IV. THE VIETNAMESE RELIGIOUS TOLERATION TOWARDS THE THREE
TEACHINGS THROUGHOUT THE HISTORY OF VIETNAM
Since the first and second dynasties of the Common Era, the Vietnamese
has accepted the Three Teachings. The dynasties of Đinh, Lê, Lý, and Trần
during the 10th-12th centuries marked Vietnam’s long-lasting independence and
autonomy, opening a heroic period of both defending and building the nation.
The historical situations made the military leaders entrust the
intelligentsia. The class of Vietnamese Confucian scholars was not formed then,
and it did not culminate until the Later Lê dynasty (1428-1788). In the early
stage of the nation independence, maybe Confucian scholars’ private schools or
classes were not available; therefore, Buddhist pagodas took the role of
Chinese teaching spots for both lay disciples and priesthood.
To be able to read Buddhist sūtras, monks had to study Chinese characters
via Confucian literature. Thus, it is not surprising that most of the then
monks also mastered Confucian learning. Like Zen Master Vạn Hạnh (?-1018), some
of them were experts in Confucian Yijing
and Daoist fengshui (geomancy).
In short, most of the ancient
Vietnamese intelligentsia were Buddhist monks and Daoist priests. These
intellectual religious had national awareness, true patriotism, and profound
knowledge of their own religious teachings as well as of sūtras and literature
of other religions. In consequence, having religious tolerance towards the
Three Teachings, they soon stood together under the national flag to
wholeheartedly support both domestic and foreign policies of the imperial
court.
Under the Đinh, Lê, Lý, and
Trần dynasties (968-1400), the historical situations turned Vietnam
Such kings as Đinh Tiên Hoàng (reigned 968-979), Lê Đại Hành (reigned
980-1005), and Lý Thái Tổ (reigned 1009-1028) invited eminent monks and Daoists
to the imperial court and made them advisors or national preceptors.
In 971, King Đinh
Tiên Hoàng conferred Tăng
Thống (General Supervisor of Monks) on Zen Master Khuông Việt (Ngô Chân
Lưu, 933-1011), Sùng Chân Uy Nghi (Noble and
Upright Majesty) on Zen Master Đặng Huyền Quang, and Tăng Lục (Monk Scribe) on Daoist Trương Ma Ni.
King Lý Thái Tổ had Vạn Tuế Pagoda and Thái
Thanh Palace
King Lý Nhân Tông (reigned 1072-1127) was
close to Zen Master Giác Hải and Daoist Thông Huyền. Once, after testing the
magical power of Giác Hải and Thông Huyền, the King admired them both and
improvised the following poem:
Monk Giác Hải’s mind is immense like the sea,
Daoist Thông Huyền’s power is beyond mystery.
Their marvelous skills are supernatural,
One is Buddha, the other an Immortal.[2]
At the glorious beginning of
the history of Vietnam
When advising or admonishing
the kings, open-minded monks did not absolutely cling to Buddhist doctrine but
used either Daoist or Confucian doctrine for persuasion.
When King Lê Đại Hành
(reigned 980-1005) asked Zen Master Đỗ
Pháp Thuận (915-990) about the destiny of the country, he was
advised to apply Laozi’s doctrine of non-action. The reply in verse reads:
In chaos was once all over the country,
Peace now is reigning.
Should non-action be the imperial policy,
Everywhere the clash of weapons will cease.[3]
In 1130, when standing in Sùng Khai
Palace
“Knowing this principle, ancient sage kings modeled themselves on
the celestial way to unceasingly improve their virtue for self-cultivation. They
modeled themselves on the terrestrial way to unceasingly improve their virtue
to keep people in peace. For self-cultivation one must be as cautious as
walking on thin ice layer [over a river]. To keep people in peace one must love
his subordinates and be as scared as holding worn-out reins on a horse back.” [4]
In 1202, Zen Master Nguyễn
Thường as Tăng Phó (Vice
Supervisor of Monks) admonished King Lý Cao Tông as follows:
“I’ve learned that the Preface to the Odes says that the music of
a troubled country sounds mournful to resent its wrong political affairs. The
one of a lost country sounds distressing to wail over its people’s destitution.
Now Your Majesty indulges in immoderate pleasure, imperial court’s punishment
and rewards are not politically re-educational, and our people are in distress.
So far the situation gets worse and worse. However, you still enjoy mournful
music every day. Is it not the omens for the fall of and the trouble in the
country?” [5]
Some historical events
mentioned above show that throughout Vietnam
HUỆ KHẢI
