Pháp tu Tịnh Độ qua niềm tin và thực hành của tín đồ Phật giáo ở một số ngôi chùa trên địa bàn Hà Nội hiện nay.Pháp tu Tịnh Độ qua niềm tin và thực hành của tín đồ Phật giáo ở một số ngôi chùa trên địa bàn Hà Nội hiện nay.Pháp tu Tịnh Độ qua niềm tin và thực hành của tín đồ Phật giáo ở một số ngôi chùa trên địa bàn Hà Nội hiện nay.Pháp tu Tịnh Độ qua niềm tin và thực hành của tín đồ Phật giáo ở một số ngôi chùa trên địa bàn Hà Nội hiện nay.Pháp tu Tịnh Độ qua niềm tin và thực hành của tín đồ Phật giáo ở một số ngôi chùa trên địa bàn Hà Nội hiện nay.Pháp tu Tịnh Độ qua niềm tin và thực hành của tín đồ Phật giáo ở một số ngôi chùa trên địa bàn Hà Nội hiện nay.Pháp tu Tịnh Độ qua niềm tin và thực hành của tín đồ Phật giáo ở một số ngôi chùa trên địa bàn Hà Nội hiện nay.Pháp tu Tịnh Độ qua niềm tin và thực hành của tín đồ Phật giáo ở một số ngôi chùa trên địa bàn Hà Nội hiện nay.Pháp tu Tịnh Độ qua niềm tin và thực hành của tín đồ Phật giáo ở một số ngôi chùa trên địa bàn Hà Nội hiện nay.Pháp tu Tịnh Độ qua niềm tin và thực hành của tín đồ Phật giáo ở một số ngôi chùa trên địa bàn Hà Nội hiện nay.Pháp tu Tịnh Độ qua niềm tin và thực hành của tín đồ Phật giáo ở một số ngôi chùa trên địa bàn Hà Nội hiện nay.Pháp tu Tịnh Độ qua niềm tin và thực hành của tín đồ Phật giáo ở một số ngôi chùa trên địa bàn Hà Nội hiện nay.Pháp tu Tịnh Độ qua niềm tin và thực hành của tín đồ Phật giáo ở một số ngôi chùa trên địa bàn Hà Nội hiện nay.Pháp tu Tịnh Độ qua niềm tin và thực hành của tín đồ Phật giáo ở một số ngôi chùa trên địa bàn Hà Nội hiện nay.VIETNAM ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES GRADUATE ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES NGUYỄN VĂN QUÝ PURE LAND DHARMA PRACTICE THROUGH BELIEFS AND PRACTICES OF BUDDHISTS IN SOME TEMPLES IN CONTEMPORARY HANOI Major R.
VIETNAM ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES GRADUATE ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES NGUYỄN VĂN QUÝ PURE LAND DHARMA PRACTICE THROUGH BELIEFS AND PRACTICES OF BUDDHISTS IN SOME TEMPLES IN CONTEMPORARY HANOI Major: Religious Studies Code: 22 90 09 SUMMARY OF THE THESIS OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES HÀ NỘI - 2023 The thesis was completed at: GRADUATE ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES Science Instructors: Supervisor 1: Assoc Prof Dr Nguyễn Thị Minh Ngọc Supervisor 2: Dr Lê Tâm Đắc Reviewer 1: Assoc Prof Dr Do Lan Hien Reviewer 2: Assoc Prof Dr Nguyen Quang Hung Reviewer 3: Assoc Prof Dr Tran Dang Sinh The thesis is defended in front of the Academy-level Thesis Judging Committee at the hall of the Academy of Social Sciences, 477 Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan, Hanoi in the hour, minute, day, year The thesis can be found at the library: - National Library - Library of the Graduate Academy of Social Sciences INTRODUCTION Rationale for the study Among many Mahayana Buddhist practices, the Pure Land practice is favored by Buddhists because it is suitable for many "classes" of followers, especially Buddhists at home In China, the Pure Land practice developed into Pure Land Buddhism In Vietnam, although the Pure Land practice appeared in the 5th century, it did not develop into Pure Land Buddhism but had a great influence on the Buddhist practice In recent decades, the process of industrialization, modernization, and urbanization in Hanoi has made many changes in social life Among these changes, the resurgence of beliefs and religions has met the spiritual needs of the people In addition, in 2008, Ha Tay province merged into Hanoi; therefore, Hanoi further enhanced its position and role as the political, cultural, and religious center of the country The number of Buddhists has increased rapidly, and the forms and contents of Buddhist activities in Hanoi have become more diverse In particular, the Buddhist recitation ashram was found in the most typical temples in both quantity and scale Pure Land Dharma practice in Vietnam has received the attention of many researchers inside and outside the Vietnamese Buddhist Sangha The research findings have provided a general picture of Pure Land Dharma practice in many aspects But so far, there have been no in-depth and systematic studies on Buddhism through the beliefs and practices of individuals, groups/communities of Buddhists who are practicing recitation ashrams at temples in Hanoi Moreover, there are no studies focusing on the beliefs and practices of followers in Buddhist recitation ashrams in temples in contemporary Hanoi to show the characteristics, roles, and trends of the Pure Land Dharma practice For the above reasons, therefore, I chose the topic “Pure Land practice through the beliefs and practices of Buddhists in some temples in contemporary Hanoi” as my PhD thesis majoring in Religious Studies at the Graduate Academy of Social Sciences The research purposes and tasks of the thesis 2.1 Research purposes The thesis contributes to clarifying the current situation, characteristics, roles, and trends of Pure Land Dharma practice by studying the beliefs and practices of Buddhists in some temples in Hanoi today 2.2 Research tasks - Provide an overview of general issues