in the #outh. *s a result
3hinese refugee monks were particularly welcomed by the /guyen +ords in the
#outh. They founded the +in05i F.ietnamese7 +Nm TkG sect and the Tsao0Tung
72
Nguyn Ouang Ngoc, p.97; }nh Luc & Nhat Tm, p.28.
73
Nguyn Ouang Ngoc, p.97h-124f; Thch Mnh Tu, p.393h.
60
sect and built pagodas in many privinces while the territory extended
southwards. ,ne of the most preeminent figures was /guydn0Thiou Fd.;?;9G
who founded a lineage of +in05i 3han. This tradition known in .ietnamese as
+Nm0Tk was consolited and popularised under the third patriarch of the lineage
+iVu0Uu]n F;@?A0;?=<G. In /orth .ietnam one of the brilliant torchlights of
.ietnamese "uddhism was Ren -aster 3hNn0/guydn who was conferred he
title Sagha President by &ing +d0Dj0Tnng. 'e and his excellent disciples
made their great effort to restore the Trmc0+Nm 3han tradition and to reprint
numerous literary works composed by Truc0+am Patriarchs.
74
In the period of the ;:
th
and 9A
th
centuries .ietnamese "uddhism
experienced many rises and falls of sufferings disgrace and in%ustice in both
physical and spiritual aspects which was caused by the !rench 3olonialist. ,ne
of the savage measures applied to "uddhism by the !rench 3olonialist was the
very imposition and religions discrimination against "uddhism aiming to
interpret "uddhist development and inversely to give 3atholicism many
favorable conditions for development. 5errold #checter gives his appropriate
criticism as under7
*long with rubber planters colonial administrators !rench bread and
red wine the !rench brought 3atholic priests. Under !rench rule from ;8@A
until the beginning of Borld Bar II 3atholicism was encouraged and "uddhism
restricted in its development. "uddhism was removed from its place in the
trinity with Taoism and 3onfucianism which was the religion of .ietnams
4mperor. /o longer did "uddhism have state support and prestige. The !rench
limited the number of monks in each pagoda. *uthoriDations were reEuired for
building new pagodas and the rights of pagodas to accept gifts and legacies
were limited.
75
74
N.R. Reat, p.130. See more n L Cung, p.18; Thch Mnh Tu, p.396h-411h.
61
*s a result main pagodas in the three parts Fthe /orth 3entral and
#outhG of .ietnam were appropriated and even broke for building 3atholic
3hurch. "uddhist monks were prohibited from propagating Dhamma and
pagodas were not permitted to collect any donation from both the "uddhists and
others. 4ven the "uddhists and other people were forced to convert to
3atholicism by /gn anh Dicms government with various barbarian
expedients and policies of religious discrimination in aspects of ideal politics
economics society culture education etc.
76
Throughout such a religious
discrimination of President /gn anh Dicms power Prof. +d 3ung gave his
straight criticism7
The religious policy of /gn anh Dicms power on all aspects of politics
and ideal economics and society culture and education as above mentioned
showed that /gn anh Dicms power reserved special policy towards
3atholicism obviously giving advantageous conditions both physical and
spiritual aspects to the 3atholic 3hurch for activities and development.
77
It shows the way the result that a movement for the improvement of
.ietnamese "uddhism in the period of ;:9A0;:<A was led by the -ost
.enerable Th`ch &h]nh 'oa and many "uddhist associations were established
in the three parts of .ietnam F/orth 3entre and #outhG from ;:<;0;:<=.
Typically the /am0.ict *ssociation of "uddhist #tudies F.ietnamese7 'Yi
/ghidn 3bu Phzt 'Wc /am .ictG was founded in 'q 3h` -inh 3ityG on *ugust
9@ ;:<;C the Trung .ict *ssociation of "uddhist #tudies F.ietnamese7 'Yi
/ghidn 3bu Phzt 'Wc "Oc .id 6tG in 'anoi on /ovember @ ;:<=. In addition
many "uddhist magaDines were established in this period like7 the Ty "i rm
monthly magaDine on *pril <; ;:<;C the .idn rm monthly magaDines on
75
|. Schecter, "he ne@ A!ce of Buddh!' Buddhism !nd 3o$itic!$ 3o@er in %outhe!st Asi!,
London: Vcotor Goancz, 1967: 169f. See more n Nguyn Lang, p.454h.
76
L Cung, pp. 18-38h. See more n Nguyn Lang, p.1037h.
77
Ibd, p.105.
62
December ; ;:<<C the au~c Tuc weekly magaDine in ;:<=C and along with
other magaDines such as7 the "atnha rm the DuytamC the /ietban etc. During
the period the -ovement of "uddhist (eformation received great approval
from "uddhists especially the intellectuals all over the country.
78
In ;:=8 a
religious organiDation of .ietnamese "uddhism was established aiming at not
only to go into existence but to resume its activities in 'anoi. -any "uddhist
magaDines and .ietnamese translations of "uddhist books were issued. In 'uk
the .en. $i]c Tidn and Doctor anh Th]m Fa "uddhist lay #cholarG founded a
"uddhist institute at Trmc +Nm pagoda then the *nnam "uddhist *ssociation at
Ty Uuang pagoda and the two "uddhist schools for monks and nuns.
In the period of the ;:<As to ;:>As the system of "uddhist organiDation
on the whole country at that time was divided into two groups7 F;G The clergy
group was responsible for not only functioning Saghas affairs but also
spiritually leading the "uddhist groupC and F9G The "uddhist $roup was
responsible for operating the "uddhists works and giving material means to the
Sagha group for their propagation. !urthermore each group had three
organiDations consisting of the three parts of .ietnam such as7 the first group
had F;G the /am0.iet Sagha *ssociation F.ietnamese7 $i]o 'Yi Thng $iX
/am0.ictG in the #outh of .ietnam founded on 5une > ;:>; under the
leadership of the Dhamma Patriarch of three terms namely7 .en. Th`ch axt
Thanh .en. Th`ch 'uc Uuang and .en. Th`ch &h]nh *nh and his workplace
was put at n Uuang pagoda in #aigonC F9G the Trung .ict Sagha *ssociation
F.ietnamese7 $i]o 'Yi Thng $iX Trung0.ictG in the middle of .ietnam founded
in ;:<9 under the leadership of -asters7 .en. Th`ch ann 'zu .en. Th`ch -zt
'in .en. Th`ch -zt /guycn and .en. Th`ch Tr` Th etc. with its
78
|. SchecterB C3DcitDB p.170; ThchThnHoa, C3DcitDB p. 32h-44h-54h; Nguyn Lang, &EidDB
p. 783h-814h-868h; ThchHenPhp & et.a (ed. & comped),
Bi.nNi.n%-PhtGio%=iGFnGi!GHnh>"PD HIChJ Kinh LMN00>MOO<PBHoCh Mnh: NhXuatbn
ThnhPho HoCh Mnh, 2001, p. 85h; }nhLuc & NhatTm, C3DcitDB p. 20f.
63
headEuarters at +inh Uuang pagoda in 'ukC and F<G the "Oc.ict *ssociation of
(eorganiDing -onks and /uns F.ietnamese7 'Yi Thng /i 3hPnh + "Oc0.ictG
in the /orth of .ietnam founded on *ugust 9A ;:=: under the leadership of the
.en. Th`ch T~ +idn as the President and later it was renamed the "Oc0.id 6t
Sagha *ssociation F$i]o 'Yi Thng $iX "Oc0.id 6tG.
,n #eptember : ;:>A with -aster Th`ch -zt ng as the Dhamma
Patriarch and its head0office at Uu]n #b pagoda in 'anoi. The second group
consisted of F;G the /am0.iet *ssociation of "uddhist #tudies founded on
!ebruary 9> ;:>; with Doctor /guyVn .hn &he as 3hairman and its
headEuarter at &h]nh 'fng pagoda in 'ukC F<G the "Oc0.id 6t *ssociation of
"uddhist #tudies founded in ;:=: with -r. "i Thicn 3g as chairman and its
headEuarter at Uu]n #b pagoda in 'anoi.
79
,n -ay ;:>; /ational "uddhist 3ongress with >; delegates of the three
parts of .ietnam Fthe /orth -iddle and #outhG consisting of the Sagha and
"uddhist follower groups help in -ay Ffrom @
th
to :
th
G in Ty aXm pagoda in
'uk city aiming at to unify all "uddhist associations for the three parts to
reorganiDe the "uddhists Sagha activities to codify "uddhist rites and to
begin organiDing "uddhist youth groups and adult education centers. *s a
result the $eneral *ssociation of .ietnamese "uddhism FT}ng 'Yi Phzt $i]o
.ietnamG was founded with the .en. Th`ch T_nh &hikt as chairman. The aim of
the association was not only to unite the Therav2da and -ah2y2na sects but
also to give the "uddhists a new type organiDation with an ecclesiastical
hierarchy parallel to the government structure. Thence .ietnamese "uddhism
approved its position by becoming the founding member of the Borld
!ellowship of "uddhists FB!"G founded in 3olombo #ri0lanka in ;:>A.
80
79
ThchThnHoa, p.82h; Nguyn Lang, p.924h-934h-957h-974h; ThchHenPhp & et.a,
p.77h-109h.
80
ThchThnHoa, bd. |. Schecter, p.170; LCung, p.266; Nguyn Lang, p.926-975h;
ThchHenPhp & et.a, p.118h; }nhLuc & NhatTm, p.21.
64
#ince ;:>= after the division of the /orth and #outh .ietnam along the
seventeenth parallel by $eneva *greement /gn anh Dicm took power in the
#outh and new anxiety began to build up. .ietnamese "uddhists in the #outh
suffered from the religious discrimination and restrictions imposed by the /go
Dinh Dicm (egime until the day when its coercion grew stronger and the non0
violent "uddhist demonstrations broke out over the country the !odhisatt"a
Th`ch Uu\ng abcs self0immolation followed by those of other "uddhist
martyrs paved the way for the overthrow of the Diem (egime in ;:@<.
81
In ;:@= the .ietnam Unifying "uddhist *ssociation F$i]o 'Yi Phzt $i]o
.ietnam Th~ng /h[tG was established and next to the Institute of 'igher
"uddhist #tudies was formed in #Xi $n with the initiative of most .enerable
Th`ch Tr` Th and later it was transformed into .xn 'xnh University with the
most .enerable Thich -inh 3hNu as the first 'eadmaster. This university had
an enrolment of over 9AAA students in ;:@@.
82
Until the period from ;:@: to ;:?> the war continued between the #outh
.ietnamese government of U.#. forces and the .ietnamese revolutionary forces.
*s a result the long warfare went to the end as the #outh .ietnamese
$overnment surrendered on *pril <A ;:?>. Important events since the
reunification of the country include a border war with 3hina in ;:?: and
.ietnams invasion of 3ambodia the year before. .ietnam finally withdrew its
troops from 3ambodia in ;:8:.
Until on 5une 9 ;:?@ .ietnam became officially reunified under the
.ietnam 3ommunist Party. #Xi $n was changed into 'q 3h` -inh 3ity and
'anoi became the capital of .ietnam.
83
81
ThchThnHoa, p.102h-141h; |. Schecter, p.170h; LCung, p.226f.
82
Pra Ra|avaramun (Prayudh Payutto), p. 86.
83
Ibd. p.92.
65
*fter the $reat +iberation day of the #outh Fon *pril <A ;:?>G a
"uddhist unifying movement was carried out in ;:8A the 'is 'oliness most
.enerable Th`ch Tr` Th who was the rector of 'va axo Institute of .ietnam
Unifying "uddhist *ssociation was honored as a Director of "uddhist Unifying
-ovement 3ommittee. *s a result the ;
st
/ational Delegates 3onference for
Unifying .ietnam "uddhism with ;@> delegates of nine "uddhist
organiDations
84
consisting of the three parts of .ietnam was held in /ovember
from =
th
to ?
th
;:8; at Uuan #u pagoda in 'anoi leading to the establishment of
the .ietnam "uddhist Sagha F$i]o 'Yi Phzt $i]o.ictnamG on /ovember ?
th

84
Nne Buddhst sects were eaded by nne preemnent eaders consstng of: (1) the
Vetnam Buddhst Unfyng Assocaton (HThongNhatPhtGoVt Nam) by the Most
Venerabe ThchNguynSnh; (2) the Uned Vetnam Buddhst Assocaton
(HPhtGoVt Nam ThongNhat) by Most Venerabe ThchThnSu; (3) the Vetnam
tradtona Buddhst assocaton (HPhtGoCoTruyenVtnam) by the Most Venerabe
ThchTrTan; (4) the Patrotc Buddhst Lason Commttee of Ho Ch Mnh Cty (Ban
LnLacPhtGoYuNucThnhPho HoChMnh) by the Most Venerabe ThchThnHo; (5)
the Vetnam Theravada Sangha Assocaton (H Tang GNguynThuyVt Nam); (6) the
Unted Assocaton of the Patrotc Bonzes of the Southwest Vetnam
(HonKetSuSYuNucMenTy Nam B) by the Most Venerabe DuongNhon; (7) the
Vetnam Mendcant Sangha Assocaton (HTanggKhatSVt Nam) by the Most
Venerabe ThchGcNhu; (8) the Assocaton of TenTa Sect (GoHThn Tha
GoOunTng) by the Venerabe ThchatPhp; and (9) The Vt Nam Assocaton of
Buddhst Studes (H Pht Hoc Nam Vt) by Buddhst ayman Tang Ouang. See n A
report (aong wth an encosed dspatch 341/PC/HDTS) made by the 2
nd
Centra Omce of
Vetnam Buddhst Sangha, ThnhPhnaBeuTuBeuPhtGoVt Nam
uocVnngM - The Typca Deegates of Vetnam Buddhst Invted by Campagnng
Commttee, on October 22, 2003, at HoCh Mnh Cty, p.3h. A ecture devered by
ThchTrThu, LKuGoCuaHNgh}aBeuThongNhatPhtGoVt Nam - A Ca of
Deegates Congress For Unfyng Vetnam Buddhst Sangha, on November 7, 1981 at
Ouan Su pagoda, n GoHPhtGoVt Nam,
KYeuHNgh}aBeuThongNhatPhtGoVt Nam - The Summary Record Of Deegates
Conference For Unfyng Vetnam Buddhst Sangha, Ho Ch Mnh: Ban Van Ha Trung
Uong Go H, 1986: 40f; Theu Huy, Pht Go Vt Nam Trong Ga oan Pht Tren -
Vetnamese Buddhsm n the Perod of Deveopment, n the weeky paper Gc Ng
(nghtenment), No. 197, Vetnam: The Organ of the Buddhst Sagha of Ho Ch Mnh
Cty, November.
66
;:8; under the #upreme Dhamma Patriarch 3ouncil of .ietnam "uddhist
SaghaC and 'is 'oliness most .enerable Thich Tr` Th as the President of
4xecutive 3ouncil of .ietnam "uddhist Sagha.
The 3ongress unanimously approved the 3harter of the .ietnam "uddhist
Sagha consisting of ;; chapters and =@ clauses
85
Fand now it consists of ;9
chapters and >9 clauses after the =
th
correct of the 3harter at the @
th
3ongress on
December ;= 9AA?G.
86
*t the present its headEuarter put at Uuan #u pagoda in 'anoi and Thion
.id 6n Uu\ng abc pagoda in 'q 3h` -inh 3ity
87
as well as unified an action
program for national cooperation and harmony among all "uddhist sectsC
propagating the Dhamma at its best so as to make known its special featuresC
establishing a system of monastic education and promoting friendship among
world "uddhist organiDations for peace on earth.
88
/ext /ational "uddhist
Delegates 3ongress were held as 'u /gh_ palace of 3ulture in great success
by .ietnam "uddhist Sagha as follows7 the 9
nd
3ongress held on ,ctober 98
th
and 9:
th
;:8? consisting of 9=> delegatesC the <
rd
3ongress on /ovember 99
nd
and 9<
rd
;::? consisting of <9A delegatesC the >
th
3ongress on December =
th
and
85
See "The Charter of the Vetnam Buddhst Sagha, n bd.
KYeuhngh}aBeuthongnhatPhtgoVtnam - The Summary Record of Deegates
conference for Unfyng Vetnam Buddhst Sagha, 1986: 51h.
86
See more n Go H Pht Go Vetnam, The Charter of the Vetnam Buddhst Sagha,
Hano: Nh Xuat Bn Tn Go, 2008: 5h.
87
Before 1992, the 2
nd
omce was put at XLo pagoda n HoCh Mnh Cty.
88
L Cung, p.268h; }nhLuc & NhatTm, p.21; A report (aong wth an encosure dspatch
341/PC/HDTS) made by the 2
nd
Centra Omce of Vetnam Buddhst Sangha,
OuTrnhVnngThongNhatPhtGoVt Nam - The Achevement of Vetnam Buddhst
Sagha, on October 22, 2003, at HoCh Mnh Cty, p.5f. See more n ThchHenPhp& et.a,
p.237h; KYeuHNgh}aBeuThongNhatPhtGoVt Nam - The Summary Record of
Deegates Conference for Unfyng Vetnam Buddhst Sagha, 1986: 3h.
67
>
th
9AA9 consisting of >9? official delegatesC and the @
th
3ongress on December
;<
th
and ;=
th
9AA? consisting of ?@9 official delegates.
89
Today the administrative hierarchy of the .ietnam "uddhist Sagha is
divided into three levels such as7 I the ;
st
one in the 3entral level consisting of
two main 3ouncils that is the #upreme Patriarch 3ouncil of .ietnam "uddhist
Sagha F'Yi aqng 3hbng -inh $i]o 'Yi Phzt $i]o .ietnamG and the
4xecutive 3ouncil of .ietnam "uddhist Sagha F'n6i aqng Tr_ #j $i]o 'n6i
PhN 6t $i]o .ietnamG. FaG The #upreme Patriarch 3ouncil is a governing body
with :? respected senior monks Fat the @
th
3ongressG led by three 'is 'oliness
most .enerable elected in order as the #upreme Dhamma Patriarch FPh]p 3hG
of .ietnam "uddhist Sagha by members of the 3ongress for a five0years term
as follows7 'is 'oliness Thich abc /huzn Ffor the ;
st
9
nd
and <
rd
termsG 'is
'oliness Thich TNm T_ch Ffor the =
th
and >
th
termsG and 'is 'oliness Th`ch Ph}
Tuc Ffrom the @
th
term until nowG.
90
FbG The 4xecutive 3ouncil is a governing
body with ;=? members under the leadership of two 'is 'oliness -ost
.enerable voted in order as the President of .ietnam "uddhist Sagha by
members of the 3ongress for a five0year term Fat the @
th
3ongressG as 'is
'oliness Thich Tr` Th Ffor the early half of the ;
st
termG and 'is 'oliness
Thich Tr` T_nh Ffor the latter half of the ;
st
term and the next > terms until
nowG.
91
Under the 3ouncil there are ten central Departments/Institutes with >?
members of each Department/Institute for operating such as7 the Department
F"anG of F;G The Sagha *ffairs F"an Thng #jGC F9G the 4ducation for -onks
and /uns F"an $i]o D^c Thng /iGC F<G the Dhamma Propagation F"an 'ong
Ph]pGC F=G the (ituals F"an /ghi +VGC F>G the 3ulture F"an .hn 'vaGC F@G the
"uddhist $uidance F"an 'fng Dn Phzt TeGC F?G the 4conomics and !inance
89
See more n the Report (aong wth an encosed dspatch 341/PC/HDTS), Ibd. p. 6.
90
See more the Supreme Patrarch Counc (HongChng Mnh) n
GohPhtGoVtnam, The Charter of the Vetnam Buddhst Sagha, 2008, p.7f.
91
See more the xecutve Counc (HongTr}Su) n bd. p.8h.
68
F"an &inh Tk TXi 3h]nhGC F8G the #ocial 3harity F"an Ty Thicn Z{ 'YiGC F:G the
International "uddhist *ffairs F"an Phzt gi]o Uu~c tkGC and F;AG the .ietnam
"uddhist (esearch Institute F.icn /ghidn 3bu Phzt 'Wc .ict /amG. II The 9
nd
one is the Provinces and 3ities level consisting of the "uddhist 4xecutive
3ommittees with =? members for each committee. Under the "uddhist
4xecutive 3ommittee there are nine #ub0committees at the level consisting of
<? members for each #ub0committee. *nd III the <
rd
one is the Districts and
*reas level consisting of the "uddhist representative Division with ;> members
for each division at the level. Under the "uddhist (epresentative Divisions at
the level there are many pagodas monasteries small temples small houses and
places for "uddhist cultivation. *ll the above key positions were held by monks
belonging to -ah2y2na Therav2da and -endicants sects at levels from the
central to the local. /evertheless the characteristics of privately practical
traditions form "uddhist sects were kept maintenance and respect. !urthermore
the system of Sagha and monasteries has been brought into united statistics
and management.
92
Particularly in the international activities concerned the .ietnam "uddhist
Sagha not only exchanged friendly letters and documents as well as
informationC received the representatives of international "uddhist organiDationC
printed and populariDed "uddhist works and magaDines abroad but also took
many friendly visits to the countries on the world and participated in many
international conferences seminars etc. Typically the *sian "uddhist 3ongress
for Peace F*P3PG in Ulaanbaatar -ongolia in ;:89C the International *"3P
3onferences Fthe @
th
?
th
and 8
th
G in the capital of 'anoi0.ietnam in /ovember
92
A ecture devered by Thch Thn Nhon, BoCoTongKetHoatngPhtSuNhmK V
(2002-2007) - A Summary Report of Buddhst Actvtes Deegates on December 11
th
to
14
th
, 2007 n Hano, n GoHPhtGoVtnam, KyeuaBeuPhtgoTonOuocLnTh
VI - The Summary Record for the 6
th
Congress of Natona Buddhst Deegates, Hano:
NhXuatBnTnGo, 2008: p.29h.
69
;:8> in .ien03han +aos in !ebruary ;:8@ in -ongolia in #eptember ;::;
and in 3olombo #rilanka in /ovember ;::9C the 3onvention of *sian
"uddhists for Peace in Delhi 0 India in -ay ;:8=C the International "uddhist
3onference with the theme7 ""uddhism and /ational 3ultures" in Delhi0India
in ,ctober ;:8=C the International (ound0Table 3onference in -oscow0(ussia
in -ay ;:8@C the /ational 3ongress of International Peace in (ussia in
!ebruary ;:8?C the 3onference of (eligion and Peace in *ustralia in 5anuary
;:8: and in Italy in ,ctober ;::AC the International Sagha 3onference in
Taiwan in ,ctober ;::< and in .ancouver03anada in #eptember ;::=C the
International 3onference of *rmament in the 3apital of 'anoi in *pril ;::<C
and the special #eminar on "uddhism in Paris0!rance in *ugust ;::>C and the
3onference on the !orming International "uddhist *ssociation for Preaching
Dhamma in 5apan in ;::8C etc. In recent years many delegations of .ietnam
"uddhist Sagha have attended religious seminars and conferences held in
different countries such as7 India #ri +ankaC 5apanC *ustraliaC ItalyC !rance
Taiwan It is the most remarkable that the most .enerable Thich -inh 3hNu
was designated as the member of 4xecutive 3ommittee and as .ice0President of
*"3P F;:890;:8>GC specially at the ?
th
3onference in !ebruary ;:8@ in .ien0
3han he was elected again as the .ice0President of *"3P and as a member of
4xecutive 3ouncil of International *"3P as well as the President of .ietnam
*"3P.
93
93
A ecture devered by ThchHenPhp, BoCoTongKetHoatngPhtSuNhmK IV
(1997-2002) - A Summary report of Buddhst Actvtes n the 4
th
term (1997-2002), at
the 5
th
Congress of Natona Buddhst Deegates on December 4
th
and 5
th
, 2002 n Hano,
n GoHPhtGoVtnam, bd., p.25; A ecture devered by ThchChonThn,
BoCoHoatngPhtGoOuocTeNhmK III (1992-1997) - A Summary Report of
Internatona Buddhst Actvtes n the 3
rd
Term (1992-1997), at the 4
th
Congress of
Natona Buddhst Deegates on November 22
nd
and 23
rd
, 1997 n Hn, n
Gohphtgovtnam, KYeuaHaBeuPhtGoTonOuocLnTh IV - The
Summary Record for the 4
th
Congress of Natona Buddhst Deegates, HoCh Mnh:
NhXuatBnTongHopThnhPhoHoCh Mnh, 1997, p.40h.
70
*s a recorded result on the @
th
3ongress the total number of Sagha
members was ===:8 consisting of <9@9> -ah2y2na monks and nunsC 8:;:
Therav2da monks Fconsisting of 8>?= &hmer Therav2da monks and <=> &inh
Therav2da monksGC and 9:>= -endicant monks. *s regards monasteries there
are ;=??> monasteries consisting of ;99=> -ah2y2na monasteriesC >98
Therav2da monasteries Fconsisting of =>9 &hmer Therav2da monasteries and ?<
&inh Therav2da monasteriesGC >=A -endicant templesC =@? small temples and
::8 "uddhist places. In education the .ietnam "uddhist Sagha until now has
opened four .ietnam "uddhist *cademic Institutes Fwith <?@@ monks and nuns
in graduationC and 9;A@ in studyG in the three parts of .ietnam Fthe /orth in
'anoi capitalC the -iddle in 'ue city the #outh in 'o 3hi -inh 3ity and in
3an Tho cityGC A; .ietnam "uddhist (esearch Institute in 'o 3hi -inh and its
sub0institute in 'anoiC A? *cademies of "uddhist #tudies Fwith ==:> monks
and nuns in graduationC and 8;: in studyGC <A secondary schools of "uddhist
studies Fwith @?AA monks and nuns in graduationC and 9;>: in studyG all over
the country etc. "esides the .ietnam "uddhist Sagha has 9:= monks and nuns
for study abroad in many countries of the world such as7 IndiaC ThailandC
-yanmarC #ri0+ankaC 5apanC 3hinaC TaiwanC U#*C *ustraliaC 4nglandC etc.
*mong of them there are =< monks and nuns with Ph.D degreeC >9 with -.*
degreeC and ;:: in studying at -.* and Ph.D degrees.
94
94
A ecture devered by ThchChonThn, BoCoHoatngPhtGoOuocTeNhmK V
(2002-2007) - A Summary Report of Buddhst Actvtes n the 5
th
Term (2002-2007) - at
the 6
th
Congress of Natona Buddhst Deegates on December 11
th
to 14
th
, 2007 n Hano,
n GoHPhtGoVtnam. 2007 n Hano, n GoHPhtGoVt Nam,
KyeuaBeuPhtgoTonOuocLnTh VI - "he %umm!ry ?ecord for the N
th
Congress of
N!tion!$ Buddhist )e$eg!tes, p.36h. see more n }nhLuc & NhatTm, p.22; A report
(aong wth an encosure dspatch 341/PC/HDTS), p.6h; Theu Huy, Pht Go Vt Nam
Trong Ga oan Pht Tren - Vetnamese Buddhsm n the Perod of Deveopment, n the
weeky paper Gc Ng (5n$ightenment), No. 197, Vetnam: The Organ of the Buddhst
Sangha of Ho Ch Mnh Cty, November 6, 2003, pp. 9-15.
71
In addition .ietnamese "uddhism is the uniEue religion with harmony of
Therav2da -ah2y2na and -endicant sects. *fter the unification day of
.ietnamese "uddhism on /ovember ? ;:8; nine "uddhist associations made
up the only religious organiDation with the name of "$iao 'oi Phat $iao .iet
/am" F.ietnamese "uddhist SaghaG. The unification replies on the spirit7
3onsolidating will and actionC unifying leadership and organiDationC respecting
and maintaining practice traditions of each "uddhist sectsC living gathering and
working in respect and unionC and linking with survival of the nation and people
in many aspects. It can be said that the process of activities of .ietnam "uddhist
Sagha may be sum up by the significant statement of the most .enerable Th`ch
Tr` Uu\ng Fin charge of the .ice0President of 4xecutive 3ouncilC the head of
/ational Department of International "uddhist *ffairs of .ietnam "uddhist
Sagha and the 'ead of 'q 3h` -inh 3ity "uddhist 4xecutive 3ommitteeG in
the follow truthful speeches7
"Underwent four terms with the period of over 9A years
95
.ietnamese
monks and nuns as well as "uddhist truly integrates into all activities in many
aspects under the leadership of the .ietnam "uddhist Sagha. 3ertainly
whenever participating in "uddhist affairs we always realiDe that there are
many colures in "uddhist activities with the spirit of harmony solitary
unanimous and share. It can assert that this is the valuable and rare
achievement which .ietnam "uddhist Sagha and in our era only can perform
so well."
96
95
Unt now, Vetnam Buddhst Sagha have experenced sx terms wth thrty years n
acton.
96
ThchTrOung, Tn TungVeSuPhtTrenGoH (Beevng n the Deveopment of the
Church), n the weeky paper GcNg (5n$ightenment), No. 197, Vetnam: The Organ of
the Muncpa Buddhst Sangha of Ho Ch Mnh Cty, November 6, 2003, p.3. See more
Actvtes of Vetnam Buddhst Sangha from 1981 to the present n ThchHenPhp &
et.a (ed. & comped), p.227h; GoHPhtGoVtNam,
6789uH:iNghHG4iBi2u"hQngNhtPhtGioVit N!m - "he %umm!ry ?ecord of )e$eg!tes
Conference for 1nifying Vietn!m Buddhist %!ngh!, 1986; GoHPhtGoVt Nam,
72
The union of .ietnam "uddhism in the whole country realiDed the first
congress was consolidated and enlarged throughout its first tenure of office it
respects the different traditions of each "uddhist sect since they have been
preserved in the course of .ietnamese history. There has been carry out
programmed to publish these materials by scholar monks of both -ah2y2na and
Therav2da traditions. #o far there were 9? books of the first four /ik2yas
translated by .en. -inh 3hau and the four Lgamas translated by .en. Tri
Tinh .en. Thien #ieu and .en. Thanh Tu have been produced. Bork is under
way to translate and publish the five /ik2yas. In addition a complete set of the
*bhidhamma translated by .en. Thanh Tu has been printed together with the
Dhammapada the -ilinda0Pawwha the .isudhi0-agga the
*bhidhammatthasangaha and others works.
The purpose of the .ietnam "uddhist Sagha is to promote the harmony
amongst different "uddhist sects to assist the development of "uddhism and
%oin the national construction and defense thus contributing to the peace and
contentment in the world. #ince the establishment of ."# "uddhist activities
have flourished nationwide regarding more monks and nuns more beautiful
pagodas more people %oining "uddhist festivals and more new and restored
pagodas which contribute to task of preserving national cultural identity. The
education and training of talented monks and nuns receives significant attention
from .ietnam "uddhist Saghas levels in localities such as TrX .inh &ien
6789uG4iH:i*Rn"h/ && GioH:iPhtGioVit N!m - "he %umm!ry record of the <
nd
Congress of Vietn!m Buddhist %!ngh!, HoCh Mnh: Ban Van Ha Trung Uong Go H,
1988; Go H Pht GoVtnam 6789u G4iH:iG4iBi2uPhtGio"o=nSuQc*Rn"h/ &&& T "he
%umm!ry ?ecord for the U
rd
Congress of N!tion!$ Buddhist )e$eg!tes, HoCh Mnh: Ban
Van Ha Trung Uong Go H, 1993; GoHPhtGoVt Nam,
6789uG4iH:iG4iBi2uPhtGio"o=nSuQc*Rn"h/ &V > "he %umm!ry ?ecord for the V
th
Congress of N!tion!$ Buddhist )e$eg!tes, Ho Ch Mnh:
NhXuatBnTongHopThnhPhoHoCh Mnh, 1997; GoHPhtGoVt Nam,
K789uG4iH:i*Rn"h/ V > "he %umm!ry ?ecord for the 5
th
Congress of N!tion!$ Buddhist
)e$eg!tes, HoCh Mnh: NhXuatBnTongHopThnhPhoHoCh Mnh, 2003.
73
$iang and #oc Trang so as to make available a good resource for the renewal
process.
In this chapter an attempt has been made to show that all through the
lengthy .ietnamese history of twenty centuries since its introduction to
.ietnam "uddhism has been not only deeply rooted in the soil of the land and
in the minds of the people with the "uddhas teachings of love forbearance and
sympathetic understandingC but also had been playing a very important role in
the cause of national construction and protection. *lthough "uddhism in
.ietnam is predominantly of the -ah2y2na form the Therav2da tradition is
well recogniDed and is experiencing a growing interest especially in the practice
of meditation in /ik2ya0Lgama literature and in *bhidhamma studies.
.ietnamese "uddhism experiencing the go up and fall down due to
diverse causes finally came into unification with the only new name of .ietnam
"uddhist Sagha. Bith the high spirit of reconciliation consolidation and
determination .ietnam "uddhist Sagha has get great achievements and has
marked a new step forward in the process of unification and development of the
Sagha within the people and society in making its contribution towards
realiDing the motto7 WDhamma, %ation and SocialismX in .ietnam and to
building world peace for mankind.
Through the .ietnam national identity and harmony with 3onfucianism
and Taoism "uddhism became a very great and positive religion closely linking
with the survival of the nation and underwent all ups and downs of .ietnamese
history. It may be noted that generations of .ietnamese monks and nuns and lay
followers no renowned or well0known have somehow participated in the
process for making "uddhism as a uniEue .ietnamese religion colored with
.ietnamese ways and customs. "esides the .ietnamese "uddhism has had a
great influence not only on .ietnamese philosophy ideal morality literature
74
art music and architectureC but also on culture society manners and customs
etc.C and thus "uddhism so to speak has become a part of .ietnamese life.
97
*s
well0 known scholar utter in the following passage7
".ietnamese "uddhism has experienced its historical depth nearly twenty
centuries. !or the period of this process .ietnamese "uddhism has displayed
itself patriotic tradition closely cemented the nation played an important part in
developing and preserved national cultural as well as in thought morality act
psychology and lifestyle of the people. It is said that "uddhism is a traditional
religion of .ietnamese people."
98


C).,$*- T)-**
ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF BHI66HUN7 ORDER IN
VIETNAM
The history of "uddhism in .ietnam can be traced from the second
century 3.4
99
very soon after its introduction "uddhist thought and culture
became integrated into the lives of the .ietnamese people. *bout four hundred
years later around the same time as in 3hina the first .ietnamese women
97
See more Buddhsm n Vetnam n |. Schecter, p.145h-166h-191h211h; S. Dutt, p.103h;
D. Keown & et.a. p.326h; }nhLuc & Nhat Tm, p.23h; Thch Mnh Chu, A Brief History
of Vietn!mese Buddhism.
98
L Cung, p.38.
99
/guyen +ang .iet /am Phat $iao #u +uan FCritical Bistory of Vietnamese BuddhismG .ols. I. +a "oi FPalm
+eafsG. Paris7 FreprintedG ;::?. p. ?@
75
received ordination and became bhku full0fledged members of the "uddhist
Sagha.
100
Due to a thousand years of continual warfare between 3hina and
.ietnam from the first to the tenth centuries the bhkus nearly disappeared
from the historical records. Up to the time of .ietnams independence
.ietnamese bhkus were rarely visible even on their own soil.
In this chapter an attempt has been made to explore the origin and
development of Bhku ,rder in .ietnam. !irst of all we will mention to the
foremost ordination of Bhku Sagha in "uddhism in ancient India.
1. H#"$!-y !& E"$.:/#")+*%$ !& B)#2' S.4). #% B'(()#"+
*s we known in the fifth year of his ministry the "uddha was staying at
.es2li when he heard that his father &ing #uddhodana was ill. 'e decided to
visit him again at &apil2vatthu to teach him the DhammaC the &ing immediately
attained arahant and passed away
101
peacefully seven days later. It was in this
year that the ,rder of /un was founded due to the reEuest of -ah2pa%2pat1
$otam1 the aunt and adoptive mother of the "uddha. Thus a separated ,rder of
/un was establishedC the women were on eEual footing. The "uddha declared
that sex was no bar to the attainment of sainthood. This ensured an honored
place for women in the society. It was significant that at least ;9 of the 8A great
disciples of the "uddha were women. This part is will considered as following.
1.1 T)* F#-"$ O-(#%.$#!% !& Bhik' S.4). #% B'(()#"+
There are certain sections of the P2li canon that are devoted entirely to
nuns. !or instance the $herCg#th# or +salms of the Sisters consisting entirely
100
/guyen +ang .iet /am Phat $iao #u +uan ACritical Bistory of Vietnamese BuddhismD, .ols. III. +a "oi
FPalm +eafsG. #an 5ose 3alif ;::<.
101
*hir D.3 Buddhism in South =ndia Delhi7 #ri #atguru Publications Indian "ooks 3entre ;::9 pp. >0@.
#ee more $ayatri #en -aDumdar Early Buddhism and Laity &olkata 0 ?AA A?< India -aha "odhi "ook
*gency F!irst PublishedG 9AA: p. ;><.
76
of verses attributed to seventy0three women who became spiritually realiDed
$herCs Fnun eldersG is uniEue in any literature. There is also the 2'ad#na,
102
or
biographies in verses of forty nuns who were the "uddhas contemporaries.
During the life of the "uddha his aunt and foster mother -ah2pa%2pat1 $otam1
who became the founder of the first ,rder of "uddhist nuns was born into the
&olian clan in the town of Devadaha in northeaster India the foothills of the
'imalayas. *t her birth an astrologer foretold that she would be the leader of a
larger following and she was named Pa%2pat1 meaning "leader of a great
assembly." "-ah2" a prefix which means "great" came to be used with her
name. It was further prophesied of her as it has been of her older sister -2y2
that she would be the mother of great secular or religious rulers.
103
*s we known at three times she approached the "uddha and asked him to
ordain her into the Sagha but each time the "uddha refused giving no reason
at all. *fter the "uddha had stayed at &apilavatthu a while he %ourneyed back
to .es2li.
-ah2pa%2pat1 $otam1 was a determined lady and would not be so easily
discouraged. #he had a plan to get her way. #he cut her hair put on yellow
garment and surrounded by a large number of #2kyan ladies walked ;>A miles
from &apil2vatthu to .es2li. -ah2pa%2pat1 with tearful eyes and swollen feet
waited outside the residence of the "uddha. Lnanda the cousin and personal
attendant of the "uddha saw her in such terrible condition and asked the reason.
#he replied that it was because of the "uddhas reluctance to allow the
womenfolk to enter in to the Sagha. Lnanda could not bear to see the plight of
these women and pleaded with the "uddha on their behalf for their admission
into the Sagha. "ut he denied the matter as before. The same thing i.e.
102
Tsomo ,p. 3it. pp. ?90<.
103
#usan -urcott the first Buddhist Women. F Translation and 3ommentaries on the $herCg#th# D Parallax Press
"erkeley 3aliforia.;::;. p. ;<.
77
Lnandas reEuest and the "uddhas refusal occurred three times. Then Lnanda
adopted a different way. 'e asked the +ord "uddha that if the women
renounced the household life and entered into the Sagha, whether they would
be able to realiDe the fruit of stream0winning Fsot#'annaD once0returning
Fsakad#g#miD non0returing Fan#g#miG and arahatship FarahatD.
104

The +ords answer was "yes". Bhen .en. Lnanda heard this he reminded
the "uddha of the service done by -ah2pa%2pat1 to the "uddha as his foster
mother as well as aunt and finally got the permission of the "uddha for the
womenfolk to %oin the monastic life.
-ah2pa%2pat1 $otam1 along with the women accompanying her and the
intelligent advocacy and co0operation of .en. Lnanda are praiseworthy.
This approval granted by the "uddha however was not a simple matter.
The +ord prescribed eight strict rules (aha-garudhamma) to check the
activities of the monastic women. *cceptance of these eight cardinal rules itself
was ordination Au'asam'ad#D for -ah2pa%2pat1 $otam1. These eight0rules were
as follows7
;. * nun even if ordained for a hundred years must bow down and pay due
respect to a monk ordained even that very day.
9. * nun must not spend the rainy season F"assaD in a place where there is no
monk.
<. 4very half month a nun must reEuest the Bhkkhu Sagha for two things0 the
observance day Fu'osathaG and the next time of exhortation Fo"#daG.
104
.ol. . p. <>= P2li Text #ociety.
78
=. *t the end of the rainy season F"assaG a nun must hold on invitation
ceremony Fpav2ran2G before both the Sagha regarding three matters i.e.
what was seen what was heard and what was suspected.
>. * nun guilty of a serious offence against an important rule must undergo a
half0 month penance (manatta) before both the Saghas.
@. * probationer
105
nun Fsikkham#n#G having trained her in six rules for two
years must seek for the full ordination Fu'asam'ad#D from both the Saghas.
?. Under whatever circumstance a nun must not revile or abuse a monk.
8. 'enceforth admonition F"acana'athaG of monks by the nuns is forbidden
but the admonition of nuns by the monks is not forbidden.
106
-ah2pa%2pat1 $otam1 responded7 ".enerable Lnanda %ust as a young
maiden who is in the habit of decorating herself with flowers with her washed
and brushed or a man in like manner would eagerly receive lilies and other
flowers with out0stretched hands for planting on their heads if and when
offered so I am prepared to adhere to the eight special rules (aha-
garudhamma), with great delight and due respect till I breathe my last."
These are the eight important rules that must be respected by the nuns and
must not be transgressed through out their whole life.
107

105
This probationer period during which they were know as female postulant FSikkham#n# had to be approved
by the community following the same procedure as the one we have %ust discussed for the ordination of male
novicesG. *fter the 3ommunity had accepted her a postulant promised to observe six precepts for two years.
These precepts were the five incumbent on all lay "uddhists with addition of the prohibition on eating after
noon. There are7 ;. &illing 9. #tealing <. #exual relations =. Telling lies >. Drinking liEuor that causes
intoxication and heedless0ness @. 4ating after noon.
106
.in. II. 9><0>>.
107
*. I.. ;8=.
79
*s soon as -ah2pa%2pat1 heard these eight rules from Lnanda she gladly
accepted those from the depth of her heart. Bith this her full ordination
Fu'asam'#daG was completed and she became the first bhku in the "uddhist
world. "ut it was not the end of all the problems. 'aving heard from Lnanda
about the acceptance of the eight important rules by -ah2pa%2pat1 $otam1 the
"uddha professed in the following way7
If women had not been permitted to renounce the household life and %oin the
Sagha the true doctrine FsaddhammaD would have lasted a thousand years. "ut as
women have been allowed to do so it would last for only five hundred years.
108
5ust as those houses having many women and few men are easily
assaulted by robbers and thievesC %ust as when the disease known as mildew
(setahka) attacks a ripened rice field that rice field does not last longC %ust as
when the disease known as red0rust (ma|hka) falls upon a ripened sugar0
cane field that sugar0cane does not last longC in %ust the same way in whatever
discipline of the doctrine FDhamma"inayaD the women are allowed to renounce
the household life and %oin the Sagha, that religious life will not last long.
109
Then "uddha told Lnanda that as a man might build a dyke to a great
reservoir beforehand so that the water might not overflow in the same way he
had prescribed the eight important rules beforehand so the nuns would not
transgress them throughout their life.
110

In this way the #2kyan women formally became bhku. 'ere attention
should be paid to the three phased ordination of bhku. !irst of all the
ordination of -ah2pa%2pat1 was completed as soon as she accepted the eight
108
&alpakam, Buddhism in @lo!al +ers'ecti"e #omalia Publications Pvt.+vt. -umbai0/ew Delhi 9AA9 p.
;<A. #ee more *rvind #harma F4dG Women in World Religions Delhi ;::> p.;A?.
109
&alpakam, Buddhism in @lo!al +ers'ecti"e 9AA9 p. ;<;0<>.
110
*/. I. ;8=0;8>. #ee more Vinaya Text Part III p. <9@.
80
important rules. Then the ordination of the remaining #2kyan women was
performed by the bhikkhus. "ut after that the full ordination of the women was
accomplished by both Bhkkhu Sagha and the Bhku Sagha.
The "uddha is often criticiDed for his being reluctant to give approval to
the women to enter the Sagha. The ordination of women with eight strict
conditions the superiority of bhikkhus the far greater number of Vinaya
precepts that a bhku has to observe compared to a bhikkhu and the inferior
terms used for the women. ,n the surface of course it points towards gender
ineEuality. "ut bearing in mind the circumstances of the society of the time if it
is analyDed carefully then the earlier negative opinion may be reconsidered.
The superior position that monks occupy in "uddhist religious institutions
reEuires explanation. It is said that because the "hikkhu Sagha was established
five or six years earlier than the Bhku Sagha it occupies a position of
seniority. This reasoning seems inadeEuate to explain why authority than
women not only in "uddhist monasteries but in all echelons of society ever
since. !urthermore the chronological seniority of the "hikkhu Sagha does not
explain the ranking of %unior monks as higher in status than even senior nuns
111
a ranking institutionaliDed in the eight0special rules pertaining to nuns. The
ordination of -ah2pa%2pat1 $otam1 the first bhikkhun1 Ffully ordain nunG is
said to have been conferred by the "uddha only upon the nuns acceptance of the
eight special rules that ensure the subordination of nuns to monks.
112
-oreover whether the "uddha actually made such comment is a Euestion
mark too. There are some contradictions found here and there in the texts that
111
The eight special rules for "hikkhun1 are discussed in Tsomo #akyadhita pp. 99<09=C in Hong 3hungs -.*
thesis " 2 Buddhist Vie- of Women7 2 com'arati"e Study of the Rules for Bhikkhunis and Bhikkhus Based on
the Chinese +ratimoksa "
112
&arma +ekshe Tsomo Buddhist -omen 2cross Cultures Delhi7 #ri #atguru Publications Indian "ooks
3enter 9AAA p. 9?.
81
Euestion the authenticity. !irst lets examine the eight important rules. *lthough
the sixth rules say that a women can be ordained only when she completes two
years as a probationer it did not happen either in case of -ah2pa%2pat1 $otam1
or in case of the #2kyan women accompanying her. The number of women who
followed -ah2pa%2pat1 differs from text to text. Be do not get a unanimous
opinion. *gain the "uddha approves womens potential to achieve the highest
goal by realiDing the fruit of *rahattship and in the same time he denies their
entry to the Sagha portraying them as inferior disturbing elements.
!urthermore it is interesting to note that nowhere in the canonical texts is
there mention of the reason for not allowing the women to %oin the Sagha. If
the "uddha really opposed the matter then it must be based on some definite
reason which it is essential to be specified distinctly. The "uddha does not deny
-ah2pa%2pat1 $otam1 directly rather 'e warns her to be careful of some
unforeseen bad conseEuences that the "uddha only could anticipate. (ather in
the #am6yutta /ik2ya it mentions7
*nd be it women be it man for whom
#uch chariot doth wait by that same car
Into ni!!#nas presence shall they comeQ
113
*ccording to the Dpavasa and the Mahavasa, the P2li Tripit 6 aka was
written down around the last half of the first century ".3. Until that time it was
transmitted orally. Thus it might be possible that some parts were mistakenly
not included or were overlooked intentionally. It is still doubtful that at time of
the compilation any bhku participated there. In the congregation of
bhikkhus that is of men presence of male domination or notion suited to men
may be guessed. In the commentary of the $herCg#th# the term "pada
paricarika" has been used in the meaning of wife for the #2kyan women
following -ah2pa%2pat1 $otam1. It seems they were kept in the status of maid0
113
& # part -I I > @ p. =>.
82
servants as the literal meaning of the term saysC the term patim or bhariya could
have been used instead. * problem that should be studies is whether it was the
influence of the society of the time or still the bhikkhus were governed by male
dominated thoughts even after discarding all the attachments.
-ost probably the "uddhas prime ob%ection was for -ah2pa%2pat1
$otam1. The first time she appears alone before the "uddha to obtain the
permission to become a nun. It may be guessed that as a Uueen she had never
witnessed the toughest experiences of life. #o it would be a very arduous task
for her to go from door to door with a begging bowl for her daily livelihood. It
might be possible that the "uddha either did not want to see 'is honorable
mother in a gloomy fashion or he tried to verify -ah2pa%2pat1 $otam1s
determination.
The situation seems comparatively better in the -ah2y2na countries. *t
least they are not denied of the status of a full0fledged bhikkhun1. They can
reach even to the highest positions although such cases are very few. In 5apan
the first person to renounce the household life and embrace "uddhism was
Renshini a woman in the @
th
century *. D. #till for sometime the women had a
degraded position in the religious field. They were prohibited even to enter the
holy mountains like -t. &oya and 'iei. 'owever now the state of affairs has
been change. Bomen get eEual status with the men in the religious field too.
,ne can become a nun and can be the head priest of a temple. They appear in
the same test meant for the monks and can obtain the approval eEually.
114
#ometimes scholars opine that this degradation of women in the "uddhist
world has been influenced by the notion of primitive "uddhism. "ut does it not
sound unfounded from the previous discussionQ
114
&alpakam, Buddhism in @lo!al +ers'ecti"e #omalia Publications Pvt.+vt. -umbai 0 /ew Delhi 9AA9 p.
;<>.
83
Thus the establishment of an order of nuns with rules and regulation was
on opportunity for women that +ord "uddha offered for the first time in the
history of the world. /o other religion leader had given such a high religious
position for women.
To this the "uddha replied that they can indeed attain these states of
sanctity. Lnanda then says that because of this and because -ah2pa%2pat1 had
been the "uddhas adoptive0mother it would good if +ord "uddha would grant
ordination to women. The "uddha then agrees on condition that the nuns accept
4ight important rules was discussed below which they do.
*ccording Prof. &arma the "uddha allegedly hesitated to admit to the
Sagha and several theories have been put forward to explain below7
;;>
!irstly it is obvious that close proximity between an order of celibate
women and an order of celibate men could lead to sexual temptations. There are
statements attributed to the "uddha warning monks to be wary to contact with
women as a distraction from spiritual pursuits. There are no records to prove it
but the "uddha may have similarly warned nuns against close contact with men.
'uman0beings do not necessarily eradicate desire by living a celibate lifestyleC
close relations between ordain men and women can easily lead to infatuations
and eventually to disrobing.
#econdly theory about the "uddha)s hesitation to admit women to the
Sagha attributes it to the Indian cultural context. In ancient Indian society
women and)s ideal role was in the family. *llowing a woman to leave her
family and roam about unprotected was considered both dangerous for women
and a threat to family life the rock0bed of society.
115
&arma +ekshe Tsomo ,p. 3it. pp. @0?.
84
Thirdly theory about the "uddha)s hesitation to admit women to the
Sagha concerns the organiDational difficulties that might arises in monastic
institutions that include members of both genders. The bhku and bhku had
to develop systems for effectively organiDing practical matters such as housing
seating ritual activities and communications. The systems that evolved are
evident in the regulatory monastic codes of the two orders. Bith parallel orders
of women and the Sagha could potentially double in siDe. The difficulty of
ensuring the smooth functioning of such a large monastic institution may have
been another consideration in the "uddha)s hesitation.
!ourth theory which is whispered but rarely articulated claims that
monks saw nuns as unwanted competition both for limited material resources
and for spiritual achievement the two are interrelated since spiritual prowess
attracts donations from the laity. If nuns were perceived as competition and a
threat to the material welfare of the monks and it was monks who transcribed
the scriptures this could explain certain discriminatiatory statement attributed to
the "uddha.
;;@
"esides there are also some misunderstandings regarding the history of
the bhikkhun1 lineage. !or example people often say that the "uddha never
wanted a Bhku Sagha but that women kept pestering him so he had to
permit the bhikkhun1 ordination. It is true that the "uddha hesitated when his
aunt asked for ordination. 'e hesitated mind you three times. *nd three times
Lnanda repeated the reEuest.
;;?

