At the grand ceremony commemorating the 45th anniversary of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha on November 6, Most Venerable Thich Thien Nhon affirmed the Sangha’s longstanding tradition of supporting the nation and its people, standing alongside the Vietnamese people, and continuing to promote unity, harmony, and service to Buddhism and the country.
Attending the event were Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc, former Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh, Minister of Ethnic and Religious Affairs Nguyen Dinh Khang, Vice President Nguyen Phi Long of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, and Chairman Nguyen Van Duoc of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee.
Vietnam Buddhist Sangha contribute to national unity
Delivering the opening address, Most Venerable Thich Thien Nhon, Vice Supreme Patriarch of the Dharma Council and Chairman of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, said the anniversary was an opportunity for monks, nuns, and Buddhists to reflect on the Sangha’s 45-year journey of development, commemorate the contributions of predecessors, express gratitude to the Party, the State, and the people for their support, and reaffirm the determination to continue the traditions of unity, harmony, and service to Buddhism and the nation.
Reviewing the history of Vietnamese Buddhism, he emphasized that Buddhism has consistently embodied a spirit of engagement with society, supporting the nation and remaining closely linked to the country's destiny.
The official establishment of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha on November 7, 1981, marked a major turning point in the history of Vietnamese Buddhism. The event unified diverse Buddhist traditions into a single national organization, establishing a shared commitment to serving both the faith and the nation.
Since its founding, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha has gradually strengthened its organizational structure, reinforced solidarity among Buddhist sects, expanded the role of the Dharma Council, the Executive Council, and local Buddhist administrations, and broadened Buddhist activities across multiple fields.
The work of monastic affairs, education, and training for monks and nuns has received increasing attention. Dharma propagation and guidance for Buddhist followers have continued to evolve, bringing the values of compassion, wisdom, karma, and Buddhist ethics to a broader public. Religious ceremonies, Buddhist cultural activities, heritage preservation, temple restoration, communications, Buddhist studies, and the dissemination of scriptures have contributed to preserving and promoting Vietnam’s cultural identity.
In international relations, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha has expanded exchanges and cooperation with Buddhist organizations worldwide, helping elevate the standing of Vietnamese Buddhism while promoting friendship, peace, and mutual understanding among nations.
Vietnam has successfully hosted four United Nations Vesak celebrations, notably the 2025 UN Vesak in Ho Chi Minh City, along with ceremonies honoring the relics of Bodhisattva Thich Quang Duc and sacred Buddha relics brought from India to Vietnam. These activities left a significant mark and helped affirm the prestige and position of Vietnamese Buddhism within the global Buddhist community.
Most Venerable Thich Thien Nhon stressed that these achievements were the result of unity and harmony, the efforts of generations of monks, nuns, and Buddhists, and the support provided by the Party, the State, the Vietnam Fatherland Front, and the people.
For the past 45 years, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha has remained committed to its guiding principle of “Buddhism - Nation - Socialism,” inheriting the tradition of serving the nation and its people, actively contributing to national unity and to the cause of national construction and defense.
Vietnam Buddhist Sangha makes positive contributions to national development
According to Most Venerable Thich Thien Nhon, as the Sangha enters a new stage of development amid both opportunities and challenges, it must continue to build on past achievements, innovate its methods, improve the effectiveness of Buddhist activities, and uphold the core values of the Buddha’s teachings.
First, the Sangha must strengthen solidarity and harmony and preserve unity amid diversity among Buddhist traditions and sects, recognizing this as the foundation and internal strength of the organization. Particular attention should be given to educating and training monks and nuns, with monastic discipline as the foundation, wisdom as the mission, and service as the guiding principle.
The Sangha will continue to innovate Dharma propagation and guidance for Buddhist followers, with special attention to younger generations, while bringing Buddhist values of ethics, compassion, and wisdom into social life. At the same time, it will promote social engagement through social welfare activities, environmental protection, climate change response, and the development of healthy cultural lifestyles. International Buddhist exchanges and cooperation will also be expanded to promote dialogue, harmony, and peace worldwide.
On behalf of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, Most Venerable Thich Thien Nhon expressed gratitude for the support and assistance provided by the Party, the State, the Vietnam Fatherland Front, authorities at all levels, organizations, and the people throughout the past 45 years. He also expressed confidence that the Sangha would continue to develop strongly, fulfill its mission of serving Buddhism and the nation, and contribute to building a peaceful, prosperous, and happy world.