of the Pure Land Dharma practice; - Analyze of the current situation of Pure Land Dharma practice through studying the beliefs and practices of Buddhists in the Buddhist recitation ashram in a number of temples in Hanoi today; - Clarify the characteristics, roles, and trends of the Pure Land Dharma practice in Hanoi today The research object and scope of the thesis 3.1 Research object: The Pure Land Dharma practice through studying the beliefs and practices of Buddhists practicing at Buddhist recitation ashrams in Hanoi today 3.2 Research scope: - Scope of research space: Hanoi; - Scope of research time: From 2008 to present The reason I chose the landmark 2008 is that this is the time when Ha Tay province merged into Hanoi city In terms of administrative boundaries, the population is increasing, the process of modernization and urbanization is growing, etc In terms of religion, the number of believers and worship places is not just a plus number It is also a matter of building and continuously renovating worship places to meet the increasing number of believers Besides, the form and content of religious activities, especially Buddhism, are increasingly diversified and richer; - Scope of research contents: Studying the beliefs and practices of the Pure Land Dharma practice of Buddhists practicing at Buddhist recitation ashrams in Hanoi today Methodology and research methods of thesis 4.1 Research approaches The thesis applied the interdisciplinary approach, including religious studies, history of religion, and sociology of religion, in order to study the Pure Land Dharma practice through beliefs and practices in the past and present Concurrently, the thesis aims to clarify the characteristics, roles and trends of Pure Land Dharma practice in the current context of Hanoi, as follows: - The history of religion approach focuses on ideological systems, doctrines, rituals, practice methods, the process of forming religious faith, and the practice of Buddhists in different contexts and regions - Religious studies and sociology of religion approach aims to study the beliefs and practices of Buddhists practicing Pure Land Dharma at Buddhist recitation ashrams in Hanoi in the past and present Thereby, the thesis aims to figure out the characteristics, roles, and trends of Pure Land Dharma practice in the context of contemporary Hanoi Therefore, with the interdisciplinary approach, the thesis aims: Systematize ideas, doctrines, and practice methods of Pure Land Dharma practice; the process of formation and development, the introduction of Pure Land Dharma practice into Thang Long - Hanoi; overview of the history of Pure Land Dharma practice These issues are shown in chapter of the thesis Through surveying the beliefs and practices of Buddhists in at Buddhist recitation ashrams in order to clarify the face of Pure Land Dharma practice in Hanoi today The research findings are presented in chapter 3 From survey findings, the thesis analyzes the characteristics and roles of the Pure Land practice and points out the trends of Pure Land practice in the context of contemporary Hanoi The characteristics, roles, and trends of Pure Land practice are presented in chapter 4.2 Theoretical Framework 4.2.1 Research questions The thesis attempts to answer the following questions: What is the face of Pure Land Dharma practice through the beliefs and practices of Buddhists in history? What is the face of Pure Land Dharma practice through the beliefs and practices of Buddhists in today? Can the survey on beliefs and practices of Buddhists practicing Pure Land Dharma in Buddhist recitation ashrams in some temples show the characteristics, roles, and trends of this Dharma practice in Hanoi today? 4.2.2 Hypotheses The Pure Land Dharma practice has had a great influence on Buddhists in the past and present because it meets the needs of Buddhists for a happy life and go to the good world afterlife, so-called the Western world of Ultimate Bliss The Pure Land Dharma practice appeared in our country quite early, and greatly influenced the religious life of Buddhists, forming a community with a lifestyle with many characteristics compared to other communities However, the Pure Land Dharma practice is also affected by all aspects of social life Currently, thanks to the process of industrialization, modernization, and urbanization, people’s lives have not only improved in material and spiritual terms but also faced many potential risks and challenges A part of some people falls into a state of insecurity, and they turn to religion in search of peace and security, etc In this thesis, I argue that Pure Land Dharma practice in Hanoi today continues to meet the needs of a part of Buddhists, especially Buddhist at home, who wish to live a peaceful life and return to the good world after their death 4.2.3 Theories The thesis uses the theory of religious entities and the theory of structure-function to answer the research questions, specifically: Theory of religious entity: The theory considers religion as an objectively existing social entity and a community of people who share the same belief in the divine, creating systems called religions The