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1965 Buddhism in Saigon CONFIDENTIAL - NOT FOR GENERAL CIRCULATION OR PUBLICATION BUDDHISM IN SAIGON A report by Kenneth Morgan, based on interviews with Buddhists in S INTRODUCTION Before visiting South Vietnam I wrote to Buddhist friends in other countries asking for their comments on the Vietnamese situation .. As an introduction, here are some of their comments: A Burmese Buddhist Bhikkhu (monk): All shedding of blood, taking of life, as a part of religion, is the very antithesis of all that the Buddha's religion means. The Buddhist religion means looking on all beings, all living creatures of every kind, high or low, as sharers of the wondrous gift of life, with equal rights to live their lives to the full, uninterfered with by any other creature ... More than that, the Buddha adjures man to practice active loving kindness towards all beings, 11 11 including animals ... He had not a good word to say to fl conquerors , Conquest en- gendereth hatred, for he who is conquered is wretched,u He once said. A Japanese Zen Priest: The Buddhists in Vietnam seem to be too much in­ volved in politics ... The Vietnamese should be made to realize that they are not, at the moment, capable of self-determination and independence ... In any event, human beings should never resort to arms for any solution. Everybody well knows it. A Japanese Shin Professor: I am afraid th~t, until a sort of world federation is established and a common language is invented for all humankind, the problem will never be solved. This ideal state will be realized when people come to pro­ fess the ideal of selflessness as is advocated in Buddhism. A Ceylonese Bhikkhu: Buddhists should strive for discussions between an­ tagonists; and should encourage reconciliation with Catholics; if possible, they should encourage discussions between leaders of opposing governments. A Bhikkhu from India: Buddha has said, uit is better for me to die in bat­ tlefield than lead a defeated life. 11 The entire Buddhist literature breathes with the inspiration that unjust attack must be met with strength and fearless­ ness. This is what, I think, you may stress upon while speaking to the Buddhists in Vietnam. Princess Poon, President of the World Federation of Buddhists: The Prin­ cess said that we must completely separate Buddhism and the State, as the Buddha did. We must not, as Buddhists, engage in politics. We do not want tre Bhikkus to take part in politics, for they are part of the triple gem (The Buddha, The Dhamma, and The Sangha, or order of monks) and we want them above us to be hon­ ored. To take life is forbidden to the Buddhist, even suicide. The pattern of actions is determined by karma, and our actions must build up a good karma to be worked out. At the same time, communists must be fought because they would destroy Buddhism, but not by Buddhists as Buddhists. A Tibetan Buddhist.: a monk, who was in Lhasa before the Chinese came, and under~Chinese for a time, then imprisoned for two years, then conducted to Buddhism in Sa:Lgcm.i by Konnoth Morgan Pag 2 India boctrnso hu had a. ,S1.kkhimose-lnd1an pa:rnporL, uaid that Lhcy knc)W ·tho Chinese worn coming, but Lhcro was no action that. Buudhi:,t:J cou.ld tako Lo prevent it or Lo prl)parc fo:r tho eruol :Jupprecsion uf Buddhi.srn Hxco1>t Lo l ry Lo bncome be'l;tor Buddhis·ts. f:fo ~rn.y:, that lf thri Ghino:Jo comt:1, lL m1ghL be. best ju:Jl, to ki.ss your fricmds and hi"L Lhom on tho hl;iad. T'ho only hope t..o preserve Buddhism now in nucrot.l.y Ln tho fa.mi.ly. Ile :;aid LhaL ofLon a Chlnu:;,:i soldier-guard., if no other Chino:Jo woro p1·0:.wnt, would cunl'om, L:haL ho .L:., a Budcl.hisL but has rw choice . It :U, alsu relevant l~o po'int, out thn ba.:.