From India, Buddhism was introduced into Vietnam in the early centuries of the Christian Era. Through its long history, Buddhism has had certain contributions to the nation on various aspects.  Nowadays, humankind steps in a new historical period with many changes in all aspects of social life. Thus, what does the modern Buddhism take its role in Vietnam to contribute its part in achiving the goal of building wealthy people, strong country,  equal,  democratic and civilized society , as it did to “peaceful nation and happy people” in the glorious history of the nation?

1. In recent years, nearly all nations in the world have been involved in the whirl of globalization. Some states wait for it happily, but some others wait as in tenterhooks; some people support it enthusiastically, some others protest against it violently. Some opinions suggest that, globalization is the way to the future, that brings prosperity, development to every people, every nation and every country, even they are from whatever starting point, at whichever level of economic development. Other opinions only see globalization full with dark color. They believe that globalization is the origin of various misfortune, catastrophe, danger and challenges, which can not be overcome: from degradation of environment leading to deterioration of native cultures, from appearance of much more new diseases of man, animal and plant, to the increase of indigent, illiterate as the same as the down-gradient of moral and way of life; from individual insecurity to the danger of family breakup . In other words, in facing the globalizing phenomenon, there are different opinions, attitudes and reactions. However, globalization is an objective phenomenon, trend which is not easy to resist.

Globalization has its duality: both positive and negative, both challenges and opportunities for each state and nation on aspects of economy, society, politics, culture, moral ...  In contemporary globalization, no any nation can “close their door” or “self-contain” to preserve their own national cultural identity, traditional ethics, but they have to integrate with the world, even if meet a lot of challenges. Now, many researchers pay attention to the issue of “cultural invasion”. The “invading-cultural empires” are finding their ways to break into and import their foreign cultures, that infiltrate into other nations. Foreign culture is not totally a negative one, but in fact, some countries had to pay heavy price for this because they do not know how to “get benign wind and prevent poisonous one” during the process of “opening the door” and “integrating” with the world. Its direct and  obvious consequences are the pragmatic way of life, venerating the material things, which stimulate instinctive need, draws people into trivial pleasure, to disregard traditional moral, to forget the ideal, to ignore the national history..., these things happen every day and hour, in every family, village and city. Through modern mass media, attractive taste of Western culture is expanding and penetrating into social stratums, nations, and not only in cities, but also in remote mountains and forests of the minorities. 

This “invasion” is expanding so strong that even developed countries such as France, Sweden... also worry about it and launch a “resistance” against this invasion.

In other words, building “a progressive culture  imbued deeply with national identity” has become one of the most important tasks of every state in the present context of globalization. Of course, not because of the fearfulness of the collapse of traditional culture, there were some so nostalgia policies that lead to restore bad customs which are disparaged by the people of new life; but, it is also impossible to follow the conception of “acquiring quintessence of humankind’s culture” to admit all the offal, scum and grit of exotic cultures, in order to build a miscellaneous, ludicrous one. It is the time for all the Vietnamese to learn the real value of sustainable development, that means, each step of economic development has to depend on preserving, developing the ethical values and traditional cultural identities of the nation.

For the everlasting existence of the pedigree and prosperous development of the nation in context of globalization, protecting beautiful traditional values, preserving and promoting national cultural identities, including Buddhist ones is a matter of strategy. However, protecting and preserving do not mean having conservative or differentiate attitude towards foreign cultures, that even should lead to repudiate all modern values, but it means self-renovating, self-modernizing  national culture; in addition, belief and religion in general, and Buddhism in particular also need to adjust themselves in order to keep with the age. 

