Theravada in Vietnam

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pilgrim
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Theravada in Vietnam

Post by pilgrim »

A thesis wriiten on the Introduction and rise of Theravada in vietnam ( pdf file)
http://www.mcu.ac.th/userfiles/file/lib ... is/818.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Bankei
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Re: Theravada in Vietnam

Post by Bankei »

Thanks. Looks interesting.
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Bankei
auvoantic
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Re: Theravada in Vietnam

Post by auvoantic »

i'm a vietnamese, i live in hanoi
in hanoi, it seems like there are are 2 main theravada groups
they participated in the same places but thay have sub groups or somethings
1 the people practice under vien minh bikhhu

http://www.trungtamhotong.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

2 the people who go to burma
some follow u tejaniya
few goenka

there are no theravada monks in hanoi
Sarva
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Re: Theravada in Vietnam

Post by Sarva »

Welcome Auvoantic :)
Would you recommend people living in non-buddhist countries that they visit Vietnam to help better understand Buddhist traditions?

Metta
“Both formerly & now, it is only stress that I describe, and the cessation of stress.” — SN 22:86
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pilgrim
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Re: Theravada in Vietnam

Post by pilgrim »

Here's a list of Theravada temples in vietnam.
http://www.budsas.org/uni/u-gioithieu-p ... u-13vn.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

HCM means Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon
"Chua" means Monastery; "Nguyen Thuy" means Theravada.
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minh-khong
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Re: Theravada in Vietnam

Post by minh-khong »

Theravada exists in South VN from monks going to Thailand and Shrilanka. Most of VN is Mahayana from under the influence of China.
You can see this documentary clip - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjvGopI52_M" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

MK
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pilgrim
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Re: Theravada in Vietnam

Post by pilgrim »

A more recent video of a monastery in Vietnam
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGTd_qLvTZo
sudanto
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A QUESTION

Post by sudanto »

pilgrim wrote:A more recent video of a monastery in Vietnam
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGTd_qLvTZo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
It is a good source of info as to Theravada temples.
Have a question. If a monk in Theravada tradition from another country wants to stay in a temple for a year or two in Vietnam,
Which one would u recommend?

Need ur feedback most.

TQ. Sudanto.
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pilgrim
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Re: Theravada in Vietnam

Post by pilgrim »

I spoke to a Vietnamese friend who was very discouraging. He said that staying long term is very tricky. The temple hosting your stay must obtain permission from the government which will ask a lot of questions regarding your intentions. Then there are limits to what one can do. Giving talks, almsround may be prohibited.
sudanto
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A reply

Post by sudanto »

I see. No chance for me then. Thanks for ur reply anyhow.

Good day.

Sudanto.
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pilgrim
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Re: Theravada in Vietnam

Post by pilgrim »

Found this beautiful monastery in Hue, Vietnam while surfing the Net.
Huyền Không Sơn Thượng
https://www.facebook.com/HuyenKhongSonThuong/
paul
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Re: Theravada in Vietnam

Post by paul »

Anyone considering going to Vietnam long term should be aware that the air pollution in Hanoi is on a par with Beijing.
vudcnh
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Re: Theravada in Vietnam

Post by vudcnh »

Hi, I'm a Vietnamese, based in Hanoi. I'm a college student that have followed the path since high school.
The Theravada Buddhist scene in Hanoi is really small and almost everybody know each other.
However, they are gaining lots of interest.

The South and esp Saigon have a lots more monk and monastery. This group have their influence from Cambodia when a lay person in Vietnam, 100 of years ago work for the French government and start to familiarize himself with the monk and the teaching there.
What's problematic about the situation here is that the Buddhist Sangha ( theravada one) lacks a sort of leader so each monastery sort of exist on their own. There's not a strong sense of tradition. Most books are in Vietnamese. We receive a bit of funding from around asia to have free Buddhist books in the library here in Hanoi :thanks:

Another group that have quite a bit of following is people coming back from Burma. They are monks or nuns who practice with Burmese Master and they organise trip to go together. These groups tend to have their own teacher, space, contact and quite likely have little to do with each other.
There are people who follow Goenka, Pa-auk, U tejaniya and U Jotika, mahasi style. Some Buddhist goes on retreat that are organised in the south or malaysia.