existence of religious communities is a special social entity Thanks to functional approaches, we know the existence of religious systems in society and recognize its properties dimensions: historicity (historical entity), documentary, symbolic and experiential The thesis considers the Pure Land Dharma practice as a historical entity in order to study the beliefs and practices of Buddhists by examining documents, symbols, and experiences of Buddhists practicing Pure Land Dharma that documented in the existing literature At the same time, the thesis considers the community of Pure Land Dharma practice as a special social entity” (religious entity) by examining the beliefs and practices of the community of Buddhists in Buddhist recitation ashrams in some temples in Hanoi today Beliefs and practices of Pure Land Dharma from the past to the present are shown in chapter and chapter Theory of structure-function is a large theoretical system, this thesis only uses some of the following arguments: - E Durkheim’s point of view considers “function as the general needs of the social organism and any social fact has certain functions, that is, the fact responses to certain needs of society.” - A.R Radcliffe Brown’s point of view considers religion as an essential part of social life Practicing religious rituals brings people such as health, longevity, material well-being, mental relaxation, and heaven At the same time, he agrees with Durkheim’s argument that the function of religion is to gather believers into a consensus of values, partly because of shared beliefs, rituals, and sacred objects; - B Malinowski argues that religion has a function that helps people avoid fear and anxiety The more uncertain the living environment, the more worries increase and force people to turn to religion, and in turn, religion grows These above points of view are applied in chapter and chapter in order to analyze the beliefs and practices toward sacred objects and figure out the characteristics and roles of Pure Land Dharma practice in sacred space - Buddhist recitation ashrams, and point out the trends of Pure Land Dharma practice in Hanoi today 4.3 Research methods 4.3.1 Historical methods are used to focus on studying the ideological origin, historical origin, the process of perfecting the teachings and practice methods, as well as the conditions and circumstances of formation, development, and introduction of Pure Land Dharma practice in given historical contexts 4.3.2 Comparative methods are used to clarify the similarities and differences of Pure Land practice in different historical periods; point out the characteristics of Pure Land practice in comparison with other practices in Buddhism In addition, the method based on time and events shows the time of introduction and the movement of Pure Land practice in Vietnam in general and in Hanoi in particular in different times 4.3.3 Quantitative and qualitative methods - Quantitative methods are used to collect data to answer the research questions about Pure Land practice with high accuracy, guaranteed information in the form of numbers - Qualitative methods are used to describe the research context and figure out the causal relationships between the elements of a religious entity (Belief - Practice - Community) in order to supplement and explain the unknown issues of Pure Land practice; determine the popularity, characteristics, roles and movement trends of Pure Land practice in Hanoi today In short, the thesis applied mixed methods to have full information about the actual context; figure out cause-and-effect relationships; determine the prevalence of the situation and the degree of closeness of the cause-and-effect relationships in order to supplement and explain the unknown issues Additionally, the thesis applied a number of methods to achieve the best research results, such as textual analysis and so on 4.4 Một số khái niệm, thuật ngữ sử dụng luận án 4.4.1 Pure Land: In this thesis, Pure Land is to refer the Western world of Ultimate Bliss created by Buddha Amitabha with jewels, in order to welcome believers who have faith and practice reciting Buddha’s name when dying Pure Land also refers to a world in the mind of Buddhists practicing Pure Land Dharma, called the Pure Land - or Mind Only Pure Land 4.4.2 Pure Land Dharma practice is one of the practices in Buddhism, called Pure Land or Buddha Recitation The Pure Land Dharma practice promotes faith and practice of reciting Buddha's name for the purpose of rebirth in the Western world of Ultimate Bliss 4.4.3 Amitabha Buddha: is the Supreme Leader of the Western world of Ultimate Bliss, welcomes believers who have enough faith and practice reciting the Buddha's name on the Western world of Ultimate Bliss 4.4.4 Pure Land Belief refers to the beliefs of Buddhists practicing Pure Land Dharma, expressed mainly in three aspects: Belief in Amitabha Buddha and his 48 vows can save all sentient beings; Belief in Pure Land Dharma practice really exists; Besides, some Buddhists believe that there is a hidden world in the mind, depending on the practice of each believer 4.4.5 Pure Land Practice, in this thesis, includes purely religious