THE SITUATION OF BUDDHISM IN VIET NAM IN MODERN AND PRESENT TIMES

Giáo hội Phật giáo Việt Nam (GHPGVN) đã trải qua giai đoạn gần 30 năm phát triển, trong đó hơn 20 năm Phật giáo có điều kiện được chuyển đổi nhanh chóng từ quá trình mở cửa và hội nhập của Việt Nam với thế giới. Những vấn đề được GHPGVN quan tâm chính là cơ cấu tổ chức giáo hội; sinh hoạt của tu sĩ Phật giáo, vấn đề giáo dục tăng ni, tổ chức nhân sự, là những chuyển đổi mạnh mẽ trong hoạt động hoằng pháp, trong kiến trúc tự viện;trong họat động từ thiện –xã hội..

This writing would like to summary some highlights of Buddhism in Viet Nam in modern and present times. Modern times (1981 – 2000) is set on the day of The Vietnamese Buddhist Congregation. Present times is counted from 2000 until now. Vietnamese Buddhism comprises of three main branches: Hinayana (Nam Tong), Mahayana (Bac Tong) and Mendicant sect (Khat Si). Each of these branches has many factions that are split on the prayers of bequests. In branch of Hinayana, believers are of the two ethnic groups Khmer and Viet, so, there still remain differences in pagodas structures, customs, activities and statues – worship’s arrangement. Modern times Of organization, from the day of foundation, Vietnamese Buddhist Congregation put forward its charters and organization including two main bodies: Central level (Certification Council and Administration Council consisting of ten sections) and Local level (Provincial Administration Section, City committee; Representatives committee at levels of district, town, ward and village. Of education, one thing important in this times is to reform Buddhist education, especially in teaching programs’ content. Education programs are divided into levels: Academy, Specialized College, Intermediate level of Buddhism, Elementary level of Buddhism. In Can Tho, Khmer’s Hinayana Buddhism Academy was set up in 2006. The number of overseas Buddhist nuns and Buddhist monks exceed that of previous periods. Of propagation of faith (Buddhism), indoctrination programs have been carried continuously and synchronously. Present times Of activities, there have been changes in life of monks and nuns which are defined according to the differences between branches as well as specific traditions of each of these branches. Of education, there appears a tendency to apply new method of training by sending abroad more monks and nuns for further education. Of propagation of faith (Buddhism), it is noticed a new approach “Propagation of faith on internet”, propagation of faith in far – remote regions, in ethic minorities and in re – education camps. Of social charity, there is a positive increase of money and goods donated to Social Charity Fund of Ho Chi Minh City’s Buddhism Committee in recent years. It is this increase that, in turn, make social charity activities of the whole Southern Buddhism and Ho Chi Minh City Buddhism in particular achieve the highest turnover in comparison with Buddhist organizations in the country over. Moreover, there are foreign currencies among donations. Of restoration and new construction of Buddhist structures, sources of expenditure are of overseas Buddhist’s donations and of national sponsor. At present, Vietnam Buddhism are following two main courses of development: modern Buddhism course and engaged Buddhism one.