+ord "uddha also hesitated in another instance. Bhen he became
enlightened he hesitated to preach Dhamma. 4ven though he became
enlightened he hesitated to preach we never Euestion that the Dhamma he
116
Tsomo &.+. F4d.G Buddhist Women across Culture7 (ealiDation 9AAA pp. @0?.
117
Tsomo &. + F4d.G Sakyadhita: Daughters of the Buddha /ew Hork #now +ion Publication ;:88 p. ;=8.
85
preached was faulty. 5ust as we cannot use the fact that the "uddha hesitated to
preach as a reason to invalidate the teachings we cannot use the fact that he
hesitated to admit women into the order as a reason re%ect the Bhku Sagha.
This would be illogical. There are opinions that the "uddha naturally had to
admit women into the order since the he accepted that women are as capable as
men of spiritual salvation.
* double standard is being applied to %ustify the exclusion of women from
the ,rder. Be should reflect carefully on the ob%ections that have been raised at
different times in different countries so that we will be able to refute them with
logical reasoning.
;;8

Thus overall the eight0gurudharmas show that always have to show
formal respect to the monks were dependent on them for a number of ritual of
ceremonies and were under their manage and protection.
119
4ight special rules
for nuns in ancient of Indian "uddhism are also known as aha-garudhamma:
;G * nun who has been ordained even for a hundred years must greet
respectfully rise up from her seat salute with %oined palms do proper homage
to a monk ordained but that day.
0 3larification7 The Vinaya recounts the story of six monks who lifted up
their robes to show their thighs to the nuns. Bhen the "uddha learned about
this he made an exception to that rule and told the nuns not to pay respect to
these monks. * nun then does not have to bow to every monk but only to a
monk who is worthy of respect.
120
0 Pa%2pat1s later reEuest7 lI would ask one thing of the "lessed ,ne
Lnanda. It would be good if the "lessed ,ne would allow making salutations
118
Ibid p. ;=:.
119
Ibid. pp. 9;?0;8
120
#ee $he Bistory of the BhikkhunC SaYgha by Dr. 3hatsumarn &abilsingh
86
standing up in the presence of another paying reverence and the proper
performance of duties to take place eEually between both bhikkhus and
bhikkhuns according to seniority."
121
9G * nun must not spend the rainy days in a residence where there are no
monks.
122
<G 4very half month a nun should desire two things from the Sagha of
-onks7 the asking as to the date of the observance Fu'osathaG day and the
coming for the exhortation.
123

=G *fter the rains a nun must invite Fpavaraa) before both Saghas in
respect of three matters namely what was seen what was heard what was
suspected.
124
*mended7 'owever practical considerations soon necessitated
amendments to these and we see in the revised version of these conditions the
sanction given to the bhikkhun1s to perform these acts in the first instance by
themselves.
125
>G * nun offending against an important rule must undergo m2natta
discipline for half a month before both ,rders.
0 *nother translation7 F>G * bhikkhun who has broken any of the vows of
respect must undergo penance for half a month under both Saghas.
121
$he )irst Buddhist Women7 Translations and 3ommentaries on the Ther1g2th2 *utor7 #usan -urcott I#"/
A0:<8A??0=909 page ;?
122
.in. I.. <;<
123
.in. I.. <;>
124
.in. I.. <;=
125
#ee Women and the Religious ,rder of the Buddha by .en. Professor Dhammavihari.
87
@G Bhen as a probationer she has trained in the six rules for two years
she should seek higher ordination from both ,rders.
3ontradiction was one of the aha-garudhamm# mentions sikkham#n#s,
probationary nuns who train for two years in preparation to become bhkus. It
says that after a probationary nun has trained with a bhku for two years that
bhku preceptor has the responsibility to fully ordain her. 'owever when the
"uddha ordained -ah2pa%2pat1 there were no probationary nuns. 'e ordained
her directly as a bhku. #o how do we explain that within the eight important
rules one of them states that before becoming a bhku, a woman must be a
probationary nunQ ThatMs easy in order for there to be seniority verses
probationary one must first have seniority. Therefore -ah2pa%2pat1 was
ordained in order to set up the probationary system and allow woman to learn
under another woman rather than the men who may refuse to teach them or
sub%ect them to as stated above sexual harassment and other forms of assault
that were stated above.
126

?G * monk must not be abused or reviled in any way by a nun.
8G !rom today admonition of monks by nuns is forbidden.
127

0 /ote "uddhist laywomen can7 This is in contrast to the rules for
"uddhist laywomen who can single0handedly accuse a bad monk.
4Euality of bhku and bhku, men and women can be inferred in
several of the rules groupings. The penalties for offenses against that 2nita
Dhamma written only for bhku for example point up a landmark of female0
male eEuality. 'ere in a gesture of trust in women most unusual for the time a
126
Dr. 3hatsumarn &abilsingh. The 'istory of the BhikkhunC Sagha. #ee also
http7//www.dhammawiki.com/index.phpQtitle"hikkhunisordination on 8/=/9A;9.
127
.in. .. <>= 0<>>. #ee more *rvind #harma Women in World Religions Delhi #ri #atguru Publications
;::> p. ;A@.
88
trustworthy female lay follower can bring a charge against a bhku based only
her personal eye0witness testimony in order to force an investigation of that
bhkus conduct. *dditional eEual abilities of men and women are presumed in
the regulations for settlement of disciplinary matters the seven Adhkaraa
Eamatha Dhamma, which are exactly the same in both numbers are contents
for both the Bhku and Bhku Sagha.
/uns were also given the right to select the monk who would be allowed
to give counsel to the order of nun Fhe had to be acceptable to all the nunsG and
the selection criteria was Euite stringent.
There seems to be little doubt about his anxiety and his foresight
regarding the safety and well0being of the female members of his order.
128
These eight Eualities were7 The teacher of nuns must be virtuousC second have
comprehensive knowledge of the DhammaC third he must be well acEuainted
with the Vinaya especially the rules for nunsC fourth he must be a good speaker
with a pleasant and fluent delivery faultless in pronunciation and intelligibly
convey the meaningC fifth he should be able to teach Dhamma to the nuns in an
elevating stimulating and encouraging wayC sixth he must always be welcome
to the nuns and liked by them that is they must be able to respect and esteem
him not only when he praises them but especially when there is an occasion for
reproachC seventh he must never have committed sexual misconduct with a
nunC eighth he must have been a expert fully ordained "uddhist monk for at
least twenty years.
129
*ccordingly Prof. Ian *stley argues that under the conditions of society
where there is such great discrimination and threat to women +ord "uddha
128
.in. I..>; ;?
129
*. 8. >9
89
could not be blamed for the steps he took in trying to secure the Sagha from
negative public opinions.
In those days Fand this still applies to much of present Indian societyG a
woman who had left the life of the household would otherwise have been
regarded more or less as a harlot and sub%ected to the appropriate harassment.
"y being formally associated with the monks the nuns were able to en%oy the
benefits of leaving the household life without incurring immediate harm. Bhilst
it is one thing to abhor as any civiliDed person must do the attitudes and
behavior towards women which underlie the necessity for such protection it is
surely misplaced to criticiDe the "uddha and his community for adopting this
particular policy.
130
*ccording to some modern "uddhist apologists most of the rules
Fincluding the more controversial aha-garudhamma of the bhku Vinaya are
more for the protection of the bhkus by association with the more senior
Saghas of the male bhikkhus and thus the homage for protection and teaching
the newer "hikkhun1 Sagha and not lsexual discrimination.l Dr. 3hatsumarn
&abilsingh writes l/uns at the time of the "uddha had eEual rights and an
eEual share in everything. In one case eight robes were offered to both Saghas
at a place where there was only one nun and four monks. The "uddha divided
the robes in half giving four to the nuns and four to the monks because the
robes were for both Saghas and had to be divided eEually however many were
in each group. "ecause the nuns tended to receive fewer invitations to lay0
peopleMs homes the "uddha had all offerings brought to the monastery and
eEually divided between the two Saghas. 'e protected the nuns and was fair to
both parties. They are subordinate in the sense of being younger sisters and
130
In Houng 3hung. l2 Buddhist Vie- of Women: 2 Com'arati"e Study of the Rules for BhiZ[u\] and Bhiks F us
Based on the Chinese +ratimokhaG 5ournal of "uddhist 4thics. @ F;:::G7 pp.9:-;A>.
90
elder brothers not in the sense of being masters and slaves.
131
The Vinaya does
not allow for any power0based relationship between the monks and nuns.
To pursue holy goal the "uddha recommends the renunciation of
household life as a necessary condition. This is evident in many of his
discourses stating from the practice of generosity his discourses lead a person
toward greater restraint of the senses in reaching for the excellent Eualities
132
then to an understanding of the frustrations of worldly aspirations and then on
toward realiDation of the !our /oble Truths.
The arahant ideal gained ascendancy during early "uddhism and the
cannon describes the "uddha and the five ascetics as the first arahants7 "*nd
there was six arahants in the world."
133
Bith a deeper understanding suffering
its cause its cessation and the path leading to it the "uddhist disciples
withdrew themselves from attachment learned to turn away from senses
pleasures and naturally proceeded toward the ordained life. Then as ordained
recluses they adopted the prescribed practices leading to their spiritual goal.
The P2li cannon indicate that the goal of nbbana was easily accessible to
ordained disciples through the practice of the Dhamma.
In his first discourse to the five ascetics
134
the "uddha described the
sensual pleasures of household life as low vulgar characteristic of the way life
131
Tsomo ,p. 3it. p. 99@. #ee FDr. 3hatsumarn &abilsingh. $he Bistory of the Bhikkhuni Sangha, $he Role of
Women in BuddhismD
132
The four excellent Eualities or abodes of F"rahma .ih2raG are loving kindness F-ett2G compassion
Fkaru2G altruistic %oy Fmudit2G and eEuanimity Fupekkh2G.#upreme dwelling in universal love or boundless
loving kindness boundless compassion sympathetic %oy or boundless %oy in the liberation of others and
boundless eEuanimity. The four divine states of dwelling Ffour progressive "rahma .ih2rasGC content of a
meditation practice in which the practitioner arouses in himself four positive states of mind and radiate them out
in all directions. These states of perfect virtues are essential for bodhisattvas to lead all beings to liberation.
133
!rom the *nattalakkhanna sutta Vinaya .ol. I pp. ;<0;= P2li Text #ociety.
134
$ayatri #en -aDumdar Early Buddhism and Laity &olkata 0 ?AA A?< India -aha "odhi "ook *gency
F!irst PublishedG 9AA: p. @=.
91
of unenlightened beings and conductive to much suffering. 'e proclaimed the
holy life as altogether perfect and pure and established the ordained Sagha
living in renunciation F'a!!aHH#G
4ven though millions of good men and women living worldly lives regard
the goings forth into homelessness in renunciation as an unnatural aspiration
unessential for a holy life the "uddhists standpoint clearly emphasiDes it the
"uddha himself said "'aving left parent wife son relations wealth land and
all derises of the sense wander like the rhinoceros."
135
Prince #iddharthas
great renunciation bears out his conviction of the worthiness of the life of a
recluse.
In the *guttara /ik2ya the "uddha refers to the chief female disciple7
-onks among my female disciples senior most is -ah2pa%2pat1 $otam1 the
highest in wisdom is &hem2
;<@
greatest in supernormal powers is
Uppalava2
;<?
supreme in Vinaya disciple is Paacara
;<8
the chief of Dhamma
teachers is Dhammadin20/and2 F5annapada0&aly2n1G
;<:
finest in meditative
powers is /and2 greatest in diligence is #on2 best in clairvoyance is #akul2
outstanding in extraordinary powers is "hadd2..T "hadd2kacc2na FHasodhar2G
&is2 $otam1 and so on. #uch luminous figures were regarded as the %ewel of
Sagha in the world as much as were the bhikkhus.
;=A
135
!rom the &haggavisaana sutta third sutta Uragavagga #utta /ip2ta P2li Text #ociety.
136
(an%ini ,beyesekere +ortraits of Buddhist Women, Stories from the Saddharmaratn#"aliya, *lbany7 #tate
University of /ew Hork Press 9AA; pp. 9A90A=.
137
Dh *. II. =80>;.
138
Thi *. p. ;A87 -anorathapurani pp. <>@0<@A. cf.*.I.9>.
139
+ord 3halmers )unther Dialogues of the Buddha. .ol. I F+ondon7 ,xford University Press ;:9@G p. 9;>.
#ee also (an%ini ,beyesekere +ortraits of Buddhist Women Stories from the Saddharmaratn#"aliya #tate
University of /ew Hork Press 9AA; pp. ;>?0@;.
140
Tsomo Daughters of the Buddha p. 88.
92
* persons spiritual attainted are rightly understood as dependent only upon
refining the stream of consciousness moment to moment these attainments have
no relevance to age time period sex or social statues. !or example the eminent
bhikkhu Up2li was a barber in lay life &u%%utt2r2
141
was a slave #opak2 was a
destitute child of seven years and #unita was a scavenger so on. They attainted
stages of sainthood and were admitted to the Tath2gata of ,rder.
142
In this part a study has discovered that the first women ordination was
founded by +ord "uddha a great master of religious and "hikkhun1 Sagha
leaded by -ah2pa%2pat1. /evertheless today subordinate and ambiguous status
of the "uddhist nuns may be observed in the most of the *sian countries. -any
people make the "uddhist scriptures responsible for it. "ut hardly anybody
cares to find out the truth. The problem does not lie in the scripture rather it is
our wrong interpretation and understanding of them. It is biased mind and
matter with a progressive outlook to restore the order of nuns and give women
their religious rights for which they have been struggling since centuries.
141
$ayatri #en -aDumdar Early Buddhism and Laity &olkata 0 ?AA A?< India -aha "odhi "ook *gency
9AA: p. 9A<.
142
Tsomo p. 88
93
1. 2. B)#22)'%; !& M.<!- A&&.#-" O-(#%.$#!%
The monastic community the Sagha plays a central role in "uddhism.
*ccording to many of "uddha)s statements the prosperous of the
Dhamma depends on the existence of a fourfold assembly of disciples.
The "uddha Dhamma cannot truly be said to be established in a country
until there is a strong ordained community. *s a Bestern I am very
interested in seeing that the Dhamma is established properly in Bestern
countries and for this a strong Sagha is essential.
143
The community of
Sagha including of four parts as below7
!ull ordination monks F#kt. bhku, P2li7 bhikkhuG
!ull ordination nuns F #kt. bhku, P2li7 bhikkhun1G
+aymen F #kt. upasaka P2li7 up2sakaG keeping five vows
+aywomen F#kt. upasika P2li7 up2sik2G keeping five vows.
In many traditionally "uddhist countries however the bhku ordination
lineage has either never been established or having been once established has
ended. Therefore for the flourishing of the Dhamma among the "uddhists in
these lands and in non0traditionally "uddhist countries as well it is essential
that the bhku ordination line be re0established. To do so however in a
manner that accords with scriptural authority is not a simple matter.
144

143
Tsomo. ,p. 3it. p. 9<@.
144
*lexander "erDin *ugust 9AA? the Esta!lishment of the BhiZ[u\] ,rder in =ndia see also7
http//www.berDinarchives.com/web/en/archives/study/historysbuddhism/buddhismsindia/establishmentsbhiksh
unisordersindia.html
94
-oreover due to geographical and cultural differences eighteen
schools
1=
F#kt7 /ik2ya P2li7 /ik2yaG evolved within what -ah2y2na
texts later called SH1%.y2naT "uddhism. 4ach had its own version of
the -'/*" !& (#"0#,/#%* F#kt7 VinayaC P2li7 VinayaG including monk and
nun vows for individual /#:*-.$#!% F#kt7 Prmoka-samaraB P2li7
Pamokkha-samara!.
The differences among the schools concerning these sets of vows and
!-(#%.$#!% procedures were minor although some conservative V#%.y.
masters have considered these differences significant. ,f the eighteen
/ik2ya schools three bhikkhu /#%*.4*" have survived until today with
unbroken continuity7
0Therav2da "uddhism followed in #ri +anka "angladesh /epal "urma
F-yanmarG Thailand +aos and 3ambodia with bhikkhus keeping 99? vows.
Het bhkus in the Therav2din tradition would hold <;; precepts
;=@
but present
this bhku lineage no available.
0Dharmagupta followed in Taiwan 'ong &ong 3hina &orea and
.ietnam with bhikkhus keeping 9=8 vows.
0-Ilasarv2stiv2da followed in Tibet /epal the 'imalayan regions of
India "hutan -ongolia "uryatia &almykia and Tuva within (ussia with
bhikkhus keeping 9>< vows.
147
The 3hinese &orean and .ietnamese
ordination lineage is the DharmaguptaC the Tibetan is the -Ilasarv2stiv2da
Vinaya. They arenMt contradictory yet all these lineages are pure and valid.
*s the Vinaya customs evolved three graduated levels of bhku vows
were delineated7
145
Ibid p. 9
146
&arma +ekshe Tsomo ,p. 3it. p. 9<A.
147
Ibid p. 9AA.
95
;G /ovice nun F#kt. ramaerka, P2li7 amaer) keeping the tenfold
discipline F#kt7 dashashila P2li7 dasasClaG. This entails keeping ten vows.
9G Two0years probationary nun F#kt7 shikshamana, P2li7 sikkham2n2G
keeping six trainings in Therav2da and Dharmagupta and six root and six
branch trainings in -Ilasarv2stiv2da. The two0year sikkham2n2 period was
instituted to ensure that candidates for bhku ordination were not pregnant.
<G !ull ordain nun F#kt7 bhku), take <;; precepts in Therav2da <=8 in
Dharmagupta F-ah2y2naG and <@= precepts in -Ilasarv2stiv2da.
*dditional there is an ancient tradition in India which is known as Sgoing
forth.T This way of life was always held in very high esteem however it
was reserved only for the higher castesC &ings "rahmins merchants etc.
They had to live their life according to four 2Jramas or 2shramasC
;. "rahmac2r17 as youths their duty is to practice celibacy and study the
.edas
9. .$rihastha7 when they decide to marry they become family men who have a
duty to look after their wife and children.
<. .2naprastha7 *t middle age when the duty to look after the family is
complete they may go to live in solitude or in the forest in order to develop
spiritual practice. *t this point business and responsibility is handed over to
successors.
=. #any2sa7 !inally those who detach from everything and go forth living a
monastic or ascetic life.
;=8
;=8
*ccessed at http7//www.buddhapadipa.org/buddhism/female0monks0in "uddhism. ,n :/8/9A;9. #ee also
*rticle !emale nun in "uddhism by Dhammacaro P.<. #ee more7 Palikambhiculavagga Vinaya of "hikkhuni
&handhaka and Palikambhi0*nggutaranikaya *tthakanibata of the $otami #utta.
96
'owever these practices were reserved for men only. Bomen were
banned from learning and practicing like this especially studying the .edas. It
was regarded as a #ecret #cripture whose wisdom was only for men. -any
women who of course did not have right to practice spirituality in such a way
were drawn to the openness and eEuality of that which the "uddha taught.
;=:
In other hand, in the early the nuns nevertheless seemed to have
flourished. In the 4dicts of 4mperor *Joka F9@809<: "34G there are a number
of references to nuns and their status can be seen from the fact that his own
daughter #anghamitt2 became a nun. /uns were also numerous and well
supported up to around <AA 3.4 through they appear only rarely in -ah2y2na
sItra.
;>A
(espected women in -ah2y2na texts are usually laywomen towards
whom certain texts are specifically directed.
;>;
*fter <AA 3.4 nun)s numbers seemed to drop as evidenced by the much
smaller number of inscriptions recording donations to "uddhist temples etc.. by
nuns and the fact that records of 3hinese pilgrims visiting. India in <::0=AA
@9:0=< and @?; 3.4 do not mention many communities of nuns in their
accounts. The @?; report Fof I 3hingG also says that nuns did not receive the
same material support as monks.
;>9
*s 'induism reasserted of self 'indu social
norms for women who may have gradually influenced "uddhists would have
led to reluctance to support women who renounced their expected roles as wives
and mothers. That "uddhists nevertheless sought to resist this trend is shown
for example by the @
th
century Tamil epic -animekalai. This undercut existing
'indu ideals of romance and argued for "uddhist ideals through story of a
;=:
Ibid.
150
Paul Diana. +ortraits of the )eminine in ;ah#y#na Buddhism "erkeley7 University of 3alifornia Press
;:?: p. ?:.
151
Tsomo ;:88 pp. ;A; ;?>.
152
!alk /ancy * and (ita $ross F4ds.G. &ns'oken Worlds: WomenIs Religious Li"es in %on(-estern Cultures
'arper and (ow /ew Hork ;:8A p. 9A:09;;.
97
courtesan)s daughter who resisted suitor and became a nun. 'istorical and
archaeological records show that nuns probably existed in India till the general
demise of "uddhism there in the tenth or eleventh century.
;><
/evertheless it
can be seen that the ,rder of /un came to lose its original prestige and
creativity as it faded into relative historical obscurity.
;>=

There are records showing that at its peak the Bhku Sagha in #ri
+anka was large and vigorous although by around the ;;
th
century it was in
serious decline and eventually died out. This is probably due in most part to
wars and invaders from Tamil /adu in #outhern India. In the end this %ust goes
to show that whatever arises will pass away. Het the Bhku Sagha continued
to thrive in 4ast *sia although in a new form that of -ah2y2na "uddhism.
;>>
In the #outhern "uddhism the Mahavasa chronicle
;>@
refers to royal
donation @AAAA monks and <AAAA nuns in the first century "34. Bhile the
,rder of "hikkhun1 following <;; precepts long flourished there it came to
die out in ;A;? 34 after a disastrous invasion.
;>?
In principles it could have
reintroduced from "urma where it existed till at least the ;<
th
century
;>8
but
probably being ended there because of -ongol attacks on the region.
/evertheless while the ordination line for bhku was not reintroduced into
#rilanka from "urma in ;A?A 3.4 that for bhku was not reintroduced. In
153
Tsomo ,p. 3it. p. 99>.
154
'arvey P. 2n =ntroduction to Buddhist Ethics United &ingdom7 University Press 3ambridge 9AAA. p. <:90
<:<. #ee also #ponberg ;::9 p. ;8.
;>>
*lexander "erDin ,p. 3it. p. ;9. The precepts Asikkha'adaG for the monks are 99? and are <;; for the
nuns which must be recited on every full moon and new moon day. F.in. P. 8/;A9=/<@>G
156
'arvey P. 2n =ntroduction to Buddhist Ethics United &ingdom7 University Press 3ambridge 9AAA. p. <:>.
F3hapter <= verses ?08G
;>?
,n $hera"#da nuns in ancient =ndia and Srilanka. #ee &hantipalo "hikkhu. "anner of the *rahants7
"uddhist -onks and /uns from the "uddhas Time till /ow &andy #rilanka. "P# ;:?: pp. ;980@>.
158
$ombrich (. ! $hera"#da Buddhism7 * #ocial 'istory from *ncient "enares to -odern 3olombo. +ondon
and /ew Hork. (outledge and &egan Paul ;:88 p. ;@8.
98
Thailand and neighboring +aos and 3ambodia it seems never to have been
established.
In the Therav2da "uddhist countries only #ri +anka has officially re0
established the Therav2da Bhku ,rdination and that was in ;::8 3.4. Up
until then women in #ri +anka was only allowed to become dasasClamatas
Sten0precept practitionersT but not bhkus. *lthough such laywomen wear
robes and keep celibacy they are not considered members of the monastic
Sagha. In "urma and 3ambodia women are allowed only to become Seight0
precept practitionersT known in "urma as sClashin and in 3ambodia as donchi.
#ome women in "urma also receive the ten precepts. In Thailand they may
become Seight0precept practitionersT known as maechi FmaeHiG. #ince the
revival of Therav2da "uddhism in the 3hittagong District and the 3hittagong
'ill Tracts of "angladesh in ;8@= 3.4 from *rakan district of coastal "urma
women have become eight0precept practitioner)s there.
;>:
"esides the method of the candidate ordination when the "uddha first
allowed women to be ordained a lot of women came into the monasteries
reEuesting ordination. The monks were confused as to who should be ordained
and who should not be so they went to ask the "uddha. The "uddha laid down
a further twenty0four Euestions to ask the candidate at the beginning of the
ordination procedure for example7 *re you a humanQ Did you have any
contagious diseasesQ Did you get permission to be ordained by your parents or
relativesQ *re you a slaveQ *re you fully twenty years oldQ These Euestions
threw up much confusion. This was because the ordination was to take place
according to the gurudhammas in front of both male and female Saghas.
4ventually to make things easier the Euestioning of the candidate was allowed
159
*lexander "erDin ,p. 3it. p. ;=
99
to take place in front of %ust the female Sagha, after which the candidate would
visit a male Sagha to confirm the ordination.
;@A
In monastic life the "uddha taught his disciples to live simply and after
the ordination the preceptor explains these means of support upon which the
monastic life depends. They are as follows7 ;G !ood obtained by going on the
alms0round. 9G Discarded cloth for robes taken from the rubbish heap or the
charnel ground. <G Dwelling at the foot of a tree. =G -edicines pickled in stale
urine. 'owever for the nuns there are only three the "uddha did not allow
bhikkhunis to dwell at the foot of a tree because it was dangerous for them to do
so. This was due to the case of one female nun FprobationerG .en. Ubonwanna
Ther1
;@;
who was raped by a young man whilst she was residence in the forest.
*t the very beginning of the establishment of the Sagha the "uddha did
not lay down any rules or discipline FVinayaD
;@9
that should be followed by his
disciples. 'owever the Sagha grew steadily larger and larger and the "uddha
realiDed that the monks came from different families and so had different
backgrounds. #ome monks behaved very well but on the other hand some did
not know how to behave at all and some behaved %ust as they had done when
they were layman. !rom this point onwards the "uddha began to establish
training rules to keep the Sagha from troubleC at first there were four rules.
;@<
The first is that a bhikkhu should not indulge in sexual intercourse. The second
is that a bhikkhu should not take with intention to steal that which is not given.
The third is that a bhikkhu should not intentionally deprive another human
being of life. The fourth is that a bhikkhu should not make claims to attainments
he does not really possess namely attainments to Dhy#na supernatural powers
160
*ccessed at http7//www.buddhapadipa.org/buddhism/female0monks0in "uddhism. ,n :/8/9A;9.
161
Tsomo ,p. 3it. pp. 9<?09<8.
162
Tsedroen 5ampa. 3Li"ing !y the Vinaya in the +resent Day4 In #akyadhita7 Daughters of the Buddha.
4dited by Tsomo. Ithaca /H7 #now +ion Publications ;:88 pp. 9A90;<.
163
*ccessed at http7//www.dhammawiki.com/index.phpQtitle"hikkhunisordination. ,n ?/;A/9A;9
100
and to stages of enlightenment. Upon breaking any one of these rules the
offender is guilty of a very grave transgression and he ceases to be a bhikkhu
any longer. 'is offence is irremediable. These disciplines were exactly the same
for the female Sagha. The rules generally evolved over time as more and more
cases arose in which individual behavior was seen as unbecoming of a monk or
nun. The "uddha laid these rules down as they provided security for the
Sagha in the future thus the rules would act as both a guide and a teacher.
;@=
In this conclusion an examine has been exposed that bhikkhun1s are one
of the four0fold assemblies of the "uddhaMs followers in early "uddhism
and in what it later became known as the Theravda. They left home
celibateC observer F<=8 rules to DharmaguptaG F<@= rules to
-IlasarvstivdaG perform meditation investigate of &arma /o0self
Impermanent !our /oble Truths 4ight !old Paths leader spiritual of
religion for lay0people and community in which they live. #he is under the
protection of the both Saghas and lives a simple life using the things
necessities learning and practicing the "uddha0dhamma and observed
seriously Vinaya Discipline. The order of nuns was established lastly after
the Bhkkhu Sagha and the communities of laymen and laywomen. It
took much time and persuasion for the Bhku Sagha, to be established
we make clear thanks to .en Lnanda -ah2pa%2pat1 $otam1 finally came
to be. ,wning to bhku lineage presented in these days powerfully
development in *sia countries "uddhism.
1.8. T)* S,#-#$'./ A0)#*1*+*%$" !& B'(()#"$ N'%" #% B'(()#"+
The "uddha emphatically stated that if when women go forth they have
exactly the same potential as men and is fully capable of even the highest level
of arahantshi'. The original "uddhist texts contain verses by enlightened
164
Ibid.
101
bhkus such as .en. Uppalava2 .en. &hem2 Pa2car2, #ubh2 &is2
$otam1 and many others. In fact this literature forms one of the oldest records
of women)s spiritual accomplishments found anywhere in the world.
"esides regard the aspect of gender Dhamma is neither male nor female.T
from the philosophical concept of emptiness as expounded by the "uddha we
can say that the achievement of "uddhahood or Tath2gata is not sex0based. #o
in -ah2y2na tradition woman also have the "uddha and !odhisatt"a nature for
attaining the "uddhahood.
The -ah2y2na tradition has populariDed the $reat .ehicle by following the
Saddharmapuarka sItra Sall beings having the "uddha0nature will become
"uddha.T In another place the "uddha said7 SI had become "uddha and all
beings will become "uddhaT. The Saddharmapuarka sItra is the so0called
king of #Itras in which +ord "uddha had predicted that all beings would
realiDe "uddhahood regardless of being human or animal. In one sense all are
potential "uddhas for "uddhahood is not the special prerogative of specially
graced persons.
;@>
Typically an eight0year old female named Dragon
/agakanya had attained her great enlightenment. The daughter of the Dragon0
king #agara professing her faith and her mental determination was asked by
#2riputra SHou state that in no length of time you attained to the supreme
4nlightenment. This thing is hard to believe. Bherefore because the body of a
women is filthy and not a vessel of the law. 'ow can she attain to supreme
4nlightenmentQ 'ard to believe moreover a woman by her body still has
hindrances. !irstly she cannot become the &ing of the "rahma0heavenC
secondly #akraC thirdly a -2ra &ingC fourthly a 'oly wheel (olling &ingC and
fifthly a "uddha. 'ow then could a woman)s body so speedily become a
"uddhaQT instead of directly answering #2riputra)s Euestion the daughter of the
165
/arada $he Buddha and BiJs $eachings Publication of the "uddhism -isionary #ociety ;9< 5alan "erhara
;:88 p. <<?.
102
Dragon0&ing held up and presented a precious pearl to the "uddha then asked
#2riputra SI have offered my pearl to the "uddha was this action speedyQT
#2riputra answered Smost speedyT the daughter then said Sby your supernatural
powers behold me become a "uddha even more rapidly than that.T (ight at that
moment the daughter of the Dragon0&ing suddenly transformed herself into a
male went to the world spotless in the #outhern Euarter attaining Perfect
4nlightenment universally expounding the law to all creatures in the universe.
'owever it is said that women have the limits of three kinds of
subordination and five obstacles. The three kinds of subordination are that
women have to obey in their parent)s childhood their husbands in
womanhood
;@@
and their children in old age and the five obstacles are7 "rahma0
heaven #akradevendra -2ra 3akravartin and "uddha.
;@?
It is clear to say that
women are bound in so many ways both at home and in the society that it is
difficult for them to devote themselves to religious practiced. Therefore it is
likely said that although women can attain arahathood according to the
Therav2din tradition they are unable to obtain Samm#sam!odhi or Perfect
4nlightenment F"uddhaG and due to that no woman is found in the Pure +and
"uddhism.
;@8
In -ah2y2na literature the "uddha nature is reported to be universal
which certainly follows that women should be able to attain "uddhahood. The
"uddha forecast that women can also attain "uddhahood the same as men.
Bomen from all walks of life such as rim2l2 Fa UueenG Matraya Fa girlG
;@:
;@@
&a%iyama *rticle topic Women in Buddhism namedT the 4aster "uddhistT Published by The 4aster "uddhist
#ociety ,tani University &yoto autumn ;:89. p. >@.
;@?
&ern. '. the S>tra of the Lotus flo-er 3hapter. ;9 p. 9A;.
;@8
4. ". III. <?>.
;@:
Thomas 3leary the )lo-er ,rnament Scri'ture. * translation of the *vatasaka sItra. #hambhala
Publication. Inc. Printed in U#* ;::? p. ;999.
103
PrabhIta Fa lay devoteeG
;?A
and .asumitr2 Fa prostituteG
;?;
were described as
capable of carrying out the !odhisatt"a path and of attaining 4nlightenment.
4ven an eight0year0old /2ga0girl who changed herself into a man attained
"uddhahood.
;?9
It was one of the forty0eight original vows of "uddha *mit2bha
that women calling his name should be born in his "uddha)s realm but as
men.
;?<
Through a movement which encouraged faith in "uddha *mit2bha
who sympathiDed with the physical and social plight of women 'e propagated
the doctrine that all women who devote themselves to "uddha *mit2bha would
be born in his delight.
The great compassion of "uddha *mit2bha turns out to be one wheel
which carries the vehicle of -ah2y2na "uddhism. in the *mit2bha sItra women
are obliged to be converted into men to attain "uddhahood probably to
reconcile the two conflicting ideas that all are able to become "uddhas and that
women are unable to become "uddhas or that no woman is found in the Pure
+and.
;?=
The doctrine of S>ny#ta declares the eEuality of both sexes on the grounds
that men and women alike are empty of essential natures.
;?>
The most important
-ah2y2na teachings are the doctrines of 4mptiness and Dependent co0arising.
"oth are the fundamental and essential way of perceiving and comprehending
the true nature of existence FDhammaD. The "uddha explained the nature of
Dhamma7
;?A
Ibid. p. ;9<;
;?;
Ibid. p. ;9<;
172
Diana H. Paul Women in Buddhism p. 9<@.
;?<
#ukhavatavydha vow 8 and <=. The Therav2das also believe that there are no women in their deva worlds.
The asperses nymphs found there are not real persons but merely ministrants to the devas produced by the
latter)s good karma.
174
4. ". III. p. <?>.
;?>
&a%iyama Women in Buddhism p. >= the 4astern "uddhist .. Z. /o. 9. &yoto ;:89.
104
SBhat is the emptiness of essential natureQ The essential nature of all
Dhammas be they conditioned or unconditioned is not made by the disciples
or by the PratyekabuddhasT or by the Tath2gatas nor is it removed by them the
essential nature is empty of the essential nature on account of its being neither
unmoved nor destroyed. !or such is its essential nature.
Bhat is the emptiness of all DhammasQ *ll Dhamma mean the five
#kandhas the twelve sense fields the six kinds of consciousness the six kinds
of contact and the six kinds of feelings conditioned by contact. 3onditioned and
unconditioned Dhamma these are called Sall Dhammas.T Therein all Dhammas
are empty of all Dhamma on account of their being neither unmoved nor
destroyed. !or such is their essential nature.T
;?@
It is clear that in the doctrine of all is emptiness AS>ny#taDK the distinction
between man and woman is also empty. *nywhere where discrimination is
made empty there appears the true affirmative. -oreover the .imalak1rti sItra
is reported to mention that a woman heaven is introduced to destroy the
pre%udice of making a distinction between man and woman.
;??
In the
rim2l2simhan2da sItra a -ah2y2na text composed after the assimilation of
these ideas a householder and a woman called rim2l2 preach the ultimate
doctrine of the -ah2y2na in the manner of the "uddha.T *ll beings could be
made to manifest it. #o here is complete freedom the unfairness of
discrimination. Bomen are assured of being able to attain "uddhahood without
abandonment of their female form.
In admiring particular disciples the "uddha includes a number of
laywomen as excelling in various Eualities7
;?8
#u%2t2 Fbeing first to take refugeG
;?@
4dward 3onDe Trans. $he Large Sutra of +erfect Wisdom. "erkeley and +os *ngeles University of
3alifornia Press ;:?> p. ;=@.
;??
4. ". III. p. <?@.
178
*. I. 9@
105
.is2kh2 Fgiving to the SaghaG &hu%%uttar2 Fbeing learnedG #amavati Fdwelling
in loving kindnessG Uttar2 FmeditationG
;?:
#uppavasa Fgiving choice alms0
foodG #uppiya Fnursing the sickG &atiyani Fbeing of unwavering faithG &ali
Fhaving faith even from hearsayG and /akulamata
;8A
Fconversing intimatelyG the
"uddha tells the latter)s husband that he is lucky to have such a compassionate
wife as his counselor and teacher. * similar list for women also includes
someone who excels in teaching Dhamma. *mong these women .is2kh2 is
particularly notable
;8;
a rich self0assured housewife who supported and
attended to the needs of the Sagha with great care and to whom the "uddha
gave a long discourse
;89
elsewhere the "uddha advises .is2kh2 to use her own
%udgment regarding whether Dhamma.
;8<
'er action also causes the "uddha to
make a rule if she says that a monk has sat down in a secluded place with a
woman and indulged in some form of sensual behavior.
;8=

In the #uttas .is2kh2 is key donor as is the man Anathapka,
;8>
a
wealthy merchant. while the latter was noted for period large gifts such as the
buying of land for the 5etav2na monastery with a huge amount of gold .is2kh2
gives more in the form of a constant supply of the daily necessities of life for
monks and nuns.
;8@
Bhile they are not often mentioned together in the #uttas
/ancy !alk has shown that in the Therav2da commentaries to the Dhamma'ada
and 5#taka these two become increasingly paired and paralleled as a matched
pair of SperfectT male and female donors standing in place of father and mother
179
(an%ini ,beyesekere +ortraits of Buddhist Women Stories from the Saddharmaratn#"aliya #tate
University of /ew Hork press 9AA; pp. ;:;0:8.
180
*. III. 9:8
181
'orner ;:<A pp. <=>0@;.
182
*. I. 9A>0;=
183
.in. I. <>>0>@.
184
.in. III. ;8?08
;8>
$ayatri #en -aDumdar Early Buddhism and Laity &olkata 0?AA A?< India -aha "odhi "ook *gency
9AA: pp. ;:?0:8. #ee also "ook of $radual #ayings vol. I p. 9< #am6yutta0/ik2ya p.9;A 3ullavagga vol. .I p. =.
186
!alk ;::A pp. ;<9 ;<@ ;<:
106
to the #agha of monks.
;8?
4ach type of giving is increasingly seen as being also
carried out by the other which implicitly denies that any gift is more
appropriate for male or female. /evertheless giving a key "uddhist value is
often much practiced by women. Indeed in the .im2navatthu a Therav2din
canonical text on the heavenly rebirths of various good people most of the
donors are female.
;88

I. " 'orner points out that
;8:
in the early "uddhist texts most adult
women referred to Fother than nunsG are married women supported by their
husbands. There is reference though to women workers among poorer people.
-any worked in households as domestic slaves along with their male
counterparts. They could be released by their master for example in order to be
ordained. Bomen also worked in agriculture and as acrobats musicians and
dancers. #ome worked as prostitutes including some very rich courtesans.
The early texts recogniDed that many women gained their specific identity
through married. Thus it is said that a fire is made known by its smoke a
kingdom by its king and a women by her husband
;:A
probably meaning that a
women is often known as so and0so)s wife. Het one 5#taka story mocks the
popular view that a woman is naked without a husbandC
;:;
for it praises a
women who saves her brother not her husband from a threatening king as she
can get another husband but not another brother. /evertheless it seems that the
"uddha saw women as primarily orientated towards gaining a husband and
children and thus power in a householdC
;:9
he outlines the goals and aspirations
of various kings of people. Those of nobles FkhattiyasG "rahmins and
187
5. III. ;;:.
188
!alk ;::A p. ;=A.
189
'orner ;:<A pp. 8<0:=
190
#. I. =;09
191
5. I. <A?
192
*. III. <@<
107
householders relate to success in their sphere of activity or work while for
women7 their goal is a manC their ambition is adornment their resolve is for a
childC their desire is to be without a rivalC and their fulfillment is to gain
authority by implication within their own marriage0based household. ,f course
any of these kinds of people could go beyond these usual aims for example by
focusing on enlightenment. That a women)s resolve is for a child is echoed by a
passage which says that women end life unseated by and not opposing sex and
child0bearing.
;:<
This was said partly because giving a child to a family was a
source of power as part of the network of marital dynamics. The "uddha thus
describes the five powers FbalasG of a woman as those of beauty wealth kin
children and moral virtue FsClaC i.e. keeping the preceptsG. Bith these she dwells
at home in confidence overpowering her husband and continuing to get the
better of him. *gainst these powers a man can only get the better of his wife by
the power of authority For being masterful issariyaGC
;:=
of her powers only the
last is essential both for a lasting relationship and for a good rebirth.
;:>
It could
also allow a woman to be head of a prosperous household for it is said that one
of the reasons why a family prosper is that they place in authority a virtuous
woman or man.
;:@
To sum up we can say that rise of "uddhism in India at the time of +ord
"uddha that brought an improvement in the status of women relative to their
position in "rahmanism. *s 'induism reasserted itself and influenced more
aspects of Indian culture however less positive views of women came to be
accepted in some 5#taka stories and early -ah2y2na texts. In turn though the
-ah2y2na a tradition sought to subvert these elements and the Therav2da
downplayed them. In the 3hinese cultural area "uddhism likewise lived
193
*. I.?8
194
#. I..9=@
195
#. *. II.9=:.
196
#. I..9=?08.
108
alongside a tradition which broadly sought to keep women in their place. Bhile
partly accommodating itself to this "uddhism also sought to subvert it.
"uddhism has in a variety of ways sought to improve the position of women
living in discriminatory or otherwise unfortunate situations. Through its
practices it has also facilitated the self0confidence empowerment enhance and
spiritual liberation of both women and men.
;:?

2. H#"$!-y !& E"$.:/#")+*%$ !& B)#22)'%; S.4). #% V#*$%.+
*bout four hundred years later around the same time as in 3hina the first
.ietnamese women received ordination and became bhkus full0fledged
members of the "uddhist Sagha.
;:8
Due to a thousand years of continual
warfare between 3hina and .ietnam from the first to the tenth centuries the
bhkus nearly disappeared from the historical records. Up to the time of
.ietnam)s independence .ietnamese bhkus were rarely visible even on their
own soil. Het with the help of Bhku Sagha, .ietnamese bhkus have
worked hard to overcome many inner and outer difficulties up to the present
time. +astly in ;:>? the Bhku Order was officially established alongside the
Bhku Sagha. !rom that day the bhkus became more and more active.
#ome nuns became spirit teachers for the laity. They engaged in social welfare
activities as teachers nurses and social worker.
*nd today "uddhism was the one of ma%or religions in .ietnam with
about ten million followers more than =AAAA places of worship. "uddhism
became one of the flourishing religions in .ietnam. It was the earliest foreign
religion to be introduced in .ietnam arriving from India in the second century
*.D in two routes the -ah2y2na "uddhism via 3hina and the Therav2da
"uddhism passing through Thailand 3ambodia and +aos. *t present there are
;:?
'arvey ,p. 3it. p. =A:.
198
/guyen +ang Viet %am +hat @iao Su Luan ACritical Bistory of Vietnamese BuddhismG .ol. III. +a "oi
FPalm +eafsG. #an 5ose 3alif ;::< p. ;:<
109
more than fourteen thousand bhkkhuns are .ietnamese nearly eleven thousand
of them ordained in the -ah2y2na tradition another three thousand ordained in
the -endicant tradition. -ost of young nuns attended into "uddhist schools
according to level ordain and secular0age.
;::

This part will be analysis as following7
2. 1. O-#4#% .%( E"$.:/#")+*%$ !& B)#22)'%; S.4). #% V#*$%.+
It have known "hikkhun1 Sagha the community of fully ordain nuns
leaded by -ah2pa%2pat1 $otam1 her ,rder was instituted in India by the
"uddha in the sixth century ".3 and seems to have continued in that country
until at least the tenth century *.D. the lineage was transmitted from India to
#rilanka in the third century ".3 and survived there until the eleventh century
*.D.
9AA
!rom #rilanka bhikkhun1s traveled to 3hina in the fifth century *.D.
where they established a "hikkhun1 ,rder that has existed until the present day.
!rom 3hina the lineage was transmitted to &orea and .ietnam. Today
"hikkhun1 Sagha existed in the 3hinese &orean and .ietnamese traditions
but not in the traditions of 5apan Tibet Thailand -yanmar and other
countries.
It has been existed during the Tan Dynasty F<?:0=A;G the -aster of
.aibhasya Discipline Dharmayasas arrived in Uuang 3hau Fin 3hinese
$uangDhouG and stayed at "ach #a temple where he ordained many men
among them the .ietnamese monk Truc Phap Do only after they parted did
Truc Phap Do who became one of his most brilliant disciples Truc Phap Do
accompanied his teacher to &im +ang and Truong *n7 only after they parted did
Truc Phap Do return to Uuang 3hau to teach. *t the same "ach #a temple
199
* lecture delivered by Thich3hgnThicn "]o3]o'oxtaYngPhzt$i]oUu~cTk/hicm&i . F9AA909AA?G *
#ummary (eport of "uddhist *ctivities in the >
th
Term F9AA909AA?G) at the @
th
3ongress of /ational "uddhist
Delegates on December ;;
th
to ;= 9AA? in 'anoi in $i]o'YiPhzt$i]o.ictnam. 9AA? in 'anoi.
200
&arma +eshe Tsomo. ,p. 3it. p. 9<?.
110
where he had been ordained by Dharmayasas Truc Phap Do also began to
accept and ordain many monastic disciples. *mong them there were women
who wished to ordain so in conformance with the Vinaya Truc Phap Do may
have reEuest a #inghalese delegation of virtuous bhikkhun1 to assist in granting
full monastic ordination to those women who wished to fulfill the religious life.
"y the =9: 3.4 during the /guyen $ia era of the Tan Dynasty the
#inghalese "hikkhun1 Sagha sent a mission of bhikkhun1s to 3hina Truc Phap
Do granted the higher ordination first to the 3hinese woman Phap 'oang the
daughter of H /han Dao of Dam Duong and second to the .ietnamese woman
Truong Pho -inh daughter of Truong -uc
9A;
then governor of $iao 3hNu.
*lthough many bhikkhun1s were ordained these two respectively are
remembered as the first 3hinese and the first .ietnamese bhikkhun1 in Uuang
3hNu. It was not considered important whether the #inghalese bhikkhun1 was
Therav2da or -ah2y2na as of the monks of the -ah2y2na traditions preserved
the Therav2da Vinaya of the Dharmagupta.
*fter being ordained the bhikkhun1s worked enthusiastically in their
purposes to spread the "uddha)s teaching among women and they established
the "hikkhun1 Sagha in their own localities. Thus the .ietnamese "hikkhun1
Sagha in the .aibhasa tradition began with the bhikkhun1 Truong Ph} -inh in
the middle of the >
th
century and continues today in the -ah2y2na tradition
that was one of tradition the nuns strongly influenced. They work fervently to
promote the "uddha of teachings erecting monasteries teaching and
establishing "hikkhun1 ,rder which nonstop still the present day.
'owever by the end of the Tran Dynasty as 3onfucians scholars gained
their monopoly at court "uddhism gradually lost its influence especially after
201
Thich -an $iac. Ty kheo /i Pho -inh vX Truyen Thong /i "o .iet /am ABhikkhunC +ho ;inh and the
tradition of BhikkhunC ,rder in VietnamD. 5ournal of .ietnamese "uddhism /o @<. ;:88
111
the invasion of the -ing in ;=;= Dai.iet
9A9
became a 3hinese vassal again and
the -ing rulers oppressed .ietnamese "uddhists by confiscating most of
"uddhist text books in Dai.iet then sending them to 3hin0+ang and destroying
a large number of pagodas. -oreover numerous talented monks were sent to
3hina in exile. *ll that lay in the policy of assimilating the .ietnamese into the
3hinese and spreading 3onfucianism as the only dominating doctrine while
keeping "uddhism and Taoism under strict control. It has due to time of
3hinese persecution followed from ;=;= to ;=98
9A<
during this ten year period
that .ietnam was under the domination of the -ing Dynasty it suffered great all
temples were destroyed all "uddhist #criptures were confiscated and removed
to 3hina bhikkhus and bhikkhun1s were either seculariDed or executed and +ord
"uddha statues were burned. Taoism and 3onfucianism were propagated. !or
this reason to these events most of the early of "uddhist scriptures of the
.ietnamese "uddhist Sagha has been lost or remains only in scattered
remnants among texts in 3hina. The story of bhikkhun1 Pho -inh above is the
only known history of the establishment of the .ietnamese "hikkhun1
Sagha.
9A=

'istory recorded that after a ten0year fight against the -ing finally came
the victory won by +e +oi the national hero who founded the +atter +e. "ut
"uddhism was in unfavorable condition then7 "y &ing +e Thai To)s order
"uddhist monks had to pass an examination or they had to return to secular life.
3onfucianism had a great influence on the &ing and especially on the
intellectuals of the time since it was the best way leading to power and glory at
3ourt. Bhat remained fortunate was that "uddhism had been so deeply rooted
in all classes of people that they constantly kept their faith alive in hard times by
202
Thich -inh 3hau "uddhism Today 2 Brief Bistory of Vietnamese Buddhism pp. ;0<.
203
#ee 2 Brief Bistory of BhikkhunC ,rdination of =ndia, %e'al, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Burma, $hailand,
Cam!odia, Laos, Vietnam and $ai-an pp. 90@.
204
Ibid.
112
building pagodas temples and reprinting "uddhist scriptures despite
3onfucians scholars) strong opposition and the &ings) exclusive order.
/evertheless according to Prof. +e -anh Th]t an erudite polyhistor of
.ietnam has believed that "uddhist /un ,rder started in .ietnam Euite early
at least from 9
nd
century *.D. with -an /fgng Fca.;?>09>>G. #he was born in a
devout "uddhist family in the "Oc /inh province. Bhen the Indian monk
&sudra by name came to +uy +Nu at about ;8: *.D. she went to work with him
and later on became a nun. !rom then on almost nothing is known about the
/un of ,rder until the appearance of Ren master Dicu /hNn F;A=90;;;<G
recorded in the Thion Uyn Tzp *nh F4minent !igures in the Ren $ardenG
written in ;;<=Q
9A>
Dicu /hNn mean SBondrous 3auseT came from the imperial
family of + Dynasty of .ietnam. #he got married and when her husband died
she decided to become a nun and later on headed the 'fgng '\i Ren
-onastery. 'er lineage is almost lost. ,nly one poem written at her dead0bed is
left. The poem mention below7
The true nature often has no nature
It never lives nor ever diesC
The body is a means for life or death.
The nature of that means remains unchanged.
This stressed that the body is nothing but a means among other means in
the phenomenal world where there is life and deathC only the Invariable Truth
FTath2gataG and Dhamma are eternal without life or death. 3onfronting the life
205
*bstract7 ,n the Bistory of Buddhist %un ,rder in Vietnam by Prof. Dr. +e -anh Th]t. #ee also
http7//www.congress0on0buddhist0women.org/;;A.A.html. ,n <A/?/9A;9
113
and death dilemma the nun Did 6u /hNn F;A=90;;;<G
9A@
expressed an original
point of view in the following litany7
+ife aging disease death
are natural laws. The more one begs
for an escape from all those things
the more he will be attached to them.
If one gets passions he must petition +ord "uddhaC
If one gets bewitched he must pray to religionC
'e must sit Euiet and smiling.
9A?