practice and socially goal-oriented practice 4.4.6 Followers of Pure Land practice refers to Buddhists who share the same belief and practice of reciting the Buddha's name at Buddhist recitation ashrams 4.4.7 Buddhist recitation ashram is a Buddhist school, a place of solemnity and purity for Buddhists of Pure Land to express their beliefs together and practice reciting the Buddha’s name New scientific contribution of the thesis 5.1 Theoretical contributions - Thanks to the existing documents and works related to Pure Land practice, the thesis systematizes the ideas, teachings, rituals, principles, practice methods, and the practice environment of Pure Land practice in the past and present - The thesis clarifies the current situation of Buddhism by examining the beliefs and practices of Buddhist practicing Pure Land at some temples in Hanoi today - The thesis clarifies the characteristics, roles, and trends of Pure Land practice in the context of contemporary Hanoi Thus, the thesis supplements a new approach to the history and contemporary of Pure Land practice Thereby, the findings of the thesis contribute to promoting the study of the history of Buddhism and Buddhist studies; and contribute to the development of religious studies and related fields 5.2 Practical contributions - The thesis can be used as a research and teaching document for Religious Studies in the university of social sciences; - The thesis can be a research and teaching document at Buddhist schools/classes, Buddhist Academy under the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha; - The findings of the thesis also contribute scientific arguments for the religious work of the authorities at all levels and the activities of the Vietnamese Buddhist Sangha at all levels Structure of the thesis Apart from acknowledgment, list of abbreviations, list of figures, list of tables, an Introduction, conclusion, list of published works related to the thesis, references and appendix, the thesis includes chapters as follows : practicing the social goal of Buddhists of Pure Land has not received much attention 1.2.2 Beliefs and practices of Buddhists of Pure Land in Hanoi today Information about the belief and practice of Pure Land Dharma practice can be found in some works such as Pure Land Buddhism and its manifestation in Vietnamese Buddhism today, Pure Land Dharma practice and Amitabha Buddha statue in Vietnamese temples in Vietnam in the Northern Delta region, Pure Land practice in Vietnamese Buddhism, etc In general, up to now, there has not been any research that fully studies the Pure Land Dharma practice through the beliefs and practices of Buddhists practicing recitation ashrams at temples in Hanoi Therefore, in chapter 3, the thesis will clarify this issue 1.3 Studies on the characteristics, roles, and trends of Pure Land Dharma practice in Hanoi today There have been a number of works discussing this issue, such as: the Buddhist revival movement in North Vietnam (1924 - 1954), the Tantric problem through some temples in Hanoi, Deep belief in Pure Land Dharma, The Pure Land Rebirth, etc., shows some characteristics and roles of Pure Land Dharma, but there is no work indicating the trends of Pure Land Dharma in Hanoi today 1.4 Evaluation of literature review and raising problems 1.4.1 Evaluation of literature So far, there has not been a work that applied the Religious studies, History of Religion and Sociology of Religion approaches to understand and study Pure Land practice by examining the beliefs and practices of Buddhist practicing recitation ashrams in a number of temples in Hanoi today, and this is the new point of the thesis 1.4.2 Research statements - Systemize the beliefs and practices of Buddhist recitation ashrams in history and clarify some issues of Pure Land Dharma practice 11 - Identify Pure Land Dharma practice by examing the beliefs and practices of Buddhists practicing recitation ashrams at some temples in Hanoi today; - Analyze the characteristics, roles, and trends of Pure Land Dharma practice in Hanoi today Chương PURE LAND DHARMA PRACTICE AND BUDDHIST RECITATION ASHRAMS IN THE HISTORY 2.1 The process of formation and introduction of Pure Land Dharma practice into Hanoi 2.1.1 Overview of the history of Pure Land practice 2.1.1.1 The origin of Pure Land thought Pure Land thought - the idea of relying on Buddha's power for liberation has its origin directly from the bhikkhu Na Tien Sutra The view of the Buddha’s power was considered by researchers to be unique in Buddhist thought at that time 2.1.1.2 The historical origin of Pure Land practice By the 6th century, when the Pure Land Sutras were translated into Chinese, Pure Land Dharma practice was complete in terms of ideology, doctrine and practice The development of Pure Land Dharma practice in China into Pure Land Buddhism includes the family system, the continuous transmission process, typically the great Monks Hue Vien, Dao Xuoc, Thien Dao, etc 2.1.2 The process of introduction of Pure Land Dharma practice into Hanoi Around the beginning of the 5th century, the event that the Chinese monk Dam Hoang (? - 455) came to Tieu Son pagoda to recite the Quan Sutras