Development History
In the early 20th century, the movement to revive Buddhism in Vietnam received a strong response from Buddhists. From Saigon to Gia Dinh, the Buddhist revival movement spread to rural areas, including the Mekong river delta. New formed religions were both very active in religious activities and social charities. Some religious organizations were founded based on Buddhism by reviving and making Buddhist teachings easy to understand and more adaptable to the life of people in the Southern of Vietnam at that time. The typical one of these new religious organizations in Vietnam is the Pure Land Buddhist Association.
The Vietnam Pure Land Buddhist Association was founded by Ven. Nguyễn Văn Bông; He was borne in 1886 in Tan My commune, An Thanh Thuong district, Sa Dec province (now Dong Thap province). Since he was young, he has learnt Confucian texts, studied medicines and practiced Buddhist teachings. He quickly mastered Vietnam’s traditional medicines and reached enlightenment by self-studying and practicing Buddhist teachings. By 1934, he formally established the Pure Land Buddhist Association. A year later (1935) he was nominated by entire followers of the Pure Land Buddhist Association as Founding Master Minh Trí (enlightened) - Patriarch of Vietnam Pure Land Buddhist Association.
During the movement to revive Buddhism country, Founding Master Minh Trí tried to explain Buddhist teachings through the language of poetry, prose and scriptures in the form of short conversations that are easy to understand. For this reason and medical charities using traditional medicines, the Pure Land Buddhist Association increasingly attracted followers in localities.
The Vietnam Pure Land Buddhist Association officially became a religion when the French-sponsored government at the time issued the License No 619 dated February 2, 1934 recognizing the organization as ‘Pure Land Buddhist Association’. Under the Republic of Vietnam regime, the legality of the Pure Land Buddhist Association was affirmed by Decree No. 83/MI/DAP dated December 22, 1953, and with full title as "Vietnam Pure Land Buddhist Association".
Implementing the Ordinance on Belief and Religion 2004, the Vietnam Pure Land Buddhist Association, as with several other religious organizations founded prior to 1975 and meeting the condition of stable operation, received the legal recognition from Vietnam Government by Decision 207/QĐ-TGCP dated November 27, 2007.
Currently, the Vietnam Pure Land Buddhist Association has nearly 1.5 million followers and members, 206 establishments in 24 provinces and cities in Southern Vietnam, from Khanh Hoa to Ca Mau provinces, with a traditional medical clinic in each establishment; 4,800 dignitaries and deacons; 900 herbalists, medical trainers, physicians, medical students; 3000 people working on medical processing. Current head office of the Vietnam Pure Land Buddhist Association is located inside Hung Minh pagoda, address: No. 45, Ly Chieu Hoang Street, Ward 10, District 6, Ho Chi Minh City.
Catechesis, cannon laws and rituals
Upon its founding in 1934, the Vietnam Pure Land Buddhist Association practiced Luc Phuong Tong, which are Pure-land Buddhism and six practicing disciplines (according to "Brief History of Vietnam Pure Land Buddhist Association"). The Vietnam Pure Land Buddhist Association holds perception that to attain ultimate spiritual uplifting, one needs to cultivate merit and wisdom; each person contains a physical body and thinking mind, so both Buddhist dharma for the mind and medicines for physical body are needed to heal physical and mental sufferings; and medicines of a real medical system to heal physical suffering should be first offered in order to make people strong. By 1950, in order to raise understanding for members and followers, Master Minh Tri took the religious practicing guideline as "Cultivating Merit and Wisdom Altogether – Practicing Pure-land Buddhism (Chanting or reciting the name of Buddha Amitaba), Expanding Medical Charities”.
Cultivating merit means to contribute intellectual, material and money to build and develop the traditional medicines by establishing charity clinics for offering free medication, contributing to heal people’s physical sufferings as a condition to make them able to learn Buddhist dharma. This is seen as a means to create opportunities for the poor to have an affinity with the Dharma. Cultivating merit also contributes to support oneself on the way to enlightenment.
Developing wisdom means to study Buddhist tripitaka (Buddhist Sutras, cannon laws and reasoning) in order to enhance understanding of the path to achieve liberation. Practicing for development of wisdom also contributes to better cultivate merit in charities activities...
