The Vietnam Pure Land Buddhist Association was founded by Ven. Nguyễn Văn Bồng; 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. 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 Association of Pure-land Lay Buddhists had increasingly attracted followers in localities. 

By 1934, he formally established the Pure Land Buddhist Association.  The Vietnam Association of Pure-land Lay Buddhists 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 ‘Association of Pure-land Lay Buddhists’. A year later (1935) Ven. Nguyễn Văn Bồng was nominated by the entire followers of the Association of Pure-land Lay Buddhists as the Founding Master and called  Patriarch Minh Trí (enlightened). Under the Republic of Vietnam regime, the legality of the Pure-land Lay Buddhists’ Association was affirmed by Decree No. 83/MI/DAP dated December 22, 1953, and with the new name ‘Vietnam Association of Pure-land Lay Buddhists’.

For a short period right after the national unification, the Vietnam Association of Pure-land Lay Buddhists had operated fully as before. However, at the grassroots level, its local branches have still conducted normal practices.

In 1995, 120 dignitaries and elder members of the Buddhist association gathered at Hung Minh Temple (located at 145 in Ly Chieu Hoang Str. of Ho Chi Minh City’s district 6) to revive Buddhist practices and affairs of the association, and strengthened its administrative structure by establishing an central executive body headed by Ven. Nguyễn Phương Hiếu until his dead in 2018.

Implementing the Ordinance on Belief and Religion 2004, the Vietnam Pure Land Buddhist Association received the legal recognition from Vietnam Government by Decision 207/QĐ-TGCP dated November 27, 2007, and has held three national congress with the fourth term lasting from 2019-2024.

The Central Executive Committee of the Vietnam Association of Pure-land Lay Buddhists of the 2019-2024 tenure.

Fundamental teachings

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 Amitabha), 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...

The Vietnam Association Pure-land Lay Buddhists 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 sufferings should be first offered in order to make people strong. So, the association attaches importance to medical charities of traditional medicines.

Regarding religious flag, the Vietnam Association Pure-land Lay Buddhists 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 religious association and mutual support and encouragement to practice the religion.

Catechesis, cannon laws and worshipping rites

On catechesis, the Vietnam Association of Pure-land Lay Buddhists regards Buddha's teachings as fundamental religious tenets 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 Association of Pure-land Lay Buddhists 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 Association of Pure-land Lay Buddhists  are simple but sincere. 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 Association of  Pure-land Lay Buddhists 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.

Organizational structure, worshipping places, dignitaries, deacons and followers

According to the charter of the religious organization, the organizational structure of Vietnam Association of  Pure-land Lay Buddhists has three levels of central, provincial/city and commune/ward administrations, each electing a executive body.

The worshipping places of Vietnam Association of  Pure-land Lay Buddhists are temples. Each temple establishes a charity clinic of traditional medicines. Each establishment of the Vietnam Pure Land Buddhist Association contains a worshipping hall dedicated to the Lord Buddha, Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara and founding master Minh Tri. 

Dignitaries of the Vietnam Pure Land Buddhist Association include the patriarch, trainers, lecturers, assistant lecturers and presenters well trained in either aspects of religious teachings or traditional medicines. These dignitaries shall be nominated and appointed by the Church.

Religious deacons the Vietnam Pure Land Buddhist Association are those holding positions in the executive bodies of three religious administrative levels. Religious deacons shall be elected in each religious term. 

Followers of the Vietnam Pure Land Buddhist Association are those voluntarily accept and observe the Church’s Charter and rules, and made vow to take Refuge in Three Buddhist Jewels. In each worshipping temple, there are six types of Church’s members, including founding members, honorary members and medical charity members, assistant members, religious teaching members and administration members.

Since its founding in 1934, the Vietnam Association of Pure-land Lay Buddhists has developed and coexisted in harmony with other religions, and well practiced the religious practicing guideline as "Cultivating Merit and Wisdom Altogether – Practicing Pure-land Buddhism initiated by Founding Master Minh Tri, with many social contributions, especially medical charities, communities, practically contributing to create a society of love and altruism.

Currently, the Vietnam Association of Pure-land Lay Buddhists has about 1.5 million followers and members, including 650,000 registered followers, 5,000 dignitaries and deacons, nearly 1,000 herbalists, medical trainers, physicians and medical students; 210 branches establishments  in 23 provinces and cities in Southern Vietnam, from  Khanh Hoa to Ca Mau provinces, with a traditional medical clinic in each establishment. 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. 

PTT