"uddhist nun Dieu /han considered life aging disease and death as
natural laws. The desire to escape them constitutes nothing but the desire to
untie oneself and at the same time to fasten oneself down more. If one needs
"uddha or religion that means he needs his own force that will be nothing but
his bewitchment his ignorance. Bith respect to a certain number of other
philosophical Euandaries the position of the .initaruci sect coincided with Ren
-aster .n /gnn Thnng FQ 0 89@G. #he shaved her head washed her body sat
cross0legged and passed away. #he was seventy0two years old.
9A8
Passing over to the ;<
th
and ;=
th
centuries we have the names of a number
of imperial members of Trn Dynasty who were ordained to become "uddhist
nuns but we know almost nothing about their "uddhist activities.
206
/guyen Tu 3uong ?en in ;edie"al Vietnam: 2 Study and $ranslation of the $hien &yen $a' 2nh
'onolulu University of 'awaiiMs Press ;::?. p. ;:?.
207
IbidC p. ;A>
208
The Toan Thu "an &y <79>? wrote7 In the summer the sixth month of the fourth year of the 'oi Tuong
Dai &hanh era F;;;<G the wife of the Provincial governor of 3han Dang Province a Princess of the +y died.
The +ady)s personal name was /goc &ieu and she was the eldest daughter of +ord Phung 3an. she was
brought up in the royal palace by +y Thanh Tong and subseEuently was given in marriage to Provincial
$overnor +e of 3han Dang Province. Bhen +e died she vowed to stay a widow and later left home to become a
nun. #he died at the age of seventy0two. Than Tong bestowed her title of /un -aster.
114
Bith the arrival of the ;>
th
and ;@
th
century we again have the names of a
number of bhikkhun1s who contributed to the construction of a few "uddhist
temples in /orth .ietnam. *nd their social origin is again mostly from royal or
official class.
In the ;?
th
century a number of 3hinese monks came to .ietnam founded
such 3h)an sects as +in 3hi and T)sao Tung #ect. They were warmly received
by the +ord Trinh who at the same time encouraged the restoration of Truc
+am 3h)an sect. *t the first half of the ;?
th
century we again have a cluster of
"uddhist /uns who devoted to the work of erection the famous "mt Th]p
temple "Oc /inh province and one of them became an abbess of this temple
i.e. Dicu Tuc F;@;>0;@8AG. *gain Dicu Tuc came from the imperial family of
+d Dynasty with the name +d Th_ /gWc Duydn. Bhen she grew up she got
married to a man who died at an early age. #he decided to become a nun with
the acEuiescence of her Uueen mother Trinh Th_ /gWc Trmc.
Until the early of the ;8
th
century it seems that there is a great community
of "uddhist /uns in .ietnam. Their names are mostly known through the
contributions they made to the construction of temples or printing of "uddhist
works such as the nun Dicu +idn who managed the edition and printing of the
Thion Tnng "\n 'xnh F'agiography of the Ren lineageG of her master 3hNn
/guydn F;@=?0;?9@G in ;?=?. The special feature of this period is the
codification of the rules and regulations of the /un ,rdination through the work
of Ph]p 3huydn +uzt Truyon F;?9@0;?:8G.
9A:
In period time of /guyen Dynasty came to power in ;8A9 with some
assistance from !rance. The !rench including !rench 3atholic missionaries
struggled to gain influence in .ietnam. In time the 4mperor /apoleon III of
!rance invaded .ietnam and claimed it as !rench territory. .ietnam became part
209
*ccessed at http7//www.congress0on0buddhist0women.org/;;A.A.html. ,n 8/8/9A;9
115
of !rench Indo0china in ;88?. The famous nun of the ;:
th
century is of course
4mperor $ia +ongMs F;8A90;89AG
9;A
sister who is known under the name
bhikkhun1 .Nn Dfgng. Bhen the /guyVn 'ouse was overthrown in ;??9 in
'uk and her brother $ia +ong had to flee south she remained in 'uk decided
to become a nun and lived at the temple of the .Nn Dfgng village. #o she had
the name bhikkhun1 .Nn Dfgng. #he also played an important role in the
struggle of $ia +ong against the TNy #gn Dynasty. * few decades after $ia
+ong won the battle and become the 4mperor of a unified .ietnamC she died
and remained a nun.
In the 9A
th
and 9;
st
centuries during the modern period bhikkhus and
bhikkhun1s of -ah2y2na amalgamation of the earlier Therav2da -ah2y2na and
Ren tradition that survived in /orthern and 3entral .ietnam coexisted with
bhikkhus and nuns of Therav2da traditions that have spilled over from
3ambodia in the #outh. *s such they managed to preserve their traditions
during the period of !rench colonial rule in the ;:
th
and 9A
th
centuries during
which time 3atholicism was encouraged and all public "uddhist activities
restrictedC and during the following struggle between /orth and #outh .ietnam
in the ;:@As and ;:?As. -any "uddhist associations launched in the ;:<As the
.ietnamese -endicant Sagha in which both bhikkhus and bhikkhun1s wear
yellow robes and walk for alms resembling the tradition but observe
vegetarians hold disciplines like that of -ah2y2na traditions was formed in
the #outh .ietnam by master -inh Dang Uuang in ;:=@. Under the communist
regime that emerged victorious in the ;:?As conditions for the .ietnam of
"uddhism Sagha have been difficult but they have persevered and signs of
new vitality appearing though the ;:8As and ;::As.
It is clear that up until the early 9A
th
century the .ietnamese "hikkhun1
Sagha had an organiDed structure. Bith the serious social and political
210
Ibid.
116
upheavals the .ietnamese /un)s Sagha became primarily -ah2y2na tradition
and was very scattered. The appearance of many great bhikkhun1s in the
-ah2y2na tradition and the establishment of many nuns monasteries and
"uddhist *cademies as well as the establishment of a "hikkhun1 ,rder and the
formation of the "hikkhun1 ,rder of the #outh .ietnam as well as the ,rder of
-endicant nuns the overall "uddhist Sagha has greatly developed and the
bhikkhun1s paralleling the achievements of the monks have been offered eEual
status as members of the Sagha.
In the /orth the first bhikkhun1 pagoda organiDed as the "uddhist
Instituted was the "o De pagoda led by bhikkhun1 Thanh 'anh.
9;;
,ne of the
most eminent nuns in the modern history of the /orth was bhikkhun1 Dam #oan
who between the ;:9As and ;:>As contributed to the construction of the Dieu
.ien pagoda managed all activities of nuns at .an 'o pagoda and lectured at
Duoc #u pagoda where she developed the first fundamental course for nuns.
In the 3entral .ietnam bhikkhun1 Dien Truong F'o DacG is considered the
vanguard of the modern "hikkhun1 Sagha. 4ntering monastic life in ;8:8 she
rebuilt the Pho Uuang pagoda for the nuns and constructed the Truc +am
pagoda which became a place for renaissance of 3entre of "uddhism .ietnam.
In ;:>9 she formed the nunnery at Tay Thien pagoda which became a gathering
place of many famous nuns who played an important role in the leadership of
the "hikkhun1 ,rder. "hikkhun1 Dieu &hong F'o Thi 'anh b.;:A>G ordained
in ;:<< constructed the first "uddhist nunnery in 'ue city and devoted her
writings to the .inaya discipline. #he is currently the chief nun in central
.ietnam and residents at the 'ong *n monastery.
211
/guyen +ang Viet %am +hat @iao Su Luan, F3ritical 'istory of .ietnamese "uddhismG <.ols. 'anoi7 /ha
Zuat "an .an 'oc 9AA8 pp. :=90=@.
117
In the #outh there have been many courses organiDed for "uddhist nun
and many pagoda established. "hikkhun1 Dieu Tinh Fb.;:;AG who is considered
the first light torch of the nuns of #outh .ietnam founded the first bhikkhun1
pagoda in 'o 3hi -inh 3ity where her relics are currently enshrined. #he
began monastic life at the age of fifteen and contributed notably to the
education of the -ah2y2na nuns in the #outh. Passing away in ;:=9 at the age
of thirty0three she was of the forty0first generation of the +am Te F+inchi 3hanG
#chool. "hikkhun1 /hu Thanh F/guyen Thi Thao b.;:;AG and at the age of
twenty0two she left home for $iac 'oang pagoda. #he placed great emphasis on
education and authored as many as 98 "uddhist books serving as the 'ead of
the "uddhist Instituted at 'ue +am pagoda in 'o 3hi -inh 3ity. In ;:>@0
;:>?
9;9
she became the first bhikkhun1 to propose that formation of the
"hikkhun1 Sagha of #outh .ietnam. $iven unanimous support she was
elected the 'ead of the nun)s 3ouncil and from ;:?9 to ;:?> she was chief of
the bhikkhun1s of the -ah2y2na tradition leading the nuns in harmony and
unity. "hikkhun1 3hi &ien Fb.;:;<G and ordained in ;:98 founded two nun)s
pagodas directed the "uddhist *cademy of /uns at Tu /ghiem pagoda and
succeeded bhikkhun1 /hu Thanh as chief nun of the .ietnamese "hikkhun1
Sagha of #outh .ietnam.
*dditional the chief nun of the .ietnamese ,rder of -endicant nuns in
which the nuns wear yellow and walk for alms as do the monks of the
-endicant ,rder and in the Therav2da tradition is bhikkhun1 'uynh +ien
F/guyen Thi TruG who was born in Phu -y village in Tien $iang province and
ordained a bhikkhun1 in the order in ;:=? together with bhikkhun1s "ach +ien
and Thanh +ien under the guidance of -aster -inh Dang Uuang the founder
of the -endicant Sagha. These three were the first bhikkhun1 of mendicant
212
Tsomo &. + F4dG ,ut of the Shado-s: Socially Engaged Buddhist Women Delhi #ri #atguru Publications
Indian "ooks 3entre 9AA@. p. :;
118
,rder and the master delegated bhikkhun1 'uynh +ien as their leader for her
innate intelligence strong will and effort in practicing the Dhamma. #he
devoted herself to this work for forty years until her death and is survived by a
Sagha of more than one thousand -endicant bhikkhun1s.
In the modern the tradition as it was introduced from 3ambodia the first
STu0nuT or eight precept lay0nun was Dieu Dan who was born in ;:9A in
/ompenh 3ambodia became a Tu0nu in ;:=> and passed away in ;::A.
*lthough she could not receive ordination as either a amaer or bhikkhun1
she came to be appreciated by many .ietnamese women more than 9AA of them
now living in separate Euarters within the bhikkhus pagodas mostly in 'o 3hi
-inh 3ity and in the #outh0east and #outh0west .ietnam. Unhappily
considered the greatness of the Therav2da bhikkhun1s of the past and the
-ah2y2na and -endicant bhikkhun1s of the present these Therav2din nuns
have no organiDation nor nunneries live dependant on the bhikkhus and
considered an advanced sort of lay0woman.
To sum up in this part a discussion has been revealed that "uddhism in
.ietnam has endured miraculously despite the massive destruction of war and
the oppression suffered under both 3hristian and communist government.
*lthough the early history of the "hikkhun1 ,rder in .ietnam remains shrouded
in uncertainty
9;<
nuns have worker enthusiastically to promote the Dhamma in
.ietnam building temples teaching social charity work and establishing the
"hikkhun1 ,rder. +aboring always under the patriarchal legacy of 3onfucian
social structures and values women did not gain positions in either the religious
or secular spheres but nevertheless played an important role in inculcating
"uddhism values and transmitting devotional practices. Throughout historyC
213
Tsomo &. + F4d.G Buddhist Women across Culture: Realization Delhi7 #ri #atguru Publications Indian
"ooks 3entre 9AAA. pp. ;> 0;@.
119
however the women who ordained in .ietnam were mostly from the upper
class and already had led a family life before becoming nuns.
'owever today in .ietnam "uddhism is practiced in a non0sectarian
way. The people feel comfortable practicing the Therav2da and -ah2y2na
traditions together which deem that this directness is one of the strengths of
.ietnamese "uddhism. -ost of the "uddhism practice in .ietnam these days is
-ah2y2na but Therav2da practice also continues. Therav2da bhikkhus and the
-ah2y2na bhikkhus and bhikkhun1s still assemble and perform ceremonies
together from time to time. Het people who belong to one particular temple feel
very in high spirits visiting and supporting other temples whether they are
.ietnamese or not. They fell that any temple that practices "uddha0dhamma
should be revered and supported. This non0sectarian viewpoint is truly
praiseworthy.
9;=
Due to believe of religion of .ietnamese deep root in the
grassroots so that role) nuns also have impact and events will be mention
below7
2. 2. V#*$%.+*"* B'(()#"$ N'%"> R!/* #% C!%$*+,!-.-y L#&*
/owadays there are three ma%or traditions in .ietnam "uddhism7
-ah2y2na Therav2da and -endicant sects. *lthough their traditions differ and
two sects have "hikkhun1 F!ull ordain nunG #ikkham2n2 FProbation nunG and
amaer F/ovice nunG by contrast Therav2da sect has only amaer F/ovice
nunG however whose actively participate in the movements of .ietnam "uddhist
Sagha. In this part we will analyse the realities of .ietnam "uddhism in
general and the roles of .ietnamese "uddhist nuns) in contemporary life.
.ietnamese bhikkhun1s are ma%or contributors in the organiDations and they
always enthusiastically %oin activities same as their partners in .ietnamese
communities of which is manifested as below7
214
Tsomo &. + F4d.G Sakyadhita: Daughters of the Buddha /ew Hork #now +ion Publication ;:88 p. ;>=.
120
!irst of all we introduce excellent "uddhist nuns in .ietnam. The lives of
famous nuns are documented in .ietnamese "uddhist history from ancient
times until the present day. 4xamples bhikkhun1s as7 "hikkhun1 Dicu /hNn
/hf Thanh Dicu 'uong Dicu &hnng $i]c /hn Tr` '\i and others. "ased
on these well0known examples we would discuss the religious achievements of
.ietnamese bhikkhun1s and the contributions to the diffused of "uddha0
Dhamma. !rom these exemplary nuns) achievements we can draw valuable
lessons and inspiration for "uddhist women today.
The next part is an investigation of the roles of .ietnamese nuns in
religious life and in the propagation of "uddhism for the liberation of human
beings. *s we have observed .ietnamese nuns today have demonstrated their
capabilities in all fields ranging from religious practice temple construction
education charity work and so forth. In addition to these positive contributions
they also face certain constraints and challenges that need to be addressed.
In the last part we look specifically at the sub%ect of .ietnamese "uddhist
nuns) roles in contemporary society drawing from three case studies. These
studies may be relevant to the experiences of "uddhist women around the
world. Three specific lessons learned are7 the reEuire for organiDational skills to
successfully further "uddhist social welfare activitiesC the need for serious
compliance with religious rulesC and the importance of interaction between
national culture and .ietnamese "uddhism.
The bhikkhun1 tradition in .ietnam goes back in an unbroken line to the
time of the "uddha. Their practice is primarily -ah2y2na. There are many
currents and traditions in .ietnam all of which were transmitted at different
periods in history. "uddhism arrived early from India around the third century
*.D and its first Ren introduction also came from India in the sixth century.
121
+ater on around ?AA *.D
9;>
Ren was also transmitted from 3hina two traditions
actually merged into a syncretic whole in .ietnam combining the meditation
tradition of Ren with the devotional practices of the Pure +and tradition.
Until now the early history of the Bhku Order in .ietnam remains
shrouded in uncertainty. ,ne historical source states that a princess of the +y
Dynasty Dieu /han F;A=;0;;;< 3.4G
9;@
became the first .ietnamese bhku.
,ther source cited by .en. Thich -an $iac in his commentary 4stablishment
of the Bhku Order in .ietnam assert that the first bhku in .ietnam
named Pho -inh was ordained seven centuries earlier in =9: 3.4. #ince the
first time "uddhism entered .ietnam the nuns have been strongly influenced by
the tradition of -ah2y2na. They worked devotedly to support the Dhamma in
.ietnam building temples teaching charity works and establishing nunneries
that in order to improve of monastic of nun)s thanks Bhku Order which
continues still now.
.ietnamese "uddhist women are proud of their long ancestor of history.
#ince the beginning of the first century 3.4 consist of eight women generals
Uueens and Princesses such as "]t /Xn Thicu 'oa .|nh 'uy /guyet Thai
/guyet Do 3hieu Dung 'uong Thao and Phuong Dung who lived during the
'ai "X Trfng Dynasty F=A0=<G
9;?
in /orthern .ietnam have tirelessly
participated in the struggle for independent. They considered Sfame Hust as torn
sandals4 and returned to their temples afterwards to continue an outstanding
monastic life. During the reign of &ing + Th]nh Tnng the most prominent
.ietnamese "uddhist nun was Dieu /han F;A=90;;;<G a member of the royal
family who was originally named /goc. *fter she left home she became a nun
with Ren -aster 3hNn &hnng and belonged to the ;?
th
generation of Ti0ni0pa0
215
IbidC p. ;>>.
216
/guyen Tu 3uong ,p. 3it. p. ;:?.
217
*ccessed at http7//www.hoalinhthoai.com/news/detail/news0=98@/80vi0Ty0kheo0/i0dac0biet0nhat0thoi0'ai0
"a0Trung.html. ,n ;:/9/9A;<
122
lfu0chi F.initaruciG Ren sect.
9;8
*fter achieving the path she was appointed as
the head of 'fgng '\i nunnery by Ren -aster 3hNn &hnng. "efore her death
she summoned her disciples and spoke a last verse that revealed her attainment
of liberation of enlightenment.
In #outhern .ietnam into the twentieth century many nuns have
contributed to a renaissance of monastic life and "uddhist practice as bhku
Didu /gWc F;88>0;:>9G and bhku Dicu T]nh F;:;A0;:=9G.
9;:
*nother senior
.ietnamese "uddhist nun who was an exemplary daughter of the "lessed0,ne
was bhku /hf Thanh F;:;;0;:::G. *fter a life of !odhisatt"a activities such
as establishing the .ietnamese "uddhist /uns *ssembly her last words were7 SI
will return to this world to complete my unfinished work because I love
"uddhist nuns very much. They need leaders for their religious lives.T *nother
example is bhku $i]c /hNn F;:;:09AA<GC she left many relics as evidence of
the refined monastery life she led the virtues of life that had perfected. In the
-endicant tradition well0known as bhku 'uinh +idn F;:9<0;:8?G
99A
and
"xch +idn F;:9=0;::@G who devoted their entire lives for peace and the welfare
of human beings as well as national liberation and unification. In the
educational domain bhku Tr` '\i F;:<809AA<G beEueathed to future
generations many valued translations and written works that are highly
appreciated by "uddhists in .ietnam and abroad it was her celebrated work as
T_ch Thidn FShantide"aG %hL' BM tNt hOnh
99;
*t present in the charitable
domain bhku 'uc Ty F$i]c TNm Pagoda 'o 3hi -inh 3ityG is a famous
218
Thich Tri Uuang .ai Tro cua /u Tu Phat $iao trong thoi "ac thuoc. #ee more
www.EuangducEuangduc.com. ,n ?/</9A;<.
219
Tsomo IbidC p. :;
220
#ee *rtcial /guyen $ia Uuoc /i $ioi /am "o /ua Dau the &y 'ai -uoi. #ee more
www.chuyenphapluan.com. ,n @/9/9A;<.
221
T_ch Thidn FShantide"aG %hL' BM tNt hOnh FTh`ch / Tr` '\i d_chG ThXnh ph~ 'q 3h` -inh /Z".T}ng
hp ThXnh ph~ 'q 3h` -inh ;::: p. =;.
123
nun for campaigns of all .ietnamese participate in nuns to activities of
supporting finances to areas of calamity building habitats for poor helping for
patients affected by Dioxin F,range *gentG and bringing orphans upetc. In
the managing domain bhku /hf abc F.idn 3hiku Ren -onastery +ong
ThXnhG and bhku /hf /hf Faxi Tng +Nm -onastery "X (_a .ng TXuG
have effectively guided two hundred of Ren nuns in religious practice. ,ne of
pioneers preserving the environment is bhku 'uc $i]c FUuan rm -onastery
"idn 'aG who has cultivated more than =AA hectare of forest. In addition to
these exemplary nuns there are many "uddhist nuns who practiced the
"uddha)s teachings Euietly in hermitages whose biographies have been not
mention in the pages of .ietnam "uddhist history.
"esides today "uddhism as well has other outstanding nuns and women
it is now a truly international religion whose members from all over the world
communicates freEuently and influences each other. The most significant
chances have undoubtedly occurred in the composition of the leadership of the
religion. In former times monks dominated every where. "ut in the twentieth
century many laymen and laywomen have led reform movement in *sia and
have become religious teachers there and in the Bestern. Bhkus "uddhists
women in particular have finally found their voice and have stepped into the
limelight as spiritual leaders teachers scholars organiDers and shapers of a
new "uddhism for the modern world.
999
,f all ma%or "uddhist traditions and national groups women have always
been most prominent in the Tibet tradition. That is not to say that Tibetan
women have found ready access to the religious life or that their lives in
religions were easy. There have been some very famous female tantric adepts
such as Heshe Tsogyel whose biographies have been preserved. There are a
222
*rvind #harma. $odayIs Woman in World Religions Published ;::= #tate University of /ew Hork !irst
Indian 4dition7 Delhi ;::? p. ;<8
124
number of other noteworthy women religions teachers on *sia today. #ister
#udharma one of the most important leaders of the dasasClamatta-a in
#rilanka one of the most taught "uddhism in a girls school and then in a
collage for over twenty years before retiring to the forest to meditate and leader
a life of renunciation. #he has so far established fourteen monastic residences
for to which she accepts students from all over the world and she also
administers a retirement home for aged dasasClamatta-a.
99<
The lay teacher
*chan /aeb heads a large network of meditation centers in "angkok and center
Thailand where she teaches both lay people and monks.
99=
Daw Panna a thila
shin in "urma follows the model of her grandmother and heads an important
monastic residence and school for women renunciants.
99>
Bhku Tae0heng #e0
/im a &orean nun of the 3hogye lineage is the founder and spiritual head of
seven 'an -a Um Ren centers in &orea and *merica. #he has some twenty
thousand lay followers in and growing number in the United #tated.
99@
Bhku
'iu Ban of &orea is a scholar painter and 3han FRenG master in Taiwan.
99?
In
;:?@ Diane Perry by then known by her Tibetan name TenDin Palmo secluded
herself in a remote cave ;<9AA feet up in the 'imalayas cut off from the world
by mountains and snow. There she engaged in twelve years of intense "uddhist
meditation. #he faced unimaginable cold wild animals near0starvation and
avalanches she grew her own food and slept in a traditional wooden meditation
box three0feet sEuare she never lay down. 'er aim was to achieve
223
"loss. +owell B. Sthe !emale (enunciants of #rilanka7 The dasasilamattawa.T 5ournal of the International
*ssociation of "uddhist #tudies. ;A. /o. I. ?0<9.;:8? ;=0;?C /I"B* newsletter on International "uddhist
Bomen)s *ctivities. Dr. 3hatsumarn &abilsinghC F4dG. F"angkok ThailandG. /o < ;:8> ;;0;9.
224
5ohn .an. 4sterik 3Women ;editation $eachers in $hailand4 In Bomen of #outheast *sia. Penny .an
4sterik F4dG. Dckalb III. /orthern IIIiois University 3enter for #outheast *sian #tudies ;:89 pp. =?0>9.
225
/I"B* %e-sletter on =nternational Buddhist -omenIs 2cti"ities. Dr. 3hatsumarn &abilsinghC F4dG.
F"angkok ThailandG. /o ;>. ;:88 pp. ;>09A.
226
"utsumon .ol. = !all ,higan. Publication of the "uddhist "ookstore "uddhist 3hurches of *merica of
5odo #hinshu 'ong Ban%i0ha. #an !rancisco ;:8: I p. ;9.
227
/I"B* %e-sletter on =nternational Buddhist -omenIs 2cti"ities. Dr. 3hatsumarn &abilsinghC F4dG.
F"angkok ThailandG. >. ;:8>. 9A099 /I"B* II ;:8? <A.
125
enlightenment as a woman.
998
(engetsu was another artist0nun of nineteenth0
century 5apan who influenced many through her spiritual example and her
generosity to others as well as through her art. There was #atomi -yodo a
#oto Ren nun who died in ;:?8. #he is significant not as a teacher but as
example to others of extraordinary fortitude in the Euest of her spiritual goal.
99:
In 98A 34 the order of nuns was established in 3hina when 3hen 3hien
became the first nun. In =9: the nun Devasara was sent by &ing #ri
-eghavanna to 3hina with seven other sisters and the "hikkhun1 Sagha
gradually grew in siDe. Throughout the centuries 3hinese nuns have worked for
peace and good will.
9<A
*nd the fascinating story of B2b1 a young Thai woman
who sought a religious life her great effort to overcome the numerous obstacles
along her path. #he left her rural village at ;? to become a "uddhist nun in a
land where religious men are honored and religious women are scorned. Despite
these conditions she wanted to study "uddhism to meditate and to develop a
profoundly religious life. #he traveled to a monastery in "angkok where she
heard she might be able to pursue her dream but upon arrival found she needed
money to become a nun money she did not have. -oving from difficulty to
difficulty she finally found a home at a convent of "uddhist nuns where she
gained close friends an education and an energetic meditation practice.
9<;
,therwise much the case for .ietnam)s inclusion in #outheast *sia rests
partly on the claim that female status was higher than in 3hina the position of
women has generated considerable debate. It is apparent however that despite
the persistence of ancient customs and domestication of the 3hinese heritage
228
.icki -ackenDie Ca"e in the Sno- +ondon7 "loomsbury Publishing Plc ;::8 pp. ?80:A Fchapter 8G.
229
The life of #atomi0san #hinto -iko and Ren "uddhist /un. 5ournal feminist #tudies in (eligion ;:88 pp.
= ?09@.
230
Tsomo ,ut of the Shado-s: Socially Engaged Buddhist Women, p. ;@9. F#ee "uddhist Bomen and
Discipline7 *n 'istorical Perspective by $ioi 'uongG.
231
#id "rown $he 5ourney of ,ne Buddhist %un, E"en against the Wind *lbany7 #tate University of /ew Hork
Press 9AA; pp. @09< Fchapter ;G.
126
the study of .ietnamese women cannot be detached from an S4ast *sianT
context. In early 5apan for example female sovereigns were drawn to
"uddhism)s great +otus #Itra which held that sex was no impediment to either
rulership or the attainment of "uddhahood. It is surely no coincidence that a
powerful dowager Uueen in eleventh0century .ietnam engaged as her teacher a
monk who advocated meditation through the +otus #Itra or that this sItra
became popular in court circles.
9<9
4minent nuns in #ong 3hina and pre0
Tokugawa 5apan also have their counterparts in .ietnamese women like Dieu
/han FSBondrous 3auseT;A=90;;;<G who was raised in the imperial palace
but renounced the world after her husband)s death eventually becoming head of
a convent and a renowned spiritual adept.
9<<
,n the other hand one cannot
ignore the localiDation by which indigenous S'oly -othersT of (ain Thunder
3louds and +ighting were transposed into four "uddhas FTu PhatG said to have
been born of a union between a local girl and a monk. #anctuaries dedicated to
these S'oly -othersT were freEuently incorporated into pagoda complexes.
9<=
#imilar process occurred in Taoism which percolated into .ietnam from
southern 3hina but never received the official patronage accorded
3onfucianism. #ince relatively few .ietnamese were schooled in Daoist
intellectual tradition localiDation encountered few restraints. In addition to the
Seight immortalsT listed in 3hinese texts for instance the .ietnamese added at
least twenty0seven others several of whom were female. *ll had deep roots in
indigenous history like the thirteenth0century $eneral Tran 'ung Dao who had
232
5oan (. Piggott 3 Chieftain +aris and Corulers: )emale So"ereignty in Early 5a'anT in 'itomi Tonomura
*nne Balthall and Bakita 'aruko Feds.GC Women and Class in 5a'anese Bistory F *nn *rbor7 3enter for
5apanese #tudies University of -ichigan ;:::G pp. <;09C /guyen 3uong Tu ?en in ;edie"al Buddhism pp.
;<A ;<< ;<8 ;8>0;:=.
233
'uynh $he heritage of Vietnamese +oetry ;:C /guyen 3uong Tu ?en in ;edie"al Buddhism pp. ;:?0:8
9>=C 5.3 3leary 3Buddhism and +o'ular Religion in ;edie"al VietnamT 5ournal of the 2merican 2cademy of
Religion >: no. I F#pring ;::;G7 pp. ;AA0;A@.
234
-inh et al. Buddhism in Vietnam pp. 9909<C Unger and Unger +agodas, @ods, and S'irits pp. << 8?C
/guyen The +ong and Pham -ai 'ung PQ0 +agodas in Banoi F 'anoi7 The $ioi. 9AA<G p. >.
127
repelled the invading -ongol army. ,ften summoned by mediums he had a
particular appeal to women because he was reputedly able to cure female
sterility and relieve difficult or protracted labor.
9<>
The space that Taoist and "uddhist praxis opened up for female
participation assumed greater importance from the fifteenth century when the
+e dynasty embarked on a campaign to inculcated 3onfucian teachings as the
fundamental basic of government. * reformed examination system Eualifying
men for official posts affirmed male prerogatives with the state ethos succinctly
captured in a poem by the long0lived emperor +e Thanh Tong F r. ;=@A0;=:?G7 S
The superior F maleG is strong and enduring / The inferior F female G is obedient
and without force.T
9<@
+ong0standing customs whereby young men lived in the
house of their bride)s parents were proscribedC other edicts forbade married with
the matrilineal 3h2m of central .ietnam since inheritance should descent from
father to sonC widow remarriage was discouraged although less vehemently
than in 3hina and &orea. Het in keeping with the 3onfucian vision the
.ietnamese elite also saw female education as an essential element in the
cultivation of social morality. *s one poem attributed to the fifteenth century
scholar /guyen Trai put it SI think that with strict discipline anyone can
become a decent person / Bomen also must be trained / for they too have
human hearts wherein lodges righteousness.T
9<?
(eplication an 4ast *sian
pattern female learning was best manifested by private study of "uddhist
scriptures as well as 3onfucian classics. In conseEuence court women were
235
/guyen .an 'uyen, Le culte des immortels en 2nnam F 'anoi7 Impr d)4xtreme0,rient ;:==G ;;C 5oseph
/guyen 'uy +ai La tradition religieuse s'irituelle et sociale au Vietnam: Sa confrontation a"ec le
Christianisme F Paris7 "eauchesne ;:8;G p. 9@@.
236
5ohn &. Bhimore S$he De"elo'ment of Le @o"ernment in )ifteenth Century VietnamT FPh.D diss. 3ornell
University ;:@8G pp. 9A=0A>. Bhimore S$he Literati VoiceTp. 99>.
237
/hatrang 3ong 'uyen Ton /u Thi 3$he $raditional Roles of Women as Reflected in ,ral and Written
Vietnamese Literature4 FPh.D diss. University of 3alifornia "erkeley ;:?<G pp. ;809=.
128
freEuently known for their patronage and knowledge of "uddhist doctrine
despite official hostility toward practices associated with popular "uddhism.
9<8
The seventeenth century division of .ietnam into fiefdoms with the north
controlled by the Trinh family and the south by their rivals the /guyen saw a
revival of elite support for "uddhism and a reaffirmation of the opportunities
for female attainment largely denied by 3onfucian patriarchy. Bhen *lexander
de (hodes arrived in northern .ietnam in ;@9? for example he found that the
widowed sister of the Trinh lord learned in classical 3hinese was termed
SteacherT by "uddhists.
9<:
Princesses and concubines are freEuently recorded as
generous donors "uddhist pagodas their statues serving as public statements of
their generosity. The influence of court ladies probably explains a continuing
"uddhist involvement in the south where it was apparently customary for
/guyen dowagers to become nuns. 4lite patrons welcomed reformist monks
coming from 3hina and in ;@:> the abbot Dai #han SconvertedT the /guyen
lord and his wife.
9=A
The perception that "uddhist saints and sages had %oined an army of
supernatural deities to whom people of any social rank could turn in times of
trouble or personal need was a potent magnet in attracting female devotees.
!reEuently located near hills or caves long regarded as the residence of ancient
spirits .ietnam)s "uddhist sanctuaries were places where a woman could plead
for a son to carry on ancestral rites for an easy birth for the recovery of an
ailing child a deep cavern in the mountains #outh0west of 'anoi for instance
became renowned for the veneration of Uuan *m For $uanyin as she was
238
"arbara B. * $he )laming Wom!: Re'ositioning Women in Early ;odern Southeast 2sia 'onolulu7
University ,f 'awaii Press 9AA@. pp. 8;0<. #ee also -inh et al. Buddhism in Vietnam pp. ;9909=.
239
Peter 3. Phan ;ission and Catechesis7 2le*ander de Rhodes and =nculturation in Se"enteenth Century
Vietnam F-aryknoll /H7 ,rbis "ooks ;::8G p. =? Hu La- and )amily p. 9>.
240
+i Tana /guyen Cochinchina: Southern Vietnam in the Se"enteenth and Eighteenth Centuries FIthaca /H7
#outheast *sia Program 3ornell University ;::8G p. ;A8.
129
known in 3hinaG. *s the female transmogrification of *valokiteJvara the
compassionate !odhisatt"a she was popularly regarded as the savior of the
infertile with the power to grant sons protect pregnant women and assure a
safe delivery.
9=;
'er status as a !odhisatt"a places her in the "uddhist
mainstream. "ut the cultural archives that recalled her extraordinary life
extended far beyond the written word encompassing for instance theatrical
performances like the much0loved story of her reincarnation disguised as a
monk. 'owever she inadvertently attracts the attentions of a wealthy young
woman who when re%ect turns to a farmhand by whom she becomes pregnant.
*lthough disgraced because of accusations that SheT seduced the woman Thi
&inh adopts the child and because of her forbearance and good deeds
ultimately attains ni!!#na. *n eighteenth century traveler who commented on
the number of female images holding a child affirms the common depiction of
Uuan *m Thi &inh as a mother with a baby in her arms a symbol that she
would assist her devotees to produce an heir.
9=9
The meshing of "uddhism with indigenous spirit beliefs was especially
evident in the south where the /guyen lords were more accepting of local 'oly
-other 3ults than the Trinh and more ready to reward female deities when they
provided protection. In ;@A; the founder of the /guyen regime erected a seven0
story stu'# dedicated to Thien -u the 'eavenly -other on a site already
sacred to Po /agar the powerful 3h2m goddess. *lbeit reluctantly the northern
court was also compelled to ratify the authority of certain local deities most
notably that of the +ady +ieu 'anh whose popularity had deities most had
grown from the late sixteenth century. 'er father was said to be the Daoist 5ade
241
Tran Uuoc .uong +o'ular Culture and Bigh Culture in Vietnamese Bistory, Crossroads ? no. 9 F;::9G pp.
<;09. -inh et al. Buddhism in Vietnam p. ;=9. 3hun !ang Hu <uan(1in: $he Chinese $ransformation of
2"alokiteR"ara F/H7 3olumbia University Press 9AAAG pp. ;9:0;<?.
242
Peri 3Bariti, La mere de demonsT ??. -inh et al. Buddhism in Vietnam p.p. ;<A0;=A. /hung Tran
SVietnamese Women at the Crossroads,4 p. ;=;. 3hi +an Do +am La mere et LIenfant dans le Vietnam
dIautrefois F Paris7 +) 'armattan ;::8G pp. >80@>.
130
4mperor Fin 3hina he has no daughterG but she also possessed a human
biography which records that she was reincarnated in ;>>? as the child of pious
and charitable parents. The extraordinary circumstances of her birth her early
accomplishments and her intervention in the lives of ordinary people were
transposed into legendary accounts that identified her with the 'oly -other of
'eaven and the Uueen of the #olid and made her a disciple of the "uddha.
3onfucian literati however were not sympathetic to +ieu 'anh veneration. In
;@@9 Taoist sorcerers were even recruited to expel her but the epidemics that
followed the destruction of her shrines persuaded the Trinh to accord her official
recognition as Sa $olden Princess a Terrestrial -other.T Preeminent among
.ietnam)s numerous indigenous female deities holy mothers and formidable
SdamesT she was thought to heal the sick drive away evils spirits reward the
faithful and punish her enemies. *s her cult spread it absorbed aspects of local
deities like the 3h2m goddess Po /agar and +ady +ieu 'anh was subseEuently
incorporated into the Taoist pantheon as the highest0raking immortal of
.ietnamese origin.
9=<
Pass above0mentioned examples we see that they are women have
important contributions in the newest development in "uddhism of *sia
"uddhist and Bestern values which hopes to blend the best of both for the sake
of a better world and precious more lesson.
*dditionally at the International 3ongress on "uddhist Bomen)s (ole in
the Sagha7 Bhku Vinaya and ,rdination +ineages held at 'amburg
University $ermany in 5uly 9AA? presenters note that full ordination was a
prereEuisite for favorable conditions for "uddhist nuns. In this regard it should
be noted that .ietnamese "uddhist nuns observe the precepts of /ovice nun
(amaer), Probationary nun F#ikkham2n2G and ,rdain fully nun FBhku). In
243
Philip Taylor @oddess on the Rise: +ilgrimage and +o'ular Religion in Vietnam 'onolulu7 University of
'awai)i Press 9AA= pp. 9?098.
131
addition the observer the !odhisatt"a precepts by assuming their rights to
ordination .ietnamese "uddhist nuns have created favorable conditions to play
a prominent role in the historical development of .ietnamese "uddhist history
for more than a thousand years.
The 3harter of the .ietnamese "uddhist 3ongregation fully acknowledges
that religious status of nuns is alike to that of monks in all of fields as education
human rights spirit of religious etc...
Depending on personal competence and moral virtue the .ietnam
"uddhist 3ongregation may invite or appoint nuns to undertake positions in
various organiDations or to head Ren monasteries pagodas and temples
affiliated with the 3ongregation. -ost temples Ren monasteries and nunneries
of nuns are currently directed by senior epitome nuns.
.ietnamese "uddhist nuns are engaged in all aspects of life including the
construction and restoration of temples social and charitable activities famine
relief and government pro%ects for poverty alleviation. The (ed 3ross
*ssociation of .ietnam considers nuns) temples at the core of social and
charitable activities. *s a result .ietnamese "uddhist /uns have been
instrumental in relieving the sufferings of living beings and bringing practical
benefits to people.
The ma%ority of nuns who study abroad in India 3hina Taiwan and
-yanmar return to .ietnam after graduation to share their practical competence
in the fields of communications education "uddhist activities and social
welfare in response to the spiritual needs of "uddhists now and for future
generations. /owadays at the "uddhist University of 'o 3hi -inh 3ity nuns
have earned well0deserved positions in the field of education. /uns may teach
132
all sub%ects to both monks and nuns and are encouraged to give lectures at
conferences.
!rom these examples it is clear that .ietnamese nuns have demonstrated
their abilities in all aspects of religious life and all fields of human endeavor.
/evertheless there is still room for improvement7
/owadays .ietnamese nuns are numerous but the Euality of spiritual
cultivation especially among young nuns is still limited. The Euality of their
studies is impaired by distraction in their surroundings a common concern in
contemporary life.
*s daughters of the "uddha F#akyadhitaG we have a firm belief that all
men and women have the "uddha0nature but because *sian societies are
influenced by the 3onfucian tradition some .ietnamese nuns are still lack self0
confidence and underestimate their abilities in monastic practice. !actionalism
and localism persists in some .ietnamese nuns) communities and acts as a
constraint in organiDing large0scale "uddhist activities.
During the last few years the numbers of -ah2y2na bhkus has been
massively increasing. *ccording to the recent account of the Sagha, the
number of nuns in .ietnam is approximately ;=AAA and the number of young
nuns %oining the monastic life is growing. The number of nuns in the #outh and
the -iddle part of .ietnam is especially increasing. The total numbers of nuns
is eEuivalent to that of the monks. Today more than ;>AA nuns received
"hikkhun1 ordination every three years in the #outh and 3entral .ietnam. Bith
the increase in the number of nuns the standard of education for young nuns
has been changing. "efore ordination they are reEuired to complete 'igh
#chool. *n increasing percentage is pursuing higher studies both at University
and at "uddhist Institute and 3ollages. The nuns attend "uddhist temples school
133
for four to twelve years where they study 3hinese P2li and the Vinaya and
learn various types of sItra. -oreover the nuns also study other sub%ects in the
University. *fter they complete full training in the country they can go abroad
for further studies.
Therefore the life of nuns in .ietnam today is as plain as the sun noon
with clear religious aims and a concern for social progress. *dditionally the
Sagha treats nuns and monks as eEuivalent so many women prefer to become
nuns. *s a nun one is respected by laypeople and has the advantage to progress
spiritually. .ietnamese nuns have gained the solemn respected of the laity
through their moral integrity hard work and dedicated social service. !or these
reasons we can say that in the present day and in the future "uddhist nuns in
.ietnam will advance as that of some countries like 3hina and Taiwan.
*lthough of .ietnam is still facing many bars and difficulties during the
long time due to war unendingness conflicts between of foreign countries
however "uddhist nun)s together monk)s effort to .ietnam "uddhists have
applied the "uddha)s teaching on no0self in the organiDation of the .ietnam
"uddhist 3ongregation which manages to harmoniously unite all "uddhist
traditions including both monks and nuns in a spirit of harmony. *s a result
"uddhist activities can be Euickly and successfully organiDed as evident at the
recent >
th
United /ations .esak Day
9==
3elebration in 'anoi. (ecalling and
reflecting on lives of exemplary "uddhist nuns in the past and recent
.ietnamese history it is clear that they practiced virtue and respected the
precepts including the eight special rules given by +ord "uddha to
-ah2pa%2pat1. *s a result .ietnamese monks and nuns cooperate effectively in
religious activities and spread the "uddhist teachings for the liberation of
human beings.
244
#ee *rticle of /guyVn &ha ;S F t ST Suy %ghU VWng Sau Vai con sT cXa Vesak .00Y.hn 'va Phat $i]o s~
>8 ;/@/9AA8.
134
To conclude .ietnamese nuns are free to practice and achieve success in
all fields and aspects of life despite the changes and challenges of the modern
age because of a long history of respect for women over a long period of
establishing and defending the nation. Thankfulness to a history of respect for
women which has penetrated deeply in the consciousness of .ietnamese men
the roles of nuns in .ietnamese "uddhist history were naturally established
from ancient time until the present. They witnessed the positive benefits that
"uddhism has on the people once they understand the teachings. They are able
to radiate kindness unselfish love and tolerance through their speech and
actions. This experience solidifies their desire to become nuns. They want to be
liberated like a "uddha not only for myself but for the benefit of all sentient
beings. Be are grateful for the compassion dedication and forbearance that the
"uddha has granted through his teachings and admire the services and effort of
the charisma of nuns to expound "uddhism. They would like to follow the
footsteps of the "uddha and the other monastic including their "uddhist
teacher who are serving and making a difference in people)s lives. They would
like to become enlightened in order to offer guidance and share the Dhamma
with the lay people of .ietnam. !rom now until the day of liberation they will
try their best to contribute to "uddhism .ietnam and "uddhism world.
8. P!"#$#!% !& B)#22)'%; !& D#&&*-*%$ T-.(#$#!%" #% C!%$*+,!-.-y V#*$%.+
'istorically speaking .ietnam has been under the domination of 3hina
and 4uropean powers particularly 3olonialism of !rance for long periods.
During periods of foreign rule it has been difficult for the "uddhist clergy and
secular to practice their religious acts. Until overcame !rench rule imperialism
in the fifties opportunities for higher education for either clergy or nonreligious
were very limited. 'owever "uddhism traditions -ah2y2na Therav2da
-edicant of nuns remain go0head to faces to prevailing in .ietnam.
135
It is obvious that !rench 3olonial ruling from ;8@A to the beginning of
Borld Bar II 3atholicism was encouraged in .ietnam while all "uddhist
activities in public were restricted. 3onstructing new pagodas were not allowed
and the number of monks and nuns were controlled.
9=>
In the ;:<As many
"uddhist associations were launched in the /orthern 3entral and #outhern
regions for reorganiDation of "uddhism.
In keeping with the great restoration of .ietnamese "uddhism the
decision to develop the national culture was taken in the first half of the
twentieth century. The (omaniDed .ietnamese language became an excellent
means linking the old and new generations. Under !rench domination the
people of the three regions F/orth #outh and 3entralG always had their sense of
responsibility for the nation. *t the same time with the resistance to !rench and
the "uddhist renaissance some "uddhist associations and magaDines were
founded as7 In the /orth .ietnam7 PhN 6t $i]o "Oc &i F"uddhist *ssociation of
/orth0.ietnamG was founded in ;:<= and au~c Tud 6 FThe Torch of BisdomG
magaDine was published in ;:<>.
9=@
In -iddle .ietnam7 *n /am PhN 6t 'Wc
F"uddhist *ssociation of #outh0.ietnamG in was founded in ;:<9 and .idn rm
FThe .oice of PerfectionG magaDine was published in ;:<<. In the #outh7 /am
&i /ghidn 3bu PhN 6t 'Wc F(esearch *ssociation of "uddhist #tudies of #outh0
.ietnamG was founded in ;:<9 and Ty "i rm FThe .oice of -ett2G magaDine
was published in ;:<<.
9=?
These three associations were formed in the three regions initiating the
development of other associations and magaDines all over the country. The
245
|. Schecter, "he Ne@ A!ce of Buddh!: Buddhism !nd Po$itic!$ Po@er in %outhe!st Asi!,
London: Vcotor Goancz, 1967: 169f. See more n Nguyn Lang, Op. Ct., and p. 454h.
246
#. -c'ale =magining Buman Li!eration7 .ietnamese -arxists and "uddhist 3onfront -odernity ;:9:0
;:=A paper prepared for %ordic =nstitute of 2sian Studies F3openhagen DenmarkG Conference on .ietnam
between 3hina and the Best ;:09; *ugust ;::< p. 99.
247
5. #checter ,p.cit. p.;?AC Th`chThicn'oa ,p.cit. p. <9ff0==ff0>=ffC /guyVn +ang Ibid p. ?8<ff08;=ff0
8@8ff.
136
.ietnamese bhkus have been able to be well0matched and parallel all the
achievements of the bhkus and have been thus offered eEual status as
members of the Sagha. *fter having devoted their lives to the Dhamma
sacrificing worldly pursuits and material comforts they struggled to raise their
voice to find sympathetic support and respond to any encouraging words with
great enthusiasm to prove that the bhkus could also become spiritual leaders
worker)s charity for social welfare. .ietnamese bhkus in this period also
significantly contributed to the above movements and we will examine the
position of bhkus of different traditions in contemporary.
8.1. T)* B'(()#"$ N'%" :*/!%4 $! $)* M.)?y?%. T-.(#$#!%
The .ietnamese nuns) practice was primarily that of -ah2y2na and was
very scattered. $radually they formed the ,rder of /uns and made the
propagation of the "lessed0,neMs teachings together. It is clearly in .ietnamese
"uddhist history that up until the early 9A
th
century the Sagha of /uns had an
organiDed structure. It does not surprise us why the percentage of the -ah2y2na
bhkus is higher than those of Therav2da and -endicant traditions. Bhether
any tradition most of bhkus attended at "uddhist schools.
In the /orth of .ietnam the first bhikkhun1 monastery organiDed as the
"uddhist Institute was the "o De monastery led by bhikkhun1 Thanh 'anh.
9=8
,ne of the most eminent nuns in the modern history of the /orth was bhikkhun1
Dam #oan who between the ;:9As and ;:>As contributed to the construction of
the Dieu .ien monastery F3entral of Thua Thien0'ue cityG managed all
activities of nuns at .an 'o monastery and lectured at Duoc #u monastery
where the developed a fundamental course for "uddhist 4ducation /un.
*ccording to a stele set up in the .ien -inh pagoda we can discover the
names of some nuns notably Dam &ien Dam 3hat Dam /ghia Dam 'inh
248
/guyen +ang ,p. 3it. pp. :8@0:8?.
137
and Dam Thuan. Dam &ien was the founder of this pagoda and Dam Thu also
reconstructed it in ;:<A. The .an 'o pagoda was the second to the above
which was formed by -aster T~ +ien in ;:=:. "esides this there were some
other big pagodas for nuns as follows7 FiG To Dinh #on -on in 'ang Than street
F'anoiG has attracted hundreds of nuns in the .assana every yearC FiiG #on -on
*m F'a DongG and #on -on Trung 'au FPhuc HenG both also produced many
famous nuns who propagated the Dhamma every corners of the country.
In the 3entral of .ietnam bhikkhun1 Dien Truong F'o DacG her mother)s
belongs to aristocrat she is considered the vanguard of the modern "hikkhun1
Sagha. 4ntering monastic life in ;8:8
9=:
she rebuilds the Pho Uuang
monastery for the nuns and constructed the Truc +am monastery which became
a place for the renaissance of "uddhism. "efore passing away sitting meditation
in ;:>9 she formed the bhikkhun1 monastery at Tay Thien which became
gathering places of many famous nuns who played an important role in the
leadership of the "hikkhun1 Sagha.
*fter that at Tay Thien she formed the nun pagoda gathering some
famous nuns such as 3hon 'uong Dieu 'uong and $iac 'ai who played an
important role in the leadership of the ,rder of /uns. In the cross0legged
posture she died on the "irthday of the "uddha in ;:>9 at the age of sixty0four.
The -aster .ien Thanh praised her with the following verse7
,h great the female master
The liberated and outstanding one
Bho abandoned worldly fame and prosperity
To look for the happiness of Dhy#na practice
The eight rules are observed
The vegetarianism is strictly followed
249
Ibid. p. 8>:.
138
The ocean of troubles is exhausted
The bell rings to awaken the lay people
'er sea of compassion saves those with hatred
'er merit looks like a sandal0wood forest
3ool as the moon of wisdom
,n the mattress she sat in peace
#he attained the fruit of non0arising and non0ceasing
Those words are the sound of the spring
that body is like the blue mountain
In the past there is nothing arising
In the present there is nothing ever ceasing
The other shore she stepped on
The lotus petal is sending out a pure and wonderful fragrance.
9>A
"hikkhun1 Dieu &hong F;:A>0;::?G
9>;
her family belong to silk0
stocking her ordination in ;:<< constructed the many nunneries in Thua
Thien0'ue city as 'ong *n Dieu Duc &ieu Dam nunneries the formation of
the Tinh +ac ,rphanage in 'uong Thuy etc devoted her writings to the
Vinaya discipline. #he always supported the nuns living at Tu Dam pagoda until
this pagoda became the premises of *n /am Phat 'oc F"uddhist *ssociation of
#outh of .ietnamG in was founded in ;:<9 and .ien *m Fthe .oice of -ett2G
magaDine was published in ;:<<. #he also enthusiastic devoted her writings to
"uddhist disciplines and Vinaya. /ow she is the chief nun in the 3entral
.ietnam and has been living at 'ong *n nunnery. /evertheless at that time
nation of .ietnam is facing economic difficulty but she was wholeheartedly
support "uddhism of .ietnam. #he was currently the Presided bhikkhun1s in the
250
Ibid pp. 8@;.
251
"hikkhun1 Th`ch / Dicu &hnng VZ[ng thi\n sen n] Fhqi k`G Pubication. +ao pYng 0Trung tNm .hn hva
/gnn ng anng TNy 'X /Yi 9AA: pp. ;A>0;A@.
139
3entral .ietnam and resident at the 'ong *n nunnery until her passing away on
*ugust 99 ;::?.
9>9
"hikkhun1 Dieu 'uong F/guyen Thi &ieuG she was born in ;88= at Da +e
village FThua ThienG and became a wife of the &ing Thanh Thai. *fter the &ing
was set into exile and her daughter died she entered the nunhood at Tuong .an
pagoda in ;:;>. In ;:9> she became the director of Dieu .ien pagoda F'uong
ThuyG. In ;:<9 she stayed at Tu Dam pagoda and managed all activities of nuns
there. !rom ;:<= to ;:?; she resided at Dieu Duc pagoda as a "uddhist
dignitary and expires at the age of 88. *mong her noted disciples were
bhikkhun1s as7 The Hen The Thanh F;:9<0;:88G
9><
The Uuan The Tin and The
Thuyen who took on many important "uddhist affairs in the ,rder of /uns.
"esides those enthusiastically in social relief work especially at Dieu .ien
pagoda were bhikkhun1s like7 .ien -inh The Uuan The Thanh and 3at
Tuong
9>=
who has passed away at the age of :> years old on 5anuary ;8 9A;<
at 'oXng -ai pagoda Thy ZuNn ward and 'uk city.
In the #outh .ietnam there were many basic "uddhist courses for nuns
organiDed. The first course at $iac 'oa pagoda F"ac +ieuG was held in ;:9? the
second at 'ai *n nunnery F"a UueoG in ;:<@ the third at Phat 'oc Duong
+uong Zuyen FTra .inhG in ;:<@ the fourth at .inh "uu pagoda F"en TreG in
;:<@ the fifth at .an *n pagoda F#a DecG in ;:<: the sixth at &im #on pagoda
FPhu /huanG in ;:<: and the seventh at Tu Uuang pagoda F#a DecG in ;:>A.
*nd there were also many nuns) nunneries founded such as7 Tang $ia
F&hanh 'oiG 3hanh $iac F$ia DinhG in ;:=@C Duoc #u F$ia DinhG in ;:<@ and
252
Th`ch Thicn 3hNu "hikkhun1 Di:u <hSng ( ni\m tin cXa +hLt t9 Bu6. In trong7 TPnh hYi Phzt gi]o Thya
Thidn0'uk <^ y6u tang l_ %i trZ]ng $h`ch %a Di:u <hSng /xb. Tnn gi]o 'X /Yi ;::?. *ccessed at
http7//gdptductam.org/tieu0su0ni0truong0thich0nu0dieu0khong.dtam. ,n :/</9A;<
253
*ccessed at www.lieuEuanhue.vn/":<n0t3<*9m0linh.htm. ,n ;>/@9A;9
254
*ccessed at http7//dabaotinhvien.com/tin0tuc0phat0giao/Tin0Tuc0#u0&ien/3ao0pho0/i0truong0Thich0/u03at0
Tuong0vien0tich09A9/. ,n 8/=/9A;<
140
this pagoda became the office of the /uns) ,rder in ;:>=C Tu /ghiem F3ho
+onG in ;:>: after that the /un ,rder)s office was moved from Duoc #u to this
nunnery and became the main office for nuns.
*t this period there have been also courses organiDed for "uddhist nuns
and many monasteries were established bhikkhun1 Dieu Tinh
9>>
is considered
the first light torch of the nuns of #outh .ietnam founding the first !hikkhunC
monasteries in 'o 3hi -inh 3ity were her relics are currently enshrined. "orn
in ;:;A she began monastic life at the age of fifteen and contributed notably to
the education of the -ah2y2na nuns in the #outh. Passing away in ;:=9 at the
age thirty0three she was of the =;
st
generation of the +am Te F+in0chi 3han
#choolG.
"hikkhun1 /hu Thanh F;:;A0;:::G
9>@
her secular name is /guyen Thi
Thao lelf home for $iac 'oang monastery at the age of twenty0two years. #he
placed great emphasis on education and authored as many as twenty0eight
"uddhist books serving as the 'ead of the "uddhist Institute at 'ue +am
monastery in 'o 3hi -inh 3ity. In ;:>@ became the first bhikkhun1 to propose
the formation of the "hikkhun1 ,rder of #outh .ietnam. $iven unanimous
support she was elected the 'ead of the /un)s 3ouncil and from ;:?9 to ;:?>
she was 3hief of the bhikkhun1s of the -ah2y2na tradition leading the nuns in
harmony and unanimity.
"esides her uniEue activities she also authored and translated as many as
twenty0eight "uddhist books such as7 l+uoc $iai &inh 'oa /ghieml F*
3ommentary of Avatasaka sutr2G lThien Tong 3uong Heul F* -anual of Ren
"uddhismG lDuy Thuc 'ocl F* #tudy of V||naptmatravada) lThien Tongl
F,n RenG lTinh Do Tongl F Pure +and "uddhismG lPhat Phap $iao +yl
255
/guyen +ang Viet %am +hat @iao Su Luan A* 3ritical 'istory of "uddhism in .ietnamG <.ols. 'anoi7
9AA8 p. :=<.
256
*ccessed at www.tuvienEuangduc.com.au/subanhuthanh.htm on /;:/@/9A;9
141
F!undamental Teachings of the "uddhaG and two books of poems namely
l'oa Thienl FThe !lowers of RenG and l'oa Daol FThe !lowers of DhammaD
etcThe following verse illustrates her awaken0 teachings7
Bith regard to cardinal virtues
the mind and behavior should be cultivated.
Paying homage to the wise man
the character should be purified.
Borldly things should be abandoned soon
and (ighteousness and the restoration of
lofty purity should be undertaken.
*lthough she was more than seventy years old but she work for
"uddhist nuns "hikkhu Sagha help of poor people open schools for young
generation unending to be utterly dedicated to one)s work that in order to
eliminate suffering and carry blessing for all beings.
"hikkhun1 3hi &ien born in ;:;<
9>?
and ordination in ;:98 founded two
nun)s monasteries directed the "uddhist *cademy of nuns at Tu /ghiem
monastery and succeeded bhikkhun1 /hu Thanh as 3hief nun of the "hikkhun1
,rder of #outh .ietnam in ;:?>. In ;:?? she made leader of ,rdination !ully
of &ieu Dam at Tu /ghiem monastery for <>A candidates attend. #he also
contributed many articles to some famous "uddhist magaDines such as7 'oa #en
FThe +otusG 'oang Phap FPropagation of "uddhadhammaG 'oa Dam F!lower
of 'appinessG. ,ne of her verses reads as follows7
The Ren practitioner goes seeing the mountain leisurely
'is mind is set free and the path is immensely wide.
The mountain is high with stones resting on stonesC
the forest is deep with trees standing in lines and rows.
257
/guyen +angC ,p. 3it. p. :==.
142
The silver stream shines on the shore of enlightenment.
The blue sky reflects the mystery light
!orm and emptiness are gone to an end
the two extremes are droppedC there is no middle.
9>8
"hikkhun1 Dieu /inth
9>:
born in ;:;= in Tra .inh left the family to enter
Thanh Zuan pagoda F3hau DocG in ;:<A and became .en. /hu /hien)s
disciple. In ;:=A she stayed at .inh "uu pagoda F"en TreG as a "uddhist
dignitary. In ;:>? she undertook the position of the (epute Director and
managed all activities of the nuns at Duoc #u pagoda. #he devoted her life to
social work. #he was the head of a group providing relief to flood victims and
she herself carried rice and salt to the flood stricken area of 3hau Doc. In ;:?9
she organiDed 'ue Uuang nunnery school to make fund for her social relief
work in 3hau Doc. In ;:?= she became the Director of the Duoc #u pagoda.
In short .ietnamese bhikkhun1s nowadays most of follow in the
-ah2y2na tradition and wear in gray or brown robes similar to those of the
3hinese nun Sagha, most of belonging to -ah2y2na tradition and young nuns
entered into "uddhist schools strictly vegetarian observe monastic of
discipline built pagodas devoted to social wellbeing work translations of
"uddhist sutr2s study "uddhist scripture Vinaya Piaka *bhidhamma etc to
retransmit the "uddha of teachings to next generations contributed all social
work that bring to happiness for laypeople .ietnam. These days many
.ietnamese nuns have become great teachers who deliver the Dhamma to
young nuns as well as lay people thereby becoming highly respected and
extremely influential. There have been many nuns undertaking many important
"uddhist works and duties contributing enthusiastically to the .ietnamese
"uddhist Sagha.
258
IbidC p. :=>.
259
IbidC p. :=@.
143
8.2. T)* B'(()#"$ N'%" :*/!%4 $! $)* M*%(#0.%$ T-.(#$#!%
The .ietnamese -endicant Sagha especially appeared in #outh
.ietnam and was founded in ;:=@
9@A
by -aster -inh Dang Uuang F/guyen
Thanh DatG born ;:9<. "oth monks and nuns of this tradition wear yellow robes
and walk for alms bowl resembling the Therav2da tradition observing pure
vegetarianism in the propagation of +ord "uddha)s of teachings like that of
-ah2y2na tradition. The first female disciples of -aster -inh Dang Uuang
were 'uynh +ien "ach +ien and Thanh +ien who contributed noticeably in the
formation of the ,rder of -endicant /uns. "hikkhun1s 'uynh +ien "ach +ien
and Thanh +ien were ordained in ;:=? at +inh "uu pagoda under -aster -inh
Dang Uuang)s guidance.
"hikkhun1 'uynh +ien F/guyen Thi TruG
9@;
who was the chief nun of the
.ietnamese -endicant /uns) ,rder born at Phu -y village Tien $iang
province. Bith her innate intelligence strong will and effort in practicing the
Dhamma she was delegated by her -aster to lead all nuns of his -endicant
,rder. It is possible to say that during the period of =A years Ffrom ;:=? to
;:8?GC she devoted her whole life to propagation of the Dhamma, as showing
her gratitude to the "uddha. #he is always aspired to be a ship to protect and
help women and took the following vow7
I vow to be repeatedly incarnated in the form of a woman
for many miserable women in this world.
It is very easy to lead them in the same sex.
*lthough I know it will be very hard.
9@9
260
*ccessed at $iacngo.vn/lichsu/9A;</A=/9:/;<3==9. ,n ;8/=/9A;9.
261
#ee *rticle S/i trfng 'uinh +ien & nicm cuYc 'Yi th\o Phzt gi]o vX ha bnhT /gXy A9/;9/;:8@ txi
Trfung 3ao 3[p II TP.'3-. ,n ;8/>9A;9.
262
Ibid.
144
#he constructs /goc Phuong the central monastery of the -endicant
nuns) order at 'o 3hi -inh 3ity F;:>8G. There are now more than ;AA
nunneries in the #outh and the 3entral .ietnam consisting more than ;AAA
nuns. 'er great loving heart and boundless compassion were extended to all
human beings. #he took part in many social relief works forming orphanages
establishing schools visiting hospitals and prisons etc. The /hat 3hi -ai
,rphanage was the central charitable institution of the -endicant nuns besides
many branches in some provinces.
During ;:@< and ;:?> she led the -endicant nuns contributing too many
movements of preserving "uddhism protecting peace seeking for eEual rights
for women. *fter ;:?> she held some important positions in the .ietnamese
$overnment and enthusiastically helped anyone who came to ask for the same.
#he was respected by all classes of the society.
#he realiDed that the Euality of nuns would improve in relation to the
educational opportunities offered to them. #he always supported and urged all
the nuns to raise the cultural standard and improve their knowledge in the P2li
Trpaka. *t /goc Phuong nunnery she formed many courses of Dhamma P2li
4nglish 3hinese literature painting which gathered many young nuns from all
-endicants of nun pagodas.
"eing not only a writer but also a poetess she composed many works of
prose and verses as follows7 Tam "ao sItra Zung Tung Tam "ao sItra and
Trich +uc sItra. *part form these she also authored about 9AAA poems.
9@<