2. General speaking, Buddhism introduced into Vietnam with many advantages, and met nearly no reaction, no obstacle. These advantages due to: in one part, because Buddhism is appropriate for cultural tradition of Vietnam; in the other part, Buddhism is a religion which has thought of tolerance, condescending, open-mind, willingly to have conversation with other trends of thought. In Vietnam, Buddhism not only admits and condescends with native belief, but also inherits other values from Confucianism and Taoism. As a religion with its huge system of teachings, having introduced into Vietnam, Buddhism provided a system of conceptions about the universe, human and it was appropriate for the Vietnamese’s thought.  That is the reason why Buddhism was accepted willingly by the Vietnamese and quickly became a popular religion with great number of followers, then it  was considered as the orthodox ideology of some feudal dynasties in Vietnam. In comparing with other religions which used violence to “expand God’s country”, Buddhism’s way was different in:

Firstly, Buddhist propagating process did not cause any conflict both in military and in culture.

Secondly, with the guideline of “skilful means” Buddhism had more capacity to accept all different characters of the traditional culture where it was imported. Therefore, Buddhism strengthened its ability of adapting itself with other cultures. Further, Buddhism enriched itself by inheriting values of other nations’ religion, custom and habit.  Gradually, Buddhism became a component which participated in creating culture and companied with other nations outside India.

Buddhism as a movement provided the thought of equality between man and man, of liberating human from suffering of the birth and death, in order to get a complete meaning of life. According to this meaning, even it did not directly refuse the secular society which maintained the hard division of class, Buddhism contained in itself the tendency of resistance against the society of oppression and slave. The resisting element of Buddhism reflects the feeling of the Vietnamese who had the hurt burden of a poor and lost country.

   After 938, Buddhism developed and became the Vietnamese feudal ideology for four centuries (from the 10^th century to the 14^th century). From the 15^th century on, Buddhism gave up its position for Confucianism, but still remained as one of the three fundamental pillars of the traditional thought of Vietnam: Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. Until now, Buddhism is still a great religion having the widest influence in Vietnam.  Although as a religion of renunciation with principle of “non-violence (ahimsha)”, when Buddhism introduced into Vietnam, it quickly integrated with its people, and closely shared with the nation’s destiny: “If the nation is not independent, the religion must be not free”(1), and “If the nation has independence, Buddhism will freely develop.”(2) When taking the role as the orthodox ideology, Buddhism had contributed to providing the feudal leading class with a guideline to govern the country with many progressive ideas  aiming to “wealthy people, prosperous country”.  With Buddhist virtue of tolerance, lenience, sympathy, and attitude of for the other, to the other... many monks and nuns sacrified their own lives  for the sake of the nation and the people, contributed  to bringing back the peace and prosperity for the nation. During the two long resistances against French colonialist and American imperialist, a lot of Buddhist followers and authorities had stood on the side of the nation, and participated actively in the national resistances to gain back the national independence and unification of the country. In the present social condition, most of monks, nuns, and Buddhist followers willingly join in social activities for the benefit of the people and the nation.  Buddhist ideal of liberation, which aimed to create a peaceful, happy, prosperous society... , without war, suffering and revenge, had carried the Vietnamese’s pressing yearning through the long history of the nation. Buddhist thought of “six perfect harmonies”, together with native tradition of tolerance had created the Vietnamese personality through their way of “human behavior” according to the love for fellow-creatures. This ideal do not have any contradiction, but even agrees with Vietnam Communist Party’s guideline, which is  expressed in the ideas of replacing confrontation by conversation, as well as in the readiness to close the past, orient to the future and willingness to be friend or partner of all other countries of the international community.

It is possible to say that, Buddhism takes very important part in aspects of culture, moral, way of life... and it contributes to improve individual moral, to make social relations more healthy, to build a life style of good natured for the Vietnamese.

Every authentic religion has its certain contribution from aspect of culture, ethics for humankind. As an authentic religion, when introducing into Vietnam, Buddhism also brought cultural values to contribute to Vietnam’s culture. Buddhist literature, architecture, sculpture, painting, music and art... did express not only the knowledge, but also the Vietnamese skill of art, precise mind, spirit, fine affection and manner.   

Under present social condition, Buddhist heritages continuously develop their functions, create national characters, contribute to enrich the Vietnamese identity. Except the spiritual meaning, many pagodas has been being visited and contemplated as famous sightseeing. Buddhist cultural values not only exist in mind, but also do through the endeavor of many thousand Buddhist followers in order to build a wealthy country, and happy people.

