| Buddhism In Vietnam |
Article Index for Buddhism In |
Website Links For Buddhism |
Information About ™Buddhism In Vietnam |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT BUDDHISM IN VIETNAM | |
| buddhism in vietnam | |
| buddhism by country | |
| vietnambuddhism in vietnam | |
| buddhism by country | |
| vietnam | |
| religion in vietnam | |
| buddhism by country | |
| vietnam | |
|
Buddhism in Vietnam is Buddhism that had been localized to Vietnam from India and later from China . Vietnamese Buddhism has many characteristics different from Buddhism practiced in other countries. Buddhism is the most influential religion in Vietnam, with about 50 percent of Vietnamese being Buddhists. The number of practicing Buddhists numbers about three million, those who frequently visit Buddhist temples and participate in Buddhist rites number about ten million, and those living under the influence of Buddhism number in the tens of millions. FORMATION AND SPREAD OF BUDDHISM IN VIETNAM Buddhism was imported into Vietnam fairly early, at around the beginning of the Christian Era with the legend of Chữ Đồng Tử studying Buddhism from an Indian monk. Luy Lau (in Bac Ninh Province), the capital of Jiaozhi District (Giao Chỉ) soon became an important center of Buddhism. Legends about Thạch Quang Phật and Man Nương Phật Mẫu appeared with the teachings of Ksudra in around 168 - 189 . Because Buddhism was imported directly from India, the word Buddha was directly imported into Vietnamese as ''Bụt'', still in use in many folk tales. At that time, Vietnamese Buddhism was influenced by Theravada Buddhism, and Bụt was seen as a deity who helps good people and punishes bad people. In the 4-5th centuries, because of influence of Mahayana Buddhism from China, the word Bụt gradually lost its Buddhist meaning and was replaced by ''Phật'' from the Chinese pronuncation of Buddha. Buddhism took roots in Vietnam very early. Lý Nam Đế (who became king in 544 ) was also known by the name Lý Phật Tử (Lý the Buddhist). In the Ly and Tran dynasties, Buddhism developed rapidly, was seen as the state religion, and influenced all aspects of life. In the Le Dynasty , Confucianism replaced Buddhism as state religion and Buddhism entered a period of decadence. At the beginning of the 18th Century , King Quang Trung took efforts to revive Buddhism by building and renovating temples, but died before accomplishing his goals. In the 20th Century , although strongly influenced by the process of Westernization , Buddhism experienced a resurgence, beginning in the southern cities with important contributions from the monks Khánh Hoà and Thiện Chiếu. In summary, the history of Vietnamese Buddhism can be divided into four periods:
Three schools of Mahayana Buddhism, now most influential, were imported into Vietnam: Zen Buddhism, Pure Land Buddhism, and Vajrayana Buddhism. Zen Buddhism Zen Buddhism, known as Thien Buddhism in Vietnam, is a branch of Buddhism created by the Indian monk Bodhidharma in China at the beginning of the 6th Century . Zen is an abbreviation of Dhyana . The first Zen sect in the history of Vietnamese Buddhism was established by the monk Vinitaruci . He was an Indian who arrived in China and then Vietnam in 580 . Pure Land Buddhism Vajrayana Buddhism CHARACTERISTICS OF VIETNAMESE BUDDHISM Syncretism Syncretism between Buddhism and traditional beliefs Syncretism between different Buddhist branches Syncretism between Buddhism and other religions Yin-yang harmony Flexibility HOA HAO BUDDHISM |
|
|