showed that the Pure Land Dharma practice had been introduced into our country By the Ly, Tran dynasties, Pure Land practice had great influence on the Zen sects of Bhikkhuni Da Luu Chi, Vo Ngon Thong, Truc Lam Yen Tu, etc Over the centuries, Pure Land practice continued to develop by monks such as Chieu Cong and Minh Chau Huong Hai, Tinh 12 Dinh, etc Until now, Pure Land practice has had a great influence on Vietnamese Buddhists 2.2 Beliefs and practices of Pure Land practice in the past 2.2.1 Beliefs of Pure Land practice in the past 2.2.1.1 Belief in Amitabha Buddha and 48 happy vows Buddhists practicing Pure Land believe that Amitabha Buddha and his 48 vows are true They also revered him as a bodhisattva who “needs suffering” to fulfill his vows Therefore, all Buddhist practicing Pure Land direct their faith towards Amitabha Buddha, hoping for his support on the path of practice 2.2.1.2 Belief in the Western world of Ultimate Bliss – Pure Land Buddhists of Pure Land practice believe that the Western world of Ultimate Bliss is true The Western world of Ultimate Bliss is also divided into high and low products/levels, meeting the practice capacity of each believer When a believer dies, the soul attaches to the lotus, but fast or slow to the Western world of Ultimate Bliss depends on the practice capacity of each believer Pure Land practice believes that people who commit serious crimes and have incomplete faith cannot believe in the spiritual practice Some followers of Pure Land also believe that a world in mind - Pure Land Only Mind 2.2.2 Practices of Pure Land practice in the past 2.2.2.1 Practice facility of Pure Land The basis for practicing Pure Land based on the Pure Land scriptures is 03 sets of sutras and 01 set of treatises 2.2.2.2 Some principles of Pure Land practice Followers of Pure Land practice need to adhere to the principle of Faith - Vow – Moral But there is no general rule on rituals, but according to different periods and social contexts In addition, the Pure Land practice also directs followers to practice 10 good things through Body, Speech, and Mind 2.2.2.3 Some basic practice methods of Pure Land practice 13 In history and in the present, two methods are frequently used by devotees, namely Reciting the Buddha’s Name and Reciting the Buddha’s Name In general, the method of reciting the Buddha's name affects the followers of the Zen sects, leading to the unique Zen - pure trend in the history of Buddhism In addition, there are many works that analyze the magic of the Buddhist recitation method 2.3 Buddhist recitation ashrams in the past 2.3.1 Buddhist recitation ashrams in the history of Chinese Buddhism The first Buddhist recitation ashram was created by Master Hue Vien at the beginning of the 5th century After that, along with the development of Pure Land practice, the Buddhist recitation ashram was continuously established by monks in temples to gather Buddhist followers at home When participating in religious activities at Buddhist recitation ashram, believers not discriminate between classes, rich and poor, but there is sharing and sympathy among believers, so there is high community cohesion 2.3.2 Buddhist recitation ashrams in the history of Vietnamese Buddhism In Vietnam, the event that Dam Hoang monk came to Tieu Son Pagoda to specialize in Pure Land practice This temple can be considered as the first known Buddhist recitation ashram Sub-conclusion of chapter The thought that by reciting Buddha’s name to live peacefully, and when dying to "heaven" is new, it is an important premise for the development of Mahayana Buddhism In China, when the Pure Land sutras and treatises were completely translated in the 6th century, the Pure Land Dharma practice gradually formed and developed into Pure Land Buddhism The event that Master Hue Vien founded Bach Lien Xa is considered the first Buddhist recitation ashram in China In Vietnam, when Dam Hoang came to Tieu Son pagoda 14 in the 5th century, the Pure Land Dharma practice was officially present but did not develop into the Pure Land Buddhism, but the influence of this practice on believers in many aspects, especially ideology and teachings, Budda’s citation methods Pure Land beliefs include the belief that the Western world of Ultimate Bliss is true; belief in Amitabha Buddha and his 48 vows are able to save all sentient beings But in order to have a solid faith, followers of Pure Land practice must fully implement the principles of Faith - Vow – Moral Pure Land practice includes purely religious practices and socially targeted practices as clearly documented in historical documents 15 Chapter THE BELIEFS AND PRACTICES OF PURE LAND DHARMA IN BUDDHIST TEMPLES IN HANOI TODAY 3.1 Overview of research sites and research findings 3.1.1 Overview of research sites I chose four Buddhist recitation ashrams that were founded in four temples in Hanoi, namely Van Phuc, Hoe Nhai, Bo De, and Ngoi temples These four Buddhist recitation ashrams fully meet the criteria for a scientific study 3.1.2 The Characteristics of Survey sample According to the survey results at four Buddhist recitation ashrams, it can be seen that the gender, age, educational