TTLA: Nature in Vietnamese Buddhist Literature during the Ly and Tran Dynasties

1. Full name of doctoral candidate: Pham Thi Thu Huong
2. Gender: Female
3. Date of birth: December 1, 1979 4. Place of birth: Ninh Binh
5. Decision to recognize doctoral students: 1806/2018/QD-XHNV dated June 29, 2018
6. Changes to the training process (if any):
7. Thesis title: Nature in Vietnamese Buddhist literature during the Ly-Tran dynasties
8. Major: Vietnamese Literature 9. Code: 9229030.04
10. Scientific supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Kim Son
11. Summary of the new findings of the thesis:
In the literature of the Ly-Tran dynasty, especially in Buddhist literature, nature served as both an inexhaustible source of inspiration and a reflection of the era, expressing literary trends and conveying unique aesthetic messages. Through the effort to study nature from the specific aesthetic perspective of Zen Buddhist thought, analyzing nature as an aesthetic object in Vietnamese Buddhist literature of the Ly-Tran period across various genres, we identify and explain the unique linguistic concepts and philosophies of Zen masters, and understand the cultural space of Zen masters' practice during the Ly-Tran period. It can be said that nature in Ly-Tran Buddhist literature reveals the underlying currents of Buddhist thought and doctrine, as well as the literary and artistic values ​​of this literary era. By deciphering the layers of meaning encoded through images of nature, this thesis contributes a perspective to the study of the spiritual world and aesthetic concepts of monks and intellectuals connected to Buddhism.
The dissertation covered various genres of Buddhist literature, including narrative prose, inscriptions, recorded sayings, poems and verses, question-and-answer sessions between monks and masters, the practice of explaining doctrinal issues through chanting and recitation, and lyrical poetry about nature and landscapes by Zen masters.Each genre group conveys its own unique message, forming a distinctive "mosaic" of nature in the Buddhist literature of the Ly and Tran dynasties.
In undertaking this thesis, we aim to study nature as a significant subject in Vietnamese Buddhist literature during the Ly and Tran dynasties, thereby demonstrating both the historical transformation and the creative trends of the era, as well as the author's style. The thesis examines the role, function, and significance of the metaphorical imagery of nature from the philosophical and aesthetic perspective of Zen Buddhism. Furthermore, the thesis investigates the philosophical and cultural nature of natural space as reflected in stelae and narrative texts, particularly in its role as the space for temple construction and spiritual practice.
To carry out this research, we used materials from the poetry and literature of the Ly-Tran dynasties, including translations and, in some cases, original texts. The subject of this thesis is nature in narrative genres, in poetry and verse of Buddhist literature of the Ly-Tran dynasties, as created by Zen masters and authors with a close connection to Buddhism.
In developing this thesis, we employ typological methods to decipher the characteristic meanings of various types of Buddhist literary works about nature. Simultaneously, we use literary history methods to place the works within their contemporary and diachronic contexts, and within their socio-historical backgrounds. Furthermore, we utilize statistical, comparative, and analytical techniques to classify and systematize the types of natural imagery, and compare nature in Buddhist literature with nature in Confucian literature, examining their metaphorical functions, aesthetic meanings, and religious significance.
This dissertation analyzes narrative genres depicting the portraits of Ly-Tran Zen masters in their mountain and forest settings, thereby attempting to explain the monastic culture of Vietnamese Zen masters during this period with its distinctive features of Theravada Buddhism. Furthermore, the dissertation identifies and analyzes the vivid and engaging metaphorical language in dialogues, lectures, and poems about Buddhist philosophical and ethical ideas, thanks to the Zen masters' use of familiar and relatable natural imagery. Through the study of lyrical nature poetry and lyrical landscape poetry, the dissertation reveals the aesthetics of natural imagery in Ly-Tran Zen poetry, the characteristics of relational Zen poetry, using Zen to illustrate poetry, and using poetry to illuminate Zen.
12. Further research directions: Vietnamese literature
13. Publications related to the dissertation:

