History Of Vietnamese Zen

It is well known that the School of Zen is the most powerful in Vietnamese Buddhism. But until now few people know the thoughts, history and influences of the Vietnamese Zen . Patriarchs of The Central Buddhism Committee of Vietnam want to revive the School of Zen by deep research of the Vietnamese Zen, but they are not able to do what they want. Some books and anthologies on Vietnamese Buddhism rarely discusses the School of Zen. Some scholars confuses the Buddhism with Marxism and makes a Marxist Buddhism. They can not clarify the characteristics of the Vietnamese Zen and its origin of thoughts. In this situation, it is hoped that there can appear a work in which the Vietnamese Zen can be systematically discussed. This paper attempts to make a research of Vietnam Zen School.This paper mainly requires into the origin and process of the Vietnamese Zen and emphasizes the thoughts and influences of the Bamboo Forest House. At the same time, the paper puts forward the main characteristics of the school of Vietnamese Zen. The text of the paper includes four parts:Chapter I discusses The Vietnamese Buddhism In The Pre-independence Period (1-10 century). In the first century, the Buddhism began to spread in Vietnam and gradually united with native belief and culture. After some time, there appeared a comprehensive religious belief of four dhama which were dharma cloud, dharma rain, dharma thunder, and dharma electricity. This belief was a combination of Indian Buddhism and the native belief of Vietnam and reflected the need of Vietnamese people in everyday life. Till the end of the second century, the Vietnamese Buddhism had made a great development. Mouzi and Kang senghui were two outstanding representatives in that time. Kang senghui propagated the thoughts and taught the way of meditation of the Mahayana Buddhism, his way of meditation was mainly Indian style. He had big influence in Central Vietnam. At the end of the period of Belonging To China, two Zen houses from China, Vinitaruci House and Wuyantong House, united with native belief, culture, social background and native meditation method and produced great influences on Vietnamese society and culture. At this tune, the Buddhism entered Vietnam on land and mainly was Zen Buddhism.Chapter II discusses Three Zen houses in Vietnam(10-12 century). Two Houses mentioned above continuously developed and reached their climax. In the year of 1069, Thatched Hut House entered Vietnam and became the third greatest Zen house under the support of Li Dynasty. Three houses all constructed bases for the arising of the Bamboo Forest Zen House of Chen Dynasty. They put forward a new theory of King Zen. This kind of Zen took acting in secular world as its guiding policy, its main tasks were saving all living creatures, liberating ethnic group and safeguard imperial court. Further more, three Zen houses were all effected by Esoteric School. At the end of the 12* century, the Vietnamese Zen turned from Wuyantong House to Anshanzi House.Chapter III discusses The Bamboo Forest House In Chen Dynasty. In the early stage of Chen Dynasty, Lin-chi House from China effected with three Zen houses of Li Dynasty mutually. Under the support of imperial court, the Bamboo Forest House was established and developed. That is to say, the Bamboo Forest Zen House was the result of the development of Chinese Zen and Vietnamese Zen in the Vietnamese social and cultural background in long time. Its theoretic core was Mind. This "Mind" sourced from the "One Mind" of The Awakening of Mahayana Buddhism. At one hand, the "mind" is "true thusness". At another hand, it is the "mind" which transcend all the living creatures and save them from the misery. Using this mind to cultivate moral character, to manage a household, to govern a country and to bring peace and prosperity topeople was the main characteristic of the King Zen or Entering Secular Life Zen. Shengzong, Renzong, Faluo, Xuanguang, Yingzong, Mingzong and kings of Li Dynasty all practiced the King Zen. Changzhao, Daoyuan, Taizong,Hu...