level, and marital status of Buddhists practicing Pure Land Dharma in Hanoi are as follows: Table 3.1 Gender, Age, Education, and Material status Orde r Characteristics Gender Age Education Marital status Criteria Quantity Rate % Male 44 14.6 Female 257 85.4 Under 59 37 12.3 50 - 59 59 19.6 Over 60 205 68.1 Primary school 17 5.6 Secondary school 95 31.6 High school 65 21.6 College’s degree 72 23.9 Bachelor 48 15.9 Graduate 1.3 Unmarried 21 7.0 Married 178 59.1 Divorced Widow 26 76 8.6 25.2 Source: Survey results of the thesis 16 According to the survey results at four Buddhist recitation ashrams, in terms of gender, women account for 85.4%; in terms of age, the majority are over 60 years old; in terms of education, secondary school accounted for the highest percentage; in terms of marital status, the married rate accounted for 59.1%; in terms of living standards, medium and well-off accounted for 96.3%; in terms of the time of taking refuge, more than three years and practicing Pure Land for more than years accounts for the highest percentage; in terms of the reasons for joining Buddhist recitation ashrams, three main reasons are: The desire to have a serene and peaceful life; Desire to accumulate blessings for themselves and their families; When dying, they can be reborn in the Western world of Ultimate Bliss 3.2 Pure Land Dharma practice through beliefs of Buddhists in some temples in Hanoi today 3.2.1 Beliefs in Amitabha Buddha and 48 happy vows Table 3.2 The Ratio of Beliefs in Amitabha Buddha and 48 happy vows in Buddhist recitation ashrams Order Van Phuc Hoe Nhai Bo De Ngoi Temple Quantity 76 58 81 86 Yes Rate % 69 58 72 81 90.8% 100% 88.9% 94.2% Answers Rate No % 1.3% 0% 1.2% 2.3% No Answer Rate % 7.9% 0% 9.9% 3.5% Source: Survey results of the thesis According to the survey, 280/301 followers at four Buddhist recitation ashrams have faith in Amitabha Buddha and his 48 happy vows (93%); 04 believers answered not believing (1.3%), 17 believers did not answer (5.6%) In general, the results of surveying believers in the Buddhist recitation ashrams about their belief in Amitabha Buddha and his 48 vows are high 17 3.2.2 Belief in the Western world of Ultimate Bliss According to the survey results, the percentage of believers who have faith in the Western world of Ultimate Bliss is high, over 90% This shows the practice time of the majority of followers for more than years in a row, consistent with the comments of monastic Buddhists at home who regularly teach the teachings in the Buddhist recitation ashrams However, some believers also believe that there is a hidden world in mind Therefore, there are two worlds, an outer world indicating the Western world of Ultimate Bliss, and an inner world - the Pure Land 3.3 Pure Land Dharma practice through practices of Buddhists in some temples in Hanoi today 3.3.1 Purely religious practices Regarding the teachings and rituals: The survey results show that, at Buddhist recitation ashrams in Van Phuc temple, the role of the abbot is 92.1%; at the Bo De is 70.9%; at the Ngoi Temple is 36% and the lowest is for Hoe Nhai temple, only 20.7% The study of teachings and rituals of the Pure Land is also shared among the Buddhists in the ashrams Regarding the ritual practices: The survey results show that only some believers fully practice the process, while the majority only follow a few steps At present, the majority of followers use the method of Reciting the Buddha’s Name 3.3.2 Socially-targeted practices The community practicing Pure Land in Hanoi today mainly cooks porridge, cooks rice distributes gifts to the poor and patients in hospitals,; giving gifts to people suffering from natural disasters, people in remote areas facing difficulties, etc In short, the practice of the Pure Land Dharma is to promote the thoughts and teachings of the Pure Land in order to benefit oneself and benefit the world These activities need to be concerned by the Vietnamese Buddhist Sangha in Hanoi and considered as a religious resource in the process of national development in general and Hanoi in particular 18 Sub-conclusion of chapter Among the four Buddhist recitation ashrams that I selected for the survey, the majority of followers were female, over 45 years old, and most of them were over 60 years old They are those who have taken refuge in the Three Treasures for more than years, most of them specializing in Pure Land cultivation for more than years, etc Over 90% of the followers in Buddhist recitation ashrams have a firm belief in Amitabha Buddha, his 48 vows and the Western world of Ultimate Bliss This belief is the result of their practice However, some believers believe in the outer and inner worlds, and some believers wish for fame, luck, etc Purely religious practice is usually taught by monastic Buddhists, or by the head of the recitation ashrams, the deputy head of recitation ashrams, or those knowledgeable in the Pure Land Dharma practice In addition, believers also share with each other about the teachings and experiences in their practice, but currently, most believers have not fully performed the ritual process Sociallytargeted practices depend on the level, size, or