Vietnam Buddhist Sangha celebrates 35th founding anniversary

The Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) held a grand ceremony at Lang Cat Pagoda in Rach Gia City, Kien Giang Province on October 8 to celebrate its 35th founding anniversary (1981-2016).

At the ceremony (Photo: dantocmiennui.vn)

The event was attended by representatives from the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, the Government’s Committee for Religious Affairs, the VBS, the Southwest Region Steering Committee, local authorities, and over 1,000 monks, nuns and Buddhist laypeople at home and abroad.

Addressing the ceremony, the Most Venerable Thich Thien Tam, Vice Chairman of the VBS Executive Council, reviewed the history and achievements of the VBS, saying that since its establishment on November 7, 1981, the VBS had always been with the nation during the country’s development.

History had shown that once the State supported Buddhism, Buddhism would prosper and so would the country, he stressed, adding that Buddhism had significantly contributed to the country’s culture of literature, philosophy, education, architecture and the arts.

Over the past 35 years, the VBS has developed, with chapters being established in across 63 cities and provinces nationwide as well as abroad, encouraging its followers to join hands to construct and develop their country.

The VBS has also consolidated its position and role in the world’s Buddhist community and has been active in Vietnam’s international integration, he added.

He called on Buddhist dignitaries and laypeople to promote the unity and humanism of Buddhism to contribute to create a peaceful and stable environment for the national development and defence.

On the occasion of the ceremony, a seminar on the Khmer Theravada Buddhist Sect was held, featuring tens of speeches highlighting the achievements of the sect as well as mapping out the plans for its future development.

(Source: NDO)