·.1 c pr.1.ncj plcs of Clmciuct for Budd­ h.i s ts, Lho ten procGpts, of wh:ich the f.1.rst fivEl are requL:red or Jaym~n a.swell an rnonl<::s: rwt to kill, not to stoa. I , no L to commit 1-my iiexual rni ::.;conduc L, not to J :Lu, noL Lu LD.lrn any lntoxicating llq_uo.r in· drug:;;; nul, Lu qi<Jak of oLhflrn I nhort­ r.:oming:::;, not to praise yours ilf and b '. I amo o Lhars, tlO t to bogrudgo charity whether m13.toria.l or spir:Ltua.l, not Lo bo angry, not bo spcrn.k LU o.f tho T'r.Lple Gom ('J:'he lluddha, ·tho Dhamrna., the Sangha). Tho Dl1a.mmaI?a.da, a summary of Lhe Buddha's ethical teachings, :-;;aye: Pa~sion wilJ. break through an unrufl~"lct.lng m.Lwl • •• Al I mon tromb.Ln at punishment, all men foa:r di:Jath; :r.omombor tha.t you are l.lko unto thorn, and do not kill, nor ca.uso c] aught.er . .. Lot a. man ove:r.como anger by lovo, Let him ovorcomc ovi.L by good; let hlm ov(;):rcorn(~ U-,e grncdy by )iborality, tho l.La.r by truLh ... A man lG nut just lf he (;arr.i.es a. mat tor by v:i oJ cnco .. Hatred never coa:.H:)G by hat.rod, but by lovingkindness. Malinda. anlia: Cher:Loh compari"'ion oven Lo ,your unemy. Porvado overywhoro wHh 1.,hEJ rn n o.. bonovo.Lcncc ! 'T'his i:J tho t:.oaching oJ' th· Buddhas. Ono addj ti.onal minor point of ex.planaLiun. ThG Buddhism of Ceylon Burma, 'rhailand, Laoii, and Cambodia :Ls called 'J'horavada Buddhism. 1'horavad.Lns believe 'Lhal~ Lhay bavn prosorved the urig:i.nal t(;)achlngs of bhe Buddha in the Pall lan­ guage, und they have cloa:t'ly defined scriptures. 'rho Buddhlsm t)i' China.., Korea, 11nd J a.pan is called !!:_'.iliaiana, and is ba:sod on mati.y scrLp turtJC, mo::i t, of ~horn or:ig:Lna11y ln ~1anokrit, unua.lly Lrans.la.ted into Lhdr naL.Lve languagcn, with little .cugard for t,hu Pali canon, o.nci with great freudom Lo choose or reject among the :sacred writings. BUDDHD3M lN VIETNAM 'l'hc l:luddhiam of Vict,na.m i::; primarily Mahayana .reccLvod from China and mudii.'1od somewhat. by the Vietnanw:se. At Jc.a.rJt 80% o.r Lho people of Vietnam are I uddhists, ttncl o.C the Buddh:L::.rLG onJ y about LO% ar·e::J Theravada. 'l'heravada crone in fafrly rocEmt L:unes, chiol'.ly in tho .'Jou~h, from Ca.rnbodla. Thoravadjrw follow the Pali canon, look to Thai] and, Burma., and CiJylon, and rare] y know Chinese or 1J Ludy Mruuayana teachings. 1'he Ma.hayan.l.s ts uf'Lcn know Ch:i neso, and aro much more opon to working with tho Thora.va.din.::. '.l'he mass of the pooplo foJ low Amid.a Budd­ hism, a devotional form of Buddhism :relying pr.LmariJ.y on tho Saddharma Punda.:rika tJutra, which thoy honor buL rarely :road. 'l'hoy pn.rt:Lc:ipat11 ln t.ho tw.Lco-monthly ceremunies at thl:) tomplos, pray and chant a.L the Lomples, follow Buddhi ... t rites a.L funerals, and blend w:i.th their Buddh:Lsm p:rim.L'Live boUef' in n.9.turo spirits, and many Corifucla.n and some 'l'.!l.o.lst prac ticos. 'l'ho monks know how to Lead the dt:ivo- 'L icn1a..L. c0remon.ies but a.re usually trained in discipllneu which Lhoy call 'L'hion, or Zon, and consider to bo very close to Ch'an in China .!ind Zan Ln Japan. 1'he 1nedi ta.tiun tnchn·i ques of 7.cm aro considered nocossa.ry for t.h0 Lralning of monks . Thoy uxplai.n tba t poople :t'ollow the path that suL ts thoi:r naturo; the simple people .L'ollow the way of devotion ln Amida Buddhism and tho inLolloctua.ls and monks pre- fer Zun disclplines . 1 L .i :.1 not. a hard and fas L Uno. r found vary 1Htlo em- Buddhism in Saigon, by Kenneth Morgan Page 3 phasis among the monks on study of Buddhist sacred writings, otherthan as guides for meditation. Meditation begins with instruction in proper breathing exer­ cises to calm the body and the mind. One must practice sincerity, a desire to be good, and a balance of mind and body. Sincerity is gained by retrospection and introspection: one thinks over all the actions and thoughts of the previous day. That brings about shame, and a desire to be good, which is man's natural state but must be uncovered; the desire to be good is also aided by comparing oneself to a better person. The practice of breathing properly, and sitting quietly2 together with a proper diet, quiets the mind and body and promotes self-control. This discipline is a necessary prelude to any actions in society. Although I pressed on several occasions on this point, I did not find more than one or possibly t wo monks who had thougltthrough the implications of their Zen Buddhism for social action. There is a strong feeling that Buddhism must be involved in society, but no clear thinking about how their Buddhism is to be expressed. Vietnam is unusual in the Buddhist world because of the conscious efforts on the part of the Mahayanists to work closely with the Theravadins.
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