"hikkhun1 "ach +ien F.o Thi 'ienG she was the second nun in the
-endicant "hikkhun1 ,rder was born in ;:9< at Phu -y village F-y ThoG. In
263
'uynh +ien)s Disciples the #ummary (ecord of the 3hief /un Thich ./u 'uynh +ien. #ocial #cience
Publishing 'ouse7 '3- 3ity ;::= p. ;>.
145
;:=? she entered the nunhood at +inh "uu nunnery and became monk -inh
Dang Uuang)s disciple. #oon after that she left for 3entral .ietnam to fulfill the
responsibility of propagating -endicant doctrines and accepted many people as
her disciples. Together they changed the waste0land to build many nunneries
and work charity to help poor people.
It was very difficult and hard to work in such a mountainous region but
they succeeded and in turn each pagoda formed by nuns was weak in structure
but strong in spirit. #he also contributed too many social relief works and
founded some orphanages. #he became an eminent nun who practiced the rules
strictly and purely. *fter the chief bhikkhun1 'uynh +ien pass0away she was
succeeded to the head of the -endicant /uns) ,rder. 'aving fulfilled her
function she recently breathes her last breath on December 9@ ;::@ and her
funeral took place at /goc Phuong nunnery.
"esides there were other prominent bhikkhun1s such as Thanh +ien &im
+ien /gan +ien Tri +ien Uuang +ien 3hon +ien Tang +ien and thousand of
nuns who continued the way paved by their leading bhikkhun1s. they imitate
their elders sister continue propagation of +ord "uddha of teachings as &arma
(ebirth /oble !our Truths 4ight !old Paths Dukkha /o self Impermanent
etc keep seriously discipline to pure0mind to led human0being reach
enlightenment.
#ummary a study has been discovered that /uns -endicant they practice
of +ord "uddha of teachings hold Discipline translations "uddhist texts social
welfare activities etc that with their yearning wish to relief suffering of human
beings and bring to peace for people .ietnamese.
8.8. T)* B'(()#"$ N'%" :*/!%4 $! T)*-.1?(. T-.(#$#!%
146
The "hikkhun1 ,rder cannot be found in Therav2da countries today.
/uns existed and women are inevitably drawn to the renunciation life but
higher ordination is denied to them. The religious hierarchy is dominated by the
men which goes against the thrust of early "uddhism. In the eyes of women
seeking new patters of relationships between women and men this reinforces
the impression that Therav2da "uddhism is male chauvinist and sexist. -ale
dominance in the hierarchy show how far "uddhism has traveled from its
origins and how much it has succumbed to the older tenacious stereotypes
through which male power has become.
In the #outhern "uddhism the Mahavasa chronicle
9@=
refers to royal
donation @AAAA monks and <AAAA nuns in the first century "34. Bhile the
,rder of "hikkhun1 following <;; precepts long flourished there it came to
die out in ;A;? 3.4 after a disastrous invasion. In principle it could have
reintroduced from "urma where it existed till at least the ;<
th
century probably
being ended there because of -ongol attacks on the region. /evertheless while
the ordination line for bhikkhun1s was not reintroduced into #ri +anka from
"urma in ;A?A 3.4 that for bhikkhun1s was not reintroduced. In Thailand and
neighboring +aos and 3ambodia it seems never to have been established.
In the Therav2da "uddhist countries only #ri +anka has officially re0
established the Therav2da bhikkhun1s ordination and that was in ;::8 3.4. Up
until then women in #ri +anka was only allowed to become dasasClamatas
Sten0precept practitionersT but not bhikkhunis. *lthough such laywomen wear
robes and keep celibacy they are not considered members of the monastic
sangha. In "urma and 3ambodia women are allowed only to become Seight0
precept practitionersT known in "urma as sClashin and in 3ambodia as donchi.
264
3hapter <= verses ?08.cf7 'arvey Peter 2n =ntroduction to Buddhist Ethics !oundations .alues and
Issues 3ambridge University Press 9AAA p. <:>.
147
#ome women in "urma also receive the ten precepts. In Thailand they may
become Seight0precept practitionersT known as maechi FmaeHiG. #ince the
revival of Therav2da "uddhism in the 3hittagong District and the 3hittagong
'ill Tracts of "angladesh in ;8@= 3.4 from *rakan district of coastal "urma
women have become eight0precept practitioner)s there.
9@>
It has been known in the modern Therav2da tradition as it was introduced
from 3ambodia the first .ietnamese7 STu0nuT or eight0precept lay woman was
first lay woman Did 6u Dn who was born in ;:9A in Phnom Penh 3ambodia
became a Tu0nu in ;:=> and passed away in ;::A. *lthough she could not
receive ordination as either a amaer or bhikkhun1 she came to be
appreciated by many .ietnamese women more than 9AA of them now living in
separate Euarters within the bhikkhu monasteries mostly in 'o 3hi -inh 3ity
and in the #outh0east and #outh0west .ietnam which can be grouped
geographically as7 In 'o 3hi -inh 3ity7 "uu Uuang pagoda "uu +ong pagoda
Tu Uuang pagoda $iac Uuang pagoda /guyen Thuy pagoda /am Tong
pagoda and #ieu +y pagoda. In "ien 'oa city7 Phuoc #on pagoda. In 'o /ai
city7 H #on pagoda. In .inh +ong city7 #ieu +y pagoda.
9@@
Unfortunately considering the greatness of the Therav2da bhikkhun1s of
Therav2da past and the -ah2y2na and -endicant bhikkhun1 of the present
these Therav2dan nuns have no organiDation nor nunneries live dependent on
the bhikkhus and are considered an advanced sort of lay woman. They practices
of spiritual life as7 #having the headC undertaking the eight precepts of training
to refrain from7 killing living beingsC taking what is not givenC wrong conduct in
sexual pleasuresC false speechC intoxicants Fsuch as distilled and fermented
things which are a cause for carelessnessGC food except at the right timeC
265
*lexander "erDin ,p. 3it. p. ;=. #ee more Peter 'arvey ,p. 3it. pp. <:>0@.
266
#ee 2 Brief Biogra'hy of Buddhist %uns in Vietnam in the $-entieth Century and $heir Contri!utions
F"hikkhun1 Tuong +ienG p. @
148
dancing singing music and seeing entertainmentC also wearing %ewelry using
perfumes and beautifying with cosmeticsC a soft bed large enough for twoC
9@?
wearing white robe except pink robe in "urmaC living in the pagoda or staying
at home no obligatory compulsionC observing a ceremony for becoming STu
nuT is very simple Fthey take the vow keeping the eight precepts before the
monksGC living in separate areas at a bhikkhu pagoda but under the guidance of
the Therav2da of "hikkhu Sagha because they have not yet built separate
nunneries.
In short the tradition of lTu nul has been developed mainly at 'o 3hi
-inh 3ity the #outh0east and the #outh0west .ietnam. They have not yet
become a systematic organiDation and separate nunneries but rather live
primarily in the "hikkhu pagodas. They have received only eight precepts and
are considered as an advanced laywoman. Het they are not actually the laity
rather a midway between the ,rder and the laywoman and a double standard is
applied to them. Prof. .en. &arma +ekshe Tsomo expressed her regret about the
situation of nuns in the Therav2da tradition as follows7
In #ri +anka the historical chronicles Dpavasa and Mahavasa, written
in the fourth century *.D refer to many thousands of bhikkhun1s enumerating
seventy0two by name and describing their achievements attainments and
powers. The Mahavasa
9@8
says that eighteen thousand bhikkhus and fourteen
thousand bhikkhun1s attained *rahantship during the ceremony of laying the
foundation for the great reliEuary ThIpa.
9@:
Unfortunately with the loss of
bhikkhun1 ordination in the Therav2da countries the communal protection
necessary for pursuing religious goals was lost to women. 'owever at present
the bhikkhun1 Sagha remains intact with its lineage unbroken in 3hina
267
&hantipalo Calm and =nsight p. @
268
Tsomo &. + ,p. 3it. p. 880:. F3hapter xxvi .erse @80@:G.
269
The P2li word ThIpa or cetiya designates tumulus cairn or monument erected to commemorate the great
deeds of worthy beings such as Tath2gata and arahants enshrining their ashes.
149
Taiwan &orea 5apan and .ietnam. The book of monastic code the Vinaya
dictates that ten fully ordained bhikkhus and the same number of bhikkhun1s
must be present to give ordination to new nunsC only in 4ast *sia is there a
legitimate way to admit women to the monastic path. #piritually advanced
women are assets to society whether they are mothers sisters wives daughters
or teachers *rahant bhikkhun1s would be a radiant beacon of light in today
groping world.
9?A

To sum up in this part a discussion shows that their positions are
different but they as kids together a warm welcome roof house as water mix to
milk all the -ah2y2na Therav2da and -endicant nuns practice the Dhamma
and perfect the function of the "uddha)s daughters propagating the latterMs
teachings in order to bring calmness and welfare to .ietnamese society. In
earlier times the spiritual practices of the ,rder such as their upholding the
Vinaya and living an example of renunciation was considered as their main
contribution to the society. In nowadays society the "uddhist nuns in .ietnam
take part in the fields of education culture social work too.
In this chapter a survey reveals that images the .ietnamese of bhikkhun1s
have been able to be well0matched and at par all the achievements of the monks
and have been thus offered eEual status as members of the #agha. *fter having
wholeheartedly devoted their lives to the Dhamma sacrificing worldly pursuits
and material comforts they struggled to raise their voice in spite of the world
up and down to find sympathetic support and respond to any encouraging
words with great enthusiasm to prove that the bhikkhun1s could also become
spiritual leaders worker)s charity for social welfare. .ietnamese bhikkhun1s in
very period also significantly contributed to the activities of history of
"uddhism in .ietnam. *nd as we known that historical accounts of the
.ietnamese bhikkhun1s are only partial the women who ordained in .ietnam
270
Tsomo &. + ,p. 3it. p. 8:.
150
were mostly from the nobleman class and already had led a family life before
becoming nun.
C).,$*- F!'-
VIETNAMESE BHI66HUN7 ORDER AND ITS INFLUENCE ON
VIETNAMESE LETTERS, ART, ARCHITECTURE AND PHILOSOPHY
In this chapter we will describe the .ietnamese "uddhist /uns and its
influence on .ietnamese +iterature *rt *rchitecture and Philosophy and its
impact on in details the discussion and classification in accordance with raw
material such as epigraphy etc. and other important documents of history on the
course of .ietnamese "uddhist +iterature development and its sharp influence
on .ietnamese culture. Be divide those clues of evidences into categories the
-ah2y2na and 3hinese texts. The influence of .ietnamese "uddhist /uns on
literature and its impact which engendered the revolution in .ietnamese culture
and society deserves to be studied with more sympathy and attention than has
been accorded to it.
151
Throughout its long presence in the country "uddhism has left great
influence on .ietnamese society. 'ere we shall study the impact on .ietnamese
+etters *rt *rchitecture and Philosophy by .ietnamese nuns along with their
counterpart the monks. In .ietnamese literature there comprise two ma%or
components7 folk literature and written literature. The two forms developed
simultaneously and are profoundly interrelated.
!irst we will consider of the literature of emergence aspects.
1. V#*$%.+*"* B)#22)'%; O-(*- .%( I$" I%&/'*%0* !% L#$*-.$'-*
.ietnamese society is a predominantly male domination since its inception
as a nation in #outheast *sia in the early century. The role of women mostly
constrained to the household chores similarly to Indian society.
/aturally speaking these both sex need each other the most because of
the environment and the culture to make the women status so low in the ancient
time but up to now there are many moments tried to improve the women lives
as human beings by advocating the eEual rights that have been inscribed in
United /ation chapters on 'uman (ights.
*nd here it might be considered in the 3hinese proverb says that7 SBomen
are the half of the skyT. That is trueC this proverb affirms the role of women)s
features in the worldwide as we are known in administrative organiDations
leaders social works etc. In the common life they are motherhoods
sisterhoods and symboliDation of beauty. In "uddhism they are laywomen
almswomen and female !odhisatt"aK especially in this research work we will
understand the contribution of .ietnamese women and mothers for all human
152
who conceive for lives and with their love we grow up and exist in the world.
They are worthy of symboliDation of the mother of the nation.
It was the time of +ord "uddha who had permitted women for %oining the
#agha. This is an earliest women association in the world in general especially
in the society multi0casts religions and in traditional customs of India in
individual.
*t the time of +ord "uddha to admit women to the Sagha was a big
challenge and a new thought with Indian society and "uddhism. "uddhism
developed bloomed splendidly in India. "uddhist thought also developed in the
movement of ideology in India. Bomen took refuge into Three $ems as a
"uddhist lay0woman. The image of women was not lower. They have the right
to renounce the world ordain with the full "uddhist discipline of conduct as
"uddhist nuns. They were free to choose their lives as either family or
almswomen. * bhkun practiced the path of "uddha)s teachings to liberation.
There are so many bhkuns successful in their religious lives are referred to in
$herCg#th# F.erses of the 4lder /unsG for example the wanderer "2hiy2 was
foremost amongst monks who attained *rahantship faster than anyone else she
was foremost amongst nuns with the same Euality. "oth grasped the highest
Truth so Euickly and so deeply that admittance to the ,rder followed after
attainment *rahantship. -ind and emotions of both of them had long been
trained and prepared so that they could reach the highest attainment very
Euickly. The verses of bhkun "hadd2 have been handed down to us in the
collection of the $herCg#th# as she summariDes her life7
3= tra"eled !efore in a single cloth,
With sha"en head, co"ered in dust,
$hinking of faults in the faultless,
While in the faulty seeing no faults
153
When done -as the dayIs a!iding,
= -ent to ;ount Vulture +eak
2nd sa- the stainless Lord Buddha
By the ,rder of Bhikkhu re"ered
$hen !efore Bim my hands in anHali
Bum!ly, = !o-ed do-n on my knees
3Come, Bhadd#,4 Be said to me:
2nd thus -as = ordained
De!t(free, = tra"eled for fifty years
=n 2nga, ;agadha and VaHHi,
=n <asi and <osala, too,
Li"ing on the alms of the land,
$hat lay(su''orter(-ise man indeed(
;ay many merits accrue to himb
Who ga"e a ro!e to Bhadd# )orc
)ree of all ties is she4
9?;
#uch noble images of almswomen are shown in $herCg#th# we know that
women who are pioneers in the movement step by step liberate in the pressure
of the old customs of Indian society.
*s we know nowadays women play an important role in societyC the
women leaders of many countries are very successful in many fields such as
foreign diplomacy economics politics commerce education research sport
271
$herCg#th# ;A? 0;;;. F$herCg#th# the :
th
book of the &huddaka /ik2ya contains ?< stories in verse form in
which the early nuns FbhikkhunisG recount their struggles and accomplishments along the road to *rahantship.
These stories are told with often heart0breaking honesty and beauty revealing the human side of these
extraordinary women and thus serve as inspiring reminders of our own potential to follow in their footstepsG.
154
music etc. 'owever women have to face big challenge and opportunity that
manifest the activities which are most suitable for themselves.
Presently the problems of women in this world always is considered to
many organiDations in the world such as U/I34! FUnited /ation International
3hildren)s 4mergency !undG '(B F'uman (ights BomenG B', FBorld
'ealth ,rganiDationG /$,s F/on0$overnment ,rganiDationsG etc. Bomen are
always being threatened by social devils such as being sexually abused
kidnapped violent action and so on. That make them live in fear and horror. "y
finding solution to these social problems the women can be protected against
them and therefore have a safe and good life.
Bith "uddhist almswomen they practice the "uddha)s teachings and the
path to cessation of sufferings help others or human beings. They not only get
liberation by themselves but also can help others to get liberated by following
the thought of -ah2y2na "uddhism. -odern .ietnamese women are very much
aware of their rights. Their impassioned call for eEuality of their gender is heard
around the world and the status of women has been escalating. 'owever the
view of women is very different in the 4ast and Best.
In the Best women are considered as goddesses of liberty peace and
love. They are beauties angels darlings and sweethearts. ,n the other hand
the 3hinese think of women as the source of troubles tigers and scorpions.
They are ob%ects of bad omen. In ancient India a scholar says7 3WomenIs duties
as good daughters, good -i"es and good mothers are -ell defined in the =ndian
'atriarchal society Wifehood and motherhood are acce'ted as 'i"otal roles for
-omen !y im'lication, these roles are com'lete in themsel"es and -omen need
not 'ursue any s'ecialized disci'line of kno-ledge, art or 'rofession $he good
-oman is s-eet, gentle, lo"ing, caring and e"er sacrificing $he mainstream
conce't of the role of a -oman seems to !e !est descri!ed in the anonymous
155
Sanskrit cou'let: She Ain relation to her hus!andD is like a mother -hile cooking
and ser"ing food, secretary -hile he is -orking, ser"ant at his feet and earth
like in for!earance $he historical sources often tend to !e elitist and 'resent a
glorious 'icture of the =ndian -omen in the 'astTA2ltekarD
.d.
In fact both men and women are humans and they all have their own
strengths. Therefore we do not need to take women as goddesses poisonous
serpents or servants. Bomen are %ust human being.
3ompared to men women are usually more attractive in their appearance
and they tend to have gentler and kinder disposition. They can handle details
well and are more patient and tolerant than men. Bhile men may be strong
physically and stronger in stamina women have many advantages than men.
!or example women care for the family and make three meals a day keep
house clean nurturing children etc. If the total number of hours a woman is
working at home is added up it will surely be more than the time a man is
putting into his %ob. -en can change %obs from time to time but women focus
their hearts and minds on their families and will not waver.
-ost people believe that women are only good at manipulating others
with their beauty using their tears as weapon to conEuer men and their eyes as
tools to bewitch people. *ctually women have much strength and they need
not use their bodies to gain favor from others. The many characteristic of
women such as intelligence wisdom diligence and loving kindness are
already good enough to overshadow men. Therefore they do not need to use
their physical attributes in exchange for fame and fortune because they are fully
capable of competing with men at any stage with their abilities and wisdom.
Be live in the age of democracy in which women have as many rights as
menC the work of ladies of the present0day generation is no longer confined to
272
Desai /. K Thakkar U. Women in =ndia Society Delhi7 /ational "ook Trust 9AA= p. ;
156
kitchen religion and household chores. -odern women move freely in society
and even take part in politics.
Bhen we look at different government position in international or many
countries in the world we see Tar%a 'alonen is !inland)s President (uth
Dreifuss was #witDerland)s President -agaret Thatcher was "ritain)s Prime
-inister and Indira $andhi was India)s Prime -inister. In business world
3arleton !iorina is the 34, of 'ewlett Packord and &aren &aten the President
of PfiDen. In #ri +anka #irimavo "andaranayke became Prime -inister and her
daughter 3handrika &umaratunga became the President of her country.
9?<
They
are classic examples of the modern spirit exhibited by women.
Bomen need not be high officials or ma%or entrepreneurs in order to be
great. Traditionally women have always been the guardian of ethics the
advocate of the family and practitioner of compassion and peace. There were
examples of mother in history who brought up great generals and renowned
scholar. /owadays modern women single0handedly care for two generations as
they bring up their children and go on to nurture grandchildren.
*s the saying goes7 S$here is al-ays a great -oman !ehind e"ery
successful man4 The Uueen -other of 4ngland Uueen 4liDabeth was an
illustration of one. #he went down in history as the dedicated Uueen helping her
&ing and country sustain the devastation of Borld Bar II. There were also many
famous Uueens in 3hinese history who contributed in mainly to the 4mpire of
the men in their lives.
273
Tsomo &. + F4dG ,ut of the Shado-s: Socially Engaged Buddhist Women Delhi #ri #atguru Publications
Indian "ooks 3entre 9AA@ p. ;@9. F#ee "uddhist Bomen and Discipline7 *n 'istorical Perspective by $ioi
'uongG.
157
'argrove says7 SBomen are the poetry of the word in the same sense as
the stars are the poetry of heaven0clear. +ight0giving harmonious they are the
terrestrial planets that rule destinies of man0kind.T #hakespeare says7 SBomen
are the books the art and the academies that show contain and nourish the
entire world.T
9?=
Therefore women can make full use of their abilitiesC women can be
involved in the community by doing charity work and broadening their
horiDons. Those who stay home caring for their families and are successful in
bringing up outstanding men and women are %ust deserving and true to their
feminism.
.ietnamese "uddhism has a long history of more than 9AAA years. Its
origin dates back to the third century ".3.4 when numerous "uddhist missions
were sent abroad by 4mperor *Joka to disseminate +ord "uddha)s Teachings in
such distant countries beyond the borders of India as those in *frica Best and
3entral *sia as well as #outh 4ast *sia including -alaysia "urma Thailand
+aos 3ambodia and /orth .ietnam which was known then as $iao 3hau
Fmodern "ac /inh provinceG.
9?>
The predominant form of "uddhism in .ietnam is a combination of Pure
+and and Ren "uddhism. Ren practice with its emphasis on meditation is
mostly pursued among the monks and nuns while Pure +and philosophy and
practice is preferred by the lay0people.
9?@
In this connection it may be observed that .ietnamese folk literature
came into existence very early had a profound effect on the spiritual life of the
.ietnamese people. In .ietnamese literature there comprise two ma%or
274
Dictionary of $houghts /ew Hork #tandard "ook 3o. pp. ?A?0?A:.
275
*ccessed at www.buddhismtoday.com/.../.ietnam/.../AA<0buddhism9Ain9A.... ,n ;>/A:/9A;;.
276
*ccessed at http7//www.buddhanet.net/e0learning/buddhistworld/vietnam0txt.htm. ,n ;>/A:/9A;;.
158
components7 folk literature and written literature. The two forms developed
concurrently and are profoundly interrelated. The folk literature contributed to
the formation of .ietnamMs national identity with admiring beauty humanism
and the love of goodness. +egends fairy tales humorous stories folk songs
epic poems have a tremendous vitality and have lived on until today.
Britten literature was born roughly around the tenth century and
nowadays in this twenty0first century there has been two components existed at
the same time7 works written in the 'an characters or 3hu0/om in .ietnamese
sense Fwith poems and prose demonstrating the .ietnamese soul and realitiesC
thus they were still regarded as .ietnamese literatureG and works written in the
/om character Fmostly poemsC many great works were handed down to the later
generationsG.
9??
#ince the ;:9As written literature has been mainly composed in the
/ational language with profound change in form and category such as novels
new0style poems short stories and dramas and with growing diversity in
artistic inclination. Britten literature attained speedy development after the
*ugust (evolution when it was directed by the .ietnamese 3ommunist PartyMs
guideline and focused on the peopleMs fighting and work life.
-odern .ietnamese literature evolved from romanticism to realism from
heroism during war to various aspects of life and soared into ordinary life to
discover the genuine values of the .ietnamese people.
3lassical literature generated as masterpieces by these well0known
compilers poets and literati such as Truyen &ieu F/guyVn DuG 3ung ,]n
/gNm &hmc F/guyVn $ia ThiouG 3hinh Phu /gam FDang Tran 3onG and Uuoc
*m Thi Tap F/guyVn Tr{iG. #ome brilliant well acclaimed female poets are 'q
277
/guyen Thanh long Bistory of Vietnamese Culture in Early Century, 'o 3hi -inh 3ity7 Publishing 'ouse
;::: p. >>.
159
ZuNn 'fgng Doan Thi Diem and "X 'uycn Thanh Uuan even today their
works still left an imprint on .ietnamese people in the case of education.
In .ietnamese modern prose there were authors who could emulate
whoever in the world namely /guyen 3ong 'oan .u Trong Phung /gn T[t
T~ /guyen 'ong /guyen Tuan and /am 3ao. They were %oined by excellent
poets7 ZuNn Dicu 'uy 3zn 'an -ac Tu and /guyen "inh. (egrettably their
great works that faithfully reflected the country history and the culture times
have yet to be discovered.
9?8

If 3hinese influence permeated the religious beliefs and social institutions
of .ietnamese society it was no less visible in the creative arts. In literature art
architecture and music the influence of 3hinese models on .ietnamese culture
was readily apparent from the period of 3hinese rule down to the !rench
conEuest in the nineteenth century. Thereafter however .ietnamese are often
reflected as a local motif. !or example although it also got influence from
neighboring 3hamp2 and learnt from the 3h2m music and dances and the use of
the 3hamp2 F3h2mG rice drum. #imilarly .ietnamese porcelain broadly
resembled its 3hinese counterpart but used a type of green glaDe not used in
3hina. The most direct influence perhaps was in the area of architecture.
Unfortunately less architecture survives from the pre0modern period. Bhat
existence is closely imitated 3hinese versionQ The most prominent example of
pre0colonial architecture was the imperial city at 'ue constructed in the early
nineteenth century by the /guyen dynasty in blatant imitation of the !orbidden
3ity in Peking.
It was however in literature that the interaction between 3hinese and
native influence was ultimately most clearly displayed. Unfortunately examples
of early .ietnamese writing are fragmented. Prior to independence however
278
Ibid. p. @:.
160
3hinese influence was undoubtedly paramount both in form and content.
+iterary 3hinese was the official language at court and was used in all official
communications. 4ven after the restoration of independence the dominance of
3hinese ideographs continued for several centuries. The earliest extant forms of
literature in .ietnam show a strong imprint of 3hinese models. The most
common forms of literary creativity were historical writings and "uddhist holy
texts. The most famous historical work unfortunately not extant was the Dai
.iet #u &y or 'istory of Dai .iet by the twelfth0century scholar +e.an 'uu.
9?:

#till though the .ietnamese literature in the first centuries after the
restoration of independence reflected a strong degree of 3hinese influence
during this period according to the present0day .ietnamese scholar /guyen
&hac .ien a truly S national literatureT began to bloom. During the Tran F;99>0
;=AAG and early +e F;=980;?88G dynasties several work on the history of the
.ietnamese states appeared. *lthough the fragments still in existence shows a
high degree of 3hinese influence in the 3hinese pattern they were primarily a
chronology of official events they display as well a high degree of national
consciousness. The officially sponsored Dai .iet #u &y Toan Thu is the
complete history of Dai .iet by the fifteenth0century historian /go #i +ien
traced .ietnamese history back to the semi legendary 'ong "ang dynasty in the
early history of the country.
The first centuries of independence saw a similar development in the field
of poetry. The pacesetter was the renowned scholar statesman and military
strategist /guyen Trai whose poetry combined 3onfucian morality and
patriotic themes as he helped to spark the defeat of 3hinese invading forces and
the rise of the +e dynasty.
279
Billiam 5. Duiker Vietnam %ation in Re"olution 3olorado7 Best .iew Press/ "oulder ;:8< p. ;9;.
161
The dominant forms of literary creativity during the early centuries of
independence were those of classical 3hina but an indigenous form of literature
was gradually beginning to emerge. -uch of it was in the form of folk literature
oral poetry love songs and popular theater and was passed down by memory
from generation to generation. 'owever not all of this non0classical popular
literature went unrecorded. It was apparently at this time that a new form of
demotic script called 3hu0/om or southern script was invented and gradually
became a popular form of written communication in .ietnam. 3hu0/om was an
adaptation of 3hinese ideographs to the spoken .ietnamese language. The
precise date of its invention remains unknown but it was probably already in
use by the +y dynasty. The earliest extant text dates from the Tran dynasty.
98A

*t first the new script was not generally accepted by .ietnamese scholar
who considered it uncultured and clumsy but eventually its value as a national
form of written expression and its superiority to literary and 3hinese as a
vehicle to express humans emotions became apparent and it came into general
usage. ,ccasionally it was used for administrative purposes and some classical
texts were translated into 3hu0/om but its primary function was in the writing
of fiction. During the Tran and early +e dynasties it was freEuently used for
poetry but its ma%or expansion took place during and after the seventeenth
century when it gave rise to the flowering of a uniEue national literature. Bith
the rise of the novel form written in 3hu0/om .ietnamese literature began to
explore such new themes as individual happiness sexual love social criticism
and satire. -uch of the new writing had a strong social and political message
attacking such evils of 3onfucian semi0feudal society as corrupt officials
greedy landlords and pedantic scholars. It also raised daring themes of social
liberation for traditionally oppressed groups like women and peasants.
280
Ibid p. ;9<.
162
#ignificantly some of the new writers were themselves women who used their
satirical abilities like a rapier to stab at the male0oriented 3onfucian society
around them. -ost famous of the works of the period was the novel written in
rhythmic prose &im .an &ieu by (enewed0Briter /guyen Du. &ieu was the
poignant story of young lovers caught in the net of traditional morality.
*ppealing to .ietnamese of all classes &im .an &ieu became the single most
popular and revered work in .ietnamese literature and was learned by heart by
generations of illiterate .ietnamese.
98;

*long with rise of the novel form came the flourishing of other forms of
literary writing7 of poetry of rural plays and operas such as 3heo Fa type of
popular theaterG of Phu Flong texts in rhythmic prose of /omG of 3a Dao Fa
form of lyrical song without instrumental accompanimentG and of .e Fstories
told in rhythmed formG. #uch new forms of literature not only explored new
type of creative expression many of them marking the transition from ordinary
prose to poetry and from literature to music but they also gave visible evidence
of the struggle within .ietnamese culture to transcend the limitations of #ino0
.ietnamese style and social ethics. To the student of .ietnamese literature they
mark the clear emergence of popular literature independent of and often in
direct opposition to the official court style introduced from 3hina. *fter
centuries of cultural subordination to 3hina creative writers were declaring
their independence form from 3onfucian tradition.
Bhile the seventeenth and eighteenth century gave rise to a vast
outpouring of new forms of literature the older court literature did not entirely
disappear. 'istorical works reflecting the classical 3hinese model continued to
appear throughout the period. #ome of the most famous were the &ham Dinh
.iet #u Thong $iam 3uong -uc or Imperial historical mirror of Dai .iet an
official history sponsored by the /guyen dynasty +e Uuy Don)s Dai .iet
281
/guyen Thanh +ong ,p. 3it. p. >A.
163
Thong #u 3omplete history of Dai .iet and Phan 'uy 3hu)s encyclopedic
biographies of ma%or figures.
989

It was above all through the educational system that 3onfucian doctrine
was in%ected into the bloodstream of .ietnamese #ociety. 'istorical into
.ietnam during the era of 3hinese rule but it was only after the restoration of
independence that a comprehensive system based on the features used in 3hina
began to take shape. *t first the system was tailored to fit conditions in the new
.ietnamese state. Under the +y dynasty a temple of literature was built in
'anoi to provide training in 3onfucian doctrine for candidates of high office. In
;A?> the first examinations were held for entry into the bureaucracy. In
accordance with contemporary practice however the competition was limited
to members of the aristocracy who alone were eligible for high official
positions. 4ventually however the competition was opened to commoners who
gradually became eligible for high posts in the bureaucracy. "y the same token
the content of the examinations as noted above at first included "uddhist and
Taoist texts as well as 3onfucian classics Fwhat was commonly called the
SThree DoctrinesTG. "y the fifteenth century however 3onfucianism had
become the official doctrine of the state and was dominant in the examinations.
In theory the 3onfucian educational system possessed a number of
attractive features when compared to those used elsewhere. The emphasis on
merit provided an avenue of upward mobility for poor but bright young males
and reduced the dominant role of the hereditary aristocracy in .ietnamese
society. "y stressing on the importance of talent and virtue training in the
classical 3onfucian texts also probably helped to enhance the sense of
professionalism and integrity in the civil service and to promote a sense of
loyalty and dedication to community and the state.
282
Ibid p. ;9=.
164
3onfucian theory of course was not always carried out. Bhile schools
For private tutorsG probably existed in most villages there was no system of
universal education and many families could not afford to enroll their children
in schools. In some cases male children from poor families might be sponsored
by a well to do relative but generally speaking the system obviously favored
those families with wealth or a tradition of education and service in the
bureaucracy. /or was training in the 3onfucian classics necessarily successful
in promoting talent and inculcating in the students a proper regard for high
moral fibred and compassion for the weak. In practice 3onfucian education
often degenerated into formalism and a ritualistic concern for recitation of texts
rather than a comprehension of and dedication to the content. If the 3onfucian
gentlemen Fin 3hinese the 3hin TDu rendered as Uuan Tu in .ietnameseG in
theory was wise compassionate and fair in actuality he was often an arrogant
pedant who paraded his learning and exhibited more contempt than compassion
for his intellectual inferiors. #till on balance the adoption of 3onfucian
institutions probably represented a net advantage to the .ietnamese state.
98<

Bhile in 3hina and 5apan a variety of "uddhist schools and traditions
evolved in .ietnam apart from Therav2da adopted in modern times from
3ambodia two main traditions constitute .ietnamese "uddhism until now7
Thien schools admittedly of variant forms favored by the monastic elite and the
literati as sketched out above and popular "uddhism or as some prefer to call
it *midism or Pure +and "uddhism FTinh DnG of a .ietnamese brand. It should
be stressed however that in daily practice Thion FRenG and *midism do not
form separate schools and traditions as can be observed at the present time. In
spite of the historical phenomenon of variant forms of Thion this kind of
.ietnamese "uddhism exists under the same temple roof together with
*midism and most probably this situation more or less also prevailed in the
283
Billiam 5. Duiker ,' Cit. p. ;99.
165
past. .en. Thidn 3hNu appositely characteriDes .ietnamese popular "uddhism
and names the sources from which devotees have been drawing their
inspiration7 chiefly the twenty0fourth chapter of the Saddharmapuarka sItra
the #amantamukhaparivar according to which people in distress and about to
lose their very lives are invited to invoke *valokiteJvara i.e. the feminine
&uanyin in 3hina or Uuan rm in .ietnamese who has vowed to save all who
are in danger. -uch of .ietnamese poetry is influenced by the
Saddharmapuarka; a few lines of a long poem entitled Uuan rm Thi &inh
may serve as an example of *valokiteJvara panegyric7
Look, e"ery-here in the seas of our Vietnam
$here a''ears our lady euan fm
,ne should !e 'atient and harmonious and
Endure -hat is difficult to endure
$he merit resulting from the construction of a
%ine(storied 'agoda does not egual that !eing
$he result of sa"ing some!odyIs life.
98=

,ther texts of popular "uddhism in .ietnam are for instance the
#ukhavativyIha sItras encouraging devotees to aspire to be reborn in the
western paradise of the "uddha *mit2bha by dint of faith pure and simple
empowering) Dharani texts with whose help the vicissitudes of life could
hopefully be coped with and the Ktgarbha sItra, playing an important role in
funeral and other ceremonies involving transference of merit to a deceased
person or to the ancestors in general. In popular .ietnamese "uddhism there has
always been the tendency to regard the "uddha or "uddhas and the
!odhisatt"as as saviors and the scriptures %ust mentioned as liturgical texts to be
284
$eneral 4ditor D.P. 3hattopadhyaya 3Bistory of Science, +hiloso'hy and Culture in =ndian Ci"ility T in
$.3. Pande FedG =ndiaIs =nteraction -ith Southeast 2sia /ew Delhi Pro%ect of 'istory of Indian #cience
Philosophy and 3ulture -unshiram -anoharlal Publishers 9AA@7 p. =8<.
166
recited for the sake of worldly happiness protection and a good kind of
rebirth.
98>

In 3hina with the termination of -ongol rule and regained independence
the -ing dynasty was founded in ;<@8 lasting until ;@==. The -ing armies
profited from the decline of Tran power and finally succeeded in taking control
of Dai .iet. This time the 3hinese made every effort to systematically #inic the
.iet. Thus for instance all works of .ietnamese literature were confiscated and
taken to /anking in order to be destroyed as intellectual patrimony of the
sub%ugated countryC on the other hand large numbers of 3hinese literati and
religious teachers were recruited to propagate 3hinese literature especially the
3onfucian classics and works of /eo03onfucianism. The forced #inification of
the .ietnamese lasted for little more than a decade provoking strong resistance
finally culmination in the defeat of the -ing occupation forces. Thereafter the
national reconstruction of the .ietnamese state signaled the beginning of a new
type of government which differed from the feudal system of the previous
dynasties and which +e Thanh &hni calls bureaucratic monarchy which was to
last under the +e and /guyen rulers until modern times. Through the
administrative reorganiDation it became evident that the enforced -ing
#inification proved to be most effective. The &ings of the newly established +e
dynasty appreciated 3onfucian bureaucracy as an effective means to introduce
what can be described as absolute monarchy. !or the centraliDation of their
power the +e rulers summoned the literati to become civil servants who in due
course gained control of practically all matters of state and now definitely
3onfucianism emerged triumphant and even managed to permeate .ietnamese
"uddhism by the way of putting much more emphasis on hierarchical structure
and ancestor worship than had been done ever before.
285
Ibid p. =8=.
167
/ow the influence of "uddhist nuns as governmental advisers was almost
negligent and standards of "uddhists education due to lack of state support
slowly began to decline whereas the Daiviets continually expanded their
country eventually conEuering all the territories forming present day central and
south .ietnam and large parts of 3ambodia. *t the advent of the Bestern
Imperialist military following the 3hristian missionaries the .ietnamese the
.ietnamese monarchy managed by the traditionalist ultra0conservative
3onfucianism mandarin court proved totally in flexible and incapable of facing
the formidable imperialist challenges provoked by the Bestern industrial
revolution. *s a result .ietnam was converted into a !rench colony in ;88<.
Under !rench rule which lasted until ;:>= 3atholicism was officially furthered
to the detriment of "uddhism which in large part had been transformed into
some sort of popular Taoist0"uddhist03onfucianist syncretism and had become
an easy target for defamation.
98@

In conclusion some remarks should be made on "uddhist modernism as it
developed in .ietnam which can be seen as a reaction to Bestern colonialism
and evangeliDation. In the early thirties of the last century a movement for the
revival of .ietnamese "uddhism was started. Thus associations for "uddhist
studies were founded in #aigon F;:<;G in 'ue F;:<9G and 'anoi F;:<9G for the
purpose of spreading modern education and knowledge of "uddhists doctrine
among the people. ,ne of the aims of the "uddhist modernists was to create
"uddhist literature in modern .ietnamese printed in (oman letters and thus
accessible to everybody. !urthermore in the ;:>As and ;:@As of the last century
some leading members of the .ietnamese Sagha possibly inspired by the
achievement of modern scholarship in the fields of Ideology of "uddhist
studies felt the need to inEuire into the origins of "uddhism. /o doubt P2li and
Lgama were considered one of the means to re%uvenate or perhaps even reform
286
Ibid. p. =8>.
168
.ietnamese "uddhism without nevertheless forgetting the traditional
-ah2y2na ideals. This development is corroborated by the fact that since the
early ;:>As .ietnamese "uddhists have been sponsoring higher studies pursued
by .ietnamese monks nearly exclusively in Indian universities.
98?
Through a number of .ietnam has the influence of "uddhism as we have
seen "uddhist thought and philosophy has left its mark on the ideology of
.ietnam. It is only due to the "uddhist influence on the literary publishing that
"uddhism is still present in many customs and lifestyle of the state.