needs of the poor, the sick, the place of natural disasters, etc This activity of Pure Land is more prominent than in other Buddhist communities In summary, the Pure Land Dharma practice has been meeting the needs of a part of Buddhists at home for a peaceful and peaceful life while they are still alive, and to be reborn in a good world when they die 19 Chapter CHARACTERISTICS, ROLES, AND TRENDS OF PURE LAND DHARMA PRACTICE IN HANOI TODAY 4.1 The characteristics of Pure Land practice in Hanoi today 4.1.1 The characteristics of Buddhists of Pure Land practice in Hanoi today Distinctive features are female followers, most of them are over 60 years old; 100% of the followers have taken refuge in the Three Treasures, specializing in practicing Pure Land for years or more They have had a firm faith and practice of Pure Land practice 4.1.2 The characteristics of Pure Land through beliefs and practices of Buddhists 4.1.2.1 The characteristics of Pure Land Dharma practice through beliefs of Buddhists Basically, the beliefs of believers in Buddhist recitation ashrams are relatively homogeneous The majority of believers believe that the Western world of Ultimate Bliss really exists (95%), and believe that Amitabha Buddha and his 48 vows can save all sentient beings (93%) This is a unique feature of the community practicing Pure Land However, some believers still seek fortune, fame, etc 4.1.2.2 The characteristics of Pure Land Dharma through practices of Buddhists The first feature is that the Pure Land rituals according to the Amitabha Sutra have been simplified to suit the “life rhythm” of the process of modernization and urbanization in Hanoi; the second is that although the ritual process is simpler, the number of followers who fully practice it is not much Only 40/301 people fully practice the Pure Land rituals, and the majority only take a few steps in the process 4.1.3 The characteristics of Pure Land Dharma practice through Buddhist recitation ashrams 20 The living space for practice can be the main temple, the ancestral house, or a separate area; The schedule of practice activities can be daily, weekly, monthly, etc Buddhist recitation ashram is the most dignified and pure space, helping believers to be steadfast during the time of living and practicing 4.2 The roles of Pure Land Dharma practice to Buddhists today 4.2.1 The role of spiritual stability for Buddhists According to the survey, the role of Pure Land practice in Hanoi today has met the Buddhists of a serene and peaceful life 4.2.2 Role in meeting the believer’s need for a better afterlife The survey results show that, at present, Pure Land practice meets the wishes of believers to go to a good world when they die 4.2.3 The role of community cohesion and health promotion for believers 4.2.3.1 The role of community cohesion According to the survey, the sharing rate in the community is very high, and according to the criteria of “compassionate” and “predestined,” forming smaller groups called “homosexuals.” These groups have the same level of practice and understanding of xinxing, so sharing, according to them, constitutes a "beam of blessings" and is not subject to "obstacles” 4.2.3.2 The role of health promotion for Buddhists practices Pure Land Enhancing public health is an advantage of this practice Because in the process of practicing at the ashram, when they are tired of sitting and reciting the Buddha's name, they can stand up together, walk and recite the Buddha’s name 4.3 The Trends of Pure Land Dharma practice in Hanoi today 4.3.1 The developmental trends of Pure Land practice in Hanoi today Currently, in Hanoi, Buddhist recitation ashrams are continuously established in the temples, which has proved the development of Buddhist 21 meditation, which is suitable in terms of management and training guidance 4.3.2 The dissociation trend of Pure Land practice in Hanoi today Currently, in the Buddhist recitation ashrams, there is a part of followers who split into separate groups and go to another ashram to practice Notably, some groups rent places to practice or buy land in the suburbs or neighboring provinces to build ashrams, and regulate the schedule of practice activities This is the dissociation trend of Pure Land pratice in Hanoi today 4.3.3 The trends of Zen-Pure practice in Hanoi today The survey results showed that some followers in Buddhist recitation ashrams switched to meditation, some followers in Zen practice converted to Pure Land practice This trend is both historical and epochal Sub-conclusion of chapter Pure Land practice has shown its ability to meet the needs of a part of believers for a peaceful life and to return to a good world when they die A Buddhist recitation ashram is a gathering place for followers practicing Pure Land, both traditional and modern In terms of characteristics, most followers have taken refuge in the Three Treasures, mainly women over 60 years old Believers firmly believe in Amitabha Buddha, his 48 vows as well as in the Western world of Ultimate Bliss But in terms of practice, most believers only perform a few steps of the ritual process, mainly using the methods of Confession and Recitation of