New Buddhist Movements and the Construction of Mythos: The Trúc Lâm Thiền Sect in Late 20th Century Vietnam A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the Department of Religious Studies at University of the West In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy by Loan Thuy Nguyen Spring 2019 APPROVAL PAGE FOR GRADUATE Approved and recommended for acceptance as a dissertation in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Religious Studies. Loan Thuy Nguyen Candidate March 15, 2019 New Buddhist Movements and the Construction of Mythos: The Trúc Lâm Thiền Sect in Late 20th Century Vietnam APPROVED: Jane Iwamura March 15, 2019 Co-Chair Jonathan H. X. Lee March 15, 2019 Co-Chair Lewis Lancaster March 15, 2019 Committee Member I hereby declare that this dissertation has not been submitted as an exercise for a degree at any other institution, and that it is entirely my own work. I also hereby declare that all translations from Vietnamese to English and photos in this dissertation, unless otherwise stated, are mine. © 2019 Loan Thuy Nguyen ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I have many people to thank for the successful completion of my dissertation, beginning with my academic advisor. I would have not known where to begin without Dr. Jane Naomi Iwamura. She is a very sensitive person and knows just how to help and encourage. She does her best to instruct her students, of which I am one. Additionally, Dr. Lewis Lancaster, who has encouraged me without hesitating, recommended me to the Ph.D. program and became a member of my committee. I appreciate his support, encouragement, and constructive contributions. Last but not least is Dr. Jonathan H. X. Lee, who spent a lot of time instructing me on how to build the dissertation. He made corrections and offered suggestions, quickly and profoundly. Without each one of these three, I would have struggled much more and for much longer. I am grateful to them for making this encounter with graduate school so positive and uplifting! Thank you three for your attention and efforts in helping me complete this enormous task in order to achieve my goal. You have helped make my dream come true! There is no way I could ever repay you. Much gratitude goes to the University of the West, the Lotus Scholarship, and IBEF committee for their constant support throughout these six years, since without their support this program would have not been financially feasible for me. Anything I contribute to the study of Buddhism will always be partly due to their assistance. I owe many thanks to the Trúc Lâm monastic system. Ten of their centers in the United States and in Vietnam hosted me for interviews, observing, and participation. They tried to help as much as they could to make it convenient for me. Their compassion and empathy saw me through difficult and frustrating moments. I am fortunate to have ii been surrounded by encouraging people. The completion of my dissertation was a fortunate result of these wonderful people. To my friends, I appreciate you! When Venerable Phổ Như told me to go back to school to study Buddhism, she reminded me I had the opportunity to study Buddhism. Venerable Huệ Như offered me her love, care, support, and encouragement throughout my program, like that of an elder sister, always sharing her practice and knowledge of Buddhism. I also need to thank my 3 best friends from school: Margaret Meloni, Dr. Venerable Hong De, and Jeffrey Lin. When I felt like giving up or was lonely, we would gather to cheer each other up. I appreciate all of the friendship who has pushed me to this day that I have finally completed my dissertation. Finally but just as importantly, I would like to thank my husband Dr. Thuong Nguyen and my lovely daughter Kim Nguyen for their assistance whenever I needed it. I could not have completed my dissertation without their encouragement. My younger daughter Jennifer Nguyen would come home sometimes with a smile and ask “Done, Mom?” I am so lucky to have a happy family who cares for each other. Thank you to everyone else who, in their own small ways, made this dissertation finally come together. As I am writing this, I imagine Dr. Iwamura, Dr. Lancaster, and Dr. Lee looking at me with a smile. iii ABSTRACT New Buddhist Movements and the Construction of Mythos: The Trúc Lâm Thiền Sect in Late 20th Century Vietnam By Loan Thuy Nguyen The rise of Buddhist modernism in an increasingly globalized world resulted in the development to new Buddhist movements in the late 20th century and into the new millennium. A distinctive feature of many of these new religious movements is the way in which they selectively referenced traditional lineage structures or canonical texts to legitimize their existence, while at the same time disrupting traditional forms of authority in order to appeal to contemporary and transnational audience. This dissertation examines one of these movements; the Trúc Lâm Thiền sect led by Thích Thanh Từ. Founded in the 13th century by King Monk Trần Nhân Tông, this Thiền [Chan/Zen sect] sect flourished under three Vietnamese patriarchs with many renowned Thiền masters. The sect subsequently faded over the centuries and then re-emerged as a popular movement in the late 20th century, calling for a restoration of the 13th century Vietnamese-branded Thiền meditation in Vietnamese Thiền Buddhism. In this dissertation I deconstruct and document the mythos or revised “foundations or origins” of the revitalized Trúc Lâm sect through a detailed study of primary sources and interviews with monastic and lay members. Thích Thanh Từ’s biography, which included a recounting of the sect’s origins was brought into conversation with the history and recorded lineage of the Trúc Lâm Thiền Sect, including the writings of the first patriarch, King Monk Trần Nhân Tông, whose writings greatly iv influenced the contemporary movement. In order to further gauge the movement’s self- knowledge, in particular their ability to articulate their origins, I interviewed monastic and lay members about Trúc Lâm’s origins and the relevance of the movement’s approach and philosophy apropos their own Buddhist practice. Analyzing the movement in these ways provided a platform by which to view Trúc Lâm’s current mythos as a creative reformulation of the sect’s earliest forms in response to shifting contemporary needs. This detailed analysis of Trúc Lâm’s own original myth and foundational texts provided deeper insight into an influential and growing movement within Vietnam’s longstanding engagement with Thiền Buddhism. This study also sheds light on the ways in which new Buddhist movements negotiated their traditional roots, Western views of religious practice, and the needs and interests of their practitioners while simultaneously constructing new lines of authority in their quest to propagate the Buddha Dharma in Vietnam and beyond. v TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................ ii ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................... iv LIST OF FIGURES .............................................................................................................x LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................................... xii INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................1 Background of the Study ...............................................................................................3 Research Questions ........................................................................................................6 Methodology for the Proposed Study ............................................................................7 Interview Sites and Subjects ....................................................................................8 Data Collection and Analysis...................................................................................8 Scope and Limitations....................................................................................................9 Significance and Contribution .....................................................................................10 Contents and Organization of this Study .....................................................................11 Modernity, Globalization and Buddhism .............................................13 Modernity and Religion ...............................................................................................13 Globalization and Religion ..........................................................................................17 New Religious Movements (NRMs) ...........................................................................20 Buddhist Modernism ....................................................................................................25 Summary ......................................................................................................................31 The 13th Century Trúc Lâm Thiền Sect ...............................................35 Early Religions in Vietnam ..........................................................................................35 Early Buddhism in Vietnam.........................................................................................37 vi The Formation Period ............................................................................................38