On catechesis, the Vietnam Pure Land Buddhist Association regards Buddha's teachings as fundamental religious doctrines and makes these teachings shortened and easy to understand, and suitable with lives of the majority of working people in the Southern of Vietnam. Teachings of the Vietnam Pure Land Buddhist Association Vietnam has many contents, but primarily contained in the following scriptures:
Worshiping six dimensions: this is a scripture used throughout the practice of teachings of the Pure Land Buddhist Association of Vietnam. Contents in this scripture devote to guide Buddhists laymen to live progressively without losing pure nature of mind while integrating into daily lives.
Spousal speeches: using repartee between the couple to reach an interpretation of "the meaning beyond words". This thesis aims to encourage practitioners to, from thought to action, be assertive, not regressive.
Ethics: This is a scripture recording teachings on meaning and practicing of ethics by Founding Master Minh Tri, which regards ethics as the key of civilization and science.
Precepts: explaining the importance of strictly keeping Buddhist disciplines and the meaning of Buddhist precepts for Buddhist practitioners, especially the laymen, with emphasis that by making the Bodhisattva vow Buddhist laymen can achieve what monks or nuns may attain in their religious lives.
Buddhist Oral Repartee: This is a scripture for various learning levels covering many contents, such as Taking refugee in Three Jewels, fundamental practicing principles, values and roles of Buddhist laymen.
The Practicing Method for self-recognition: this book contains contents for enhancing religious practices, explaining various stages of a practicing process in order to achieve self-recognition.
Regarding religious rites, the rituals of the Vietnam Pure Land Buddhist Association are simple but sincere. Each establishment of the Vietnam Pure Land Buddhist Association contains a worshipping temple and worshiping the Lord Buddha, Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara and founding master Minh Tri.
Every year there are two major holidays: Buddha's Birthday Festival held on the 8th of the 4th month (lunar calendar) and Festival commemorating the pass away of Master Minh Tri – Patriarch of the Vietnam Pure Land Buddhist Association and the Annual General Conference on Ethics held on the 23rd of the 8th month (lunar calendar):.
The ceremony for new converts making vow to take Refuge in the Three Jewels and religious preaching are often held in 1st and 15th of every lunar month. In addition, other general feasts of the church include religious rites held on the 15th of 1st, 7th and 10th lunar months etc...
Daily practicing of the Vietnam Pure Land Buddhist Association includes making 24 bows to worship the Buddha (the simplified method according to Worshipping Six Dimensions), 12 bows to worship Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara and 6 bows to express respects to Master Minh Tri.
Regarding religious flag, the Vietnam Pure Land Buddhist Association uses a yellow flag with an red icon of the ancient Chinese letter "First", which means oneness, one family where all people are brothers and sisters, one and the same mind in service of the church and mutual support and encouragement to practice the religion.
Religious Administration
According to the Charter approved by the General Congress on May 5, 2014, the Vietnam Pure Land Buddhist Association has three administrative levels: the top level is the Central Executive Committee located in Hung Minh pagoda (address: No. 45, Ly Chieu Hoang Street, Ward 10, District 6, Ho Chi Minh City), headed by a president; the middle level is the provincial-level Executive Committee set up in 21 provinces and cities in Southern Vietnam; the local or bottom level is the executive board set up in districts or communes. To establish a local organization, there must be at least 50 followers and members. There are sub-committees in each administrative level to take charge of different aspects, such as medical charity, ethics, youth, religious support, training and preaching of religious teachings.
Religious dignitaries, deacon, followers and members
Dignitaries of the Vietnam Pure Land Buddhist Association include the patriarch, trainers, lecturers, assistant lectures and presenters in both aspects of religious teachings and medical charity. These dignitaries shall be nominated and appointed by the Church.
Religious deacons the Vietnam Pure Land Buddhist Association are those holding positions in executive committees at three levels. Religious deacons shall be elected in each religious term, who are at least 30 years of age, with at least five years of experience and working without payment.
Followers of the Vietnam Pure Land Buddhist Association are those voluntarily accept and observe the Church’ Charter and rules, and made vow to take Refuge in Three Jewels.
There are three types of Church’s members, including founding members, honorary members and medical charity members. Each member of the Vietnam Pure Land Buddhist Association is given a card for identification and recognition./.
Tri An