 3. Buddhism is a long traditional religion what provides sustainable vital force in spirit of the Vietnamese.  Naturally, religion as well as belief has its historical character, so that it can change itself to fit with new historical context.    Under Ly-- Tran dynasties, Buddhism was the spiritual support for the whole society; or it was officially patronized by some royal families of the Nguyen dynasty from South Vietnam. History also proved Buddhist role in contributing to make many feudal dynasties prosperous and peaceful, wealthy country, and the people unanimity. However, Buddhism could not hold its role as the same as it was at its golden age. There are many reasons, some of them were the ordain monks’ thought of hedonism, the mixture between impure religious activities with superstition and the mundanized belief; more important reasons were the scheme of colonialist invader and some “xenophilous” ones who aimed to separate and cause religious disunity, or they wanted to attack, suppress and enslave spiritual culture, especially religious belief of the Vietnamese.

It was in history, but nowadays, in the context of globalization, Western culture strongly attacks traditional one on large scale and more drastically. If Buddhism does not know how to preserve, improve and renovate itself, its degradation will not be avoidable.

In the market mechanism, the instinct of selfish will have chance to grow together with the rise of the crave, lust of money, reverence of material things, getting rich by any price, ignorance of gratitude, disregarding moral, even trampling on other’s dignity...in some ones. In facing this actual situation, Buddhism persists the theory of karma (retribution by karma) and Buddhist teachings of “curses come home to roost”, “sow the wind and reap the whirlwind”, “we reap as we sow” or “a good turn is never lost” ... with reward and punishment in the next life. From the aspect of ethics, these Buddhist teachings, much or less, have the function to dominate excessive, extreme, non-humane, anti-cultural actions. Buddhism has a system of rather perfect conceptions of ethics in order to construct an ideal specimen. Thanks to this, in practice, Buddhist followers should correct their behavior themselves in accordance with the Good. Although conceptions of “the five precepts”, “the ten goods”, theory of “causality”, “eternal circle of birth”, “retribution by karma (actions)”..., are mystical, metaphysical, but they can admonish, prevent the bad, wrong words and actions of a life of gross self-indulgence..., in order to provide individual life with more responsibility for oneself and community.  President Ho Chi Minh had realized the reasonable factors of religious ethics, such as Buddhism, Catholicism... : “The Christ taught that ethics is humane. Buddha taught that ethics is merciful. Confucius said that ethics is benevolence and righteousness (3).

Vietnam Communist Party also confirms that religious ethics contains reasonable elements which can suit the new society.

General tendency of Vietnamese Buddhism is not to “escape from this world of lust”, but to “enter into life”. “Liberation” does not mean to flee away, to turn  the back on reality, but to try to find the ultimate meaning of the life, to build a harmonious and just society. Today, Buddhist tradition of “enter into life” is not vague, abstract, but it infiltrates into common life practically. Buddhist social activities with magnanimous deeps have contributed to appreciate traditional ethics and stabilize society. Buddhist activities of humanity, charity have eased the sufferers’ pains, which caused by natural calamity, epidemic diseases; reduce the sadness of unhappy, alone lives... This means that Buddhism is not “escape the world of lust”, “seclude from the world” or turn the back on the worldly life. Buddhism has been integrating harmoniously with human being and sharing their sorrows and joys in existing world full of sufferings.

Nowadays, we witness the rain-storm development of revolutions of science, technique and technology. Their miraculous achievements have provided the change on our planet, improved standard of material and spiritual life of people. But, on the negative side, they also provided heavy impacts on humankind’s shoulders. If do not adjust ourselves deeds, certainly we will have to pay dearly for our irresponsible actions with the nature.

In facing the environmental pollution in Vietnam, many Vietnamese as well as Buddhist authorities and believes have paid much attention to this problem. Having considered that each green leaf and shade of each tree also contributes to protect global environment, Ven. Thich Chan Quang appealed: “hopes that all people who has spiritual religion, understands the causality will together contribute their parts in foresting huge jungles. This means providing great blessing, because we will preserve and leave precious legacy of wood and fresh environment for younger generations in future"(4). Some Buddhist also proposed that Vietnamese Buddhist Sangha (organization) should apply issue of protection of nature and environment as a new discipline in Buddhist training syllabus, in order to offer them simple techniques and modes of this field so that they can participate in state’s projects of protecting and improving living environment. These are respectable opinions when the whole context of environment is in regress.