2. V#*$%.+*"* B)#22)'%; O-(*- .%( I$" I%&/'*%0* !% A-$ .%( A-0)#$*0$'-*
2.1 O% C'/$'-*
The culture of .ietnam as an agricultural civiliDation based on the
cultivation of wet rice is one of the oldest in 4ast *siaC the ancient "ronDe *ge
anng #gn culture is considered to be one of its most important progenitors.
988
Due to the long0term 3hinese influence on its civiliDation in terms of politics
government and 3onfucian social and moral ethics .ietnam is considered to be
part of the 4ast *sian 3ultural #phere.
98:

!ollowing independence from 3hina in the ;A
th
century .ietnam began a
#outhward expansion that saw the annexation of territories formerly belonging
to the 3hamp2 a civiliDation Fnow middle .ietnamG and parts of the &hmer
empire Ftoday southern .ietnamG which resulted in minor regional variances in
.ietnamMs culture due to exposure to these different groups.
287
*ccessed at www.phattuvietnam.net on ;>/A?/9A;9
288
4mbassy of .ietnam in the United #tates of *merica. l4volution of 3ulturel. http7//www.vietnamembassy
usa.org/learnsaboutsvietnam/culture/evolution/ *ccessed on 9A;;0A>0;@.
289
*ccessed at 3olumbia University 4ast *sian 3ultural #phere. ,n ?/</9A;9
169
During !rench colonial period .ietnamese culture was under the
influence of merchants who came from the 4urope their arrival lead to the
spread of 3atholicism and the adoption of +atin alphabet which is used till
date .ietnam is the only nation from Indochina region which uses the +atin
alphabet to write the national language.
During the socialist era the cultural life of .ietnam was deeply
influenced by government0controlled media and the cultural influences of
socialist programs. !or many decades foreign cultural influences were avoided
and emphasis was placed on appreciating and sharing the culture of communist
nations such as the #oviet Union 3hina 3uba and others. #ince the ;::As
.ietnam has seen a greater re0exposure to *sian 4uropean and *merican
culture and media.
#ome elements generally considered to be characteristic of .ietnamese
culture include ancestor veneration respect for community and family values
handicrafts and manual labor and devotion to study. Important symbols present
in .ietnamese culture include tiger dragons turtles lotuses banian tree and
bamboo.
9:A

2.2 O% A-$
"uddhist art originated on the Indian subcontinent following the historical
life of #iddhartha $autama @
th
to >
th
century ".3 and thereafter evolved with
contact with other cultures as it spread throughout *sia and the world.
The origins of "uddhist art are to be found in the decoration of the stone
railings surrounding st>'as. It may be though surprising that at the early stage
there were no representations of the "uddha in human form. #iddhartha the
future "uddha to be is freEuently portrayed for instance when he leaves home
290
/guyen Thanh +ong ,', Cit. p. =>.
170
in the $reat (enunciation but the post0enlightenment "uddha only emerges in
the form of symbols such as a wheel a tree or a footprint. "uddha images did
not appear until several hundred years after his passing away probably around
the turn of the millennium. This may be explicated either as a mark of respect
or as a result of the difficulty of aesthetic expression to the mystical post0
mortem state the "uddha had attained. ,ne can sympathiDe with the dilemma of
the artist once the "uddha had entered final ni!!#na and his body had been
cremated he no longer had a material form so how was he to be representedQ
The "uddha had transcended the realm of sams#ra and so the conventional
dimensions of time or space no longer applied to him. !or several centuries this
aesthetic dilemma had no clear solution until eventually artists probably under
pressure from lay patrons and influenced by the widespread practice of the
devotional practice in 'induism found the confidence to depict the "uddha in
human form. The earliest images come from two centers one in the /orth0west
$andh2ra and the other -athur2. *mong sophisticated believers such image
were regarded as symbolic although at the more popular levels of piety a range
of attitudes is found comprising what often emerges as outright devotion to and
reverence for the image itself.
!or their inspiration artists looked to textual descriptions of the "uddha)s
appearance which encompass a list of somewhat unusual physical
characteristics known as the thirty0two marks of a great manQ These include
descriptions of the head torso arms and the proportion of the limbs as well as
specific bodily marks such as a small mound on the crown of the head and a
small tuft of hair between the eyes. These features were faithfully reproduced by
artists and are widely found in "uddha images in various styliDed forms. *s the
art of depicting the "uddha evolved many fine examples of +ord "uddha
images were produced with the greatest dating from the $upta period F<9A0>=A
3.4G the artists were often able to capture with great skill the sublime tranEuility
171
of the "uddha and express the twofold facet of his nature as in the world but not
of it.
9:;
"uddhist art followed believers as the Dhamma spread adapted and
evolved in each new host country. It developed to the /orth through 3entral
*sia and into 4astern *sia to form the /orthern branch of "uddhist art and to
the east as far as #outheast *sia to form the #outhern branch of "uddhist art. In
India "uddhist art flourished and even influenced the development of 'indu
art until "uddhism nearly disappeared in India around the ;A
th
century due in
part to the vigorous expansion of Islam alongside 'induism.
3hinese influence was predominant in the north of .ietnam FTonkinG
between the ;
st
and :
th
centuries and 3onfucianism and -ah2y2na "uddhism
were prevalent. ,verall the art of .ietnam has been strongly influenced by
3hinese "uddhist art.
9:9
Traditional .ietnamese art is art practiced in .ietnam or by .ietnamese
artists from ancient times Fincluding the elaborate anng #gn drumsG to post0
3hinese domination art which was strongly influenced by 3hinese "uddhist art
among other philosophies such as Taoism and 3onfucianism. The art of
3hamp 2 and !rance also played a smaller role later on.
The 3hinese influence on .ietnamese art extends into .ietnamese pottery
and ceramics calligraphy and traditional architecture. 3urrently .ietnamese
lacEuer paintings have proven to be Euite popular.
9:<
Buddhist 2rt of ;artial is a special principle of martial which was
discovered by Ren -aster through process of training the mind. !rom time to
time "uddhist monks specialiDed in training the mind teacher this principle as
291
3harles #. Prebish KDamien &eown =ntroducing Buddhism +ondon7 (outledge 9AAA pp. 8=08>.
292
*ccessed at http7//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/"uddhistsart3ambodia. ,n ?/:/9A;9
293
*ccessed at http7//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3ulturesofs.ietnam. ,n ;9/9/9A;9.
172
the art of using weapons and martial gestures. "uddhist art of martial reEuires
one to oneself in state of unconsciousness letting go of ones feeling and rational
consciousness absolutely. The self is completely forgotten. #o that the power
itself is augmented by relaxing all power all endeavor. 'ere strong power
accuracy and Euickness should transcend consciousness or distinction between
sub%ect and ob%ect. There is no win or lost in "uddhist art of martial. The beauty
of this art depends not on the danger of martial level but on the harmony of
power with non0violence. The *rt of -artial develops the perfect power of non0
violence.
9:=
Ren poetry means verses praising the pure mind of human in accordance
with the beauty of nature in order to express the noble teaching of "uddhism
which is about the Ultimate (eality. "asically Ren poetry develops the
"uddhist idea of 4nlightenment. They are often written by Ren -aster who is
both poet and philosopher at the same time. The main criterion of this style is
compact and modest words but with penetrating philosophy about life and
human manner to nature. #o that verses bear attributes of super salvation in
which word is only a hint.
Ren painting is considered as one Euintessence of the Ren "uddhist idea.
The painting takes use of nature as an ob%ect to describe the inner mind
according to the idea of sudden enlightenment in which the basic of painting
action should return to the original emptiness of no0mind. In a masterpiece
mountain river lake stream and forest became the creation of the
impermanent. Ren painter considers that "uddha nature or spiritual nature
should be found in everything and in every one. The aim of art is to grasp the
essence of nature which is hidden under external forms of things. The painter
should be Euick and accurate without any hesitation to draw naturally. The
strokes should move freely without the controlling of the #elf. The painter
294
*ccessed at http7//www.crvp.org/seminar/A>0seminar/hoang.htm. ,n 8/@/9A;9.
173
should draw the spirit of ob%ect not only the external forms of it. This style can
show the moving space from limited to unlimited from visible to invisible...
3hMan painting should express the feeling about origin of all forms0formless.
4specially while drawing the painter integrates himself to the ob%ect in a strong
effort of concentration while only intuition works. Ren painting is respected and
accepted as a holy product of "uddhist culture.
9:>
3alligraphy means the art of writing letters developed to be the term of
Ren thought. 4ach letter as a masterpiece reflects the writerMs mind and heart.
Ren -aster use 3alligraphy to express completely his mind and soul thatMs why
each letter is a uniEue picture. The letter is active as lifelike strokes full of
vitality. In 3alligraphy only light and dark strokes black and white colors are
used but they should manifest space abstractly as well as concretely.
3alligraphy was used as a way to train the mind by Ren -aster but later it is
accepted as a lofty art of 3hinese intellectual and then broadened to other
countries in 4ast *sia.
Tea 3eremony is the basic idea about inner spirit manifested creatively by
Ren -aster and improved to be the art of drinking tea. Tea 3eremony is
arranged as a meticulous ritual of making tea with long series of actions that
form a whole moment of simple harmony over everything. The endless ritual
seems to be an endeavor to help every participator to familiariDe themselves
with the changes in the atmosphere so that they can en%oy and experience those
things is not being able expressed by words. The aim of Tea 3eremony is to
calm oneMs mind to integrate oneself with nature and to reduce action as much
as possible. Tea 3eremony radiates aesthetic sense of simplicity elegance and
freedom. It can be suggested that probably at the beginning Tea 3eremony was
a way for the Ren -asters to achieve perfect relaxation during training process.
'owever with time it was adopted as an en%oyment by the different classes of
295
Ibid.
174
laymen. $radually it became a uniEue art of drinking tea in 3hina 5apan
&orea and .ietnam. *lthough it varied in every locality but its basic spirit
remains as an excellent and lofty art.
9:@
!lower *rrangement as an art of planting tree or arranging flower
developed to be the philosophical term of inner life. !lower *rrangement is an
artificial mode of the reduced nature. !lower and tree are %ust nature but
through art they bring out their deep splendor. !lower *rrangement is not %ust
collecting the external and visible beauty of nature but it reEuires the artist to
have mind and heart of nature which should integrate with nature and know
how to perceive and praise artificially the potential beauty hidden under simple
form of nature. *rtificiality of !lower *rrangement is an art of transcending
sub%ective idea of the #elf. It is the basic idea of this lofty art and the basic
trend of training inner mind of Ren master. +ater it got is introduced as a style
of art which makes the life beautiful. !lower *rrangement had a long tradition
in 3hina and then it came into vogue in 5apan &orea and .ietnam. "efore a
masterpiece of !lower *rrangement one should feel the sudden open of the
mystic beauty as a perfect one of nature. *nd at the moment one should
perceive that the "eauty itself is unlimited.
9:?
9.<. O% A-0)#$*0$'-*
*s "uddhism spread to .ietnam of course has brought the architectural
style pagodas hung empty bell tower model architecture of India "urma and
3hina. "ut over time the liberal spirit of "uddhism also coordinate with general
thinking of the .ietnamese people have created a very specific architectural
model for "uddhism in .ietnam. Temple in .ietnam is often built with special
style of architecture the temple roofs always hide behind bamboo villages
under trees or in a place that has the natural landscape beauty or Euiet.
296
Ibid.
297
Ibid.
175
*ccording to Uuan and Phan 3am Thuong /guyen the temple tower
architecture in .ietnam as lan architectural scale is not large relative to the
height of the distribution layer of the architecture in a prolonged longitudinal
sense not going along bringing in natural alternating components focusing on
the riverside landscape temples making the open nature is always greater than
the actual mass of it l.
*ccording to model architectural style lpublicl7 "uddhist sanctum and
electricity are connected together by a natural flavorC arrogant words lDingl7
previous type lTaml7 there are three parallel sticky or type lof the countryl7 the
first is money and power lines +ord "uddha after a sEuare piece of ground to
plant tree bonsai place is the logistics behind the two sides are 4ast and Best.
"uddhist left many uniEue architectural and scenic beauties for the .ietnamese
like many famous temples in the /orth have the ,ne Pillar pagoda Temple
Best pagoda and Perfume pagoda in central Thien-u pagoda Tu'ieu pagoda
"ao Uuoc pagoda and in the #outh have the $iac +am pagoda .inh Trang.
Today in the trend of globaliDation civiliDation door will open for the
meeting of 4astern and Bestern values onwards to the better life in common
respective. In this condition positive values of "uddhists thought and practice
will be continuously preserved and promoted in the common perspective of the
new millennium.
8. V#*$%.+*"* B)#22)'%; O-(*- .%( I$" I%&/'*%0* !% P)#/!"!,)y
8.1. T)* I%&/'*%0* !& B'(()#"+ #% T*-+" !& I(*!/!4y .%( M!-./
P)#/!"!,)y
"uddhist values of philosophy have become more humanist and
sustainable in comparison with other theistic religions because its religious
ethical advantage depends on individual)s internal mind of self0consciousness
176
self0confidence and self0liberation while in modern societies the value of
personal peace freedom and confidence obviously becomes an urgent internal
reEuirement. -ore than ever the conflicts of modern societies are not only
caused by economics and politics but also by religious and ethnic group
conflicts which are rushing people in a blind alley of inner feeling and belief...
The internal mind is still a vacant room in which theistic religions have to
resolve by $ods and modern societies try to resolve its bad results by national
court and law. "uddhist method of meditation For RenG can confer people an
active ability and realiDable method to introspect and reflect oneself in order to
fine peace within oneself.
9:8
#ince the middle of the twentieth century "uddhist method of training
the mind and inner feeling Fmeditation or 3han/RenG has been really attracting
modern FBesternG scientists. They have been interested in "uddhist method of
introspective self0cultivation. They have conducted various scientific
investigations and analysis by modern techniEue and modern psycho0
physiology which has produced marvelous results about realiDable abilities of
controlling and mastering human)s mind and inner feeling. It becomes more
interesting even urgently when people in the modern societies is more pressed
in inner mental life which could not be solved by the high standard of material
life Fhigh civiliDationG. /ow modern scientific and technical achievements are
making multiple abilities for killing on larger level of extermination with more
SindirectT and more ScleanT criminal way as its negative side. #o that it is more
difficult to reflect on oneself. 3auses of the moral spoilage are not only by
economic or politics but also by race and religious conflicts so that modern
society needs a more perfect and more progressive humanist ethics. "uddhist
ethics about introspection and internal self0consciousness will be a necessary
aid to improve the modern ethics.
9::
298
'.T. Tho Vietnamese Buddhist +hiloso'hy, 'anoi7 +e +oi Publication 9AAA p. :.
299
Ibid. p. :.
177
'owever "uddhism also has its limits by its religious standpoint.
"uddhism does not pay attention to politics socio0economics and does not
encourage any way of developing and satisfying human material need for
individual and society. #o that "uddhist social programs in ma%or do not
reform or create material condition of life but only try to build up spiritual
condition by ethics and religious belief in which everyone is compassion
generous perseverant benevolent... altogether. This is the limit that "uddhism
had been ad%usting continuously in process of expanding and indigeniDing in
other cultures especially when applying in various communities and nations in
order to fulfill its religious mission in the modern age.
(adically "uddhist thought and market economy are opposites because
"uddhism resists hedonism and never encourages accumulation of wealth and
even considers en%oyment and desire of wealth as the cause of evil and pain.
The basic economic thought in "uddhist teaching is the ethical0economic one
with the idea that by lless desirel or by lavoiding craving reduce needl to have
feeling of plenty but not by more production or by higher productivity to have
real plenty. "uddhist paragon of virtue is #2kyamuni who left the royal luxury
life full of pleasure to live as an ascetic and try to find the way to +iberation as
the same as arahants and !odhisatt"as who live a plain ordinary life and pass
over all difficult situation.
<AA
In theory there are three main religions in .ietnam7 Taoism
3onfucianism and "uddhismC but in fact there is only one which is an amalgam
of these three doctrines each of which represents a particular aspect of the
whole. This state of affairs makes it difficult if not impossible to distinguish
three separate religious communities among the .ietnamese. There are perhaps
some people who follow either Taoism or "uddhism but they are in a minority.
The bulk of the population remains unpre%udiced and is not interested in
300
Ibid. p. ;;.
178
sectarian distinctions. * "uddhist family for example will visit Taoist temples
and perform the rites belonging to the 3onfucian cult of ancestors.
<A;
Though this confusion sometimes fosters superstitious practices and
ignorance it also has its good points and exerts a tolerant influence on life and
thought. -any scholars are actually products of "uddhism though they do not
deny the principles of 3onfucianism. 4ven if there is no direct borrowing of
ideas many "uddhist concepts such as impermanence karma FactionG causality
rebirth and earthly sufferings are found in their writings so that there can be
little doubt about their common origin.
"uddhism has had a particularly strong effect on morals and behavior.
4ven uneducated .ietnamese and non0"uddhists fear the results of bad actions
conceiving them in the symbolism of the Ten 'ells and this fear often makes
them avoid such actions encouraging them instead to be kind. #trengthened by
the !ive Precepts or basic morality of "uddhism it is part of the reason for the
gentle manners which came to pervade .ietnamese life thanks firstly to the
opportunity for happiness out of the ordinary inherent in *midism.
.egetarianism is followed by the laity on specific dates and is the standard diet
for monks. It has the merit of mitigating the sanguinary instinct common to
all.
<A9
The influence of the three religions is clear in the artistic field where that
of "uddhism is predominant. *rchitecture painting and sculpture are often
inspired by two of the key ideas of "uddhism which are Purity and
3ompassion. The flower of the lotus is a freEuent motif and the various
representations of *valokitesvara are greatly venerated especially by women.
301
'./. /inh Vietnamese Buddhist Ethics 'o 3hi -inh 3ity7 .an 'anh Publication ;::@ p. ;9.
302
Ibid. p. ;=.
179
In retrospect "uddhism appears to have been introduced in .ietnam
towards the end of the second century by way of 3hina having been preceded
by 3onfucianism and Taoism. !our hundred years later when .ietnam
succeeded in freeing itself from 3hinese domination it progressed by leaps and
bounds under the patronage of the ruling families. #ince then in spite of the
antagonism of other rival religions it continued to expand almost
uninterruptedly both in extent as well as by conviction. During a particular
epoch of history from :@8 to ;=;= it was given the status of a state religion.
#everal emperors of the +y and Tran dynasties even went so far as to practice
what they preached7 some as faithful followers some as monks proper having
abdicated and chosen the monastic way of life. * curious fact this and it would
indeed be interesting to study it without necessarily digressing from the sub%ect
of the present paper.
<A<
.ietnamese "uddhism continues to hold this supremacy in our own times
not in public life it is true but in the hearts of a good ma%ority of the people. It
is therefore easy to understand how great an influence the Dhamma of "uddha
has had on the .ietnamese mind and the generous contribution it has made to
the moral and spiritual training of a people whose gentleness and simple outlook
on life predisposed them to accept the S(eligion of 3ompassion.T
<A=
The dominant trait in the person of the $reat Teacher made his teaching
known and felt through the country. The artist the philosopher and the poet of
those days imbibed it and many of those of modern times still continue to draw
their inspiration from it.
*n 4uropean author tracing back the history of 3hinese philosophy
<A>
wrote7 S"uddhism was the first actually a foreign influence which had a
303
/.T. Tu Vietnamese Culture and Religions 'ue7 !riendly Publication 'ouse ;::; p. <9.
304
Ibid. p. <9.
305
Ibid. p. <<.
180
powerful bearing on the evolution of 3hinese thoughtC and the effect of such an
influence was to rekindle stimulate and develop to the highest pitch not only
the religion but also all the other spheres of its civiliDation a casual glance even
by one who is almost completely unaware of the spiritual world of 3hina at the
plastic parts of 3hina shows how completely they stem from the spirit of
"uddhism and how wonderfully they blossomed forth during the "uddhist
period...T Bithout going too deeply into the matter it can be said that this
remark can apply word for word to the .ietnamese scheme of things as regards
"uddhist influence in .ietnam on architecture sculpture and painting. Those
examples which have withstood the ravager of time and the havoc of war testify
to what a degree art developed under this benign influence as also the
interesting and profitable research work done by archaeologists prior to ;:=>.
<A@
'owever if in some countries and in certain respects the artist rather than
the monks is closer to the community of the faithful in interpreting their interest
and daily pursuits a view which is held by Paul -us in .ietnam it is actually
the litterateurs on whom this task devolves especially on the poets who are also
philosophers of note. !or these reasons which are difficult to explain is because
of the .ietnamese being capable of expressing his wonder at the form and color
of things cannot really be deeply stirred except by vibrations of sounds. This
tendency makes him an ardent lover of the theatre of music which is not only
instrumental or vocal but of words whose music is magic to his earsC in other
words poetry. 'ence we seem to have been guided not towards *rt but towards
+etters which are the true repositories of thoughts and +etters only assuming
the rarity of literary works which are either lacking in philosophical reflections
or which contribute nothing to the development of moral themes if one is to
know what good they have derived from her seventeen centuries of conversion
to "uddhism.
<A?
306
T.'. Trang =ntroduction of Buddhism to Vietnam 'anoi7 $overnment Publication 9AA9 p. 8A.
307
Ibid. p. 8;.
181
In order to do that it is necessary to go back to the sixth century when the
monasteries both centers for the spread of "uddhism as well as schools for
training men of letters. There were no public schools and besides there were few
young men who were keen to study the 3hinese characters apart from the
"uddhist monks who were prompted by a desire to delve deep into 3hinese
translations for the essence of a doctrine which they found wonderful but which
failed to satisfy them because they were conveyed orally up to then. The
tradition was passed on from one epoch to another so that between ;A;A to ;99>
during the +y dynasty it was almost impossible to find a poet with more than
average talent outside the religious circle all the -asters of Dhy#na from the
famous #chool of -editation stemming from the themes developed by these
poet0monks were generally beyond the comprehension of the general public the
work of these monks and nuns nevertheless contributed tremendously towards
raising the prestige of "uddhism which had already gained considerable
popularity.
<A8

The position was reversed at the beginning of the fifteenth century. The
literary figures who were supporters of 3onfucianism profited by the existing
rivalry and supplanted the "uddhists by winning imperial trust and favors. This
defeat however was but temporary. The hold of "uddhism remained firmly
anchored in the minds and hearts of the people and soon became as strong as it
had been in earlier times from the birth in 3hina of syncretism whose source
also gave rise to 3onfucianism Taoism and "uddhism. The literary luminaries
of .ietnam had perforce to submit to it without unduly protesting since after
some initial hesitation they firmly admitted like their 3hinese predecessors that
the value of a true culture was based on the possession of the Sthree teachingsT.
The result of this for literature and philosophy was to enlarge their sphere of
action to say the least.
<A:
308
Ibid. p. 8=.
309
Ibid.
182
*s we have seen that "uddhism was introduced into .ietnam from the
sixteenth century the Bestern calendar and then survived grew and changed
with the peoples of this until today. If time is a measure of truth with the
thickness of that history "uddhism has affirmed the value of its legs on land. In
the areas of social cultural politics particularly on aspects of the system of
thought then "uddhism has directly or indirectly contributed to the formation
of a living for the people of .ietnam. In this section to learn about the ideas
theories of "uddhism have impact on the people of .ietnam have adopted the
thought of "uddhism.
<;A
8.2. T)!'4)$
Ideas or basic doctrine of "uddhism is morality of Dependent ,rigination
FPrat1tyasamutp2daG the !our /oble Truths and the 4ightfold Paths. These three
principles are the foundation for all "uddhist sects as well as original
-ah2y2na ingrained in the hearts of the .ietnamese people.
<;;
Doctrine of Dependent ,rigination FPrat1tyasamutp2daG is a scientific and
ob%ective view of the current world. Dependent ,rigination means the condition
of relationship to something else resulting in arising or production. This does
not only include the events of the human world such as failure flourish or
decay but also encompasses all the phenomena of the natural world such as
grass trees flowers leaves which also obey the law of Dependent ,rigination
of life existence and end. *nd there are four types of conditions which have to
be distinguished7 ,ne is of Dependent ,rigination. Hou can call the closest
conditions such as causal grain of rice. #econdly the superior of condition
means an organ of advance to a higher stage for karmic materials such as
fertiliDer and water for rice predominance. Third is conditioning ob%ects means
an ob%ect as a conditioning element and the fourth is incessant causation means
310
Ibid. p. 8>.
311
Ibid. p. 8>.
183
a condition of one existence directly producing the next with no interruption
necessary for the generation of growth and survival.
<;9
3ausal laws need to observe and apply the principle of dependent can be
called the "uddhist +aw of &arma. *ccording to Dependent ,rigination a
single cause can never bear fruit. That is to say that a single cause is never
enough to play an effective role for another cause. Doctrine of &arma the
retribution of karma "uddhism was introduced in .ietnam at an early stage of
its spread there. Through the course of teaching this doctrine in .ietnam the
people there have been enlightened on the same. *s such people of .ietnam
have a very clear knowledge of their life and came to term with the fact that
their present life was a result of their karmaC it is not only suitable for ordinary
men but also to the intellectual influence. It can be said that all the people of
.ietnam is in some way or the other is influenced by this teaching. #o
reincarnation of retribution had taken bold in popular literature literary scripts
&an%i from ancient times until now to guide each generation that illuminate the
human mind on 'uman results of karma that has been successful to bring peace
leading to human happiness. ,n the other hand they understand that karma is
not an industry that they can change and repairs themselves.
If someone can grasp the principle of karmic cause and effect then they
can move right in the life industry. The purpose of the changing karma will be
able to recreate and obtain ultimate wisdom. #o the beginning of this from
good and evil of the karma to three professional by body speech and mind of
the individual and not %ust by sitting and hopping for good to happen to oneself.
!rom ones karmic change and reducing evil then ones will metabolic
themselves to have a good and happy life not %ust in the present life but also in
the future.
<;<
312
Ibid. p. 8@.
313
Du Ibid. p. ;;.
184
8.8. E$)#0"
The most influential moral teachings of compassion peaceful spirit and
curiosity of "uddhism has deeply affected and created a space in the hearts of
the .ietnamese. These Eualities can be clearly seen in the thoughts of the people
and in the works of /guyen Trai F;<8A0;==9G a writer and political thinker of
#outh .ietnam he was smart to apply moral compassion and also apply it to
politics to a very successful political life.
In addition to ethical 3ompassion .ietnamese people are also deeply
influenced by another doctrine of "uddhism that is the doctrine of Tu *n
which include parent)s grace master)s grace nation)s grace and the grace of
humankind. This principle is built in a seEuence consistent with the
psychological development of the .ietnamese peopleMs feelings. ,ne)s
compassion begins from one)s parents relatives and master extending further
into the society and fellow country man and there unto the universe. It is noted
that the doctrine of Tu *n gives the highest status to one)s parents who play the
most invaluable role in influencing our emotional and moral standards and this
as always been accepted by the .ietnamese tradition.
The basis of ideological and moral philosophy that has helped the
.ietnamese "uddhist nuns have formed a uniEue identity which is very distinct
in .ietnam contributing to a rich and diversified culture of the spirit
.ietnamese people.
<;=

'owever great though the progress was which "uddhism had made
during the period under review as regards literature it fell far short of that
which was made later in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries following the
advent of 3hu0/om a national calligraphic system which was invented to
replace the 3hinese characters. This was the golden age where authors and
314
Ibid. p. 9A.
185
speakers spoke the same languageC the obstacles provided formerly by syntax
and foreign phonetics having been removed the translation of thought into
speech and writing became direct and rapid. This event provided an enormous
stimulus to the spread of syncretism already referred to which it would be good
to study.
<;>
It must first of all be remembered that even if there had been belief bases
on pre%udice no religious fanaticism existed either in 3hina or in .ietnam to the
point of provoking bloodshed as has happened in some countries. !urther by
seeking to know the adversary better in order to be in a better position to fight
it the adherents of each camp would have ended by noting existing lacunae in
their doctrine and at the same time the identity of certain apparently
contradictory declarations. !or example the 3onfucianist system while stating
its belief in an all0powerful heaven recogniDes manMs personal responsibility.
Beak indeed are the nuances between its tenets and the "uddhist &arma that
they cannot be reconciled or brought nearer to each other. "esides 3onfucianist
positivism whatever one may say is far too materialistic to satisfy the
aspirations common to all men who in the world is there who does not want to
study the beyond to lift the veil of Safter deathT to Euestion the future and so
many other Euestions to which the #ageMs Teachings provide no answer. The
poets of the old .ietnam were undoubtedly not indifferent to their metaphysical
preoccupations. That is the explanation which appears most plausible to account
for the fusion of thoughts of such different origins and which from the point of
view of application is proof of the widest rationalism and very straitlaced logic
by attributing to each of these religions a sphere of influence which normally
belongs to each. *s a general rule the doctrine of 3onfucius is responsible for
governing earthly affairs ForganiDation and administration of the family society
315
*ccessed at http7//www.phatviet.com/pgvn/"uddhisminvietnam.htm. ,n ;>/A8/9A;9.
186
etc.G and for "uddhism and Taoism together to settle problems of a much higher
order.
True it is that from the point of view of orthodoxy such a mixture is
hardly desirable but viewed from another angle it must be realiDed that it has
produced apart from appeasing the restless spirit beneficial effects on minds and
hearts to say nothing of the fact that it has made it possible for the masses to
understand the elementary ideas which each of the systems in combination
needed to spread on their individual behalf.
<;@
* detailed study of the poems of the period written in S3hu0/omT prose
works which are still very rare will not fail to reveal the brighter side of that
which unsuspecting persons would be tempted to refer to disdainfully as a
doctrinal tangle or an unpardonable heresy. * good example of this is 6IM VAN
6IEU, a masterpiece which en%oys unrivalled popularity because of its lively
musical Euality the beauty of its verse which is incomparable and above all
because of its rich treasure0house of thoughts from noble "uddhist inspiration.
It would be no exaggeration to state that this poem which elaborates a theme
which is akin to the life of the country which has itself achieved much more
than thousands of treatises on morals or philosophy as regards the good fight it
led for the triumph of goodness forgiveness purity of thoughts and loftiness of
ideals. 4ven now a hundred years later and in spite of the attractions of modern
culture it still is for some a sort of encyclopedia of the .ietnamese language or
a sort of literary "ible and for others a civic and moral code and finally for the
whole world a manual of elementary and practical "uddhism. *ccepted by all
social circles loved by men and women eEually, 6IM VAN 6IEU brought and still
brings the light of #alvation to all by drawing attention to the inexorable
&arma0its reactions by extolling interior peace promised to Sthose who root out
passion from their lives by putting men on their guard against evil
316
Ibid.
187
reincarnations if they do evilT. *ll this may seem very commonplaceC but what
it asks and no more is simple minds for which all religions appear to have been
founded.
<;?
In .ietnam "uddhist influence is not limited to the realm of art letters
and philosophy. It inspires the theatre serves as a basis for certain good
customs inspires stories and legends and provides suggestions for popular
songs and proverbs. If "uddhism is the source from which intellectuals Euench
their thirst it is also the breast from which suckles spirits enamored of
spiritualityC it is in its school of wisdom that passion0troubled spirits awakenC it
is the 4nlightenment of its illustrious founder that .ietnam is learning to find
herself to know herselfC finally it is under the roofs of her monasteries that her
devotees meditate devoutly and her unfortunates seek consolation.
"ecause "uddhism is so intimately bound up with the .ietnamese
citiDens existence and daily life it has become a vital necessity.
*s "uddhist way of life Ren "uddhism is a typical product of
intercultural communicationsC it highly praises the capacity of body life to
achieve human happiness. Ren "uddhism had contributed to the term theory
and practice on resolving the problem of human beingMs suffering. 'owever in
general it is impossible to check %i!!#na, 4nlightenment and +iberation on
the side of individual. ,n the other hand it is also a cause of superstition or
misleading because it turns back the responsibility of checking the truth to non0
conception experience.
Ren "uddhism successfully formed examples of life transcending material
and spiritual suffering as salivated ones. !or example transcendental life of Ren
-asters and the name l?en ;asterl is often connected to the name of famous
monks. Their lives are praised as a manner of compassion altruism modesty
317
Ibid.
188
wisdom and transcendence over life and death. Ren -aster is generally
considered as a mirror of controlled mind desire and the stream of thought as
well as internal universe and he could decide the life and death of himself. 'is
life is described as typical religious exams of being super to life and death
being calm and wise at every event or dilemma. 'e should understand the
natural reasonableness of all irrationalities and realiDing good side in bad one
beautiful aspect in ugly thing goodness in evil happiness in suffering etc..
<;8
The consolidation of "uddhist ideology and philosophy took place in
.ietnam only after first century 3.4 through regular visit of renowned monks
from abroad. During that period under the guidance of Indian monks
.ietnamese studied "uddhist sItra and became nuns. * large number of
conversions to "uddhism took place in .ietnam during first century 3.4 after
the visit of able monks and nuns from 3hina who is believed to have some kind
of supernatural powers. The .ietnamese later combined "uddhist philosophy
with the psychology and traditional belief in such a way that it became the part
and parcel of the life of wet rice grower of the (ed (iver Delta and continued
till date. They also gave solid foundation to the "uddhist centre +uy +Nu in such
a way that its importance lasted for centuries. Through "uddhism .ietnamese
also retained their culture under the 3hinese rule. During 3hinese oppressive
rule .ietnamese monks representing intelligentsia in society at that time shared
sympathy and expressed understanding with the people. *gainst the 3hinese
oppressive rule an uprising under the leadership of +ady Tricu broke out in 9=8
3.4 which was successfully suppressed by the 3hinese rule. Under the
umbrella of "uddhism .ietnamese maintained their cultural identity.
<;:
In this chapter a study had been showed that the ideas and images of
"uddhism has left deep impression in the traditions in literature culture with
318
*ccessed at http7//www.crvp.org/seminar/A>0seminar/hoang.htm. ,n ;>/A:/9A;9.
319
*ccessed at http7//www.asthabharati.org/Dias5uly9AA;;/bach.htm. ,n ;@/A:/9A;9.
189
artC architecture and philosophy of .ietnam in history and it will continue to
shine its uniEue essence for the .ietnamese people in particular and humanity in
general in the coming future.


C).,$*- F#1*
VIETNAMESE BHI66HUN7 ORDER AND ITS INFLUENCE ON
VIETNAMESE SOCIETY
#ocial welfare activities done by .ietnamese bhikkhun1s is a professional
activity indented generally at enriching and enhancing individually and group
development or at easing adverse social and economic circumstances. Their
works to provide care for abused or neglected kidsC rehabilitate people with
physical mental or emotional disabilityC and extend financial aid to the
underprivileged and the age. #ocial workers also carries out treatment
counseling and direct0service activities to help those individual both of secular
and ordain with mental and sense disorders to help rehabilitate those with
190
disability or to provide precautionary services. *n attempt to outline their
activities such as7 Borking with the sick in hospitals and hospicesC working with
the prisonersC working with drug addictsC fund0raising for the poor and needyC
raising voice for human rights and against oppressionC compassionate activities
to the welfare of non0human sentient beings etc. that would be worked out in
this chapter.
,verall of this chapter consists of six parts dealing with different social
activities of .ietnamese bhikkhun1. These are as follows7
1. W!-2#%4 3#$) $)* S#02 #% H!",#$./" .%( H!",#0*"
To practice the tenet of compassion no0self altruism selflessness of
.ietnam "uddhism to human0being .ietnamese nuns are working
wholehearted with the sickness of people in hospitals and hospices. Pain is a
sensation of discomfort distress or agony. "ecause pain is uniEue to each
individual a personMs pain cannot truly be evaluated by anyone else. The best
ways done by the nuns which take care for patients that decreasing misery of
unlucky people to bring blessing for them.
$enerally speakingC hospice is a form of health care that is specialiDed to
meet the needs of individuals and families who are facing with a life limiting
illness.
<9A
The focus of hospice is a special kind of caring that provides more
than medical care. 'ospice includes social emotional and spiritual care for
both patients and their families.
The mission of hospice is to enhance the Euality of life for individuals and
their beloved ones touched by a life0limiting illness. Be provide holistic care by
addressing the emotional spiritual and social challenges faced by patients and
320
*ccessed at http7//omegahospicecares.com. ,n @/9/9A;<.
191
their families. ,ur hope for the best is to help individuals live each day with
dignity meaning and purpose.
Take care for the elderly is an important social activity of the
.ietnamese "uddhist Sagha. In a modern society where the average life
expectancy has increased attending to the needs of the elderly is a pertinent
issue. In many countries across the world the system of nursing home Fboth
state and privateG is so developed that it can effectively respond to the needs of
the elderly. In .ietnam the system of nursing home is weak hence woefully
inadeEuate to serve the elderly. *nd because the social needs are increasing
nursing home system of the .ietnamese "uddhist Sagha certainly contributes
towards addressing the problem. The system in fact has contributed to the
reduction of the social burden of the state. * report summariDing the activities of
.ietnamese "uddhism for the period of ;:8@0;::; ;::90;::? and ;::?09AA9
unfortunately offers no statistics. 'owever a summative report of the activities
of the "uddhism covering 9AA909AA? shows that there were 9A nursing homes
in the country that fed ;AAA elderly people. In 'o 3hi -inh 3ity over >AA
elderly people were taken care of by many "uddhist pagodas. In Thya Thidn0
'uk province T_nh abc nursing home cared for @A elderly people while another
pagoda Dicu .idn attended to => elderly people. These two centers spend
around 9>A million ./D a year for their works.
<9;
In the 3entral bhku Dieu Thanh at Tinh Duc bhku Dieu Dam at
Dieu .ien pagoda they founded *ssociation of 3harity. .ietnamese "uddhists
women provide assistance and support to those who are suffering from serious
or life acute pain illness throughout the association area. *ll ma%or hospitals and
hospices are visited by bhku of .ietnam combine volunteer memberships.
This association also provides a home visitation service to anyone reEuesting
this service. Bhkus and members provide guidance and instruction in
321
*venue report of 'ue "uddhist #agha 9AA8.
192
meditation methods Fcontenting various healing practicesG to people in their
homes hospices or hospitals. They also give a hand in other ways such as hurt
alleviate preparation for bereavement and anguish counseling.
3urrently the association is attempting to establish a live0in hospice shelt
er centre in the area in order to provide more intensive assistance to those who
might benefit from such an opportunity. Diverse fund0raising activities are
taking place in order to realiDe this target. *nyone who is interested or who
wishes to assist in establishing this centre can gain more information from
Bhku Sagha.
The teachings of +ord "uddha of crucial doctrine birth old sickness and
death are elements of the reality of human existence. In particular our attitude
towards dying and death create a great deal of difference to the way in which we
experience them. The association of hospice service offers training so that each
of us can arrange for our own health.
The hospices were freEuently found inside or nearly monasteries
established not only for the sick and dying but also for the hungry0streets the
women of accident at work the needy poor the orphan and the leper. The goal
was hospitality in its true sense protection refreshment and fellowship rather
than the demand for a cure malignancy and compassion hospitalC *t the hospital
for sickness children palliative care for children and families is a special type of
care that tries to prevent relieve reduce or soothe the symptoms that go along
with serious medical conditions or their treatment. 4dulcorate of painful is also
about helping children and families maintain a well Euality of life.
4dulcoration was a special type of take care that includes physical
emotional spiritual and practical care for miserable patients with
a life threatening condition and their families. Palliative care is available to
children and their families from the time of a serious diagnosis through the
193
illness %ourney during a childMs end of life and during the familyMs grieving.
The doctors and "uddhist nuns who study of diagnosis provide counselling
medication the sacrament of reconciliation and charity towards the patients in
hospitals and health centres contribute to the improvement of the physical
psychological and spiritual conditions of the patientsC taking care of and
"uddhist nuns accompanying of the sick people and their families which is
done through the specific programmes for psycho0social and health care
assistance caring for orphans widows people in institutions of detention and
social reinstatement.
,n the other hand to maintain and continue the traditions initiated by the
$reat -edicine -an0Rhen (everend Tuc TPnh intensive efforts were made in
implementing the guidelines of .ietnam "uddhist Sagha (."#G 3entral "oard
on the establishment of Tuc TPnh 3linic FTT3sG system throughout the country
with a view to 3ser"ing all li"ing !eings means -orshi''ing Lord Buddha,4
thus resulting in the extensive development of TT3s system nation0wide.
#tatistics from the 3entral 3harity Division of ."# reveals that currently
there are about ;9@ TT3s and ;;> traditional medicinal dispensaries and
acupuncture venues operating efficiently throughout the country. -ost
remarkable are the training classes on Traditional -edicine by 'anoi 3ity
"uddhist #ociety TT3s of Ph]p 'oa and T_nh Z] pagodas in 'o 3hi -inh
3ity Dicu ak pagoda in Thya Thidn0'uk and in many other cities. These
entities examine and deliver drugs to thousands of patients not to mention that
their service is worth hundreds of millions of ./D. In the period from ;::? to
9AA9 their service was worth : billion ./D and in the period from 9AA9 to
9AA? it increased to <> billion ./D Faqng /ai7 ;;.:9;.:>@.AAA ./DC 'o
3hi -inh 3ity @ billion ./D and 'uk city <.8>9.<<?.:9A ./DG.
<99
322
(eports from .ietnamese "uddhist 3onference I. ..
194
The 3entral 3harity Division of ."# has trained 9>A monks and nuns to
complete 4lementary level in 'ealth 3are and :8 traditional apothecaries for
TT3s in order to improve the effectiveness sick of healthcare service and share
the burden with people and the society as "uddhism has taught them.
<9<
To sum up nuns help or take care of patients and others diseased
wherever one can according to their reEuirements that true expression of
compassion and kindness. "uddhist nuns of .ietnam and association hospice
and hospital service aim to offer this gift of affection and love friendship and
emotional and spiritual support to those individuals and their families who are
facing life0threatening illness to the fading to those who have died and to those
who are left mournful. Thus at hospice and hospital .ietnamese nuns strive to
improve the Euality of life and to make the most of each day. It is important to
us that each of those days is filled with dignity and comfort.
#ocially welfare work of "uddhism in the humankind has taken many
paths as "uddhists seek to apply the ancient teachings to the challenges of
modern life.
<9=
,ne such path monk nun)s services and related officers in the
criminal %ustice system has its roots in the canonical and historical foundations
of the "uddhist tradition.
4arly texts and later commentaries are replete with reference to the
efficacy of the Dhamma the teachings of the "uddha in overcoming harmful
behavior rooted in the three poisons of greed hatred and delusion indeed the
greatest "uddhist saints are often those who began with the greatest
323
(eports from .ietnamese "uddhist 3onference ..
324
Damien &eown Buddhism: 2 "ery Short =ntroduction F /ew Hork7 ,xford University Press ;::@G p. ;<A
195
defilements.
<9>
"y their wisdom have converted bad0man became personal
honest loyal that will be analyses below.
2. W!-2#%4 3#$) $)* P-#"!%*-"
The "uddhist scriptures relate that one day after his meal the "uddha
went out from the monastery where he was staying and walked towards a great
forest. #eeing him going in that direction various people working in their fields
called out to him to warn him that in that forest dwelt the dreaded *gulim2la.
+ittle is known for certain about *gulim2la but the usual account of his
life has him the son of a well to do family and at one time a brilliant student at
the University of Taxila then the ,xbridge of India.
*t Taxila other students were %ealous of him and succeeded in poisoning
their teacher)s mind against him with the result that the teacher asked of him
what he must have believed would be an impossible honorarium a thousand
human right0hand little fingers. Unbelievably instead of giving up and Euietly
going home without graduating the young man set out to collect the fingers and
pay the fee. Presumably he Euickly discovered that people were reluctant to
willingly give up their little fingers and so he was forced to resort to violence
and killing in order to obtain them.
Then he found he had nowhere to store these fingers. 'e tried hanging
them on a tree but the birds stole them so his solution was to string them around
his neck. !or this gruesome and growing garland of bloody fingers he was
nicknamed *gulim2la which means finger garland) or finger necklace).
325
(eginald *. (ay 3$he $em'tress and the ;onk,4 in #amuel "ercholD and #herab 3hodDin &ohn FedsGC
entering the stream7 *n introduction to the "uddha and his Teachings F/ew Hork7 ,xford University Press
;::<G pp. 9>:0@@ G
196
This was the man who peering out from his lair spotted the "uddha
coming towards him and who that day had round his neck nine hundred and
ninety0nine little fingers. This powerful and athletic serial killer who had
already successfully resisted several attempts to apprehend him grabbed his
weapons and dashed out to murder the "uddha and complete his score.
'e expected to easily overtake him and Euickly finish the %ob but then a
very strange thing happened even though the "uddha was only walking serene
and unhurried *gulim2la despite his formidable strength and speed found he
couldn)t catch up with him. 4ventually exhausted angry frustrated and soaked
with sweat *gulim2la screamed at the "uddha to stop.
Then the "uddha turned and with neither anger nor fear speaking Euietly
and directly he told *gulim2la that he the "uddha had already stopped. 'e
had stopped killing and harming and now it was time for him *gulim2la to
do likewise. *gulim2la was so struck by these words that there and then he
stoppedC he threw away his weapons and followed the "uddha back to the
monastery where he became a loyal ascetic monk.
+ater the &ing ignorant of what had happened came by leading his
troops out to arrest *gulim2la. "eing a very pious monarch he called to pay
his respects to the "uddha and to inform him of what he was up to. The "uddha
asked the &ing what his reaction would be were he to discover that amongst this
assembly of monks sat *gulim2la.
To the &ing it was utterly unbelievable that such a foul and evil person
could now be a "uddhist monk and seated amongst such exalted company but
were it the case he answered he would certainly pay his respects and make
offerings. Then the "uddha stretched forth his right hand and pointing
announced that there sat *gulim2la.
197
Bhen he had mastered his fear and recovered from the shock the &ing
having paid his respects said to the "uddha how incredible it was that SBhat
we have tried to do by force and with weapons you have done with neither force
nor weaponsT In the course of time after a period of some trial to himself
*gulim2la did eventually succeed in purging his mind of all greed hatred and
delusion and realiDed for himself the "uddhist goal of 4nlightenment.
The story of *gulim2la teaches us that the possibility of enlightenment
may be awakened in the most extreme of circumstances that people can and do
change and that people are best influenced by persuasion it.
The world came to a halt. The silent traveler stopped turned slowly and
like a compassionate father to this prodigal son spoke. SI have stopped
*gulim2la you stop too.T
<9@
Thus begins the story of the "uddha)s disciple was *gulim2la. 'e is
converted to the Dhamma by the simple words and powerful presence of the
'oly ,ne. 'e awakens to the interdependent nature of reality. *gulim2la
repents grows in wisdom and reaps the fruit of his karma. 'e is steadfast and
finally attains the Way of Li!eration.
This tale "uddhist scripture is the first evidence of a relationship between
the Dhamma and those who commit offences against society. *gulim2la was
later instructed by the "uddha to save a woman in painful childbirth for whom
*gulim2la had felt great compassion by telling the truth about his /oble "irth
FordinationG. The woman and child lived and henceforth *gulim2la had less
difficulty in his alms0rounds collecting food from a still0wary populace.
<9?
'e
326
!or a blend of story and scripture see 'ellmuth 'ecker *gulim2la: 2 ;uddererIs Road to Sainthood
F&andy #ri +anka7 "uddhist Publication #ociety ;:8=GC for scripture see the section on the *gulim2la #utta in
"hikkhu "obhi F4dGC The -iddle +ength Discourses of the "uddha F"oston7 Bisdom Publication ;::@G pp.
?;A0;?.
327
The stories are found in 'ecker *gulim2la pp. ;@0;?.
198
was pelted with stones but was told by of karma that he might otherwise have
experienced in millennial in hell.
<98
'e became an arahant, a noble one assured
of enlightenment. 'is story inspires both prisoners and "uddhists involved in
the criminal %ustice system today as exemplified.
*gulim2la)s tale was taken an early source in the P2li scriptures known
as the middle length sayings. 4lsewhere #h2kyamuni points to poverty as one of
the causes of immorality and crime. 'e teaches that trying to hold back water
with a dam. The barrier may temporarily and the dam will break. #h2kyamuni
teaches that in order to eradicate crime the economic conditions that cause it
should be removed.
<9:
-any of the verses in the Dhamma'ada A$he +ath of ;oralityD contain
admonitions against killing and anger. *ll beings tremble before danger all fear
death. Bhen a man considers this he does not kill or cause to killT F.. ;9:GC
SBatch for anger of the body7 let the body be self0controlled. 'urt not with the
body but use your body well.TF.. 9<;G.
<<A
*nger and killing remains central
themes in "uddhist ethical texts up to the most recent writings today.
The edicts of the Indian "uddhist 4mperor *Joka Fthird century "34G
contain specific instruction for reducing violence and revenge against humans
and animals possible a reaction to his own remorse at causing the slaughter of
over one hundred thousand in the battle of &alinga. +egend has it that a beggar
stepping out of a blood red river while holding a dead child asks mighty &ing
you are able to take so many thousands of lives. #urely you can give back one
life to this dead childQT 3apital punishment was not abolished in *Joka)s edicts
though the condemned were granted three days to meditate in order to gain the
328
Ibid. p.;:
329
Philip & 4rdmann 1oung 'eo'leIs =ntroduction to Buddhism #an !rancisco 3*C "uddhist 3hurches of
*merica ;::@G pp. ;0;A.
330
The Dhamma'ada, trans. 5uan -ascaro F/ew Hork7 Penguin "ooks ;:?<G pp. >= @:.
199
next world and for relatives to appeal the sentence an unprecedented procedure
FPillar Inscription 4dict I.G.
<<;
The great Indian "uddhist philosopher /2g2r%una Fsecond century 3.4.G
wrote in his 5ewel $arland of (oyal 3ouncils specific instructions to his
student &ing Udayi on how to deal with the problem of crime.
<<9
'e exhorted
the &ing to institute the following mandates a compassionate social welfare
system to keep people from being driven to crime of desperationC a reasonable
well0educational virtuous and experienced %ustice systemC and the abolition of
capital punishment as the taking of one life should not be followed by taking
another. "anishment is recommended even for Sthose murderers whose sins are
horribleCT criminals should be treated nonviolently like wayward sons who may
eventually be rehabilitated.
<<<
*shvaghosha discusses the means for overcoming lures to criminal or
harmful behavior mindfulness meditation7 S'e who has established
mindfulness as a guard at the doors of his mind can not be overpowered by the
passions as a well0guarded city cannot be conEuered by the enemy *ttracted
by evil are men and upon their own true weal they turn their backC regarding
the perils that are so close to them they feel no apprehension all that is due to
lack of mindfulness.T
<<=
The Bodhichaya"atara A@uide to the Bodhisatt"a Way of LifeD of
#hantideva a "uddhist master at the monastic University of /alanda India in
the 8
th
centuryC contains these thoughts7 S*bandon evil doing practice virtue
331
.incent *. #mith *soka7 $he Buddhist Em'eror of =ndia 9
nd
ed. FDelhi7 # 3hand K 3o. ;:@=G p. ;8@.
332
5effrey 'opkins $he +recious @arland F+ondon7 *llen and Unwin ;:?>G.
333
!or a more detailed discussion of sources dealing with the death penalty see Damien 'origan 32 Buddhist
+ers'ecti"e on the Death +enalty,4 in $urning Wheel Fwinter ;:::G7pp. ;@0;:.
334
/yanaponika Thera $he Beart of Buddhist ;editation7 * 'andbook of -enial Training "ased on the
"uddha)s Bay of -indfulness F/ew Hork7 3itadel Press ;:@9G p. ;:>.
200
and subdue your mind.T
<<>
*nger and the results of anger are also touched on7
/o evil is there similar to hatredT In his commentary Dalai +ama notes S*s a
destructive force there is nothing at strong as anger.T
<<@
The .a%ray2na a tradition of Tibet includes stories of the convention of
humans and transcendental beings helpers on the higher path to tantric
realiDation. The famous saint -ilarepa F;A=A0;;9<G had been a sorcerer but
sought the transformative teachings of the Dhamma after his magic killed thirty0
five of his own relatives. *fter many ordeals he became a perfectly enlightened
adept traveling and teaching thousand of people.
<<?
-ahakala the meditation deity was converted from the demonic realm by
the enlightened personifications of wisdom and compassion and was then
called into service as a protector of the Dhamma.
<<8
The fierce +hamo also
originally a hostile demon is the female aspect of -ahakala and likewise a
guardian of the Dhamma. #he is also a special protector of the Dalai +amas.
<<:
The Ren tradition whose masters were often reformers is filled with
records and stories of criminal behavior. #engai F;?>A0;8<8G
<=A
deliberately
committed an offense for which a gardener had %ust been condemned to death
damaging the lord)s priDed chrysanthemums. *ppearing at the castle the next
day #engai declared7 SI have cut down all the plants so
please have I killed. "ut which is more important the lives of humans or
335
TenDin $yatso the !ourteenth Dalai +ama 2 )lash of Lighting in the Dark %ight: $uide to the
"odhisattva)s Bay of +ife F"oston7 #hambhala Publications ;::=G p. <.
336
Ibid p. >9.
337
(obert *.!. Thurman Essential $i!etan Buddhism F4dison /57 3astle "ooks ;::?G pp. 980<;.
338
5ohn "lofeld $he $antric ;ysticism of $i!et F/ew Hork7 *rkana Press ;::9G pp. =A0=<.
339
Thurman Essential $i!etan Buddhism p. <;@. +hamo was featured in the movie &undun when the young
Dalai +ama frightened one night in his room asks of the fierce figure on the wall is real K his monk
companion replied that yes she is.
340
Philip &apleau, ?en: Da-n in the -est F$ander 3ity /H7 *nchor / Doubleday ;:?:G p. 9;=.
201
flowersQT Upon reflecting on this the lord released #engai took measurers to
help local farmers and also gave him a favorite plum tree.
<=;
The following few simple tales told by famous masters illustrate the
general attitude of the historical Ren community toward those who commit
crimes.
Shichiri7 * criminal sneaks into a temple and threatens the master #hichiri.
The master does not resist but instead offers the thief all that he has. 'e points
out to the thief that he should say Sthank youT for the gifts he has been given. *
little later the thief is apprehended and when they confront him with the master
#hichiri says that no criminal has been committed and that the items taken were
given freely as gifts. S+aying down his butcher)s knife the thief became a
"uddha.T *fter he had finished his prison term the man went to #hichiri and
became his disciple.
<=9
Bankei7 * criminal is taken into the monastery. Items begin to disappear
and the community appeals to the master to remove the thief "ankei weeps and
says that all may leave if they wish but that he cannot turn the thief out. If he
re%ects him now who will accept himQ Bith that the thief confesses suddenly
understanding the nature of right and wrong.
<=<
Daigan7 ,ne night while the master is reading in his study a thief enters
the room and threatens him. Daigan givens the thief all that he has and as the
thief beats a hasty retreat the master stops him with a shout SBhen you leave
please shut the door to keep out the crooksT Bith these words the thief is
awakened.
341
#tephen *ddis, $he 2rt of ?en F/ew Hork7 'arry /. *brams ;:8:G p. ;?8.
342
Paul (eps Fed.G ?en )lesh, ?en Bones: 2 Collection of ?en and +re(?en Writings F/ew Hork7 *nchor
"ooks n.d.G p. =;.
343
Ibid. pp. =;0=9.
202
Ryokan: ,ne day a thief entered the hut of the master but he discovered
that there was nothing of value to steal. (yokan insists that he should not go
home empty0handed and offers him the coat off his back. The thief runs off into
the night leaving the master to lament. SPoor man if only I could offer him the
moon as well.T
<==
(yokan also wrote in direct reflection on these events7
-y RaDen platform my cushion they made off with both.
Thieves break into my grass hut but who dares stop them.
*ll night I sit alone by the dark window
#oft rain pattering on the bamboo grove.
<=>
The #hin tradition also contains directly relevant writings. It teaches self0
acceptance and the notion that we are saved as we are wars and all.
<=@
#hinran
had a response to those disciples who felt this allowed them to commit evil
deliberately as they were saved by the vow of *mit2bha "uddha. Do not take a
liking to poison %ust because there is an antidotal.
<=?
Pass these compilations while by no means exhaustive is foundational
to understanding the general attitude of the "uddhist community for the first
two millennia crime was understood to be the result of the three poisons
Fdelusion hatred and greedG manifested in social malaise. !rom an absolute
view criminal were no worse than anyone else blinded by delusion hatred and
greed. 'owever a considerable amount of attention was paid to the relative
nature of the crime and it appears to be general mind of the early Sagha to
344
Ibid. p. ;9.
345
"urton Batson trans. (yokan7 ?en ;onk( +oet of 5a'an, /ew Hork7 3olumbia University Press ;:?? p.
8=.
346
5ohn #nelling $he Elements of Buddhism F#haftsbury U.&7 4lement ;::AG p. ;;9.
347
&enneth &. Tanaka SConcern for ,thers in +ure Land Soteriological and Ethical Considerations7 * 3ase of
5ogyo dashi in 5odo #hinshu "uddhismT in &enneth &. Tanaka and 4isho /asu F4ds.G 4ngaged Pure +and
"uddhism7 3hallenges !acing 5odo #hinshu 3ontemporary Borld #tudies in 'anoi of Professor *lbert "loom
F"erkeley 3*7 Bisdom ,cean Publications ;::8G p. ;;A.
203
teach socio0economic ineEuities as the cause of most criminal activity.
<=8
3apital
punishment and tortuous imprisonment were anathema to the first precept not to
kill. *mong argument can be made that a compassionate attitude toward
criminals was advocated. 'ow this was actually embodied is more difficult to
ascertain. 3ertainly &ing *Joka and .en. /2g2r%una advised the banishment of
violent criminal Fone of course wonders how this was accepted by the
neighboring kingdomG while Ren communities of 3hina mirrored the 3hristian
monasteries of medieval 4urope often taking in the outcast and banished.
,therwise .ietnam today "uddhist engagement has entered into prison
recently monks and nuns were permission of governmentC they were invited to
give "uddhist of Dhamma talks to prisoners in %ails in .ietnam.
<=:
It has been occurred that .en. Thich /hat Tu and bhku 'ue Tu and
other bhku shared with topics such as7 Poor and (ich ,vercome of !ate the
!reedom of Inner "lessing in 'and etc... Dhamma Talk at 3entral of #ociety
#ponsor TNn 'icp "nh Phfc "en Tre "inh Duong and "a (ia .ung Tau
city from 9AA@09A;9.
+ife in prison is incredibly stressful. *n inmate is freEuently cut off from
friends and family thrust amongst people who may be exploitative or abusive
and sub%ect to a regime where he has little or no control over his life prison life
is often feeling lonely boring etc. Prison life can be filled with arbitrary and
petty mistreatment. Inmates on the way to groups may be asked by a prison
officer where they are going and when they report that they)re on the way to
the meditation group they)re told falsely that it)s been cancelled. This kind of
thing happens to inmates all the time and creates a sense of frustration and
distress.
348
&onchog $yalten7 =n Search of Stainless 2m!rosia FIthaca /ew Hork7 #now +ion Publications ;:8:G p. >=.
349
*ccessed at http7//buddhistcelebrities.blogspot.in/9A;A/;A/buddhism0for0prisoners.html. ,n ?/=/9A;<.
204
*t the same time inmates have an opportunity to pause and to look at their
lives7 to ask the Euestions how did I end up hereQ *nd where did I go wrongQ
*nd perhaps most importantly how can I changeQ This brings some inmates to
explore religion and spirituality including spiritual paths that are so new to
them. -any become attracted to the idea of learning meditation techniEues that
can help them to cope with the stresses of prison life and to bring about positive
character changes.
<>A
#ome of us who follow the "uddhist path are moved to go into prisons in
order to make available the powerful tools for transformation that they have
seen working in our own lives. Be try as best we can to put compassion into
action and to work for the welfare of the many.
#hare in prison has been one of the most rewarding things that they have
ever done in them life. It)s brought them into contact with some extraordinary
men who show a degree of compassion intelligence patience kindness and
good humor in the face of adversity that freEuently puts them to shame but more
often inspires to practice more seriously them self.
It)s been an enlightening experience to discover that a person is not
defined by the worst thing he has done in his/her life. * person may commit a
horrific crime and still have the potential to do great good.
Be have known inmates who have as a result of their meditation practice
move from being violent street fighters to gentle protectors of weaker prisoners.
Be have seen inmates develop an extraordinary amount of patience with
exceedingly trying circumstances. Be have seen seemingly macho men show a
tender concern for others. In short we have seen people who have committed
350
*ccessed at http7//dharmaEuest.bffct.net/. ,n >/8/9A;9
205
some of the most serious crimes possible people that some might describe as
animals or beyond hope becoming better people.
In order to carry out this mission the "uddhist fellowship uses the
successful courses from our affiliated educational organiDation the courses run
seEuentially starting with be free where you are a small booklet that tells how
to be free even behind walls each of short verse Dhamma'ada, but full
significant and concise. The courses create the environment to let the
transformative +ight of ,ther Power shine forth and to help prisoners develop
the spiritual tools and life skills that can increase their chances to become
fruitful citiDens in and outside the correctional system.
<>;
*fter prisoners are released the fellowship continues to help them walk
the lay "uddhist path while facing the stigma and challenges of the outside
world. In this phase our mission freely offers spiritual support to fellowship
members by helping them maintain and grow faith and practice with the goal of
preventing relapse. The importance of an instructor that nuns are paramount to
successfully walking the "uddha)s path in the spirit of the Pure +and tradition
prisoners are given a Dealous helper good spiritual friend who serves as a
trusted guide and contact who gives compassionate support and assists in
promoting the inner spiritual of religious growth of the prisoner.
Their mission is to be a catalyst for spiritual healing and transformation
through the power of great compassion as conveyed by the "uddhist teachings
and practices. ,ur officer assists incarcerated men and women to uncover their
inner potential of understanding and compassion through the +ight of $reat
3ompassion and also to give them the support in handling the spiritual struggles
<>;
*ccessedathttp7//www.wildmind.org/applied/meditation0in0prisons/why0teach0meditation0in0prison.,n
8/>/9A;<
206
and challenges of prison life as well as their eventual release into the
community.
In this part a discussion have shown that nuns do as fellowships works
with incarcerated men and women throughout the detention center so that they
may understand the deep roots of their suffering and resulting choices and to
experience the transformative light of the great compassion and love that
ceaselessly seeks to liberate all of them. This light is not of our own design but
is the graceful and liberating light of vast kindness symboliDed by *mit2bha
"uddha through exposure to the teachings and deep listening to the light
within prisoners will be enabled to cope with the challenges of incarceration
and be better prepared for release back into the community so that they think
act and live in a new life from their authentic self for the benefit of all sentient
beings.
8. W!-2#%4 3#$) D-'4 A((#0$"
*ddiction in "uddhism is directly related to the concept of Dukkha or
#uffering.
<>9
*n important lesson to learn from this law is that non0attachment
Fto things ideas and feelingsG are very important in order to transcend suffering.
#uffering or dissatisfaction is part of our human experience. Dukkha is
one of those words that do not translate easily. -ost translators use the word
suffering to explain the meaning of Dukkha but it not really appropriate. There
are actually three kinds of Dukkha.
<><
*ttachment to things concepts
352
*ccessed at http7//www.%apanese0buddhism.com/addiction.html. ,n ;A/9/9A;<
<><
;G Physical and mental pain and suffering Fpain induced by a cancer or the suffering of a mother who lost her
childG 9G Impermanence or change brings dissatisfaction. Bhen we are happy we usually donMt feel pain or
suffering yet happiness is an impermanent state and it will bring dissatisfaction when it will fade. This
dissatisfaction is part of a longing for another state of mind.<G 3onditioned states. This one is a little trickier to
understand. 4ach being are attached to five lstatesl7 -atter Fbrings greedGC #ensations Fbring dependenceGC
Perceptions Fbrings inflexibilityGC -ental !ormations Fbrings close0mindednessGC 3onsciousness Fbrings
selfishnessG
207
experiences sensations and states of beings are all attachments and are
counterproductive in your Euest for the end of suffering. To put it simply in
"uddhism as humans we are always categoriDing our various experiences as
one of two things7 desire FcravingG or hatred. It would be similar to the concepts
of pleasure and pain in modern psychology and in the therapy.
If we understand this we can explain why an addict will crave his fix
FcravingG when he has problems at work or at home FrepulsionG. The pain of
dealing with the problem seems bigger than the pain of hurting oneself with
substances that will alter your mind and hurt you and your loved ones.
*s long as the addict will see it this way it will be difficult to control the
addiction.
*ddiction is a catch all term for a complex behavioral disorder. The most
obvious symptom is that addicts reach a point where they cannot control their
own actions. 4ven when they can see the harm they continue the compulsive
behavior. The inability to stop more than any other attribute explains
addiction.
<>=
!or this reason addiction was first described as a failure of will power.
Be now know this is incorrect. *ddiction is a real disease with psychological
genetic and psychosocial aspects. It is not a character flaw or a failure of
morality. There are actual changes that occur in the brains of addicts and
treatments for addiction must address the biology behind the behavior.
<>>
In "uddhism any one there is also present good and evil. There are only
productive and counter0productive behaviors toward your goal of ending
suffering for yourself and other sentient beings.
<>=
*ccessed at http7//www.myaddiction.com/education/articles/whatsissaddiction.html. ,n :/9/9A;<
355
Ibid.
208
This being said the "uddha gave us the 4ightfold Paths as a guide to
attain our main goal the end of suffering or in this case addiction. In it he
mentions some precepts that demonstrate that any mind0altering substances
should be avoided as they are working against our efforts to attain nrvaa. ,ne
of them is the Right ;indfulness. This is being aware at all time of what our
body and mind is feeling needing doing.
Bhen we are taking drugs alcohol or even watch television we numb our
mind and even our body which stops the painful feelings. In this scenario Right
;indfulness is not observed.
Right 2ction means we should act in a way as to not hurt ourselves or
others. It includes not taking lives not stealing not engaging in sexual
misconducts and by extension not taking substances that destroy our health.
Tobaccos drugs and foods in excess all endanger our health even if it is a very
slow process. Dangerous activities that endanger our safety or the safety of
others like drunk driving arson fighting and street racing are all dangerous
behaviors.
"uddhism provides the seeker with mental calm and development when
the mind is developed the body functions well. Bhen the mind is weak the
body is also weak. 4verything depends on one)s earnings. Physicians agree that
a pure mind cleanses the blood and as a result the body strengthens its immune
system. *ffluent or unfortunate there can be problems with addiction to any
number of things7 drugs gambling eating disorders a bad debted and other
sense stimulus that source chaos with one)s life.
<>@