Buddha’s Name Regarding the roles, Pure Land practice contributes to spiritual stability for believers, helping believers to have serenity and peace when living and practicing at Buddhist recitation ashrams And these shares help them have a strong cohesion, in addition, they also get more health training in each practice session Regarding the trends of Pure Land practice, it is mainly developed through the model of Buddhist recitation ashrams established in temples 22 However, the trend of dissociation has also appeared; the trends of ZenPure practice are both historical and contemporary CONCLUSION Pure Land thought breathed new life into the minds of Buddhists in ancient India Contemporary Buddhist followers have known the Western world of Ultimate Bliss - The world opposite to the world people live in In China, the event that Master Hue Vien established Bach Lien Xa in the early 5th century is considered the time of the formation of the Chinese Pure Land Buddhism and the time of the founding of the Buddhist recitation ashrams Since then, Pure Land Buddhism has profoundly influenced Buddhists, especially Buddhists practicing at home In Japan, Pure Land Dharma practice developed into the Japanese Pure Land Buddhism associated with the names of Great Master Vien Nhan (793-864), Phap Nhien (1133-1212) and especially Thi Thanh Than Loan (1173-1262) In Vietnam, as a practice, Pure Land Dharma practice appeared in the 5th century in association with Master Dam Hoang coming to Tieu Son temple In Vietnam, Pure Land Dharma practice did not develop into Pure Land Buddhism, but the ideas and methods of practice greatly influenced Buddhists, especially Buddhists practicing at home The teachings of Pure Land Dharma practice lay in three sets of sutras and one treatise Believers need to have faith and practice reciting Buddha’s name to have a happy life and come to a good world when dying Faith - Prayer – Moral are considered the three core principles of this practice The Pure Land practice always upholds the belief, and practice of reciting the Buddha's name and doing good deeds Therefore, historically, the belief and practice of reciting the Buddha's name have influenced the Zen schools, forming the trend of Zen - Pure practice throughout history Hanoi is the political, cultural, and religious center of the country After 2008, religious life in Hanoi, which was rich and diverse, is now more and more vibrant in the process of modernization, industrialization, and 23 urbanization Many models of religious activities appeared to meet the needs of religious activities of many classes of people Through examining the beliefs and practices of Buddhists practicing Pure Land Dharma, it has been shown that, basically, Pure Land practice has met the needs of a peaceful, peaceful life and the desire to be reborn in the spiritual world when dying However, the need for a peaceful life is higher than the need for the Western world of Ultimate Bliss, which partly reflects the changes in contemporary Hanoi’s social life that affect the spiritual life of the people of the capital, especially women over 60-year-old Buddhist recitation ashram is a place where believers practice and practice, where they share their worries about life, and where believers practice physical health, making them a balance when returning to family and society Their humanitarian and social charity activities are religious resources that need to be promoted The survey results in four Buddhist recitation ashrams religious groups in Hanoi also show clearly that the phenomenon of the pursuit of fame, profit, etc., still exists in a part of believers; Pure Land ritual practice has changed towards simplification to suit the social context; The community of Buddhists practicing Pure Land Dharma has a stronger cohesion than other social communities Apart from the developmental trend, the trend of separation of a part of believers is clear, the trend of Zen - Pure practice is still continued In the coming time, the Vietnamese Buddhist Sangha in Hanoi needs to have a strategy to develop Pure Land Dharma practice through Buddhist recitation ashrams or a more extensive model Because the research on the Pure Land Dharma practices through the beliefs and practices of Buddhists in Buddhist recitation ashrams in Hanoi today shows many advantages, such as contributing to the movement of Buddhist practice, minimizing the crisis religious beliefs, and being in line with the Party and State’s views on religion and beliefs in the current situation 24 THE AUTHOR’S PUBLISHED WORKS Nguyễn Văn Quý (2018), “Niềm tin tôn giáo pháp tu Tịnh Độ qua kinh điển Phật giáo”, Nghiên cứu tôn giáo, số 03 Nguyễn Văn Quý (2018), “Thực hành pháp tu Tịnh Độ lịch sử Phật giáo”, Nghiên cứu Tôn giáo, số Nguyễn Văn Quý (2018), “Tìm hiểu Liên Tơng Tịnh Độ Non Bồng: Tiếp cận Sử học tôn giáo”, Nghiên cứu Lịch sử, số 10 Nguyễn Văn Quý, “Hòa thượng Khánh Hòa với pháp tu Tịnh Độ”, trong: TS Nguyễn Quốc Tuấn - TT.TS Thích Đồng chủ biên (2018), Hịa thượng Khánh Hịa với phong trào chấn hưng Phật giáo Việt Nam, Nxb Hồng Đức, Hà Nội Nguyễn Văn Quý (2020), “Đạo tràng Tịnh Độ: Lịch sử đặc điểm”, Nghiên cứu Tôn giáo, số