With the tendency of tolerance, considering conversation instead of confrontation, peace instead of war, Buddhism takes more important role. The First Buddhist Forum, co-organized by the World Buddhist Association, Chinese Association of Cultural and Religious Exchange in Zheijiang , China, form 13^th to 16^th April 2006, with 1000 participants from 37 countries;  most of them were Buddhist authorities and monks and nuns. More than 100 presentations concentrated on the subject “harmony of the world originates from mind”, stressing on consolidation, cooperation among Buddhists and social responsibility of Buddhism, in order to build a peaceful world.  This forum has approved the Declaration of Potalaka Mountain, with spirit of tolerance, without revenge, always in harmony; simultaneously, this declaration should be the hope of every family, community, state as well as the whole world, for keeping the world in peace and people in happiness.

4. There is a secular (irreligious) tendency in the world with religious appearances of deeper and deeper entering into social life. The religious helps human beings, and religion closely connects with nation. For example, Catholic policy of “living a gospel life in the heart the nation” or Buddhist slogan “religious teachings, nation, and socialism”, and religious tendency of “in keeping company with the nation in process of constructing socialism”... this is the trend of “enter into life”, that needs to be encouraged. However, other worldly lusts of health, happiness, success, wealthy dreamed to be offered by God and Buddha through worship, much or less they made Buddhist doctrine of liberation became more simple, practical. This way of religious activities will “encourage” a waiting attitude more than stimulate a self-reliant attitude to improve their life and religious personality of believers.

Buddhism is a pre-eminent and intellectual religion, many Western scientists realize its values and praise it by beautiful words. Albert Einstein assumed that, whether there is a religion which should meet the requirement of modern sciences, that must be Buddhism. Buddhism does not only contribute for science, but it is also a cultural heritage of the world. In Vietnam, many Buddhist temples are famous sightseeing which attract lots of native and foreign tourists to visit, to contemplate the typical structures of Buddhism. But, now, one problem is, in some regions, Buddhism becomes mundanized, simplified, and even commercialized.  Some pagodas does not keep their tranquil, restful and solemn appearance as a Buddhist shrine, but they are so gross, fussy, and full of incense smoke, sound of praying, even votive paper, divinity wands ... Buddhist pilgrims and tourists requires how to keep “pagoda” not as the same as “market”, not allow market mechanism to muddy spiritual atmosphere of religious culture in pagoda, and to restore pagoda’s solemn and peaceful view.

It is impossible to deny a fact that, next to many exemplary venerable who are famous of moral and proud of Buddhist studies, and respected by society and believers, there are also many monks and nuns who live in Buddhist monasteries but with irreligious motivation, and still be tired by the bane of fame and wealth. Even some of them are depraved by temptation of mediocre lust or libido, not yet liberating from “lust, hatred, delusion”, they even commit Buddhist precepts and court law. Therefore, to avoid situation of “high number but low quality”, “religious life lacks of internal spiritual force and virtue of the religious is worse”, it needs to stress on the recruitment of fresh monks and nuns and on process of training their moral and religious knowledge. 

Reconstructing and repairing pagodas, developing festivals in order to meet  common people’s spiritual need is correct requirement, which must be respected and supported by local governments. But, it is deplorable if many Buddhist architectures are built, constructed excessively, miscellaneously, colorfully, and too much expensive festivals spend lots of times and forces of the people.   

Although history has changed, politic regimes moved, Buddhism has been keeping company with the nation through long 20 centuries until now.  Today, in the process of renovating the country, in facing the tendency of globalization, Buddhism needs to know how to adjust, to renovate itself, in order to accommodate to Vietnam society and humankind in the new age. r   

(Translate by Hoang Thi Tho)