Be are talking about addictions here but you have to understand that there
are many types of addiction and not all of them are recogniDed. Be all consider
addictions like alcoholism heroin illegal and legal drugs gambling to be highly
356
Thich /hat 'anh the Beart of &nderstanding F"erkeley 3*7 Parallax Press ;:88G pp. <0>.
209
destructive. Bhat about television the internet video games sex work
shopping chocolate and other foods love co0dependency %unk collecting or
even exercisingQ *ll these activities when done pass a certain level are also
addictions.
The addiction overshadows the intelligence of self and the sense of
pleasure is twisted to the point that it can only come through the addictive
behavior. Thus addicts lose control of their lives and surrender to Dukkha
craving and angry.
Bhen Euestioned addicts often deny any problems or when aware of it
will often blame it on external factors on what other people have done to them
or what life has given them For failed toG. In this case it is important to explain
the concept of karma to them.
$ladly addictions can be helped. It is never easy and instantaneous but
neither is life. There are many ways to control addictions and many
rehabilitation systems use of teachings of "uddhism and meditation as tools to
get a grip back on our lives and fight the addiction.
<>?

*ddiction doesn)t merely affect the person ill0treatment drugs or alcohol
but also the people closest to them. The addiction will begin to flood their every
thoughts and movement causing the addict to neglect family responsibilities
and they might not be able to support their loved ones any longer. *ddiction
recovery gives addicts the opportunity to rebuild any bridges that were broken
and to regain the role he/she once had in the household.
<>8
Bhen someone is addicted to drugs and alcohol they will often
experience a variety of mood swings7 happiness sadness depressed or even
357
*ccessed at http7//www.%apanese0buddhism.com/addiction.htmlI/.. ,n 9?/8/9A;9
358
*ccessed at http7//www.drugaddictionadvice.co.Da/the0benefits0of0recovery0from0addiction. ,n ?/=/9A;<.
210
excited. *ddiction recovery helps in regulating any mood swings that might be
experienced making them more approachable to others.
*ddiction is a type of brain disease that affects the way addicts think and
perceive the world around them. -emory loss may also be experienced by
addicts as they won)t be able to remember what they did or said while under the
influence of a narcotic substance. *ddiction recovery treatment gives addicts
the opportunity to regain their memory and to see the world in a fresh light.
*ddiction puts the lives of everyone around the addict at risk not %ust
their own. *ddicts may engage in illegal activity such as drunk driving stealing
violence abuse and may even think about committing suicide when things get
too much. *ddiction recovery gives addict the opportunity not only to save their
lives but also the safety and well0being of the people around them.
<>:

In the recent of decades therefore .ietnamese "uddhist nuns and monks
who have helped for drug addictions that the spiritual practices of "uddhism
can reduce the suffering of people from all walks of life regardless of race
religion or creed. "y introducing concepts such as the teachings of "uddhism
can benefit people struggling with addiction and its proponents suggest that
addiction is a universal condition7 problems with drugs and alcohol are simply
different symptoms of the same condition or an extreme example of what
lengths people will take to avoid suffering.
'elping addicts become sober by confiscating the drug of choice and
providing a spiritual path they rarely delve deep into what causes people to
suffer in the first place. The integration of "uddhism with the traditional process
provides the wisdom and meditations that can help addicts truly find a deep
spiritual liberation from all causes and conditions of suffering in order to it
better improver. #o the heart of the "uddhist path is the practice of meditation.
359
Ibid.
211
The development of mindfulness and awareness is an essential foundation for
both understanding ourselves and working with others. In this context
meditation practice is seen as a kind of drug or as a way of removing ourselves
from the harsh realities of life. *nd so in the 9AA@ 9A;9 .en. Thich /hat Tu
and bhku 'ue Tu have entered detoxification center used "uddhism of
teachings to delivered analysis very with awareness for drug addictions
handicapped 'I. F'uman Immunodeficiency .irusG etc...They have
commitment worked to show peril of involvement into drug addictions and used
most practical way to remedy them. 'ope them have opportunity in order to
integrate with community.
<@A
*dditionally 3enters for 3ounseling and 3are to People +iving with
'I./*ID# FP+B'*G the main risk behaviours are pan0sexualism and drug
addiction then poverty urbanisation unemployment mobility immigration and
mass media are ma%or contributing factors in the rampant of the disease. (un
away every form of exclusion discrimination and stigmatisation of people who
are 'I. positive or *ID# patients accepting them fraternally in the families
society and the .ietnamese Sagha community of which they are full members
with rights. "uddhist nuns of spiritualness assist and accompany those
afflictions by 'I./*ID# and their families especially those in institutions of
forced detention so that they do not lack the spiritual support and especially the
sacraments that they need in this particular moment of their life.
In keeping with the spirit of life engagement .ietnamese "uddhism nuns
have contributed likewise to solve a number of social issues. 5oining hand in
hand with the entire humankind in the prevention of the century pandemic
'I./*ID# drug addicts and consoling the unfortunate infected victims
<@A
*ccessed at http7//tusachphathoc.com/phapam/Index Detention and 3enter #ociety of #ponsor .htm
212
.ietnam "uddhism has established many institutions that care for P+B'* and
has also opened counseling centers on 'I./*ID#.
<@;
In 'anoi Ph]p .Nn pagoda in 'oang -ai district and "o De pagoda in
$ia +Nm district are centers where P+B'* are given good care. 'fgng #en
3ounseling 3enter on 'I. initiated by .en. Thanh 'uNn of Ph]p .Nn pagoda
'oang -ai district is one of the first among all the pagodas to offer
counseling and care to P+B'*. ,n -arch 9= 9AA= the 'anoi city "uddhist
#ociety opened a community venue for counseling assistance and care to
P+B'* in Ph]p .Nn pagoda 'oang -ai district. The center is served by ;A
counselors including @ monks 9 P+B'* and 9 volunteers. This was the result
of the efforts by .en. Thanh 'uNn and others. 4ighteen months earlier he had
met the P+B'*s and their families and having witnessed old people breaking
down at the loss of their children children losing their parents or spouses
losing each other and community stigma against P+B'* he and other monks
nuns decided to gather and find out ways to help them.
<@9
#ix months prior to its establishment the Ph]p .Nn pagoda had served as
the meeting venue for >A P+B'*. The monks nuns and volunteers had paid
several visits there given out gifts and encouragement to those who were under
hospital treatment and provided educational aid to four children of P+B'*
F;AAAAA./D/ month eachG. * reading room was also opened to disseminate
'I./*ID#0related information and impart knowledge to the pagoda)s visitors as
well as "uddhist followers. In order to offer more extensive assistance .en.
Thanh 'uNn proposed to open a counseling office for the 3ity "uddhist #ociety
which was eventually approved. The office focuses on intensification of
counseling the families of P+B'* to tackle the situation paying visits
providing assistance inviting apothecaries to advise on traditional medicinal
361
362
(eport of .en. Thich Thanh 'uNn Ph]p .Nn pagoda.
213
recipes and remedies so that they can maintain their health treat and prevent
opportunistic infectious diseases. The office also intends to help in income0
generating activities for P+B'*. "o De pagoda in $ia +Nm district 'anoi
managed by bhku aXm +an sister of .en. Thanh 'uNn also takes care of
'I./*ID#0infected children.
<@<
*part from these the .ietnam "uddhist *cademy in 'o 3hi -inh 3ity is
one of the effective counseling centers on 'I./*ID# partly funded by foreign
assistance. The main activities of the 3enter include giving advice to P+B'*
and community in order to help them understand the disease they are suffering
from and how they can integrate themselves with the community and in
effectively communicating to eliminate the existing stigma in the community
against P+B'*. The 9AA8 (eport of the "oard for (eceiving and 3oordination
of 'I./*ID# Prevention Pro%ects can provide specific figures on the 3enter)s
activities.
<@=
Hoga and !itness 3lubs at &i Uuang II Pagoda the !itness 3lub is one
of its social charity organiDations which started in 5anuary 9AA? and has
gradually evolved into a stable operation. The members of the 3lub mostly
consists of people who are facing difficulties whose relatives are being
detoxified women somehow involved in sex industry earlier released
prisoners and P+B'* themselves. They participate in regular activities of
the 3lub such as exercises talk shows and discussions Fevery #undayG or
provide mutual help to overcome the difficulties.
<@>
In response to the SPost0DetoxT program on ;< *pril 9AA8 the 3lub
organiDed 5ob Day to help the members to find %ob or gathered them to work in
363
.en. Thich Thanh 'uNn and /un Th`ch aXm +an interview with the author 'anoi December 9AA8.
364
(eport of .ietnamese "uddhist *cademy in 'o 3hi -inh 3ity the "oard for receiving and 3oordination of
'I./*ID# Prevention Pro%ects.
365
*nnual (eview (eport of .en. Thich Tuc TNm on Charity 2cti"ities 9AA8.
214
incense production in the district. In 9AA8 alone <9AAAAA incense sticks were
produced generating 9@@>AAAA./D as profit after deducting production
costs.
<@@
In short .ietnamese "uddhist nuns have fervently take cared and helped
condition favourable for patients as such drugs 'I./*ID# or other person
illness of the modern 9;
st
century who was dedication in bringing the "uddhism
of teachings to the community to drug addicts 'I./*ID# etc. Bhenever
society labels addicts as outcasts and that rehabilitation centers are bad places
and it)s these beliefs that often prevent many addition from relapse into crime.
. F'%(@-.#"#%4 &!- $)* P!!- .%( N**(y
!und0raising dreams for the poor and needy are very helpful to gather
funds by different means and make use of the money for improved development
of the poor and needy. The .ietnamese bhku with ob%ective behind
fundraising is to give a well again life to the poor and needy who are victims of
poverty illiteracy exploitation malnutrition conditions of unlucky etc.
Thoughts non profit organiDations and charity trusts make a good attempt to
uplift the sub%ugated the poor and needy community as a whole. #o in this part
we will throw light on different fund0raising thoughts valuable for the poor and
needy. There are various attractive and innovative fund0raising imaginings for
the poor and needy that can generate a large amount of currency for the poor
and needy uplift.
#o far .ietnamese "uddhist dignitaries and followers in the country have
been actively engaged in various fund0raising movements. They provided
billions of cash assistance to people in flooded areas returned gratitude to
families of soldiers and martyrs by building schools and houses for them given
support to soldiers at the borders or on the islands paid visits and support the
366
Ibid.
215
wounded sick and poor soldiers in various hospitals met leprosy or mental
patients houses for the elderly contributed to support fund for the old and
granted bursaries to students who hailed from poor families. !urthermore the
group has contributed to the construction of ;9 primary schools and
kindergartens building the houses for families of dead soldiers with >.= billion
./D F .ietnam aqng G granted a help of 9.9> billion ./D to the mother of
.ietnamese heroes gave bursaries with 9.=< billion ./D. The group also
donated >.> billion ./D for downtrodden children and old people >9.>>=
billion ./D for the aid of the poor and disaster0stricken and provided @.<>;
billion ./D for the eradication of poverty.
<@?
.enerable Th`ch Uu\ng Tng provided the following statistics on ."#)s
involvement in charity for the last 9? years7 :>A billion ./D in social charity
and in 9AA@ alone 9:> houses were built 9=>AA kg of rice were delivered
8=AA cases of eye operation were subsidiDed ;> bridges were built >?
wheelchairs were presented to people with disability ;@< water wells were dug
an undertaking which entailed a total of ;=;.@= billion ./D.
<@8
In 9AA8 the following studies were conducted by the 3entral 3harity
Division of ."# that including three types such as7
!irstly -id0*utumn !estival)s $ifts to poor children were given in
various venues and provinces like aqng Th]p .|nh +ong #vc Trhng aqng
/ai +Nm aqng ax Th aX +xt "inh Thuzn "X (_a0.ng TXu Dak /nng the
"lind *ssociation Phm Hdn Uu\ng /am "kn Tre Uuang 3hanh pagoda T]nh
367
+uong Phan 3u. 3Social +olicies and Buddhism from the +ers'ecti"e of the Construction of Legal Systems
on Social ;anagement,4 in "uddhism and .ietnamese 3ulture and #ociety in the Period of IndustrialiDation
and -oderniDation F'anoi7 #ocial #ciences Publisher 9AA8G p. ?=. The author is the .ice 3hair of the
Parliamentary 3ommission on #ocial *ffairs.
368
Th`ch Uu\ng Tng. 3Buddhist Charity Work: 2n E*'ression of the Si*(Realm Doctrines in Society $oday4,
in "uddhism and .ietnamese 3ulture and #ociety in the Period of IndustrialiDation and -oderniDation F'anoi7
#ocial #ciences Publisher 9AA8G p. 8?.
216
+inh Thanh Duc pagoda abc TrWng 3]t Tidn. It was reported that =?9>
children received a total amount of ;AA88;AAA./D.
#econdly gifts to ;>A blind people in Th~ng /h[t district Da /ang were
also given costing around 9<=?AAAA ./D.
Thirdly #upport to the blindC wheelchairs to P+BD Fpeople living with
disabilityGC bursaries to good studentsC support to poor people in provinces
throughout the countryC support to @@; poor vision0impaired patients from /inh
Thuzn "nh Thuzn aqng /ai "X(ia0.ngTXu '3-3 +ong *n Tion $iang
aqng Th]p *n $iang and "kn TreC support to Trfng .fgng hospital in District
;A '3-3 for eye operation and lens replacementC payment for well
constructionC and monetary support to charity institutions drug delivery to poor
patients were provided. *ll the services involved a staggering amount of
>A@9=AAAA./D.
The sum total of the amount of funds for charity work coming from the
3entral 3harity Division of ."# in 9AA8 was nearly @<A>:;AAA ./D.
<@:
In
.ietnam after the country has been united the role of "uddhist monks and nuns
has been widely recogniDed because of their social engagement in helping the
destitute and their assistance in rebuilding the nation. In recent article written by
Tran .an Trinh we learn that these days there are more .ietnamese "uddhist
Saghas participation in activities related to social development. There have
been 9A8< charity organiDations operating in the country including ;A?@
"uddhist establishments. The "uddhist establishments include ;9@ Tuc TPnh
traditional medicinal clinics particularly those in 'o 3hi -inh 3ity and Thya
Thidn0'uk aqng /ai "X (ia0.ng TXu /inh Thuzn 3X -au and .|nh +ong
provinces ;;> other traditional medicine clinics and :>A charity classes with
an enrolment of nearly 9AAAA students.
369
*nnual (eview Re'ort .00Y of Central Social Charity Di"ision of VBS.
217
"uddhist nuns and religious followers in +ord "uddha)s spirit of mercy
and have saved and rescued others from misfortune and danger and the nation)s
will of Sthe have to help and the have not toT made them raise funds for flood
victims and visit wounded and sick soldiers and war victims. They have always
responded warmly to public welfare movements such as building schools and
charity houses assisting border and island guards visiting and supporting
patients in financial difficulties leprosy and mental hospitals and old people)s
homes contributing to the life insurance fund and giving grants to hard
working students hailing from poor families. They have contributed ./D >=AA
million to build ;9 primary and pre0primary schools and charity housesC ./D
99>A million to feeding heroic mother of .ietnamese heroC ./D 9=<A million
as grants for studentsC ./D >>AA million for supporting the orphans and the
helpless elderlyC ./D >8>A million to build roads and sewersC ./D >9>>=
million as relief fund for victims of natural disastersC and ./D @<>; million
for poverty reduction.
<?A
The ."# has set to concentrate on charitable and social affairs
particularly in rural ethnic minority0inhabited areas and developing 'I./*ID#
counseling centers and programmers.
+ast year the ."# 3entral 3ommittee and its municipal and provincial
chapters rose more than ./D >>A billion for charitable and social activities and
maintained the operation of @A "uddhist medical clinics and a chain of
compassionate) classrooms vocational schools in ;< cities and provinces across
the country.
<?;
370
Tran .an Trinh Religious 2cti"ities )lourish in VietnamIs %ational Rene-al +rocess 'anoi7 Publishing
'ouseC 9AA8 p. ;99.
371
"uddhist #angha convenes third meeting in '3- 3ity accessed at http7//talkvietnam.com/9A;A/A;/buddhist0
sangha0convenes0meeting0hcm0city/ F;9/=/9A;9G
218
To sum up .ietnamese "uddhist nuns) have deep0lying influence
designed for whatever nuns do will have a wave conseEuence for "uddhist
.ietnamese men and all over the world that the nuns will use their collective
energy to help each other and practiced kindness empathy of feel affection for
to contribute to activity society unite efforts improve0life beautiful0"uddhism
and to preserve and spread the precious teachings of the "uddha.
=. R.#"#%4 V!#0* &!- H'+.% R#4)$" .%( A4.#%"$ O,,-*""#!%
The .ietnamese governmentMs recent detention of two prominent senior
monks is the latest step in its campaign to suppress the Unified "uddhist 3hurch
FU"3G the main "uddhist organiDation in #outh and 3entral .ietnam prior to
unification of the country in ;:?>. Bith the detention of U"3 leaders .en.
'uyen Uuang and .en. Uuang Do on December 9: ;::= and 5anuary > ;::>
respectively nearly all of the churchMs senior leaders are now in detention or
under house arrest. These cases of detention were immediately preceded by the
arrests of several others including the arrest of five "uddhists for efforts at
organiDing flood relief charity in the name of the U"3.
<?9
#ince ;::9 at least
two doDen "uddhists have been detained by .ietnam since ;::9 thirteen of
whom are known to still be in detention or under house arrest. The whereabouts
of five "uddhists taken into police custody are unknown. 'uman (ights
Batch/*sia is concerned that many of these prisoners are being held for
expression of their political or religious beliefs in violation of international
law.
<?<
That will be discussed the hereinafter.
The unrest in the "uddhist community the contradictions in .ietnamMs
policy towards freedom of religion although the government has taken a more
open approach in the last few years allowing greater freedom of worship the
372
*ccessed at http7//www.hrw.org/reports/;::>/.ietnam.htm. ,n =/</9A;9
373
-arch ;::> .ietnam: $he Su''ression of the &nified Buddhist Church. .ol.? /o.=
219
restoration of pagodas and churches and a renewed if limited involvement by
religious orders in social work activities it maintains strict control over virtually
every aspect of religious life. Bhat has precipitated government action against
the U"3 are the calls by its senior leaders for the government to recogniDe the
church to allow it autonomy in managing its religious affairs to return its
properties confiscated after ;:?> and to release religious and political
prisoners. These demands have been framed in blunt language that is highly
critical of the 3ommunist Party but they essentially represent complaints that
are shared by other religions in .ietnam.
This inspect the relationship between the .ietnamese government and the
Unified "uddhist 3hurch looking first at its historical context and then
discussing in turn the arrests protests and acts of detention that mark
heightened conflict since the church leadership renewed its demand for
autonomy in ;::9. The .ietnamese government has not allowed foreign visitors
to have direct contact with the U"3 leadership. !or this reason the events
described in this report are based on secondary sources including sources in the
"uddhist community and public statements and film footage supplied by the
.ietnamese government. Be have endeavored to confirm the description of
events from multiple sources wherever possible and to represent conflicting
accounts.
The campaign against the U"3 is causing tensions throughout .ietnamMs
"uddhist community as members of the state0supported .ietnam "uddhist
3hurch come under pressure to hide their sympathies for the dissident monks or
to denounce them. !or their part the leaders of the U"3 isolated and
embattled have issued ever more detailed and blunt denunciations of the
3ommunist PartyMs practices and policies inviting head0on confrontation. In this
220
atmosphere of increasingly desperate confrontation tragic acts of protest such
as self0immolation have taken place.
<?=

'uman (ights Batch/*sia calls on the .ietnamese government to take
steps to de0escalate the conflict and reopen a dialogue with all elements in the
"uddhist community. To fulfill its commitments under international law the
government should release without delay all persons including "uddhists who
have been detained because they peacefully expressed their religious or political
views. The legal charges specific grounds for detention and place of detention
should be made public in all cases where the government takes individuals into
custody. Bhere there is no legal charge against an individual that individual
should be freed of all restrictions on movement and residence and should be
permitted to meet and associate with anyone he or she chooses.
The international community and especially nations which provide
substantial financial contributions to .ietnamMs development and humanitarian
needs such as flood relief has a special responsibility to advocate peaceful
resolution of this conflict in a manner consistent with international law. 'uman
(ights Batch/*sia calls on governments to urgently express concern over the
recent detentions and arrests of "uddhists both on a bilateral basis and through
multilateral and international organiDations.
"uddhism .ietnamMs ma%ority religion has been closely tied to politics
and national identify for centuries but at no time more so than during the
twentieth century struggle for .ietnamMs independence. The "uddhist
community of south and central .ietnam came to world attention in ;:@< when
it became the catalyst for mass demonstrations in the streets of #aigon 'ue and
Da /ang that helped topple the government of President /go Dinh Diem.
President Diem and his family had alienated the countryMs "uddhist ma%ority
374
Ibid p. 9
221
over the previous decade by giving patronage and favors to .ietnamMs 3atholic
minority. In ;:@< when "uddhist organiDations in 'ue began to speak out
against this favoritism Diem responded by enforcing a ban on the display of
any flags other than the national flag on the anniversary of the "uddhaMs
birthday. ,n -ay 8 ;:@< "uddhism flags were flown in 'ue in defiance of the
order and government troops killed nine people when they opened fire on the
celebrating crowds.
<?>
Two days later ten thousand "uddhist laymen took to the
streets. DiemMs government %ailed leading monks and their supporters. !urther
protests and arrests throughout the summer culminated in the self0immolation of
the "uddhist monk Thich Uuang Duc on a #aigon street corner. These protests
among other factors impelled the U.#. government to withdraw its support for
the Diem government.
The %unta headed by Duong .an -inh that overthrew Diem freed %ailed
"uddhist leaders and allowed a "uddhist conference that Diem had banned to
be held between December ;:@< and 5anuary ;::=.
<?@
The conference
established the Unified "uddhist 3hurch of .ietnam FUnified "uddhist 3hurchG
at the *n Uuang pagoda F#aigonG with the intention of uniting the religious
cultural and secular affairs of all .ietnamese "uddhist sects.
<??
*lthough a
handful of more conservative and ascetic sects declined to %oin the group the
ma%ority of #outhern and 3entral .ietnamese "uddhists of both the Therav2da
and -ah2y2na traditions became members of the U"3.
<?8

#ocial activism was a hallmark of the U"3 from its inception growing
out of a reform movement earlier in the century which sought to moderniDe
"uddhism by linking it to social development and national independence. !rom
375
-arilyn ". Houng $he Vietnam Wars F/ew Hork7 'arper Perennial ;::;G p. :>
376
Ibid. p. ;A@.
377
Pierre $heddo $he Cross and the Bo $ree F/ew Hork7 #heed and Bard ;:?AG pp. 9@?09@:.
378
5onathan Batts, GVietnamese Buddhism: Synergetic and +olitical Worlds,G Seeds of +eace F"angkokG .ol. II
/o. ; 5anuary0*pril ;::>.
222
the U"3Ms earliest days however there were divisions in the leadership over
how to best to promote social change through demonstrations or urban
educational programs or direct social action at the village level. Despite these
disagreements the U"3 established many social institutions including the
.an'anh University in #aigon "uddhist hospitals orphanages elementary and
secondary schools and the #chool of Houth for #ocial #ervice led by .en. /hat
'anh.
*s the war progressed the U"3Ms continued calls for peace and its
position of neutrality brought it into conflict with a succession of #outh
.ietnamese political leaders. In ;:@= $en. /guyen &hanh banned the use of
"uddhist symbols and outlawed lactions in support of neutralism.l
<?:
In early
;:@@ U"3 leaders launched demonstrations denouncing government
corruption demanding the restoration of civilian rule and calling on the U.#.
government to withdraw its support for the government of /guyVn 3ao &i.
*lthough soldiers in the vicinity of 'ue and Da /ang refused orders to sEuelch
these protests 3ao &y unleashed paratroopers against "uddhist demonstrators
in -ay. In the succeeding months U"3 members around the country were
%ailed forced into exile or in many cases disappeared or killed.
<8A
The U"3
continued its peace activities through the end of the war but in the face of
continued repression and intensifying war after ;:@8 its personnel and
resources were taken up in providing emergency aid to casualties and refugees.
*fter ;:?> the new communist government Euickly took over the
administration of the U"3Ms properties and institutions prompting protests and
demonstrations by church members. In -arch ;:?? after security personnel
came to take control of the "uddhist run Uuach Thi Trang orphanage the U"3Ms
379
5ames '. !orest $he &nified Buddhist Church of Vietnam: )ifteen 1ears for Reconciliation F*lkmaar The
/etherlands7 International !ellowship of (econciliation ;:?8G p. ?.
380
Ibid pp. 80;;.
223
4xecutive 3ouncil issued a public protest and "uddhists carried out mass
demonstrations through the streets of the city. The government responded to
demands for greater religious freedom and the return of church property by
arresting six members of the U"3Ms 4xecutive 3ouncil on *pril ? on charges of
having distorted government policies and having received documents from
abroad that were distributed to their followers.l
<8;

Two of the monks arrested were .en. 'uyen Uuang and .en. Uuang Do
respectively the executive vice president and secretary general of the U"3Ms
4xecutive 3ouncil. "oth had previously been imprisoned by the government of
President Diem. In response to their arrests .en. Don 'au who later became
the supreme patriarch of the U"3 resigned from positions the government had
given him as a member of the /ational *ssembly and the !atherland !ront.
<89
.en. 'uyen Uuang and .en. Uuang Do were tried and released from detention
with suspended sentences in *pril ;:?8 after twenty months in detention.
In ;:8A the government called on "uddhist monks to initiate meetings to
unify all "uddhist organiDations from the /orth and #outh. .en. 'uyen Uuang
and .en. Uuang Do opposed these meetings and were publicly denounced by
.en. -inh 3hau a member of the government0appointed unification committee
for trying to lsabotage the unity effortl and lopenly defy the government and
the !atherland !ront.l *t the congress which was eventually held in /ovember
of ;:8; the .ietnam "uddhist 3hurch was established by government0selected
381
$areth Porter .ietnam7 $he +olitics of Bureaucratic Socialism FIthaca7 3ornell University Press ;::<G p.
;8;.
382
The .ietnam !atherland !ront is a mass membership organiDation established in ;:>> to act as a link
between the 3ommunist Party and interest groups in society which include7 associations of writers artists
students and other professionals and organiDations representing officially recogniDed religious groups. The
front has committees at the national provincial district and local level. The !atherland !ront is closely linked
to the party. 3entral 3ommittee members serve in key leadership posts and front committees at all levels are
headed by party members. Ibid pp. 8?0:=.
224
delegates.
<8<
The .ietnam "uddhist 3hurchMs charter defined it as the sole
representative of .ietnamese "uddhism in all of its relations both within and
outside the country.
<8=
*t the time of its creation this church was also
designated as an official mass organiDation affiliated with the !atherland !ront.
*lthough the state0supported church had titular authority over all "uddhists in
.ietnam many of members of the U"3 leadership refused to recogniDe its
authority. In !ebruary ;:89 the government sent .en. 'uyen Uuang .en.
Uuang Do and at least four other "uddhist leaders into internal exile for their
continued protests against the establishment of the .ietnam "uddhist 3hurch. In
5uly of that year security police took over and closed the *n Uuang pagoda
headEuarters of the U"3 since its founding in ;:@=.
+ittle was heard from the U"3 leadership for the next decade during
which time the government imprisoned hundreds of thousands of persons
without legal process for their affiliation with the old regime and severely
restricted the operations of churches pagodas and religious communities
throughout the country. The demise of communism in the #oviet bloc .ietnamMs
main source of international support led to the new official policy of Vhi mii
AGreno"ationGD, which has come to encompass economic reforms a
determination to %oin the international community and a greater emphasis on
rule of law. In the wake of these reforms and the promulgation of a new
constitution in ;::9 the government eased restrictions on religious worship
services and religious communities were permitted to resume a limited role in
social work. *t the same time the government kept a tight rein on most other
aspects of religion through screening candidates for the clergy controlling their
movements and punishing clerics whose statements offended the party or who
organiDed unauthoriDed meetings.
383
Ibid p. ;8;.
384
lDossier et Documents /o. </:9l 4glises DM*sie FParisG supplement to 4glises DM*sie /o. ;>; -arch
;::<.
225
In this environment of limited opening members of the Unified "uddhist
3hurch leadership began to call on the government to restore the church and
allow it to resume religious and charitable activities as other churches were
beginning to do. In ,ctober ;::; the acting supreme patriarch of the U"3
.en. Don 'au had issued a letter to overseas "uddhists calling on them to
reunite their disparate groups under the churchMs ;:@= charter. .en. Don 'au
passed away in 'ue on *pril 9< at the age of eighty0eight. *ccording to
"uddhist sources his last will and testament named .en. 'uyen Uuang who
had been living in exile for a decade in Uuang /gai as his successor. The
supreme patriarchMs two final acts were to spark renewed conflict between the
U"3 and the government.
The passed0away of .en. Don 'au marked the beginning of renewed
activism to reestablish the U"3. !rom the day of the supreme patriarchMs
funeral confrontations escalated culminating in ;::< in large public protests
that were marked by violence in both the ancient "uddhist center of 'ue and the
coastal province of "a (ia0.ung Tau.
*lthough .en. Don 'au had specifically reEuested that his funeral take
place in strict accordance with "uddhist tradition on his death the government
set about organiDing the ceremony and posthumously bestowed upon him the
'o 3hi -inh -edal. *fter a number of monks threatened to go on hunger strike
if the funeral rites were not purely religious in content the government
relinEuished some of the preparations to "uddhists. .en. 'uyen Uuang who
had initially been forbidden by local authorities in Uuang /gai province from
attending the -ay < ;::9 funeral was allowed to travel to 'ue after he
conducted a one0day hunger strike. *t the ceremony .en. /hat +ien the former
supreme patriarchMs oldest living disciple presented .en. 'uyen Uuang with the
seal of the Institute of the Dhamma signifying the transfer of the churchMs
highest authority.
226
During the ceremony at the +inh -u pagoda .en. 'uyen Uuang issued
the first in a series of public protests against the repression of the U"3.
*lthough he had been forbidden from speaking publicly he decried the stateMs
establishment of the .ietnam "uddhist 3hurch and called on the government to
restore the property and authority of the U"3. ,n 5une 9= ;::9 .en. 'uyen
Uuang released an open petition to government and party leaders in which he
demanded official recognition of the U"3 the return of church property and
the release of church members in prison or under house arrest.
*s .en. 'uyen UuangMs writings and speeches spread the government
attempted to shift attention from his demands to the legitimacy of the will that
appointed him leader of the U"3. ,n December > ;::9 .en. Tri Tuu abbot of
the +inh -u pagoda in 'ue and a close disciple of the late #upreme Patriarch
Don 'au released a statement protesting the governmentMs efforts to force him
to discredit the supreme patriarchMs will. In it he related a meeting he was called
to with the chairman of the !atherland !ront of Thua Thien0'ue province the
previous day. 'e wrote that the chairman said I have heard from a reliable
source in 'o 3hi -inh 3ity which alleges that the patriarchMs last wills were not
genuine 0 they were fabricated by some monks. .en. Tuu replied7 lI confirm
that the wills were truly our patriarchMs last wishesC I vouch for that will with my
own life.l
<8>

Tensions between the government and the U"3 in 'ue rose in early *pril
;::< as the first lunar calendar anniversary of .en. Don 'auMs death
approached. The +inh -u pagoda in 'ue the site of .en. Don 'auMs tomb
came under close surveillance from *pril ;A to ;9.
<8@
Uuang /gai provincial
officials prevented .en. 'uyen Uuang from attending the anniversary services.
385
(eprinted in .ietnam 5ournal F"erkeleyG .ol. II /o. ; #pring0#ummer ;::<.
386
The +inh -u pagoda is also the pagoda of Thich Uuang Duc whose ;:@< self0immolation in protest of the
Diem government is now celebrated as an act of patriotism.
227
,n -ay 9; a layman sat down next to the tomb of .en. Don 'au and set
himself alight. +ocal police Euickly came on the scene and removed the manMs
corpse and possessions including a letter he had left. The abbot of the pagoda
.en. Tri Tuu asked police to return the body so that the monks could give the
deceased "uddhist burial rites and when the authorities refused placed a
plaEue over the place where he had immolated himself which read7 l'ere at
:7AA *.-. on -ay 9; a "uddhist follower burned himself to protect the
"uddhist faith.l The government denied that the man was a "uddhist.
<8?
Initial
reports by a 'ue radio station which described the immolation as the ldesperate
act of a drug addict with *ID#l were supplanted by state radio broadcasts of
interviews with a man purportedly the deceasedMs brother who said that he had
not been a "uddhist had been severely depressed over family problems and
that the monks at +inh -u had taken advantage of his depression to force him
to immolate himself.
<88
,n -ay 9= police summoned .en. Tri Tuu head monk at the pagoda for
Euestioning. * group of "uddhists fearing that he had been arrested organiDed
a sit0down protest in the street near the 'ue -unicipal Peoples 3ommittee
where he had been taken. * police videotape of the protest parts of which were
aired on .ietnamese television show that a huge crowd gathered eventually
blocking traffic in all directions of the main city traffic circle. Bhen a
government %eep carrying .en. Tuu reached the intersection the crowd engulfed
the vehicle. "uddhist sources say that the protesting monks saw .en. Tuu
unconscious in the back of the %eep and feared he had been hurt. The film
shows that several monks placing their bodies in front of and on the hood of the
%eep. Persons in the crowd opened the doors and removed .en. Tuu who
387
l3larification of 'ue M!alsehoodsM Issuedl 'anoi .ietnam /ews *gency F./*G in 4nglish -ay <; ;::<
in !oreign "roadcast Information #ervice !"I#04*#0:<0;A< and 5une ; ;::<.
388
The government identified the man as Dao Uuang 'o from the town of +ong Zuyen in *n $iang province.
+ong Zuyen is over @AA miles from 'ue. lDead -an Identifiedl 'anoi ./* in .ietnamese 5une @ ;::<C
l-anMs !amily 3larifies 3asel 'anoi ./* in 4nglish 5une @ ;::< both in !"I#04*#0:<0;A? 5une ? ;::<.
228
appeared to have fainted. 'e was placed into a pedicab which departed through
the crowd back to the +inh -^ pagoda. +ater one agitated young monk
continued to stand on the %eep gesturing and talking to the crowd until he was
eventually pulled down by other persons. +aypeople turned the vehicle over and
set it ablaDe. * fire truck which was present at the scene well before the crowd
set the %eep on fire did not succeed in halting the fire in time to salvage the
%eep.
#ecurity police eventually arrested six monks including .en. Tri Tuu
and according to "uddhist sources at least fifty other people in con%unction
with the confrontation. .en. Tri Tuu 'ai Tang and 'ai Thinh were arrested on
5une > at the +inh -^ pagoda. ,n 5une ;A the government confirmed the arrest
of the three monks as well as nine individuals described as lextremistsl for
their alleged role in destroying the government %eep. ,n 5uly ;: another monk
'ai 3hanh and two novice monks were arrested on charges of instigating civil
disorder and destroying state property during the confrontation. *lthough the
two %unior monks were later released on bail .en. 'ai 3hanh would face trial
on charges of public disorder along with .en. Tri Tuu .en. 'ai Tang and .en.
'ai Thinh in /ovember.
In the months leading up to the trial government sources attempted to
discredit the monks arrested in 'ue. .u Uuang head of the governmentMs
(eligious *ffairs 3ommittee described them as liars who had lost all prestige in
the eyes of the people by using false testimony forgery and violence and
implied that they were responsible for the death of the man who immolated
himself at the pagoda.
<8:
.u Uuang also told reporters that the government was
investigating the Euestion of whether the immolation at the pagoda was a
murder or a suicide and said that .en. Tri Tuu lmust take responsibility for the
death since it occurred at his pagoda.l
389
IbidC l#hame of !euding -onksl #outh 3hina -orning Post F'ong &ongG 5une ;; ;::<.
229
,n /ovember ;> ;::< the 'ue defendants were convicted on charges of
causing public disorder in a one0day closed trial. .en. Tri Tuu who appeared to
have been either in police custody or unconscious throughout the protest was
charged with being the leader of the riot.
<:A
'e was sentenced to four yearsM
imprisonment the same term that was given to the man who allegedly destroyed
the %eep /guyen .an -inh who also received a heavy fine Fapproximately
U.#. 99AAAG. .en. 'ai Tang who was accused in government statements of
having played a ma%or role in aggravating the situation also received a four0
years sentence.
<:;
.en. 'ai Thinh and .en. 'ai 3hanh were both sentenced to
three years imprisonment. !our laymen who were described in official
statements as provocateurs were also sentenced to terms of between six and
twenty0four months on public disorder charges.
In late 5anuary ;::= .en. Tri Tuu .en. 'ai Tang .en. 'ai Thinh and
.en. 'ai 3hanh were transferred from Thua Phu prison in 'ue to "a #ao prison
camp at Phu +y /am 'a province. In late *pril in response to a hunger strike
that the four commenced upon being denied an appeal against their sentence
prison authorities transferred them from section * in the camp which holds
political prisoners. #ince the hunger strike in *pril .en. 'ai Tang is reportedly
in weakened health and suffering from a stomach problem.
*nother violent confrontation occurred on 5uly : when police surrounded
the #gn +inh pagoda in "a (ia0.ung Tau province and arrested a number of
monks including the abbot of the pagoda .en. 'anh Duc. 'e was appointed by
the .ietnam "uddhist 3hurch to be abbot of the #gn +inh pagoda in ;:89. In
5uly ;::9 the !atherland !ront and provincial PeopleMs 3ommittee issued an
eviction order against him and other monks at the pagoda after he publicly read
390
l'anoi (eports #entencingl 'anoi ./* in .ietnamese /ovember ;> ;::< in !"I#04*#09;: /ovember
;@ ;::<.
391
Ibid.
230
.en. 'uyen UuangMs funeral oration and expressed his support for the
restoration of the U"3. In !ebruary ;::< the provincial committee of the
.ietnam "uddhist 3hurch accused him of violating the principles of .ietnamese
"uddhism and expelled him from the church. The 5uly ;::< conflict began
after local PeopleMs 3ommittee authorities entered the pagoda to carry out the
eviction order. The move seems to have been precipitated by .en. 'anh DucMs
increasingly vocal support of the U"3 after the -ay arrests in 'ue and his
public challenges to the validity of the eviction order.
"uddhist dissidents and .ietnamese officials offer widely differing
versions of what happened at the pagoda on 5uly :. The government claims that
.en. 'anh DucMs supporters had taken one of the authority)s hostages.
<:9
*ccording to a "uddhist source the official was unable to leave because a
crowd that had gathered outside the pagoda made it difficult to enter or leave
the temple grounds. "uddhists claim that a melee ensued when security forces
tried to enter the pagoda by force using tear gas and beating members of the
crowd with batons.
<:<
(eligious *ffairs 3ommittee head .u Uuang accused
members of the crowd of attacking police and "uddhists in the temple of
stockpiling weapons and explosives.
<:=
During the confrontation .en. 'anh
Duc and an unspecified number of protesters were arrested. In an article
published in "X (_a .ng TXu gaDette four days later local officials accused
.en. 'anh Duc of breaking the law by organiDing provocative demonstrations
and disseminating shameful documents opposing .ietnamMs government.
<:>
,n 5anuary > ;::= a tribunal in "X (_a .ng TXu convicted .en. 'anh
Duc for disturbing the public order in what "uddhist sources maintain was a
closed trial. *ccording to a -arch ;? government statement he was sentenced
392
-urray 'iebert l/o -iddle Path 'erel The !ar 4astern 4conomic (eview *ugust > ;::<.
393
Ibid.
394
l.ietnamese !ollowers in 3lash with ./ Policel The "angkok /ation 5uly 9> ;::<.
395
=!idK Bie!ert, G%o ;iddle +ath Bere,G o' cit
231
to three years imprisonment for crimes against on duty officials on charges of
conducting activities against the law and handing out documents hostile to the
socialist government of .ietnam.
<:@
Thien Tho a lay "uddhist arrested at the
protest received a sentence of eighteen monthMs house arrest on the same
charges. ,n 5uly <A ;::= after numerous delays .en. 'anh Duc received an
appeal trial at which his 5anuary conviction and three0year sentence were
reconfirmed. 'e is now being held at Phuoc 3o prison in "X (_a .ng TXu.
In ;::= open dissent against the governmentMs policies on religion
appeared among monks who were not self0declared members of the U"3
leading to the arrest of three monks. The efforts of the U"3 to resume a
traditional social work role by organiDing flood relief ended in the arrest of five
more "uddhists. The governmentMs campaign against the U"3 culminated in the
detention of .en. 'uyen Uuang at the end of the year and the detention of .en.
Uuang Do in 5anuary ;::>.
!ive more "uddhists were arrested in early /ovember for their efforts to
organiDe a flood relief mission in the name of the U"3. The U"3 organiDed the
collection of money blankets and medical supplies to distribute to victims of
severe flooding in the -ekong Delta in particular to families in aqng Th]p
one of the -ekong provinces most heavily affected. The government also sent
out an appeal to the international community for aid for flood victims on
,ctober ?. ,n December > the International !ederation of the (ed 3ross
announced that twenty0one organiDations from sixteen countries had donated
U# ;.: million to aid victims of the floods.
<:?
*mong the countries which
provided aid were *ustralia "ritain !rance /orway and the United #tates.
396
l#pokeswoman Denies -onk Ill Under Detentionl 'ong &ong *!P -arch ;8 ;::= in !"I#04*#0:=0A><
-arch ;8 ;::=.
397
Indochina Digest FBashington D.3.G .ol. .II /o. =: December : ;::=.
232
The government Euickly set about trying to stop the U"3Ms planned
mission. Police arrested .en. +ong Tri the church0appointed chair of the flood
relief effort on ,ctober 9: shortly after he arrived in 'o 3hi -inh 3ity from
Uuang /am province to begin preparations for the mission. Police returned him
to his pagoda of residence in 'oi *n near Da /ang the following day.
*s .en. 'uyen Uuang continued his calls for the restoration of the U"3
issuing at least seven more public statements in the year after the release of his
5une ;::9 petition the government stepped up efforts to isolate him and de0
legitimiDe his status as the leader of the church. ,n *ugust = ;::< the PeopleMs
3ommittee of Uuang /gai province presented a letter to .en. 'uyen Uuang
forbidding him from carrying out any activities in the name of the U"3 and
ordering him to relinEuish the seal of the Institute of the Dhamma which had
been presented to him at the funeral of the former supreme patriarch.
<:8