 

1. Full name: Pham Thi Thu Huong
2. Sex: Female
3. Date of birth: December 1, 1979 4. Place of birth: Ninh Binh
5. Admission decision number: 1806/2018/QD-XHNV dated June 29, 2018
6. Changes in academic progress (if any):
7. Official thesis title: Nature in Vietnamese Buddhist literature of the Ly-Tran dynasty.
8. Major: Vietnamese Literature 9. Code: 9229030.04
10. Academic Supervisor: Assoc.Prof.Dr. Nguyen Kim Son
11. Summary of the new findings of the thesis:
In the literature of the Ly Tran dynasty, especially Buddhist literature, nature is both an inexhaustible source of inspiration and a reflection of the times, expressing literary trends and delivering unique aesthetic messages. After studying nature from a specific aesthetic perspective of Zen Buddhism thought and analyzing nature as an object in Vietnamese Buddhist literature of the Ly-Tran dynasty in many genres, we identify and explain the particular concept and linguistic philosophy of the Zen masters and understand the cultural space of practice of Zen masters in the Ly-Tran period. It can be said that nature in the Ly-Tran dynasty's Buddhist literature has indicated the lines of Buddhist thought and teachings as well as the literary and artistic values ​​of this literature. From the interpretation of the meaning expressed through the nature imagery, the thesis has provided a perspective to study the emotional world and aesthetic concept of monks and intellectuals who are predestined to Buddhism.
The thesis has covered various genres of Buddhist literature, including narrative prose, epitaphs, recorded sayings, poems, types of questions and answers between monks and nuns, the form of explanation of doctrinal issues through “stating topics, summarizing main ideas, and writing a poem,” and genre of Zen master's natural lyric poetry and landscape lyric poetry. Each genre conveys its content, forming a unique mosaic of nature imagery in Buddhist literature in the Ly-Tran period.
In this thesis, we want to research and consider nature as a vital object of Vietnamese Buddhist literature in the Ly-Tran dynasty to show the variable reflections of history and the author's composition trends and style. The thesis studies the role, function, and meaning of metaphorical images from the point of view of philosophical thought and Zen Buddhism aesthetics. In addition, the thesis clarifies the philosophical and cultural nature of the natural space, such as a space for building pagodas and a place for practice, reflected in the epitaph and narrative works.
To carry out this research, we have used materials from the Ly-Tran dynasty's poetry and literature, translations, and the original in some cases. The research object of the thesis is the nature imagery in narrative genres and poems of Buddhist literature in the Ly-Tran dynasty composed by Zen masters, and authors predestined to Buddhism.
We have used the typological method to clarify the specific meanings of the types of Buddhist literary works written on nature. At the same time, literary and historical methods are applied to place the piece in the synchronic and diachronic process and the socio-historical context. Furthermore, we use techniques such as statistics, comparison, and analysis to classify and systemize the types of nature imagery and compare nature in Buddhist literature with that in Confucian literature regarding metaphorical function, aesthetic meaning, and religion.
The thesis has analyzed the narrative genres written about the Zen masters of the Ly-Tran dynasty living in the practice space in the mountains. Thanks to that, it's able to explain the cultivation culture of Vietnamese Zen masters in this period with the characteristics of Theravada Buddhism. In addition, the thesis identifies and analyzes the characteristics of vivid and attractive metaphorical language in genres such as dialogues, explanations, and poems on philosophical and ethical ideas of Buddhism through using familiar nature imagery. Through studying natural lyric poetry and landscape lyric poetry, the thesis has presented the aesthetics of nature imagery in Zen poetry of the Ly-Tran dynasty and the characteristics of the relationship between poetry and meditation (using poetry to indicate meditation and meditation to express poetry ideas.)
12. Future research directions: Vietnamese Literature.
13. Thesis-related publications: