Buddhism connects Vietnam - Laos - Cambodia friendship

Supporting full scholarships; taking care of food, accommodation, transportation to school, teaching Vietnamese to Lao and Cambodian students through chanting sutras, exchanging Buddhist teachings in Vietnamese... These are the activities that many pagodas are doing, contributing to fostering the friendship between Vietnam - Laos, Vietnam - Cambodia.

Peace at Buddha's door

On November 14, the Union of Friendship Organizations and the Vietnam - Laos Friendship Association of Da Nang City held a meeting to deploy the Homestay Program for Lao students studying at universities in the city in 2023. As an annual activity, the 2023 program lasts 3 weeks (from November 26, 2023 to December 10, 2023) to create conditions for Lao students to exchange languages, learn about Vietnamese culture in general and Da Nang city in particular. The activity aims to help international students integrate into the local community. At the same time, through the activities, it contributes to further strengthening the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos. In this Homestay Program, Tam Bao Pagoda (Hai Chau District, Da Nang City) received 8 Lao students out of a total of 147 students. Among them, 4 Lao monks were supported by the temple with full scholarships including: accommodation at the temple, tuition, books, study and transportation; 4 Lao Buddhist students were supported with accommodation, meals and transportation to school during their stay at the temple.

Lao students chanting sutras in Vietnamese at Tam Bao Pagoda (Da Nang). (Photo: Venerable Thich Phap Hieu)

Venerable Thich Phap Hieu, abbot of Tam Bao Pagoda, member of the Vietnam - Laos Friendship Association in Da Nang City, Deputy Chief of the Office of the Central Information and Communications Department of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, said: "The pagoda regularly cares for and encourages Lao Buddhists to return to the pagoda to practice and preserve Buddhist cultural traditions such as: going to the pagoda to worship Buddha on weekends; receiving the Three Refuges and Five Precepts; tying a thread on the wrist; learning Vietnamese through chanting sutras in Vietnamese; exchanging Buddhist teachings in Vietnamese; cooking sticky rice and placing it in the monks' bowls; doing good deeds and accumulating merit, living a virtuous, compassionate and wise life through cultivating Buddhism, thereby strengthening the love and special bond between the Vietnamese and Lao people". In Thua Thien Hue province, for the past 15 years, Tu Lam Pagoda (Thuy Xuan Ward, Hue City) has been a familiar destination for Lao students studying in the province every traditional Bunpimay New Year . In a warm and joyful atmosphere, Venerable Thich Hue Phuoc, abbot of Tu Lam Pagoda, performed the Buddha bathing ceremony, tied a string around the wrist and wished Lao students a happy new year, praying for a peaceful and successful new year, for people to live happily and peacefully, and for the world to be peaceful and prosperous. In addition, to help Lao students learn more about the traditional Vietnamese New Year culture, the monks gave them lucky money.

Close to each other by customs and rituals

Venerable Thich Hue Phuoc said: he has been to Laos many times, met with the people of the neighboring country and always felt the sincerity and closeness of the people here. He celebrated Bunpimay with Lao tribes, with Vietnamese people living near the Vietnam - Laos border, joining in the traditional Tet holidays. In the ancient capital of Hue, every year, nearly 500 Lao students come to study. On the occasion of the traditional Tet, Tu Lam Pagoda often organizes the traditional Bunpimay Tet for Lao students far from home, helping them to somewhat ease their homesickness, feel the warmth and atmosphere of Tet right in Vietnam. Pho Minh Pagoda (Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City) under the abbot of Venerable Thich Thien Tam, Vice President of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, Vice President of the Central Committee of the Vietnam - Cambodia Friendship Association, also has many practical activities contributing to consolidating and strengthening the solidarity and traditional friendship between the two peoples and religions of Vietnam and Cambodia. The temple sponsors Cambodian students; organizes exchanges and meetings for them; gives gifts and organizes intimate meals, praying for the children's safety, the country's peace, and social development.

Venerable Thich Thien Tam and members of the Vietnam - Cambodia Friendship Association sponsor Cambodian students studying in Ho Chi Minh City in 2022. (Photo: Ngo Tran)

Venerable Ly Hung, abbot of Pitu Khosa Rangsay Pagoda ( Can Tho City), Vice President of the Vietnam - Cambodia Friendship Association of Can Tho City, also sponsors many Cambodian students studying at universities in Can Tho. Not only creating conditions for accommodation and living so that students can study well, the pagoda often helps students through Khmer Theravada Buddhist festivals such as Chol Chnam Thmay, Sene Dolta, thereby giving them gifts and scholarships. "We invite students to the activity site, once or twice a month, to interact and listen to their wishes, so that they can get closer to pagodas and Vietnamese families. From there, they can soon integrate into Vietnamese culture, customs, and rituals; and interact with Vietnamese students," said Venerable Ly Hung. The above activities have contributed to affirming the role of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in strengthening and consolidating the friendship between the Vietnamese people and the people of Laos, Cambodia in particular and other countries in general. At the same time, they have contributed to enhancing cultural exchanges, introducing to international friends the history, cultural beliefs, religions, country and people of Vietnam; enhancing the international position and prestige of Vietnam, spreading the values ​​of Vietnamese culture.