$overnment efforts to isolate .en. 'uyen Uuang continued through ;::=.
,n -arch ;? ;::= in response to reports published abroad that .en. 'uyen
Uuang was ill and being denied medical attention the !oreign -inistry issued a
statement that he was continuing normal religious affairs at his temple and
wasn)t under house arrest.
<::
In -ay U"3 representatives in *ustralia released
a public reply from the senior monk in which he wrote that he remained in
custody and under strict surveillance at the 'oi Phuoc pagoda as he had for the
previous thirteen years. *fter the arrest of "uddhists in 'o 3hi -inh 3ity on
/ovember > and @ police tightened the security cordon around the 'oi Phuoc
pagoda denying him access to any visitors. ,n December 9? he began a
hunger strike to protest the continued detention of the monks in 'o 3hi -inh
3ity and the tightening of security around his pagoda.
398
l$overnment +etter (eprimands -onk 'uyen Uuangl 'anoi .oice of .ietnam /etwork in .ietnamese
*ugust = ;::< in !"I#04*#0:<0;=8 *ugust = ;::<.
399
l#pokeswoman Denies -onk Ill Under Detentionl op. cit.
233
,n December 9: police in Uuang /gai province took .en. 'uyen Uuang
from the 'oi Phuoc pagoda and moved him to an isolated village temple in a
mountainous area where he is now being detained. ,n 5anuary 9> the !oreign
-inistry released a statement which denied that .en. 'uyen Uuang had
disappeared saying that he had been moved at the reEuest of other monks in his
pagoda for which he often caused inconvenience.
=AA
*t that time .en. 'uyen
Uuang is being held under close surveillance at Uuang Phuoc temple twenty
kilometers outside of Uuang /gai city. 'e has been denied any outside contact
since his arrest.
,ther source from F/ew HorkG 0 'eavy0handed tactics by .ietnamMs
central government to disband followers of .en. /hat 'anh a prominent
"uddhist monk who has called for religious reforms illustrate .ietnamMs
ongoing contempt for human rights and religious freedom 'uman (ights
Batch said on December ;@ 9AA:.
=A;

!or three days beginning December : 9AA: orchestrated mobs that
included undercover police and local communist party officials terroriDed and
assaulted several hundred monks and nuns at Phuoc 'ue pagoda in central +am
Dong province. Phuoc 'ueMs abbot has provided sanctuary to the monastic since
late #eptember when police and civilian mobs violently expelled them from
their own monastery of "at /ha located in the same commune.
During last weekMs attack mobs targeted Phuoc 'ueMs abbot threatening
and haranguing him until they finally forced his consent to a December <;
deadline for the "at /ha monastic to vacate the pagoda.
400
l#(.7 #pokesman Details 3ases of Dissident "uddhist -onksl .oice of .ietnam /etwork in .ietnamese
5anuary 9> ;::> !"I# translated text.
401
*ccessed at http7//www.hrw.org/news/9AA:/;9/;@/vietnam0end0attacks0bat0nha0buddhists. ,n ?/>/9A;9.
234
GVietnamjs international donors should insist that the go"ernment halt the
attacks on the monks and nuns in Lam Dong, allo- them to 'ractice their
religion, and 're"ent any further "iolent e*'ulsions,G said 4laine Pearson
deputy *sia director at 'uman (ights Batch. G2nd they should make clear they
-ill kee' close ta!s on the situationG
The three days vigilante assault on Phuoc 'ue pagoda disrupted a
December : 4uropean Union F4UG fact0finding mission to the pagoda which
was followed by an 4U human rights dialogue with .ietnam on December ;;. *
4uropean Parliament resolution passed in late /ovember called on .ietnam to
respect religious freedom and condemned the harassment and persecution of
"uddhists in +am Dong as well as of followers of other religions and branches
of "uddhism.
The 4U one of .ietnamMs largest donors pledged U# ; billion in aid to
.ietnam at a donor conference in early December. #weden 0 the current 4U
President and other donors have pressed .ietnam to lift its restrictions on
independent media religious freedom and peaceful dissent. * ;::> 4U0
.ietnam 3ooperation *greement affirms that respect for 'uman (ights and
democratic principles are the basis for the cooperation.
=A9
lThe vigilante action to prevent diplomats from meeting with the monks
and nuns is a real slap in the face to the 4Ul Pearson said. lThe 4U needs to
make clear that it has leverage and will use it.l
,ver the past year government officials have intensified efforts to disband
the community of young monks and nuns that until #eptember was based at a
meditation center at "at /ha monastery established by .en. /hat 'anh in 9AA>.
*uthorities began to take steps to close the center after him urged the
government in 9AA? to ease its restrictions on religious freedom.
402
Ibid.
235
.en. /hat 'anh first drew international attention in the ;:@As as a leader
of #outh .ietnamese "uddhists opposed to the U# war in .ietnam critical of all
sides to the conflict. 'e continued his anti0war activities from exile in !rance
after he left the country in ;:@>. The government barred him and bhku 3hgn
&hnng from returning as he increasingly took on human rights issues including
the plight of the thousands of boat people who fled .ietnam after the communist
victory in ;:?>
=A<
and the persecution of "uddhist clergy and patriarchs.
#ince the #eptember eviction at "at /ha pagoda authorities have
relentlessly harassed and pressured the "at /ha "uddhists to vacate Phuoc 'ue
and other pagodas that took them in periodically cutting electricity and water
and barring local lay people from providing food and supplies. *ccording to
government documents obtained by 'uman (ights in late /ovember local
officials were ordered to begin organiDing civilians to demonstrate against the
monks and nuns at Phuoc 'ue pagoda demand the expulsion of the pagodaMs
abbot and pressure the monks and nuns to return to their home provinces.
*dditional in -arch 9A;< "uddhist0youth leader +e 3ong 3au was
interrogated intensively for three days by #ecurity Police in 'ue because he
posted articles on the Internet calling for the legaliDation of the U"3.. Police
said that by advocating for the U"3. rather than the #tate0sponsored .ietnam
"uddhist 3hurch F."3G he was sowing divisions between religious followers
an offense punishable by up to ;> years in prison Police also threatened to
sentence him with up to 9A years in prison for anti0#tate propaganda. +e 3ong
3au is head of the U"3.s "uddhist Houth -ovement an unofficial educational
movement which has over >AAAAA members in .ietnam.
During the interrogation the 'ead of the 'ue Provincial #ecurity Police
told +e 3ong 3au that .ietnam would never accept to legaliDe the U"3.. This
403
3hon &hong ,p. 3it. pp. ;?A0?9
236
reveals the cynical duplicity of .ietnam)s religious policies which on the one
hand claim internationally to be moving towards religious freedom but on the
other categorically re%ect all religious groups that refuse the political dictates of
the communist party of .ietnam.
=A=

-onks nuns and followers of over 9A U"3. provincial boards set up to
bring spiritual and humanitarian aid to poor people in the provinces are
harassed interrogated and prevented from carrying out educational and
charitable activities notably in the provinces of Uuangnam0Danang 'ue "inh
Dinh &hanh 'oa "a (ia0.ung Tau Dong /ai 'au $iang and *n $iangC
!or the past three years the Peoples 3ommittee in Danang has strictly
prohibited .esak celebrations at the $iac -inh Pagoda deploying hundreds of
Police and security officials to block all entries to the building forcibly
obstructing and assaulting "uddhists who tried to take part and prohibiting the
monks from reading the traditional .esak -essage by U"3. Patriarch Thanh
UuangC on *ugust 9A;9 #uperior monk .en. Thanh Uuang head of the U"3.
Houth Department was brutally beaten by a gang of plain clothed security
agents under the eyes of the police who made no attempt to interveneC
The most tragic victim of .ietnam)s repression is the U"3. Patriarch
Uuang Do 8> currently under house arrest at the Thanh -inh Ren
monastery in #aigon and detained almost without interruption since ;:89.
Denied freedom of movement and citiDenship rights forbidden even to preach
in his monastery and under constant police surveillance this revered dissident
and /obel Peace PriDe nominee remains a symbol of the movement for
democracy and continues to challenge the government on religious freedom and
human rights. In -arch during a public debate on reforming the .ietnamese
404
*ccessed at http7//www.Eueme.net/eng/newssdetail.phpQnumb9A=@ on ?/9/9A;<
237
3onstitution .en. Uuang Do urged the 3ommunist Party to embark on a 3+ath
of +eace4 k a 'ath of multi('arty democracy -hich -ill lead our 'eo'le to
sta!ility, de"elo'ment and ha''iness4
=A>
"asically at that time 'uman (ights Batch/*sia calls on the government
of .ietnam to instantly release all persons including clergy and secular
"uddhist who have been detained for peacefully expressing their religious or
political views.
*dditionally 'uman (ights Batch/*sia calls on the international
community to7 Urge .ietnam in both private and public fora to release
religious prisoners and to specify any criminal charges against members of
religious organiDations who are being held for common crimes. Urge the
government of .ietnam to open a dialogue with leaders of the U"3 to reduce
tensions and lessen the likelihood of violent confrontations.
To sum up look complete penetration the history of "uddhism in .ietnam
is inextricably tied to its political history as a territory under 3hinese control for
many centuries. This occupation and contact with the &hmer in the #outhwest
led to a remarkably diverse religious tradition in .ietnam one in which
-ah2y2na "uddhism 3onfucianism and Taoism have coexisted and mixed for
centuries. *t many times in the history of .ietnam religion has played an
important role in politics. During .ietnam)s golden era in the tenth through
fifteenth centuries "uddhism flourished and many top political advisers were
widely respected "uddhists. In the early fifteenth century however the +y
Dynasty pushed "uddhism aside forcing those "uddhists who failed
competitive civil service exams into lay life. 4mperor +e Thai To submitted
monks to surveillance and prohibited the construction of "uddhist temples
405
Vietnam Committee on Buman Rights U# 3ongressional 'earing examines 'uman (ights and religious
freedom violations against the Unified "uddhist 3hurch of .ietnam 9A;<0A=0;;.
238
without his authoriDation. Then during the civil war of the sixteenth century the
/guyen Dynasty used "uddhism to consolidate .ietnam through popular
measures such as the construction of new "uddhist temples.
=A@
"uddhism continues to be intimately linked to social and political life. *
close associate of .en. /hat 'anh accused U"3. of hiding flags of the old
regime of #outh .ietnam implying that the U"3.)s mission is political and not
spiritual. Het it seems impossible to separate the political from the spiritual
when it comes to daily practice. -r. . .hn i responds 3+racticing
Buddhism means im'lementing Buddhist teachings in oneIs daily life $his
in"ol"es AaD de"elo'ing oneIs ultimate kno-ledge to com!at ignorance and A!D
taking action to sa"e sentient !eings from suffering =f one li"es these t-o
'rinci'les to the full, there is no frontier !et-een faith and 'olitics.T
=A?
Indeed one concept for which .en. /hat 'anh is particularly well known
is Sengaged "uddhismT which is the application of wisdom gleaned from
meditation and "uddhist teachings to help alleviate suffering in the world
whether political economic or social. S-ah2y2na "uddhism encourages
engagement at every levelT explains . .hn i. This is not a modern
interpretation. 4arly .ietnamese "uddhist sItra such as the Luc DS $l' <inh
ABook of Si* Ways of Li!erationG dating back to the second century *.D.
taught these principles of individual engagement. Bhen the !odhisatt"a hears
the cries of his people he must set aside his own troubles and throw himself
into the combat against tyranny whereby saving the people from suffering. Be
also must keep in mind the !odhisatt"a, who having attained a level of
enlightenment postpones nrvaa with the commitment to help all other
sentient beings. . .hn i describes the example of !odhisatt"a Ktgarbha (
"q t]t a_aTxng G 3-ho descended into Bell to sa"e all those in torment and
406
*ccessed at http7//www.tricycle.com/web0exclusive/buddhism0under0vietnams0thumbQpageAA
407
Ibid. p. 9
239
'ledged to stay there and renounce !ecoming a Lord Buddha until the "ery
last 'erson had !een sa"edT
=A8
"esides "uddhist nuns even trained of unbounded compassion to all non0
human sentient beings. The perform of compassion alleviates all beings
suffering and gives them %oy. .ietnamese "uddhism is social welfare work
itself... 'owever thereMs very little interest shown in this field in the .ietnam
"uddhism Sagha and among laypeople nowadays.
#ince "uddhist humanism is a philosophical perspective based on the
teachings of inherent dignity of all human beings their potential for attaining
highest wisdom about their condition and their essential nature of altruism
exemplified by the !odhisatt"a spirit of compassion. "uddhist humanism
focuses on the interdependence of humanity all sentient beings and the
environment seeking to create harmony through these interrelated relationships.
In practical terms humanism is expressed on the individual level through
action7 to Srelie"e sufferings and im'art HoyT to contribute to the welfare of
society abiding by the attitude of nonviolence supporting 'uman (ights

and
acting benefit for humankind and world peace effectively advocating the
concept of global citiDenship.
=A:

A. C!+,.""#!%.$* A0$#1#$#*" $! $)* W*/&.-* !& %!%@H'+.% S*%$#*%$ B*#%4"
*$0.
*t the present0day institutions finances and trained manpower are all
important factors in social welfare but most important of all is a humanistic and
compassionate spirit. This is their fundamental support. Bhen "uddhism social
welfare is developed it can contribute very much to the improvement of
.ietnam society overall.
408
Ibid.
409
*ccessed at http7//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/"uddhistshumanism on ;A/;9/9A;9
240
The "uddha taught that to realiDe enlightenment a person must develop
two Eualities7 wisdom and compassion. Bisdom and compassion are sometimes
were compared to two wings that work together to enable flying or two eyes
that work together to see deeply.
Throughout the .ietnam world all cultures religions and individuals
cherish the basic human Eualities of generosity compassion and loving
kindness. *s human beings we recogniDe that extending ourselves to others not
only brings happiness to the recipients of our care but also warms our own
hearts.
3ompassionate activity has always been intertwined with "uddhist
practice. *ctively helping those in need making offerings and prayers to the
"uddha and !odhisatt"as on behalf of all beings and supporting the conditions
for the #agha to flourish are ways of serving others that awakening our
potential for sympathy and care. -aking others the focus of our care we reap
the reward of decreasing our excessive self0concern. Be may even find that
serving others is the most immediate and effective way to experience the
happiness we all long for. *s we increasingly free ourselves from self0
cherishing each prayer and aspiration we make for the benefit of others plants a
seed of compassion that will one day blossom into enlightenment.
=;A
The compassionate and love for human beings in .ietnamese "uddhism is
also expressed through care towards orphans. 3urrently there are several
"uddhist orphanages in the country attending to the needs of the orphans or
unfortunate children who consider these centers their own sweet home. In the
country there are <@ orphanages and care centers which cater to around 9AAAA
children with disability.
=;;
410
*ccessed at http7//www.mangalashribhuti.org/compassionate0activity on >/?/9A;9.
411
(eports from .ietnamese "uddhist 3onference ..
241
* list of orphanages with such a mission shows the following orphan0
population7 abc #gn 'ue city 9A; childrenC u aXm 'ue city <= childrenC
Didu $i]c 'o 3hi -inh 3ity ;AA childrenC &i Uuang II 'o 3hi -inh
3ity ;9A childrenC +ong 'oa 'o 3hi -inh 3ity ;AA childrenC and Ph]p .
'o 3hi -inh 3ity ;@A children.
Bith compassion selflessness public0spirited of nuns .ietnamese to help
people have a stable means of livelihood some of the Province0based and 3ity0
based "uddhist #agha has have organiDed many schools and vocational classes
free of charge for children of "uddhist families poor families and people with
disabilities. *t present there are about ten vocational schools in the country that
offer trainings in the field of haircut dressmaking mechanics electric and
computer repairing. TNy +inh pagoda 'ue city is managed by bhiku /hf
-inh while +ong Tho pagoda 'ue city is managed by bhiku -inh Tanh.
There are two courses run every year with each course lasting for the duration
of six months and boasting of an attendance of ;<A0;@A children. !rom the date
of establishment till now the centre has trained nearly ;AAA students in the
field of embroidery knitting garments designing computer application and
office management. *fter graduating depending on their specialty they are
employed either in garment companies in 'o 3hi -inh and Thy Dfgng
weaving and embroidery factories or in cottage industry in 'ue or have their
own unit which they run from home.
=;9

In &i Uuang pagoda II $.[p district 'o 3hi -inh 3ity vocational
training and career counseling services are offered. *ccording to *nnual
(eview (eport 9AA8 a graduation ceremony was held on 9? 5une 9AA8 for
vision0impaired learners of 3ohort III F9AA@09AA8G who were briefed on
5apanese massage and reflexology techniEues. During summer the institution in
collaboration with the Institute of -edicine and Pharmacy offered another
412
(eport by -r. /guyen 'uu Toan official of (eligious Department in 'ue city.
242
elementary course on massage0reflexology techniEues to vision0impaired
children to thus far the sixth batch of enrollees. .irtually sixty children
hailing both from the pagoda and neighboring provinces got themselves
registered in the course.
=;<
-oreover at present there were three charity schools in the area near
/ha Trang F-iddle of .ietnamG. These schools all provide free education to
local youngsters whose families cannot afford the costs of the public schools.
This wonderful organiDation offers free primary school education at their
charity school plus free sewing skills training at their free .ocational #chool for
those who live in the area of .inh +uong ward ;> kilometers /orth of /ha
Trang. !ounded at the &im #on pagoda in ;::= by bhku Dieu Phuc it has
long been a loving home for local youngsters. *t the charity school there are
classrooms which grades one to five split in morning and afternoon shifts and
another room with donated sewing machines for those wishing to learn tailoring
skills.
=;=
!urthermore +oc Tho pagoda has had a 3harity #chool since ;::; though
it has only recently experienced rapid expansion under the care of its founder
bhku Dieu H in /ha Trang city. There are over <AA children from poor
families studying at this primary school some of whom also live here. There are
several orphans being break off all relations cared for by bhkus of +oc Tho
pagoda.
The 'oa #en 3ompassion #chool sits ad%acent the Phuoc Thien pagoda
and was founded by bhku *n /guyen on ,ctober > 9A;A. The school is
located in /inh Ich ward about seventeen km /orth of /ha Trang. *t present
the school offers free day care pre0school kindergarten and tutoring classes.
/un *n /guyen expects the school to expand and is building classrooms to
413
This number was statistic by the .en. Thich Thicn 3hiku on *nnual (eview (eport 9AA8.
414
*ccessed at http7//lovingkindnessvietnam.org/QEcontent/charity0schools. ,n 9:/:/9A;9
243
accommodate a free primary school in the bright future. The children who
attend primarily live in the TNn ThXnh fishing village where the pagoda
resides.
=;>
In addition bhkus as the example daughter of +ord "uddha full are
devoted to compassion0understanding open classes teaches of humanity. They
organiDed discuss cruel acts some children do to creatures e.g.7 Destroying
birdsM nests throwing stones at birds hurting cats and dogs at home killing
innocent serpents etc.
*t the kindness of our vision as a !odhisatt"a and bhkus is the wish to
bring benefit to all beings. Therefore engaging in a variety of compassionate
activities has been a natural outgrowth and expression of this wish. In terms of
their own happiness sentient beings value nothing greater than their own lives.
!or this reason saving lives brings tremendous merit and has always been a
central practice of the -ah2y2na tradition of "uddhism.
=;@
In recent time nuns formaliDed this aspect of compassionate activity
through the creation of the compassion fund. /uns have said how much looks
forward to and en%oy this activity. It is one of the most satisfying practices one
can do for not only are the animals saved from being slaughtered for food but
we also pray through our dedications that they may one day be freed from
rebirth in the lower realms
4very year after the annual teaching programs at center nuns .ietnamese
of monasteries and a few groups of students travel to the nearby rivers to free
lobsters and sometimes crabs clams or mussels. #tudents continue this
practice four more times during the year on wheel days which in the .ietnam
415
Ibid.
=;@
*ccessed at http7//www.mangalashribhuti.org/compassionate0activity. ,n ;=/</9A;9
244
calendar commemorate important events in the "uddhaMs life. ,n those days the
merit generated by positive actions is multiplied ten million times.
Bhen people make prayer reEuests throughout the year either for
themselves or for others who are facing sickness death or other obstacles one
dedicates the merit from these spirit practices to fulfilling those prayers. In this
spirit one more than matches whatever anything people donate to support these
releases with their own personal offers. "y participating in these events or by
contributing any things people can connect to this practice and powerfully
benefit those they are trying to help through prayers.
.ietnamese of "uddhist monks and nuns regularly vow to follow moral
precepts that prohibit harming of the environment. There are vows for
protecting the purity of the waterC for not killing sentient beings who live in the
earthC for not killing insects birds and animalsC for not starting forest firesC and
for respecting the life of trees particularly ancient ones.
In the contemporary .ietnam "uddhist nun)s monastic communities are
developing a new ways of applying ancient "uddhist principles to their own
environments. !or example in the Dhamma (ealm "uddhist *ssociation
monks nuns and lay people are getting involved in recyclingC in teaching
temple residents and the supporters of temples not to pollute their air earth and
waterC and in reforesting temple properties. Bhile performing the ancient
"uddhist ritual of rescuing birds and animals originally consigned to death and
liberating them they are developing a new ecologic concern for making sure
that those sentient beings are released into environmentally suitable habitats.
The principles of compassionate ecology are also being taught in the
association)s "uddhist schools of .ietnam.
=;?
417
*ccessed at http7//www.cttbusa.org/recycling/recycle;.htm. #ee also .a%ra "odhi #ea7 * -onthly 5ournal of
,rthodox "uddhism .. <> series 8< -arch 9AA> pp. 980<;.
245
In "uddhist essential ethics the well0known !ive Precepts Fpawca s1laG
form the minimum code of ethics that every lay "uddhist is expected to adhere
to. Its first precept involves abstention from in%ury to life. It is explained as the
casting aside of all forms of weapons being conscientious about depriving a
living being of life. In its positive sense it means the cultivation of compassion
and sympathy for all living things.
=;8
The "uddhist layman is expected to
abstain from trading in meat too.
=;:
The "uddhist monks nuns have to abide by an even stricter code of ethics
than the layman. 'e has to abstain from practices which would involve even
unintentional in%ury to living creatures. !or instance the "uddha promulgated
the rule against going on a %ourney during the rainy season because of possible
in%ury to worms and insects that come to the surface in wet weather.
=9A
The same
concern for non0violence prevents a monk from digging the ground.
=9;
,nce a
monk who was a potter prior to ordination built for himself a clay hut and set it
on fire to give it a fine finish. The "uddha strongly ob%ected to this as so many
living creatures would have been burnt in the process. The hut was broken down
on the "uddhaMs instructions to prevent it from creating a bad precedent for later
generations.
=99
The scrupulous nonviolent that show compassion attitude
towards even the smallest living creatures prevents the monks nuns from
drinking strainer water.
=9<
It is no doubt a sound hygienic habit but what is
noteworthy is the reason which prompts the practice namely sympathy for
living creatures.
418
D. I =.
419
*. III 9A8.
420
.in. I ;<?.
421
.in. I. ;9>.
422
.in. III =9.
423
.in. I. ;9>.
246
"uddhism also prescribes the practice of loving0kindness towards all
creatures of all Euarters without restriction. The <araniyametta sutta en%oins the
cultivation of loving0kindness towards all creatures timid and steady long and
short big and small minute and great visible and invisible near and far born
and awaiting birth.
=9=
*ll Euarters are to be suffused with this loving attitude.
5ust as oneMs own life is precious to oneself so is the life of the other precious to
himself. Therefore a reverential attitude must be cultivated towards all forms of
life.
The understanding of karma and rebirth too prepares the "uddhist to
adopt a sympathetic attitude towards animals. *ccording to this belief it is
possible for human beings to be reborn in subhuman states among animals. The
<ukkura"atika sutta can be cited as a canonical reference which substantiates
this view.
=9>
The 5#takas provide ample testimony to this view from
commentarial literature. It is possible that our own close relatives have been
reborn as animals. Therefore it is only right that we should treat animals with
kindness and sympathy. The "uddhist notion of merit also engenders a gentle
non0violent attitude towards living creatures. It is said that if one throws dish0
washing water into a pool where there are insects and living creatures intending
that they feed on the tiny particles of food thus washed away one accumulates
merit even by such trivial generosity.
=9@
*ccording to the ;acchuddana 5#taka
the !odhisatt"a threw his leftover food into a river in order to feed the fish and
by the power of that merit he was saved from an impending disaster.
=9?
Thus
compassion to animals is they big or small is a source of merit needed for
human beings to improve their lot in the cycle of rebirths and to approach the
final goal of ni!!#na
424
#n. .. ;=<0;>9.
425
-. I <8? f.
426
*. I ;@;.
427
5. II =9<.
247
"uddhism expresses a gentle non0violent attitude towards the vegetable
kingdom as well. It is said that one should not even break the branch of a tree
that has given one shelter.
=98
Plants are so helpful to us in providing us with all
necessities of life that we are expected not to adopt a callous attitude towards
them. The more strict monastic rules prevent the monks from in%uring plant
life.
=9:
Prior to the rise of "uddhism people regarded natural phenomena such as
mountains forests groves and trees with a sense of awe and reverence.
=<A
They
considered them as the abode of powerful non0human beings that could assist
human beings at times of need. Though "uddhism gave man a far superior
Triple (efuge in the "uddha Dhamma, and Sagha, these places continued to
en%oy public patronage at a popular level as the acceptance of terrestrial non0
human beings such as de"atas
=<;
and yakkhas did not violate the belief system
of "uddhism. Therefore among the "uddhists there is a reverential attitude
towards especially long0standing gigantic trees. They are vanaspati in P2li
meaning l+ords of the forests.l *s huge trees such as the ironwood the #ala
and the fig are also recogniDed as the "odhi trees of former "uddha the
deferential attitude towards trees is further strengthened. It is well known that
the ficus religiosa is held as an ob%ect of great veneration in the "uddhist world
today as the tree under which the "uddha attained 4nlightenment.
The construction of parks and pleasure groves for public use is considered
a great meritorious deed. #akka the +ord of $ods is said to have reached his
status as a result of social services such as the construction of parks pleasure
groves ponds wells and roads.
=<9
428
Petavatthu II : <.
429
.in. I. <=.
430
Dh. .. ;88.
431
#. I ;0=>.
432
5. I ;:: f.
248
The open air natural habitats and forest trees have a special fascination
for the 4astern mind as symbols of spiritual freedom. The home life is regarded
as a fetter that keeps man in bondage and misery. (enunciation is like the open
air nature unhampered by manMs activity.
=<<
The chief events in the life of +ord
"uddha too took place in the open air. 'e was born in a park at the foot of a tree
in &apilavatthuC he attained 4nlightenment in the open air at the foot of the
"odhi tree in "odhgayaC he inaugurated his missionary activity in the open air
in the #ala grove of the -alas in Pava. The "uddhaMs constant advice to his
disciples also was to resort to natural habitats such as forest groves and glades.
There undisturbed by human activity they could Dealously engage themselves
in meditation.
=<=
In *sia lay people of "uddhist have been active in environmental
matters. In !rance the .ietnamese monk Thich /hat 'anh has set up the
international Tiep 'ien FInter0beingG order of meditations and social/peace
activities. *mong the precepts of the order is do not live with a vocation that is
harmful to humans and nature. 'e teaches his followers to use verses which
remind them of their inter0relationship with the world and their duties towards
it. !or examples when turning on a tap or drinking water they should reflect7
Bater flows over these hands
-ay I use them skillfully
to preserve the planet.
=<>

*s .en. /hat 'anh a brilliant elder monk says we ourselves are made of
non0self elements the sun the plants the bacteria and the atmosphere. In a
similar vein #tephen "atchelor says we feel ourselves to be separate selves in a
separate world full of separate things. Be feel separate from each other separate
433
D. I @<.
434
-. I ;;8C #. I. <?<
435
"atchelor and "rown ;::9 p. ;A@.
249
from the environment that sustains us and separate from the things we use and
en%oy. Be fail to recogniDe them for what they are part of us as we are of them.
"uddhism is a practical religion aimed at salvationC acts of kindness and
generosity are critical to "uddhist salvation. "uddhist philosophy teaches that
people are merely one small ephemeral part of an interconnected and
interdependent universe. The core of "uddhist spiritual practice is loving0
kindness and compassionC the first precept condemns killing. Teachings of
karma and reincarnation reinforce this spiritual imperative7 the chicken on our
plate was once our best friendC our teacher our beloved may be a !odhisatt"a
or future "uddha and we will suffer in the future for any suffering we cause.
"uddhism entails a philosophy that is sensitive to the pains and needs of non0
human sentient beings etc and this philosophy is not merely peripheral but
belongs to the core of the tradition forming the foundation of "uddhist
morality.
=<@
,therwise in +isa)s article examines the rationale behind the imperative
need for compassion for all sentient beings human beings and non0human
beings. +isa emphasiDes non0in%ury or non0violence FahimF s#D among all sentient
beings as all sentient beings are interrelated in the world of transmigration. +iDa
merely apologiDes the authentic word of #akyamuni "uddha that all sentient
beings are interconnected as fathers mothers brothers sisters sons or
daughters and so forth in the incessant cycle of birth death and rebirth. 'arms
done to others are harms done to one)s own members of the family. The
correlations among all sentient beings are lucidly expounded by 'ua0Hen
"uddhist tenet of interconnected web of interrelationship FDharmadhatu0
Prat1tyasamutp2daG the concept of ,neness or Unity of beings. #uch a concept
of universal unity is also expounded through the Islamic concept of Tawhid.
436
Baldau Paul. $he S'ecter of S'eciesism: Buddhist and Christian Vie-s of 2nimals. /ew Hork7 ,xford
9AA9 p. ;<8
250
Though dissimilar religions differ exoterically or outwardly they are identical
esoterically or inwardly in terms of Theosophy. There is no religion higher than
the truth the universal brotherhood of humanity.
=<?

In this chapter we have tried to depict that nuns working with the sick in
hospitals and hospicesC working with the prisonersC working with drug addictsC
fund0raising for the poor and needyC raising voice for human rights and against
oppressionC compassionate activities to the welfare of non0human sentient
beings etc. by the teachings of +ord "uddha they perform dogma of
compassion 0 noself altruistic 0 mercy charity nuns work tirelessly industry to
improve the health of sicks persons of poor of all ages raising their voice to
human rights to demand of free religion nun)s social works are involved greatly
in the enhance of menMs physical condition care including maternal and child
health mental and behavioral health care services the %oin in care and
anticipation of social maladies as 'I./*ID# drug addictions and other
sexually transmitted disease. Improving the health and well0being of men
reEuires attention to physical mental emotional and social comfort and the
provision of gender sensitive prevention intervention and long term care
services. Their work is concerned imitate of unbounded compassion of +ord
"uddha that to ameliorate of life community of generally and sickness persons
of individual and the vulnerable groups in particular. !ocus of programmers will
be for the neglected disadvantaged under privileged and exploited section of
.ietnamese society particularly the destitute men hoary age disabled
handicap indigent beggars orphanage etc.

=<?
*ccessed at http7//www.all0creatures.org/articles/an0tpr0buddhist.html on ;>/8/9A;9
251

C).,$*- S#9

VIETNAMESE BHI66HUN7 ORDER AND ITS CONTRIBUTION TO
THE VIETNAMESE SOCIETY5 PERCEPTION OF THE PEOPLE
In this chapter we will present the nuns) common activities and their
contribution to .ietnamese society. *ccompanied by a close of Bhku Sagha
persons of behalf stronger0sex that at the moment strongly development in
.ietnamese "uddhism. "esides Bhku Sagha, always was called weaker0
252
sex but their role responsibilities movement launched during the
antiaggression was in which .ietnamese women assumed responsibility for the
household education social work welfare activities sacrifice for political
struggle altruism and fighting in their negativeMs placeC that brings to blessing
and peace for human0being. "esides this we also mention about education of
field nuns in modern "uddhist .ietnam.
1. V#*$%.+*"* B'(()#"$ N'%"> C!%$-#:'$#!%" #% P*.0* M!1*+*%$ #%
C!%$*+,!-.-y
.ietnamese "uddhist nuns training in mindfulness and loving kindness
are in an ideal position to devote them wholeheartedly to relieving affliction in a
very immediate and meaningful way. 'owever they are not only run in the field
of social benefit service activities but also of trailblaDer front0line raising voice
of human right for peace human kind to carry blessing for "uddhism0Dhamma
and nation create a new stage to open glorious page in "uddhist history of
.ietnam.
It has been undoubted that in -ay ;:@? a young #outh .ietnamese
bhku Th`ch / Dicu 'uinh F/hat 3hi -aiG penned a series of letters to the
combatants in her homeland and the President of the United #tates and then
immolated
=<8
her in an attempt to stop the conflict in her nation. In her message
to +yndon 5ohnson she asked the U.# leader SDo you comprehend that most
.ietnamese in the bottom of our hearts feel hatred towards *mericans who have
brought the sufferings of the war to our countryQT
=<:
In many ways her self0
sacrifice expressed "uddhist distress over the war while also indicating that
438
Self(immolation differentiates itself from suicide in that it is an altruistic self0sacrifice through religious
ritual. The sacrifice of self can be viewed to be the ultimate gift because it comes at the greatest price with the
purpose of bringing a community together.
439
5ames !orest the &nified Buddhist Church of Vietnam p. 8.
253
women stood at the forefront of anti0war activism in #outh .ietnam.
==A
Het
although much has been written in recent years about the military contributions
of *merican and .ietnamese women during the conflict little has been said
about .ietnamese women in the peace movement.
==;
This part analyses to
demonstrate that their toils conformed to a long tradition of feminine service to
.ietnam that reflected the highest traditions of "uddhism while also challenging
common stereotypes of #outhern women as hapless victims revolutionary
fighters or sex workers. Instead it shows them actively working to determine
the future of their country.
'istorians who have noted the elevated status of women throughout
.ietnamese history ascribe this condition to a number of factors. Peasants in the
(ed (iver Delta the cradle of .ietnamese civiliDation practiced a rough form
of egalitarianism due to the incessant labor demands of working smallholdings
in one of the most densely populated areas in the world. .ietnamese women
could inherit property and keep their names after marriage. ,ften women
exercised leadership in commercial and economic ventures because of the
3onfucian view of trade as an activity not conducive to achieving social
harmony. -ales on the other hand dominated politics.
==9

440
5ames !orest the &nified Buddhist Church of Vietnam p. 8. Bhen one refers to "uddhists in this essay one
means the group who followed the lead of Thich Tri Uuang and the .ien 'oa Dao FInstitute for the 4xecution of
the DharmaG. "uddhists in #outh .ietnam split into a number of ma%or groupings of which the "uddhist
-ovement represented about one million "uddhists in the county. Internal divisions between moderates led by
Thich Tam 3hau and radicals who followed Thich Tri Uuang also weakened it. The movement had a regional
component as wellC Thich Tri Uuang remained most powerful in central .ietnam while Thich Tam 3hau
retained an edge in #aigon. /ether side had much influence with the 'oa 'ao or the huge number of "uddhists
who lived in the -ekong Delta.
441
* good example of recent efforts to depict the role of women in the war is &aren $ottschang TurnerMs 4ven
the Bomen -ust !ight7 -emories of Bar from /orth .ietnam F/ew Hork ;::8G.
442
3hristine PelDer Bhite GVietnam: War, Socialism, and the +olitics of @ender Relationsl in Promissory
/otes7 Bomen in the Transition to #ocialism edited by #onia &ruks (ayna (app and -arilyn Houng F/ew
Hork ;:8:G7 pp. ;?90:9.
254
The importance of women to society stemmed from among other things
their role in child bearing and mother0care which was essential for the survival
not only of the clan but also of the whole species. It is no accident that in all the
early myths and legends of creation it is the woman that is the bringer of life.
*gain all the early $ods were women. ,nly with the advent of class society
and dominant patriarchal relations do we see the emergence of the great male
$ods of the ancients.
The enhanced position of women particularly emerged during times of
war and foreign invasion. ,ne .ietnamese proverb holds SWhen -ar comes,
e"en the -omen must fight,4 illustrating the need for every .ietnamese to resist
external threats. The use of guerrilla warfare to defeat aggressors placed a
special burden on women who had to support the soldiers in the field tend
businesses care for families and provide intelligence for the insurgents.
==<
The exploits of heroic women appear throughout .ietnamese history. The
Trfng sisters stand as the great cultural heroes of .ietnam. !or many
.ietnamese they personify the most powerful symbol of .ietnamese
nationalism since they led a popular rebellion against 3hina in =A 3.4 ruling an
independent .ietnam for three years until they committed suicide rather than
submit to an occupying army. Their revolt carries significant emotional and
patriotic weight as an illustration of .ietnam)s long history of resistance to
foreign invasion.
The country)s foremost literary work $he $ale of <i\u, tells the story of a
fine0looking youthful woman engaged to be married when misfortune befalls
her family. To fulfill her filial duty &iou becomes a prostitute to save her family
from financial ruin. Bhen she finally reunites with her fianct they pledge to
remain forever celibate to honor their reunification. -any commentators believe
443
-ark "radley lectures GBistory and Culture of Vietnaml University of Bisconsin0-adison ;::>.
255
that &iou represents .ietnam a nation forced constantly to prostitute itself to
resist foreign domination. ,ne historian even argues that .ietnamese have
developed a feminine self0image as a result of their heroic characteriDations of
women.
===

"uddhist nuns and women participated in the formation of the /ational
+iberation !ront Fthe /+! better known as the .iet 3ongG and some historians
estimate that they made up as much as >A percent of the /+!.
==>
"uddhist
women also fought in large numbers /orth .ietnam during the war with the
*mericans. #ince women performed many critical wartime tasks it remains
unsurprising that some worked to end the conflict and bring peace to their
country as well. In fact their political and social activism can be seen as a
continuation of their long history of battling to save their nation.
The three mottos of .ietnamese "uddhism are compassion wisdom and
involvement which means that "uddhists cannot ignore pain or suffering but
must actively work to end it.
==@
Bhile non0violence and empathy represent the
essence of "uddhism .ietnamese particularly expect women to serve
humanity.
==?
The .ietnamese !odhisatt"a of 3ompassion is Uu]n Thk rm.
*ccording to some scholars the .ietnamese altered her gender from a male to a
female Sto better fit the needs of the peopleT since Sa female !odhisatt"a has
more compassion.l Uu]n Thk rm represents the epitome of "uddhist
444
"radley +ecture '. /ina T.&. /guyen GWomen and Buddhism in Vietnam, jBuddha, Bear ;e SufferMl
Unpublished -anuscript ;::@.
445
-ary Dickson GLonghaired Warriors,G +ri"ate Eye Weekly 5une 9 ;::? and Promissory /otes pp. ;?90
;:9.
446
Thich -inh Duc and Thich Uuang "a lBomenMs #tatus in "uddhisml *pril > 9AA; e0mail message to
author and 5ames -. !reeman 'earts of #orrow7 .ietnamese *merican +ives F#tanford ;:8:G pp. 8;08@.
447
Thich /hat 'anh The 'eart of Understanding F"erkeley ;:88G and #tephen "atchelor The *wakening of
the Best7 The 4ncounter of "uddhism and Bestern 3ulture F"erkeley ;::=G p. <@;.
256
benevolence in that she remains intensely interested in ending human suffering
reinforcing the image of women as saviors of the nation.
==8
Driven by a desire to practice compassion #outh .ietnamese "uddhists
launched a nationwide peace campaign from ;:@<0@?.
==:
+ed by their
charismatic leader .en. Thich Tri Uuang "uddhists dreamed of sparking a
social revolution that would eradicate poverty and in%ustice while bringing relief
to .ietnamese whose lives of extreme poverty rendered them susceptible to
/+! promises of a future egalitarian society under its tutelage.
=>A
The growing
war in the countryside particularly concerned "uddhists because of the suffering
involved and its potential to derail their social transformation. They concluded
448
/guyen lBomen and "uddhism in .ietnaml and S-y +ife as a /unT e0mails to author from Thich /u
-inh Tam *pril05uly 9AA;.
449
In #eptember ;:@= for example the "uddhist %ournal 'ai Trieu *m F.oice of the (ising TideG published
SUrgent Prayers of a #uffering PeopleT which called for a negotiated settlement and for the combatants to
refrain from killing each other. -ore importantly the article referred to /+! cadres as brothers a powerful
indicator of the fratricidal nature of the steadily expanding war. The $./ promptly shut the %ournal down
leading "uddhists to launch a new publication. Increasingly sickened by the rising cost of the war citiDens
launched three different peace campaigns simultaneously in #aigon during ;:@>. The $./ crushed all of these
efforts sending a clear signal to .ietnamese of the danger of outright calls for peace. /evertheless as %ournalist
Takashi ,ka argued at the time Sthe simple uncomplicated totally understandable popular ache for peace
remains.T In -ay ;:@> a "uddhist0organiDed peace rally in #aigon witnessed the incredible spectacle of
thousands of .ietnamese marching through the streets of #aigon demanding a Speace cabinet.T In December
;:@> the Patriarch of the U"3 Thich Tinh &hiet implored the contending forces to open talks to end to war.
,therwise Sthe people of .ietnam faced destruction.T Thich Uuang +ien who founded one of the peace efforts
in ;:@> told the author during a visit to the !odhisatt"a Thich Uuang Duc Pagoda in 5uly ;::@ that he did not
oppose U# intervention but wanted to end the killing which he felt was destroying his country. *fter ;:@@ he
retired to head a monastery dedicated to the study of peace. #till a man of principle he was very outspoken in
his condemnation of recent religious repression by the 3ommunist government of .ietnam. .en. Thich Uuang
+ien interview 5ames !orest The Unified "uddhist 3hurch of .ietnam @0 <; and &ahin !ile SThich Uuang
+ien)s Peace -ovement.T
450
During the war most *merican correspondents incorrectly reported that Thich meant reverend or venerable
since all "uddhist monks and nuns in .ietnam adopt it as a surname upon ordination. *ctually it comes from
the .ietnamese translation of the "uddha)s name Thich03a or #hakyamuni. #ee Thich /hat 'anh Ren &eys
F/ew Hork ;:?=G ;. Thich /u indicates that the individual is a nun.
257
that a democratic government reflecting the popular will to end the war
remained the most effective avenue to peace.
'ence when "uddhist compassion intersected with a desire to save their
people "uddhist women %oined the peace movement in large numbers. Het
their entry into the political realm represented a significant departure from their
normal roles especially on the part of nuns. .ietnamese "uddhism has attracted
more women than men since the +e Dynasty in the ;>
th
century and has long
been considered the religion of women perhaps because it Sdeals more with the
heart and mindT and focuses on Scompassion on emotions and on loving and
caring.T /evertheless women have traditionally accepted a subordinate
position partially because of the "uddha)s ambivalence over their admission
but also reflecting the secondary position of many women in *sian society.
-ost .ietnamese assume that nuns will shun political activity and worldly
concerns since many %oin "uddhist orders to escape earthly problems and have
little outside contact after they enter a nunnery.
4xpected mainly to serve +ord "uddha and the people the status of
women in .ietnamese "uddhism remains one of subservience and ambivalence.
!amilies generally express regret when an offspring %oins the temple because of
her lost earning ability and separation from the family. Het they also feel pride
that a daughter has decided to work for their religion. /uns follow arduous
monastic regulations which include strict dietary rules and highly structured
daily schedules and have to conform to more policies than monks in similar
capacities. -ore importantly they must pro%ect love and kindness at all times
and shows no anger or hostility towards any creature.
=>;

451
3;y Life as a %un,4 e0mails to author from Thich /u -inh Tam *pril05uly 9AA; and *sia !oundation
(eport on "uddhism F#an !rancisco ;:@8G pp. 9@09?.
258
Despite the fact that many felt great ambivalence about entering the
political arena the "uddha)s in%unction to always practice compassion forced
them to no longer remain silent and apolitical. *s one nun pointed out Swhen
the U# military left the people were poor but they didn)t care they had what
they wanted7 peace independence and freedom.T
=>9
*lthough many .ietnamese
condemned women for engaging in political activity their history religious and
cultural orientation and belief in their obligation to their people left them no
choice. They had to try to stop the killing. *s one "uddhist pointed out SHou
cannot be silent and be a religious leader.T
=><
'ence "uddhist women
participated in demonstrations helped place family altars in the streets led
students out of classes to protest against the war made efforts to lessen burdens
created by the conflict and volunteered to immolate them to call attention to the
plight of their nation.
=>=
Bhile it is never easy to defy long0held social and
cultural conventions particularly in a tradition0bound society like .ietnam
thousands did. In the words of bhku 3hgn &hnng S'ow could we educate
young people to respect life while ignoring the killing of human beingsQ . . .
4ven at the risk of arrest or torture we had to work for peace.T
=>>
Bomen followed countless paths to peace. -s. Tran 'ong +ien a noted
scholar and historian of .ietnamese "uddhism %oined the peace movement to
resist a foreign invader the U# while Dan Thi +au *nh a university professor
claims that many women went to %ail during the war because they wanted to
serve the "uddha Duong .an -ai 4lliot embraced the growing Third !orce
452
,ral interview bhiks 6 un6 1 Thich /u /hu 'ai 'o 3hi -inh 3ity .ietnam December 9AAA.
453
SThich /hat 'anh interview with &ahinT p. 9.
454
#allie &ing and 3hristopher #. Uueen editors Engaged Buddhism7 "uddhist +iberation -ovements in *sia
*lbany ;::@G p. <<> $eorge -cT. &ahin Intervention7 'ow *merica "ecame Involved in .ietnam F/ew
Hork ;:8@G =<A -emo !or the President @0:0;:@@ .ietnam .olume >> .ietnam 3ountry !ile /#! +"5
+ibrary and 5errold #checter The /ew !ace of "uddha F/ew Hork ;:@?G p. 9=A.
455
3han &hong Learning $rue Lo"e: Bo- = Learned m +racticed Social Change in Vietnam F"erkeley ;::<G
p. 8:. 3han &hong is 3ao /goc Phuong)s religious name.
259
movement a group that believed in a non0*merican noncommunist solution to
the war. ,ne militant who helped build temporary homes and ... collect donated
clothes for the war victims in #aigonT subseEuently became an antiwar
campaigner at 3ornell University and a member of the Third !orce.
=>@
*nother
"uddhist woman allied with the movement and gained a stay in prison after
witnessing the self0immolation of Thich Uuang Duc in ;:@<. #he became a
social activist after the 3ommunist victory in ;:?>.
=>?
,ne nun %oined the ;:@<
"uddhist agitation against /go Dinh Diem and served a %ail term until DiemMs
removal in late ;:@<. +ater on as the war expanded she headed an orphanage
until the 3ommunist victory in ;:?>. *fter the war she came to the U# and
continued her activities in *merica.
=>8
*nother nun worked for four years as a
teacher to take out a personal loan which she used to open a medical clinic for
the poor that also educated young women to work in the medical fieldT
=>:
!rom ;:@> to ;:@: the U.#. was involved in a limited war in .ietnam.
*lthough there were serial bombings of the /orth President 5ohnson wanted
the fighting to be limited to #outh .ietnam. "y limiting the fighting parameters
the U.#. forces would not conduct a serious ground assault into the /orth to
attack the communists directly nor would there be any strong effort to disrupt
the 'o 3hi -inh Trail Fthe .iet 3ongMs supply path that ran through +aos and
3ambodiaG.
456
+etter from former member of the #H## to author *ugust ;::?. This previous activist in the organiDation
reEuested anonymity because she still visits and works in .ietnam on occasion and fears authorities of .ietnam
retaliation over her antiwar activities during the conflict.
457
/guyen 32rticle Women and Buddhism in Vietnaml pp. ;?0;:.
458
.en. Thich -inh Duc lThich Dam +uu7 *n 4minent "uddhist /unl undated. #ee also
http7//www.%ps.net/ducvien/damluu.nun. ,n /</:/9A;9.
459
(eport on "uddhism .ietnam ;::<.
260
The $overnment of #outh .ietnam F$./G treated members of the peace
movement harshly often confining them in its worst locations for years.
=@A
Het
many women talk about their time in prison with a stunning casualness
especially when considering the horrific conditions that existed within the #outh
.ietnamese penal system. *merican peace activist *lfred 'assler argues that
the $./ arrested Sfive thousand "uddhist monks nuns lay leaders and
studentsT after it crushed the ;:@@ movement in Da /ang and 'ue. (eligious
historian #allie &ing claims that in ;:@8 Sof ;8?A prisoners in &ham 3hi 'oa
Prison #aigon ;@@> were listed on the daily census as "uddhists fifty as
3ommunist.T 5ournalist #tanley &arnow maintains that the $./ locked up
hundreds of peace activists and held them in prison for years without due
process or trial while *sian political scientist $eorge &ahin asserts that many
"uddhists remained %ailed until ;:?>.
=@;
-oreover *mnesty International
estimated that over 9AAAAA political prisoners remained incarcerated in
Indochina by the end of ;:?9 with the ma%ority being held in #outh .ietnamese
prisons.
=@9
The ultimate failure to achieve popular democracy led many "uddhists to
embrace the Third !orce concept.
=@<
They claimed to be neither anti0/+! nor
anti0U.#. but pro0peace since the "uddhists sided with neither of the
combatants but with their shared victims7 the .ietnamese masses.
=@=
(e%ecting
the idea that the conflict had to be settled on the battlefield many saw the Third
460
5effrey 5. 3larke United #tates *rmy in .ietnam *dvice and #upport7 The !inal Hears ;:@>0;:?<
FBashington ;:88G p. ;=< and !rances !itDgerald !ire in the +ake7 The .ietnamese and the *mericans in
.ietnam F/ew Hork ;:?9G pp. <8?088.
461
&ing Engaged Buddhism p. <<= and *lfred 'assler #aigon U#* F/ew Hork ;:?AG p. =9.
462
(ichard 4der S+ri"ate @rou' to +rotest +olitical +risoners in VietnamT /ew Hork Times F/ovember <
;:?9G7 p. ;9.
463
'assler who visited #outh .ietnam in ;:@: claims that many #outh .ietnamese Sperhaps the ma%orityT
supported the notion of a Third !orce to end the conflict. 'assler #aigon U#* p. ;@.
464
&ing 4ngaged "uddhism p. <<9.
261
!orce as a way for the U.#. to withdraw from #outh .ietnam with its honor
intact while allowing the .ietnamese to determine their own fate.
=@>
#ensing significant war weariness after a Euarter0century of conflict in
the early ;:@As .en. /hat 'anh helped found .an'anh University a "uddhist
school still operating in .ietnam and the #chool of Houth for #ocial #ervice
F#H##G.
=@@
Het he spent most of the war outside #outh .ietnam leaving the
leadership and dangerous work to bhku 3hgn &hnng. Bhile .en. /hat 'anh
got the lion)s share of the credit for the #H## bhku 3hgn &hnng served as
its inspirational leader and the person most responsible for its success. Under
her tutelage women constituted 9> percent of the #H## student body.
=@?