The visa situation is certainly difficult and there is a lot of restriction on what one's can do. If you know our country, you will get the feeling that we are a police state. On the other hands, the vinaya code is not strict.

I will glad to take any of the question you have. But I'm a home person and stop going to gatherings since I entered college 3 years ago so I may not have the best gauge on the scene at the moment. :namaste:
Caodemarte
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Re: Theravada in Vietnam

Post by Caodemarte »

One famous Zen monk in Vietnam consciously adopted some elements from Theravada, including monk clothing and meditation methods, on the sensible ground that there should not be petty sectarianism in the Buddha Way and what was important was to work together to realize Buddhism by methods suited to the particular individual. This is much as Pure Land elements were brought into Vietnamese Linji style Zen, the dominant school in Vietnam. As as separate sect, “In the 1920s and 1930s, there were a number of movements in Vietnam for the revival and modernisation of Buddhist activities. Together with the re-organisation of Mahayana establishments, there developed a growing interest in Theravadin meditation as well as the Pali Canon. These were then available in French. Among the pioneers who brought Theravada Buddhism to the ethnic Đại Việt was a young veterinary doctor named Le Van Giang. He was born in the South, received higher education in Hanoi, and after graduation, was sent to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, to work for the French government. During that time he became especially interested in Theravada Buddhist practice and in 1940, upon an invitation from a group of lay Buddhists led by Mr. Nguyen Van Hieu, he went back to Vietnam in order to help establish the first Theravada temple for Vietnamese Buddhists, at Go Dua, Thu Duc (now a district of Saigon). The temple was named Buu-Quang (Ratana Ramsyarama). The temple was destroyed by French troops in 1947, and was later rebuilt in 1951. At Buu-Quang temple, together with a group of Vietnamese bhikkhus (monks), who had received training in Cambodia, such as Venerables Thien-Luat, Buu-Chon, Kim-Quang and Gioi-Nghiem, Venerable Ho-Tong began teaching the Dhamma in their native Vietnamese. He also translated many Buddhist materials from the Pali Canon, and Theravada became part of Vietnamese Buddhist activity in the country. In 1949-1950, Venerable Ho-Tong together with Mr Nguyen Van Hieu and supporters built a new temple in Saigon, named Ky-Vien Tu (Jetavana Vihara). This temple became the centre of Theravada activities in Vietnam, which continued to attract increasing interest among the Vietnamese Buddhists. In 1957, the Vietnamese Theravada Buddhist Sangha Congregation (Giao Hoi Tang Gia Nguyen Thuy Viet Nam) was formally established and recognised by the government, and the Theravada Sangha elected Venerable Ho-Tong as its first President, or Sangharaja. From Saigon, the Theravada movement spread to other provinces, and soon, a number of Theravada temples for ethnic Viet Buddhists were established in many areas in the South and Central parts of Vietnam. As of 1997, there were 64 Theravada temples throughout the country, of which 19 were located in Saigon and its viccinity. Besides Buu-Quang and Ky-Vien temples, other well known temples are Buu-Long, Giac-Quang, Tam-Bao (Da-Nang), Thien-Lam and Huyen-Khong (Hue), and the large Sakyamuni Buddha Monument (Thich-Ca Phat Dai) in Vung Tau.”http://www.tamqui.com/buddhaworld/Vietnamese_Buddhism
Last edited by Caodemarte on Thu Nov 23, 2017 8:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
paul
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Re: Theravada in Vietnam

Post by paul »

vudcnh wrote: Thu Nov 23, 2017 2:41 pm Hi, I'm a Vietnamese, based in Hanoi. I'm a college student that have followed the path since high school.
The Theravada Buddhist scene in Hanoi is really small and almost everybody know each other.
However, they are gaining lots of interest.
Welcome to DW. Thank you for your offer to answer questions.
What motivated you to start Theravada?
http://www.forestdhamma.org/books/tieng-viet/
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