Many prestigious scientists discuss Vajrayana in current Vietnamese Buddhist culture

The discussion has suggested some policy advice, but there is a need for more systematic and in-depth research on Vajrayana and the Center for Contemporary Religion Studies should continue to be a pioneer.
That is the opinion of scientists in the Scientific Seminar with the theme "Vajrayana in Vietnamese Buddhist Culture Today". The Seminar was chaired by the Center for Contemporary Religious Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU, and organized on the morning of March 26, 2024.
The scientific issue attracts the attention of many prestigious scientists.
Attending the discussion, on behalf of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, there were Most Venerable Dr. Thich Duc Thien - Vice President, General Secretary, Head of the Central Committee of the International Buddhist Sangha of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha; Prof. Le Manh That - Vice President of the Vietnam Buddhist Academy in Ho Chi Minh City; Most Venerable Dr. Thich Nguyen Dat - Vice President of the Vietnam Buddhist Academy in Hue; Lay Buddhist Luong Gia Tinh - Vice President of the Vietnam Buddhist Academy in Hanoi; Most Venerable Thich Van Tri - Head of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in Da Lat City.
On the side of domestic management and research agencies, there were the participation of Ms. Tran Thi Minh Nga - Deputy Head of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs; Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thi Minh Ngoc - Deputy Director of the Institute of Social Sciences, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences; Dr. Le Tam Dac - Deputy Director of the Institute of Religion and Belief, Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics; Dr. Pham Thi Lan Anh - Head of the Department of Cultural Heritage Management, Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism; Dr. Dang Cam Tu - Director of the Center for the Development of Women in the North Central Region, Vietnam Women's Union.
On behalf of Hanoi National University and the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, there were the participation of Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Hoang Hai - Vice President of Hanoi National University; Associate Professor, Dr. Dao Thanh Truong - Vice President of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities; Associate Professor, Dr. Lai Quoc Khanh - Vice President of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Director of the Center for Contemporary Religious Studies; Prof. Dr. Do Quang Hung - Chairman of the Scientific Council, Director of the Center for Contemporary Religious Studies; Dr. Trinh Van Dinh - Head of the Department of Scientific Research Management, along with many scientists, monks, Buddhists, students, and postgraduates inside and outside the University of Social Sciences and Humanities.

Speaking at the opening of the seminar, Associate Professor Dr. Lai Quoc Khanh - Vice Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Director of the Center for Contemporary Religion Studies, said that in the historical and cultural process of the Vietnamese nation, Vietnamese Buddhism, together with many generations of monks, laymen, Buddhist followers, Buddhist sects and sects, have made enormous contributions, in which Zen Buddhism, Pure Land Buddhism and Tantric Buddhism play a very important role. Entering the 21st century, the 3rd millennium, Buddhism in the world in general, in Vietnam in particular, with its massive system of ideological and cultural heritage, with the power of Compassion and Wisdom, is truly a valuable resource for the stability and development of society. However, to promote that resource, there needs to be serious and elaborate scientific research.
It can be affirmed that, in the overall valuable research works on Buddhism, research on Tantric Buddhism - Vajrayana in Vietnam is not much, has not really met the cognitive requirements of society, has not really provided scientific arguments for the formulation of related policies of both the State and the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha.
In that context, the scientific seminar: "Vajrayana in current Vietnamese Buddhist culture" was organized with the hope of being a scientific activity to initiate research directions to promote the good values ​​of Buddhism, including Vajrayana in Vietnam, thereby making practical scientific contributions, meeting social needs and policy consulting work.
Within the framework of the seminar, 12 presentations from prestigious scientists at the University of Science and Humanities, VNU, Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, domestic research and policy-making agencies were presented, covering the rich aspects of Vajrayana in the historical flow of Buddhism in particular and Vietnamese culture in general.