In her memoir of the #H## bhku 3hgn &hnng lays particular
emphasis on 4ngaged "uddhism a tract written by .en. /hat 'anh in ;:@=
calling for radical activism to lessen the suffering of the .ietnamese people.
Despite the fact that the $./ outlawed this work "uddhists smuggled over
four thousand copies out of #aigon and spread them all over the country. The
document electrified much of the "uddhist organiDation and a significant
portion of the urban population with the hope that the "uddhists could bring
relief to the people.
Bhku 3hn &hnng understood that inchoate feelings of helplessness
and rage had been produced by an extreme demographic and price revolution
which exerted intense pressure on many people.
=@8
The explosive growth of
465
'assler #aigon U#* ;< 3$he $hird SolutionT <0;;and the interview.
466
#tephen "atchelor the 2-akening of the West F"erkeley ;::=G pp. <@A0@;.
467
(eport on "uddhism pp. 8:0:;.
468
!or example prices increased >9 percent in ;:@> and =9 percent in ;:@@ ;; percent of the population F;.8
million peopleG became refugees while #aigon03holon grew from a city of ;.= million in ;:@9 to 9.> million in
;:@> to =.> million by mid0;:@?. Twenty0five percent of the population of #outh .ietnam resided in the #aigon0
3holon area by *ugust ;:@?. In addition smaller urban areas like Uui /hon grew by ;AAAAA people in less
than three years and Danang added almost :AAAA inhabitants. 5ohn T. "ennett SPolitical Implications of
262
cities had an especially overpowering influence on .ietnamese society and
drove #H## efforts to relieve these conditions.
=@:
Bhile the movement of so
many people to urban areas enabled the $./ to maintain better control over the
population it also produced demands for additional services in the midst of a
general deterioration of living conditions during a time of seeming prosperity
particularly as inflation eroded wage increases among white0collar salaried
workers.
=?A
$rowing municipal populations created enormous slums while a
general breakdown in urban services plagued #aigon where crime and
prostitution soared garbage was never collected roads never repaired and
busses never ran on time.
=?;

The #H## represented the culmination of bhku 3hgn &hnng)s belief
in 4ngaged "uddhism. Disagreeing with the militancy of .en. Thich Tri Uuang
she argued for a "uddhism bereft of political action that focused on remedying
the people)s suffering.
=?9
#he saw the #H## as a Third !orce inside #outh
.ietnam neither supporting nor opposing the $./ or the /+! while training
young people to alleviate the pain caused by the fighting. !inally despite the
war going on around them and under her tireless leadership members of the
#H## opened schools built hospitals fed the hungry housed the homeless
cared for refugees arranged for local truces during natural disasters worked for
4conomic 3hange7 #outh .ietnamT *sian #urvey ?78 F*ugust ;:@?G7 pp. >8;0>:;.
469
5osef (esigned of the !ar 4astern 4conomic (eview illustrated the effects of thousands of refugees moving
to the cities when he characteriDed #aigon in *ugust ;:@= as a filthy city with garbage and litter lying
uncollected while in the streets Sbeggars were everywhere7 old men women crippled and children.T 'e
described the malaise affecting the .ietnameseC STwo decades of terror fighting and death have sapped the
citiDens of this country of their energy and will to struggle for an unknown freedom.) #ickened and
demoraliDed they have lapsed into an almost traditional fatalism7 Bhat "uddha wishes will come to pass.T 5osef
(eisinger S.ietnam)s #chiDophreniaT !ar 4astern 4conomic (eview =? F,ctober 9: ;:@=G7 pp. 9@>0@?.
470
&ahin Intervention pp. =;A0;;.
471
S#outh .ietnam7 Pilot with a -issionT Time F!ebruary ;8 ;:@=G7 p. 9@.
472
&ing Engaged Buddhism pp. <9<0<9@.
263
peace and tried to keep the light of compassion glowing in a war0torn society
suffering significant economic dislocation.
Bhku 3hgn &hnng did not confine herself to social action however.
&ahin one of the foremost #outheast *sian scholars in the world and an
outspoken opponent of the .ietnam Bar visited #outh .ietnam at the end of
;:@@ as part of a U# effort to get antiwar intellectuals like him on board.
Instead he traveled around the country and discovered an active underground
network trying to achieve peace and open talks with the /+!.
*t one point "uddhists asked &ahin if he would like to meet
representatives of the /+!. They instructed him to go to a pharmacy in #aigon
and reEuest a certain prescription. Bhen he did bhku 3hgn &hnng escorted
him to the meeting. *lthough an extremely dangerous task on his and her part
the meeting confirmed to &ahin that large segments of the /+! did not adhere
to 3ommunism and mainly %oined the movement to oppose U# intervention.
Understanding the need for the *merican people to hear .ietnamese opinions
&ahin later brought bhku 3hgn &hnng to 3ornell University to give the
other side of the story.
4ventually the #aigon government unprotected to %ail bhku 3hon
&hong for her peace activities. *fter escaping from #outh .ietnam she toured
the U# calling on *mericans to oppose the war and later %oined the "uddhist
Peace Delegation to the Paris Peace talks.
=?<
*lthough the 3ommunists branded
her a war criminal after ;:?> she still attempts to help her people by leading
campaigns to aid victims of natural disasters and displaced boat people 3n the
&nited %ation and the am!assadors had 'romised to gi"e "isas to all /oo
pdp
473
5ames !orest ,nly the (ice +oves Hou7 * -onth with the .ietnamese "uddhist Peace Delegation in Pari
undated.
474
3hNn &hnng. lBoat 'eo'leG =n Learning $rue Lo"e: Bo- = Learned and +racticed Social Change in
Vietnam. "erkeley7 Parallax Press ;::<. p. ;?=.
264
'eo'le on her !oat, !ut in fact, they issued only thirty(t-o 2s a result, /Qp
'eo'le stayed on the high seas for se"eral months, una!le to attaint refugee
status from any country4 Bhile calling for human rights and religious freedom
in 3ommunist .ietnam.
,therwise "uddhist leaders undeterred gathered =AA monks and nuns
and on -ay <A sat down for four hours before the /ational *ssembly in the
heart of #aigon. Then since nothing happened they declared a =8 hour hunger
strike. The hunger strike spread elsewhere. *fter a token gesture during which
he discharged three of his officials Diem stated that the killings had been
caused by 3ommunist agitators. The hunger strike spread to the general
population until over ;AAAA individuals participated in #aigon alone. To add to
the solemnity of the mass protest the giant gong tolled incessantly from its
principal tower the gong of Za +oi pagoda. In the other "uddhist capital 'ue
the peaceful demonstration took a violent turn and fighting broke out. The
violence was so unrestrained that the main pagoda of Tu Dam was left almost
in ruins.
=?>
In -ay of ;:@@ bhku Thich /u Thanh Uuang a native of #outh
.ietnam entered "uddhist monastery to become a nun. #he gained international
attention on -ay 98 ;:@@ when she committed suicide in front of the Dieu De
pagoda in 'ue city. *fter dousing herself with five gallons of gasoline bhku
Thanh Uuang ignited her and remained motionless in a kneeling position for
nine seconds before collapsing. "efore her death she drafted a letter to
President +yndon 5ohnson calling for the United #tates to abandon its support
for the political regime of President 3ao &y immolated herself in the city of
'ue. 'er death triggered a series of mass "uddhist protests throughout .ietnam.
"y the end of the month the U.# 3onsulate in 'ue was set afire by angry mobs.
475
*ccessed at http7//www.reformation.org/chapter;=.html on /<A/;9/9A;9
265
The affect in this country was almost as dramatic. Bith brute force it brought
home to the psyche of *merica that we were the bad guys.
=?@
The self0immolation by fire was the culmination of "uddhist protests
against 3atholic terroriDation by Diem and his two brothers the archbishop and
the head of the secret police. "uddhist ldissentersl were arrested and summarily
sent into concentration camps with no consideration for civil liberties or
personal freedom. "etween ;:>> and ;:@A at least 9=AAA were wounded while
8AAAA people were executed or otherwise murdered 9?>AAA had been detained
or interrogated. 4ventually about >AAAAA were sent into concentration or
detention camps. The 3atholic state machinery of suppression became so
overpowering and ruthless that the U.#. had to protest privately and officially
the barefaced religious character of DiemMs 3atholic policy. -any more
"uddhist monks followed the example of bhku Thanh Uuang in protest
against DiemMs 3atholic regime. It took tremendous personal courage to prepare
oneself for death by fire in order to uphold oneMs own religious belief. The self0
immolation of "uddhist monks and nuns helped to revive the religiosity of
millions of "uddhists who became determined to resist the un%ust laws of the
Diem government. The 3atholic 3hurch never expressed any sorrow or
admiration for these "uddhist martyrs.
=??
4xpressions of horror on the faces of sobbing .ietnamese women
watching the burning body of a "uddhist nun who set herself on fire and died
under the eyes of hundreds of horrified onlookers. The bhku was consumed
by fire in the courtyard of a pagoda in #aigon. #he committed suicide as a
protest against the anti0"uddhist laws being enforced by the #outh .ietnamese
government. -onks and nuns preceded and followed her example. The self0
sacrifice of such "uddhists helped to draw the attention of the Bestern world to
476
*ccessed at http7//www.reformation.org/chapter;=.html. ,n 9=/;A/ 9A;9.
477
Ibid.
266
the reality of the persecution being carried out against the "uddhists by the
3atholic dominated regime of #outh .ietnam. /ot only while President Diem
was in charge but even afterwards. -any "uddhists suffered imprisonment and
were sent to detention camps for protesting against the discriminatory laws
passed against them by the 3atholic authorities.
=?8
3atholics fighting "uddhists in #aigon that the capital of #outh .ietnam.
3atholic mobs attacked "uddhists when these reacted against the regulations
which forbade "uddhists from praying in and outside their pagodas. l-olotov
cocktailsl are exploding against unarmed troops which were trying to separate
the fighters. These were throwing stones and were using clubs. #imilar riots
occurred in other parts of the country when President Diem enacted anti0
"uddhist laws. The mobs in this picture are fighting outside a 3atholic 3hurch
of the capital. #everal 3atholic buildings were attacked by the "uddhists when
3atholic Diem closed all "uddhist pagodas. The 3atholics retaliated by
attacking "uddhist buildings. The Diem police were very partial to the
3atholics since many of the special police were 3atholics themselves and
therefore personally antagonistic to the "uddhists.
=?:
Immolation by fire before the (oman 3atholic 3athedral of #aigon
passersby are praying and many are weeping as a "uddhist monk burns himself
to death before the (oman 3atholic 3athedral of #aigon. These self0
immolations demonstrate the intensity of the feelings against the in%ustice of the
anti0"uddhist regulations and helped harden the "uddhist will to resist the
3atholic persecution. The "uddhist monks and nuns insisted upon passive
resistance and demonstrated their belief in nonviolent protest by dying for their
principles. ,thers less patient started violent protests and riots against secret
478
&ing #allie ". S$hey Who Burned $hemsel"es for +eace7 Uuaker and "uddhist #elf0Immolators during the
.ietnam Bar.T "uddhist03hristian #tudies 0 .olume 9A 9AAA pp. ;9?0;>A.
479
Ibid.
267
police and troops sent into the streets to tame the "uddhists who resisted
3atholic harassment and persecution.
"esides one other "uddhist nun name is /guyen Thi 3an ;? years0old
on -ay <; ;:@@ committed suicide by setting herself afire Fself0immolationG
on a street in the city of 'ue .ietnam. #he was protesting against the #outh
.ietnamese regime and the war being waged by the U.#. the separate armies of
the /orth and #outh and the insurgent .iet 3ongC it was the fifth such death in
three days.
=8A
,n ,ctober < ;:@? a "uddhist nun Thich /u Tri immolated herself in
protest of the repression of the $overnment of #outh .ietnam. It had denied
participation in recent elections of peace and neutralist elements. "uddhist
leaders thus boycotted the elections and President Diem regime received only
<> percent of the vote. Bithin four weeks three more nuns followed Thich /u
Tri)s example Famong them Thich /u 'ue and Thich /u ThuongG all in an
effort to bring peace to their country split in two and caught up in a war with
their countrymen in the /orth and the escalating presence of U.#. troops.
To conclude in the short stage from ;:@<0;:@8 "uddhist nuns and
women made extraordinary efforts to halt the conflict in their country including
no less than fifteen self0immolations while others performed additional forms
of non0violent protest. In the end many suffered imprisonment and persecution
because of their beliefs. Despite the fact that their labors have received little
attention women constituted the critical core of "uddhist efforts to end the war.
Bomen who %oined the peace movement risked prison defied social norms
endured enormous pain placed themselves in %eopardy and made extraordinary
sacrifices to save their country.
=8;
Their struggle to stop the war and end the
480
*ccessed at http7//www.peacebuttons.info/40/ews/peacehistorymay.htm. ,n ?/>/9A;9.
481
&arnow .ietnam7 * 'istory p. ==:.
268
suffering remained a valid pursuit for religious figures. Their entry into the
political realm proved unsuccessful. "ut how else could they stop a war others
were determined to fight.
=89
Het as &ing argues theirs is one of the great
examples of courage altruism and activist spirituality of all time . . .bhkus
and "uddhist women who participated in the struggle movement who worked
in the countryside to help peasants survive who immolated themselves for
peace these people were moved in fact by the ideals of their .ietnam
"uddhism faith.
=8<
In .ietnam before ;:?> F!all of #outh .ietnam $overnmentG women
did not have many opportunities for education.
=8=
/uns however today most of
them whose were well0educated in their religious same to secular fields and
many did prodigious achievement some of them were scholars lecturers
teachers and writing but the most important purpose of nuns in communities
was spiritual religious meditation rite name of +ord "uddha)s chanting
"uddhist sItras. Bith the strength of mind of light0transmit of scholars of a
younger generation .ietnamese "uddhism Sagha, have already worked out
the orientation of training cultivate a pious0life for the inherit aim at hope more
and more seeds0germinate of bud of blossom out stable development in the
"uddha0Dhamma. This part will be referring to below7
2. T)* V#*$%.+*"* B)#2' S.4). &!- E('0.$#!% #% M!(*-% T#+*.
482
Topmiller (5. Struggling for +eace: #outh .ietnamese "uddhist Bomen and (esistance to the .ietnam
Bar. 5ournal of BomenMs 'istory. 9AA>.
=8<
&ing Engaged Buddhism p. <>>. "rowne -alcolm. lBuddhist ;onk Sets Bimself on )ire.l $overnment
Politics and Protest7 4ssential Primary #ources. Detroit7 $ale 9AA@ pp. ;;0;<. $lobal Issues in 3ontext. Beb.
9= /ov. 9A;9.
484
The arriving in #aigon on *pril <A ;:?> after declaring that .ietnam was now a united country #aigon was
renamed 'o 3hi -inh 3ity. $he Socialist Re'u!lic of Vietnam was established on 5uly 9 ;:?@.
269
*lthough "uddhism came to .ietnam very early in the first century 3.4
the first Bhku ,rdination was held almost four hundred years later.
'istorically from the beginning up to the first half of twentieth century images
of .ietnamese bhku come into view very hardly ever. In ;:>? an association
of bhku was established but did not last long. Bhen the .ietnamese "uddhist
Sagha 3ouncil was as founded on /ovember : ;:8;C the nuns %oined this
general 3ouncil and came under the same administration as the monks
including guideline for education.
=8>
.ietnamese nuns undergo the same system of training as monks do. It
takes ten years to complete three courses consisting of 7 F;G a two years primary
"uddhist Sagha 3ouncil that familiariDes monks and nuns with "uddhist
doctrine F9G a four years basic "uddhist course that provides a foundation for
the monastic education of monks and nuns not only in general knowledge but
also in mental cultivation and F<G a four years program in advanced "uddhist
studies in a "uddhist Institute which provides students with an education in the
histories literatures and philosophies of the three main "uddhist traditions
FTherav2da #arv2stiv2da and -ah2y2naG. In this program the four Lgamas
the four /ik2yas PratmokaB and many -ah2y2na sItras along with the main
*bhidharmas and sastras of each tradition are taught in a series of classes. In
addition students practice meditation under the guidelines of the rector.
In common "uddhist education for bhkus and bhkus in modern
.ietnam has accomplished its initial ob%ectives. 'owever some theoretical and
practice challenges still lie ahead. Pace by pace leaders in the field of "uddhist
education are doing their best to resolve these complex issues promising to
implement a complete modern system of education. .ietnamese bhku now
485
Tsomo &. + F4dG ,ut of the Shado-s: Socially Engaged Buddhist Women Delhi #ri #atguru Publications
Indian "ooks 3entre 9AA@. p. :;. F4ducation of the .ietnamese "hikkhun1 #agha in -odern time by /hu
/guyet pp. :;0 :=G.

270
en%oy the same conditions that bhku do in the field of education. *fter
graduating they also have many opportunities in the Sagha to constantly
enhance their knowledge and get more and more experience through dialogue
with their sisters in other "uddhist countries. They have broadened their
activities in society which has raised their profiles both in the .ietnamese
"uddhist community and in the wider "uddhist world.
The history of "uddhism in .ietnam can be traced to the second century
3.4.
=8@
very soon after its introduction "uddhist thought and culture became
integrated into the lives of the .ietnamese people. *bout four hundred years
later around the same time as in 3hina the first .ietnamese women received
ordination and became bhku full0fledged members of the "uddhist Sagha
=8?
Due to a thousand years of continual warfare between 3hina and .ietnam from
the first to the tenth centuries the bhkus nearly disappeared from the
historical records. Up to the time of .ietnam)s independence .ietnamese
bhkus were seldom able to be seen even on their own soil.
/evertheless with the help of Bhku Sagha .ietnamese bhku ).1*
worked hard to overcome many inner and outer difficulties up to the present
time. !inally in ;:>? the Bhku ,rder was officially established alongside
the Bhku Sagha.
=88
!rom that day the bhku became more and more active.
#ome nuns became spirit teachers for the laity. They engaged in social welfare
activities as teachers nurses and social worker. /unneries were founded and
organiDed to train nuns both in spiritual matters to further their mental
486
Ibid. #ee more /guyen +ang Viet %am +hat @iao Su Luan F3ritical 'istory of .ietnamese "uddhismG .ol.
I. +a "oi FPalm +eafsG. Paris7 reprinted ;::?. p. ?>0:A.
487
/guyen +ang Viet %am +hat @iao Su Luan ACritical Bistory of Vietnamese BuddhismG .ol. III. +a "oi
FPalm +eafsG. #an 5ose 3alifornia ;::< p. ;:<
488
Record of the )ifth 2ssem!ly of the Vietnamese Buddhist Sangha .00.(.00d F'o 3hi -inh 3ity7 /ha Zuat
"an Tong 'op 9AA9G. #ee more /guyen +ang Viet %am +hat @iao Su Luan F3ritical 'istory of .ietnamese
"uddhismG <.ols. 'anoi 9AA8 pp. :=90=@.
271
cultivation and in practical matters to prepare them to alleviate people)s
sufferings during the .ietnam Bar. They worked under the leadership of the
Bhku 3ouncil which was headed by the late bhku Dieu Tanh.
=8:
"y the end of *pril ;:?> the reunion of the #outh and /orth of the nation
turned a new page in the history of the .ietnamese "uddhist Sagha
particularly for .ietnamese bhku to unify all "uddhist traditions and
organiDationsC the .ietnamese "uddhist Sagha was founded on /ovember :
;:8;. ,n one hand this organiDation cooperated with the government to rebuild
the country. ,n the other hand it strengthened the organiDational structure of
the Sagha and established a system of monastic education for its members. In
;:8= monastic schools were opened. In a national movement there schools
welcomed the many monks and nuns who were eager to learn and practice the
"uddhist teachings. !rom that time forward .ietnamese nuns have had full
access to the education system and attended the same schools as monks do
receiving teachings and guidance from the same teachers.
*t present as mentioned the system of monastic education is a ten0year
program divided into three courses7 F;G primary "uddhist education F9G basic
"uddhist education and F<G advanced "uddhist studies at a "uddhist institute.
There is an age limit for studying at these schoolsC students must be least
fourteen years old for the primary "uddhist education programs eighteen years
old for the basic education programs and twenty0five years old for advanced
"uddhist studies programs at a "uddhist institute. The primary "uddhist
education programs provide young monks and nuns with a two0year
introduction to basic "uddhist teachings. They learn about the life of +ord
"uddha the Discipline of ramaeras and ramaerkas "uddhist monastic
489
Thich -inh 3hau Fed.G Buddhist education in modern $imes F'3-3 Publication 9AA;G. #ee more /guyen
+ang Viet %am +hat @iao Su Luan F3ritical 'istory of .ietnamese "uddhismG <.ols. 'anoi 9AA8 p. :=9.
272
terms 3lassical03hinese "asic04nglish +iterate0composition and "uddhist
doctrines such as 3ompassion "enevolence 3ausation Dependent0arising
(Prattya-samutpada), Doctrine of &arma and Doctrine of (ebirth.
=:A

Houng monks and nuns who wish to %oin the basic "uddhist education
programs must have complete %unior high school at a government school. In the
four0year basic "uddhist program students the Dhammapada "uddhabhasita
Dasabhadra &armamarga sItra sItra of the "uddha)s "eEueathed Teachings
sItra on the 4ight (ealiDations of the $reat "eing sItra of !orty0two #ections
sItra of ,ne0hundred Parables the Discipline of ramaeras and ramaerkas
the Discipline of the !odhisatt"a the 'istory of .ietnam "uddhism the 'istory
of Indian "uddhism and so on. In addition to these sub%ects they continue their
study of 3lassical03hinese 4nglish +iterate0composition 3ivics and +egal0
procedures. The main purpose of this program is to eEuip young monks and
nuns with a general knowledge of "uddhism to foster a proper view toward
practice and to strengthen faith in the religious life. *t present there are thirty
schools that offer basic "uddhist education located all over the country. These
schools have trained over ;9AAA nuns out of total of <AAAA nuns in the
country.
=:;
*fter completing basic "uddhist school there are two choices7 the more
capable students %oin an *dvanced "uddhist #tudies Program and the less
capable enroll in a 'igher "uddhist #chool. The 'igher course last for three
years and consists of mostly the same sItras that are studies in the basic
"uddhist school. #tudents do not learn any non0canonical sub%ects except for
*ncient03hinese language. *fter finishing this course they can become a
Dhamma teacher to guide the lay0people become an official in the "uddhist
490
Tsomo. ,p. 3it p. :9.
491
Record of the Council of the Vietnamese "hikkhun1 Sangha 9AA909AA? F'o 3hi -inh "hikkhun1 ,rder
Publishing ;:>?G7 /ha Zuat "an Tong 'op 9AA9.
273
office or %oin the advanced "uddhist studies program. There are five such
schools nationwide and about ;AAA monks and nuns under training.
In order to %oin the *dvanced "uddhist #tudies Program at a "uddhist
Institute monks and nuns must graduate from a government senior high school
F;9th classG and must pass a difficult competitive examination which consists of
four papers7 "asic0"uddhist tenets 4nglish *ncient03hinese language and
.ietnamese0literate writing. "eing a student in the *dvanced "uddhist #tudies
Program at a "uddhist Institute is a dream come true for young monks and nuns
who are avid to study "uddhist doctrine. This course reEuires four years to
complete and the student must work very hard to follow the course. They study
both canonical sub%ects and non0canonical sub%ects. The canonical sub%ects
include three main "uddhist traditions. Therav2da #arv2stiv2da and -ah2y2na
students study the four Lgamas and the *bhidharmakosa of the #arv2stiv2da
#chool. Instead of the #arv2stiv2da Vinaya they learn the Dharmagupta Vinaya
because the .ietnamese "uddhist tradition follows this Vinaya #chool. !rom the
tradition the first four %ik#yas and some parts of &huddaka %ik#ya are taught
in the first three years and the .isuddimagga of "uddhaghosa in the last year.
!rom the beginning .ietnamese "uddhism has been predominately
-ah2y2na so in this course the -ah2y2na sItras are explained extensively
including the +ank2vat2ra sItra #addharmapuar1ka sItra *vatasaka sItra
.imalak1rti0nide"a sItra *as2hasrik2 Pra%w2p2ramit2 sItra .a%racchedik2
Pra%w2p2ramit2 sItra #urangamasadhira%a sItra -ah2y2na -ah2parinibb2na
sItra #maller and +arger #ukhavativyuha sItra Urimaladevisidhanada sItra
+alitavistara sItra #uvarnaprabhasauttamara%a sItra and so forth. *s for the
commentaries F"astraG the -adhyamika "astra 'etuvidya "astra along with the
.i%waptim2trasiddhi "astra is taught.
=:9
492
Tsomo ,ut of the Shado-s: Socially Engaged Buddhist Women, p. :<. F 4ducation of the .ietnamese
"hikkhun1 #agha in -odern time by /hu /guyet pp. :;0 :=G
274
*long with canonical sub%ects students study many non0canonical
sub%ects such as the 'istory of .ietnamese "uddhism the 'istory of "uddhism
in the world the 'istory of .ietnamese Bestern0philosophy *sian0philosophy
-arxist0philosophy 3ivil and +egal0procedure .ietnamese0literature
.ietnamese0literary0composition 3lassical03hinese -odern03hinese
F-andarinG "asic0P2li "asic0#anskrit and *dvanced04nglish.
"esides these sub%ects monks and nuns have to study some basic science
sub%ects such as -anagement *esthetics Psychology #ociology and
4nvironmental0science. *s a special course they study meditation practice
under the guide of the rector. There are now three "uddhist institutes one each
in the #outhern 3entral and /orthern regions of .ietnam. *bout ?AA monks
and nuns attended classes in these institutes as in other "uddhist schools =A
percent of these are "uddhist nuns.
*s in other "uddhist countries monks dominate the Sagha in .ietnam
controlling all activities. 4ven in the field of education all Dharma teachers are
male except the teacher of the Bhku Pratmoka who is a senior nun.
/owadays however the status of women has been enhanced by the women)s
movement in .ietnam. *s in other "uddhist countries some of .ietnamese
nuns have positions as Dhamma teachers in primary "uddhist schools and basic
"uddhist schools where they teach both monks and nuns. /uns who have
completed the *dvanced "uddhist #tudies Program can go abroad for further
studies if they get sponsors. ,therwise they can %oin translation committees or
engaged in social work. In recent years nuns have had opportunities to serve as
members of "uddhist representative committees in some provinces and even in
the office of the -anagement 3ouncil of the .ietnamese "uddhist Sagha
though they have little power.
=:<

493
Ibid.
275
,b%ectively speaking the present system of "uddhist education insists on
Euantity rather than Euality placing too much emphasis on $eneral "uddhist
knowledge over depth. "ecause students learn two ancient language and two
modern foreign languages at the same time they have less time to reflect on
"uddhist doctrine and what they have studied in class. *nother issue is
pedagogical method. -ost Dhamma teachers were trained in monasteries
without modern pedagogical methodologies. Taught without system pedagogy
students sometime become confused.
#ub%ectively speaking the basic "uddhist schools in the countryside cannot
strictly follow the program promulgated by the Department of 4ducation of the
.ietnamese "uddhist Sagha because of a shortage of teachers who are capable to
teach the reEuired sub%ects. This leads to a disparity between comprehension and
perception of "uddhist doctrine as well as limited knowledge. *s a result the
number of students from the countryside who pass the competitive examination to
enroll in the *dvanced "uddhist #tudies Program in "uddhist institutes is far
fewer than the number of students from the cities.
*nother matter to be mentioned is libraries a system that seems to have
been neglected. #tudents in both the basic "uddhist schools and the *dvanced
"uddhist studies Institutes are frustrated by the lack of sufficient library
materials and are able to learn only what the teacher explains in class. Bhile
student try to buy books from their own pocket nuns usually get fewer donation
than monks so they have to use books from monk. #till the nuns try their best
to study and sometimes their examination results are even higher than monks.
The most important focus "uddhist studies should be the practice and
development of morality and spirituality. 4ducation means transmitting
knowledge experience and professional skills from one person to another. It
means guiding others emotional development and attitudes toward life helping
276
students develop good tendencies so that they can adapt to various
circumstances. ,n a higher level "uddhist education leads people to reduce the
sufferings of sa sara to attain happiness the goal final.
=:=
Therefore "uddhist
education needs to emphasiDe practice more than theory. In the present system
however it is the other way around.
In the fifth assembly of the .ietnamese "uddhist Sagha held in 'anoi
the capital of .ietnam on December = and > 9AA9 the topic of "uddhist
education was discussed enthusiastically. "uddhist leaders presented their ideas
and opinion to find out the ways to overcome obstacles and difficult in the
present "uddhist education system. 'owever both the ob%ective and sub%ect
hindrances that lie ahead seem to challenged the progress of the .ietnamese
"uddhist Sagha in particular and the .ietnamese people in general.
In the assembly .en. Thich $ia Uuang the representative of the
Department of "uddhist 4ducation emphasiDed7 S.ietnam of "uddhist
education in modern times must be basic on moral discipline meditation and
wisdom. Its main sub%ects are the young monks and nuns their behavior
knowledge and minds. It needs to be updated and eEuipped with modern
techniEues in order to integrate itself in the development of our nation and the
world. It welcomes and appreciates the new and modern "uddhist knowledge
and meanwhile esteems and preserves the old traditions its last purpose is to
train the younger generation in order to introduce monks and nuns with high
moral and conduct to society decreasing suffering and benefiting the people on
the way to liberation. 4ducation becomes futile if the educators do not realiDe
their educational sub%ect target content and methods.T
=:>
494
Ibid. F#ee *rticle Buddhist Education in ;odern $imes p.9>G.
495
Record of the )ifth 2ssem!ly of the Vietnamese Buddhist %!Ygh! 9AA909AA? p. :<.
277
In this chapter an attempt has shown that .ietnamese "uddhist nuns take
part to raising their voice to express of mind patriotic to homeland. "esides
"uddhist nuns of education at the present time has achieved the foundation
stage pace by pace it has surmount and is fulfilling the hopes of over thirty
thousand young monks and nuns who become leaders of the .ietnamese Sagha
in the future. Under the present system of education and training .ietnamese
bhkus not only en%oy the same conditions as bhikkhus but they also get
many opportunities to work in the #agha after completing their studies. /o
doubt they are more fortune than their sisters in other "uddhist countries. They
have enhanced their knowledge continuously sending over eighty bhku
abroad to study India 3hina Taiwan -yanmar F"urmaG #ri +anka Thailand
5apan and the United #tate to get more knowledge and experience. They have
broadened their activities and are more visible both in .ietnamese society and
in the "uddhist world. /evertheless .ietnamese bhkus are not completely
satisfied with present conditions. They hope that the .ietnamese "uddhist
Sagha will continue its efforts to shine the light and enrich the educational
opportunities available to nuns in .ietnam and throughout the world.

278
C).,$*- S*1*%
CONCLUSION
*t the very onset an attempt has been made to inspect position of
"uddhist nuns in contemporary .ietnam and their role in social welfare
activities on the different aspects discovery in the -ah2y2na sItra "uddhist
texts "uddhist literature Vinaya and the other "uddhist scriptures. 3ertainly
the Tath2gata was the foremost religious master the founder the Dhamma to
enlightenment of women he open out fresh horiDon for women by lying of
Bhku Sagha. This social and spiritual advancement for women was ahead of
its time and maintain in the world nowadays which cannot compare to any other
religion.
.ietnamese "uddhism has a long history of more than 9AAA years. Its
origin dates back to the third century ".3.4 when numerous "uddhist missions
were sent abroad by great 4mperor *Joka to disseminate +ord "uddha)s
Teachings in such distant countries beyond the borders of India as those in
*frica Best and 3entral *sia as well as #outh 4ast *sia including -alaysia
279
"urma Thailand +aos 3ambodia and /orth .ietnam which was known then
as $iao 3hNu Fmodern "Oc /inh provinceG.
*s a result it had been founded in part by Indian colonists in the 9
nd
century 3.4. and from 3ambodia with both syncretism -ah2y2na and
Therav2da schools. The -ah2y2na form predominates in the /orth where
3hinese "uddhism had the strongest influenceC and the Therav2da form is most
excellent in parts of the #outh which has strong links to the "uddhism of
#outheast *sia. In other words .ietnam came to be the meeting place for the
two streams7 The -ah2y2na stream arrived in the /orth from India along the
silk route down into 3hina and then into .ietnamC and Therav2da stream came
to the #outh along the sea0coast through Thailand +aos 3ambodia and then
into .ietnam. Therefore .ietnamese "uddhism has two forms that is
-ah2y2na and Therav2da forms.
.ietnam "uddhism was developed under three characteristic forms
deriving from largely 3hinese "uddhist influence like F;G The *0'am F#kt7
LgamaG tradition dated from the 9
nd
centuryC F9G The Thion F3h)an or RenG
tradition initiate in the @
th
centuryC and F<G T_nh aY FPure +andG tradition. *fter
the ;9
th
century the predominant form of blend of Ren FThionG and Pure +and
arose and thereafter characteriDed .ietnamese "uddhism to the 9A
th
century. Ren
practice with its emphasis on meditative is mostly pursued among the bhkus
and bhkus, while Pure +and philosophy and practice are preferred by the
.ietnamese lay people.
Throughout twenty centuries in the long history of .ietnam .ietnamese
"uddhism has been closely linked with the survival of the nation both in its rise
as well as fall. #ince the early days of its introduction the mind of .ietnamese
"uddhists has been so well imbued with the "uddha)s teachings on love
tolerance and sympathetic understanding that .ietnamese "uddhism has been
280
able to co0exist in peace with other religions for over 9AAA years. ,n the one
hand generations of .ietnamese monks and nuns and lay followers unknown
as well as well0known have somehow participated in making it a uniEue
.ietnamese religion colored with .ietnamese ways and customs. ,therwise
.ietnamese "uddhism has had a great influence on .ietnamese literature art
architecture and philosophy. In a way "uddhism has become a part of
.ietnamese life.
The history of "uddhism in .ietnam can be traced very soon by the
second century ".3 after its introduction "uddhist thoughts and culture became
integrated into the lives of .ietnamese people. *bout four hundred years later
around the same time as in 3hina the first .ietnamese women received
ordination and became bhku full0fledged members of the "uddhist Sagha.
Due to a thousand years of continual warfare between 3hina and .ietnam from
the first to the tenth centuries the bhku nearly disappeared from the
historical records. Up to the time of .ietnam)s independence .ietnamese
bhku were rarely visible even on their own soil.
/evertheless with the help of Bhku Sagha .ietnamese bhkun have
worked hard to overcome many inner and outer difficulties up to the present
time. !inally in ;:>? the Bhku Sagha was officially established alongside
the Bhku Sagha. !rom that day the bhkuns became more and more active.
* lot of nuns became spirit teachers for the laity. They engaged in social welfare
activities as teachers nurses and social worker. /unneries were founded and
organiDed to train nuns both in spiritual matters to further their mental
cultivation and in practical matters to prepare them to alleviate people)s
sufferings during the .ietnam Bar. They worked under the leadership of the
Bhku 3ouncil which was headed by the late bhku Dieu Tanh.
281
.ietnamese society is a predominantly male domination since its
inception as a nation in #outheast *sia in the early century. The role of women
mostly constrained to the household chores similarly to Indian society.
/aturally speaking these both sex need each other the most because of
the environment and the culture to make the women status so low in the ancient
time but up to now there are many moments tried to improve the women lives
as human beings by advocating the eEual rights that have been inscribed in
United /ation chapters on 'uman (ights.
*nd here it might be considered in the 3hinese proverb says that7
SBomen are the half of the sky.T That is trueC this proverb affirms the role of
women)s features in the worldwide as we are known in administrative
organiDations leaders social works etc. In the common life they are
motherhoods sisterhoods and symboliDation of beauty. In "uddhism they are
laywomen almswomen and female !odhisatt"aK especially in this research
work we will understand the contribution of .ietnamese women and mothers
for all human who conceive for lives and with their love we grow up and exist
in the world. They are worthy of symboliDation of the mother of the nation.
It was the time of +ord "uddha who had permitted women for %oining the
Sagha. This is an earliest women association in the world in general especially
in the society multi0casts religions and in traditional customs of India in
individual. The path opened by the "uddha was for the good and benefit of the
whole humankind of all the ages. "uddhism gives a clear image of both spheres
of the real nature of life the cause of suffering and the cause of happiness.
S"uddhism went as the first missionary religion to the world penetrated the
whole of the civiliDed world as it existed at that time and never was a drop of
blood shed for that religion.T
=:@
496
#wani .ivekananda. 2 Study of Religion. 3alcutta7 Udbodhan office ;:?8 p. ;;<.
282
*t the time of +ord "uddha to admit women to the Sagha was a big
challenge and a new thought with Indian society and "uddhism. "uddhism
developed bloomed splendidly in India. "uddhist thought also developed in the
movement of ideology in India. Bomen took refuge into Three $ems as a
"uddhist lay0woman. The image of women was not lower. They have the right
to renounce the world ordain with the full "uddhist discipline of conduct as
"uddhist nuns. They were free to choose their lives as either family or
almswomen. * bhku practiced the path of "uddha)s teachings to liberation.
There are so many bhku successful in their religious lives are referred to in
"her]g^th^ (Verses of the 4lder /unsG for example the wanderer "2hiy2
was foremost amongst who attained *rahantship faster than anyone else she
was primary amongst nuns with the same Euality. "oth grasped the highest
Truth so Euickly and so deeply that admittance to the ,rder followed after
attainment *rahantship. -ind and emotions of both of them had long been
trained and prepared so that they could reach the highest attainment very
rapidly.
,therwise some remarks should be made on "uddhist modernism as it
developed in .ietnam which can be seen as a reaction to Bestern colonialism
and evangeliDation. In the early thirties of the last century a movement for the
revival of .ietnamese "uddhism was started. Thus associations for "uddhist
studies were founded in #aigon F;:<;G in 'ue F;:<9G and 'anoi F;:<9G for the
purpose of spreading modern education and knowledge of "uddhists doctrine
among the people. ,ne of the aims of the "uddhist modernists was to create
"uddhist literature in modern .ietnamese printed in (oman letters and thus
accessible to everybody. !urthermore in the ;:>As and ;:@As of the last century
some leading members of the .ietnamese Sagha possibly inspired by the
achievement of modern scholarship in the fields of Ideology of "uddhist
studies felt the need to inEuire into the origins of "uddhism.
283
Through a number of .ietnam has the influence of "uddhism as we have
seen "uddhist thought and philosophy has left its mark on the ideology of
.ietnam. It is only due to the "uddhist influence on the literary publishing that
"uddhism is still present in many customs and lifestyle of the state.
In addition the ideas and images of "uddhism have left deep impression
in the traditions in literature culture with artC architecture and philosophy of
.ietnam in history and it will continue to shine its uniEue essence for the
.ietnamese people in particular and humanity in general in the coming future.
*s we know the fundamental doctrines of +ord "uddha of the !our
/oble Truths the 4ight !old Paths Dependent ,rigination 3ause and 4ffect
Three Dhamma)s seals as Impermanence F *niccaG #uffering FDukkha G and
/o0self F*nattaG. *nyone who practises the "uddha)s teachings whether they
are male or female to acknowledge the nature of the world and relief all
tribulation that they are encountering.
It has been recogniDed good heath is prereEuisites to happiness. The
"uddha said that there are four pains in human life0birth aging sickness and
death. The biggest suffering among them must be the one resulting from
disease. The significance of overcoming human disease through religion is
different than through science. (eligion makes human being free from the pain
of disease and contradiction in a different manner. In "uddhism the ultimate
goal of medical treatment is not to eliminate pathogens but to save patients who
suffer from disease. In other words the purpose of treatment in .ietnamese
"uddhist nuns is to save human beings. 3aring for sick people in hospitals and
hospicesC visit and assisted the prisonersC share Dharma with drug addictsC fund0
raising for the poor and needyC compassionate activities to the welfare of non0
human sentient beings etc. with faith and compassion is the most important
284
religious salvation. 'elping those who badly need religious inspiration reEuires
a concrete and realistic approach not a transcendental one.
Bhen the "uddha realiDed the truth he instructed his disciples to go to
local areas to disseminate his teachings and edify living beings. In monastic life
the "uddha taught his disciples to live simply. This was aimed at bring comfort
and benefit to all living being. #o the "uddha himself went out to enlighten
living beings in order to free then from suffering. The truth of "uddhism does
not lie in self0liberation but in the benefit and the happiness of all. This means
that hospital and hospices care the prisoners drug addicts fund0raising for the
poor and needy compassionate to all human beings etc. are not only a merciful
to reach out to needy people but also a fine example of "uddhism)s ultimate
goal or freeing all living beings from suffering. To religious people social work
charity is a means of demonstrating and realiDing religious salvation. The
"uddha)s basic idea behind medical treatment is that the root of a disease can be
eliminate only when a morality doctor a kind0hearted nurse and a patient build
mutual trust and are united as one. In this sense "uddhist texts highlight the
morals of doctors gentle0hearted mothers while instructing the duties of
patients. That also said caring for the patients are the highest practice for
"uddhist monks or nuns and the merit from it is the most valuable among the
eight fields of blessing. !rom a religious standpoint providing services for
human being is eEuivalent to dedicating oneself to the patients. 4ventually this
also opens the door for religious attainment. #ince this act is to help the sick and
weak the service is all the more valuable.
-oreover bhkus can also aid women who suffer after having an
abortion. *lthough "uddhists discourage abortion some women undergo them.
*fterwards some of these women have regret and confused emotions about
their actions. Be need to help them accept that this act was committed teach
them means to purify its karmic imprints and encourage them to go forward in
285
their lives without the burden of a guilty conscience. #ome "uddhist women in
the over the world has begun to create rituals to help these women do this.
#ince inception the worldviews of the "uddhist organiDations have
always been integral to the culture and traditions of .ietnamese society. There
are some social problems which could be better addressed by a "uddhist nun in
much better way than the others. /uns help society simply by being a good
example of people who are unpretentious and live in the spirit of non0
harmfulness. "esides their spiritual studies and practice nuns can also directly
benefit society in many ways one of which is to become involved in issues
concerning women. !or example bhkus can assist with problems regarding
abortion prostitution menopause and other issues that women prefer to discuss
with other women.
The nunsM order has great potential for whatever nuns do will have a
ripple effect for "uddhist women all over the world. Till date the impact of the
"uddhists welfare movements in enhance the Euality of life of the people in
.ietnam. The contribution of Bhku Sagha to education and social welfare
has been premise in improve of .ietnamese "uddhism culture. .ietnamese
bhku has actively participate to the .ietnamese society they catch the new
tendency on globaliDation and industrialiDation of the twenty0first century their
contribution to social innovation strong community development and their
engagement in all social welfare activities to help poor people ill0fated
situations nurse street0children homeless man etc.. to ease suffering misery
anguish of living beings apply of the "uddha of teachings to bring blessing
gladly to everybody.
/owadays a number of educational social and religions institutions are
working and other works are going on like the centers for education
Felementary high school university academicG translations of "uddhist
286
scriptures (esearch Institute of "uddhism and foundation charity work
lectures by nuns fund0raising for natural calamity as earthEuake tsunami and
nurse for orphanage children schools for severely handicapped etc... These
social works demonstrated that .ietnamese "uddhist nuns have grasped its
crucial role in social welfare activities in the spirit of compassion no0self
altruism close0knit harmonious to life of ameliorate steps forward to keep
pace with modern era not only for .ietnamese people in particular and in
general for the people of all over the world.
Though their traditions are dissimilar among the -ah2y2na Therav2da
and -endicant nuns but they as wealthy0altruistic daughters of the "lessed0
,ne. In the Vesettha sutta
=:?
+ord "uddha says that in the case of animal life
there are difference varieties based on different essential characteristics. #o is
the case with plant life. "ut there do not exist such differences which %ustify
classification of human beings into water0 tight compartments as all men are
one and the same in their essential characteristics. #o the "uddha asserted in a
forceful manner that worth based on deeds rather than birth an accidental
thing and should be the measure of man. 'e also took concrete steps to
eradicate the evils of caste. These steps were7 4xposing the myth of hereditary
superiority claimed by the "rahminsC encouraging the down0trodden by dining
at their housesC and accepting the low and lowly as eEual members of the
Sagha. 4xhorting his disciple forget their caste labels the "uddha once said
%ust , brethren as the great rivers $anga Hamuna *ciravati #araswati and
-ahi when they have fallen into the great ocean lose their different names and
are know as the great ocean that ocean Fsalt0waterG has only uniEue taste is salt
as the Dhamma of the Tath2gata has only sole flavour is liberation
enlightenment compassion altruism non0ego. 5ust so brethren do these four
castes 0 &shatriyas "rahmins .aishyas and #udras 0 when they begin to follow
497
D.3. *hir Buddhism in South =ndia Delhi7 #ri #atguru Publications ;::9 p. ;=. #ee also $ayatri #en
-aDumdar Early Buddhism and Laity &olkata 0 ?AA A?< -aha "odhi "ook *gency 9AA: pp. @= 0@>.
287
the doctrine and discipline as propounded by the Tath2gata they surrender
different names of caste and rank and become members of one and the same
society. 'ere, bhkus perform the Dhamma and perfect the function of the
"uddha)s daughters no discrimination in sect robe of colour race etc
disseminate the latterMs teachings in order to bring Euietness and wellbeing to
.ietnamese society. In earlier times the spiritual practices of the ,rder such as
their upholding the Vinaya and living an example of renunciation was
considered as their ma%or contribution to the society. In present society the
"uddhist nuns in .ietnam take part in the fields of education culture social
work too.
They wish to go after the footsteps of the "uddha and the other monastic
including their "uddhist teacher who are serving and making no difference in
people)s lives. They would like to become enlightened in order to offer
leadership and share the Dhamma with the lay people. !rom now until the day
of liberation they will attempt their best to contribute to .ietnamese "uddhism
and "uddhism of the world.
They obviously realiDe that at the present globe is a world well0to0do in
all kinds of advanced knowledge. They focus not only on the study of the
Dhamma but also on ameliorate their knowledge experience on modern
sciences in order to catch up the various trends of the whole planet. They aim
at perfecting their responsibility in leading the laity to the tranEuil and %oyful
life as what have been done by the monks. They altogether with their
counterparts have made noteworthy contributions to the development of
.ietnamese and world "uddhism in the modern time. Be make clear gratitude
to .en. Lnanda -ah2pa%2pat1 $otam1 finally came to be. ,wning to
bhku lineage presented in thesis goes to powerfully development in
"uddhist *sia countries. *ppreciation to a history of esteem for women
which has penetrated deeply in the consciousness of .ietnamese men their
288
position in .ietnamese "uddhist history were obviously established from
ancient time until the today.

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