Tantric Buddhism is one of the sects of Buddhism, originating from India around the 7th century, then spread to China, Japan..., and especially developed strongly in Tibet. In Tibet, Tantric Buddhism is also known as Vajrayana. The presence and social influence of Tantric Buddhism - Vajrayana in Vietnam is a reality. The movement trend of Tantric Buddhism - Vajrayana in the future is also a reality that cannot be ignored if we want the true values ​​of this Buddhist sect to be preserved and promoted positively.
Prof. Dr. Do Quang Hung emphasized that the discussion is a rare opportunity to look back at the history and tradition of Vietnamese Tantric Buddhism for thousands of years in the history of Vietnamese Buddhism, which often exists in the tripod of "Zen - Pure Land - Esoteric Buddhism". There are many research directions that require research by scientists, such as the issue of what characteristics and traditions of Vietnamese Tantric Buddhism need to be adjusted and improved in today's contemporary world, including in doctrine and practice? What is the influence of Tibetan Tantric Buddhism - Vajrayana on Vietnamese Buddhism, Vietnamese Buddhist culture today in terms of Buddhism, Buddhism, Dharma propagation as well as monastic life? In terms of socio-economics, what resources does the young community of Tibetan Tantric Buddhism in Vietnam have to participate in socio-economic development, especially the need for cultural tourism and spiritual tourism?

According to Most Venerable Thich Duc Thien - Vice President, General Secretary, Head of the International Buddhist Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, today, in the trend of deep international integration of Vietnam in the region and in the world, Vietnamese Buddhism also welcomes and exchanges with many Buddhist traditions and sects, including Zen, Pure Land, and Tantric or Vajrayana from many countries with traditions typical of Vajrayana lines. Vietnamese monks, nuns, and Buddhists have practiced according to Vajrayana methods, rituals, and culture.
In such a context, the scientific seminar on Vajrayana organized by the Center for Contemporary Religious Studies is extremely necessary to help Vietnamese monks, nuns, and Buddhists understand more deeply and correctly identify the equality of enlightenment and liberation of all Buddhist practices.

With multidimensional perspectives on the history of formation and development, aspects in identifying and developing the good culture of Vajrayana in Vietnamese culture, scientists brought to the discussion an atmosphere of serious and open scientific exchange and suggested many new research directions. The issues discussed at the seminar were: "Vajrayana in Vietnam: Past and Present" (Prof. Le Manh That - Vice President of the Vietnam Buddhist Academy in Ho Chi Minh City); "Tantra in the spiritual life of Vietnamese people today" (Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Minh Ngoc (Deputy Director of the Institute of Sociology, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences); "Vajrayana in the Vietnamese cultural stream" (Associate Professor, Dr. Lai Quoc Khanh - Vice President of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Director of the Center for Family Research, Most Venerable Thich Nguyen Dat - Vice President of the Vietnam Buddhist Academy in Hue); "Vajrayana in the current Buddhist life of Vietnam" (Layman Luong Gia Tinh - Vice President of the Vietnam Buddhist Academy in Hanoi); "A view from the influence of Tantrism in Taiwan on the development of Tantrism in Vietnam" (Most Venerable Thich Giai Hien - Vietnam Buddhist Academy in Hue); "Tantra Buddhism in the flow of Vietnamese Buddhism" (Dr. Bui Huu Duoc - Institute of Religion and Belief, VNU-HCM); "Basic identification of the Symbolism and Nature of the Great Compassion Dharani - A mantra commonly practiced in contemporary Vietnamese Buddhist culture" (Dr. Mai Thi Thom - Tran Nhan Tong Institute, VNU-Hanoi); "The imprint of Vajrayana at pagodas in Hanoi" (Dr. Pham Thi Lan Anh - Head of Cultural Heritage Management Department, Hanoi Department of Culture and Information); "Buddhism and culture (from the perspective of international scholars to Vietnamese Vajrayana) by Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Quang Hung - Vice Chairman of the Scientific Council of the Center for Family Studies; "From Zen Master Minh Chau Huong Hai to Zen Master Thich Dai San and the powerful element in Thuan Quang culture in the 17th - 18th centuries" (Dr. Thich Chan Dao - Vietnam Buddhist Academy in Hue); "Vajrayana in world and Vietnamese Buddhist culture" (Dr. Vu Van Chung (University of Social Sciences and Humanities).
Scientists attending the seminar assessed that, with its position as a leading university in social sciences and humanities research, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU, has been liberal and open in organizing the seminar, gathering pioneering scientific research on Vajrayana in Vietnam, on par with major universities in the world.

With careful, serious and highly professional preparation, with the support and participation of prestigious researchers, the seminar has provided new and valuable scientific arguments, thereby contributing to clarifying the position, role and unique and distinctive values ​​of Tantric Buddhism - Vajrayana in Vietnamese cultural life in general, and current Vietnamese Buddhist culture in particular, contributing to deepening and enriching Vietnamese Buddhism, promoting the values ​​of Buddhist resources in particular and religion in general in the work of building and modernizing a strong and prosperous Vietnam.