The agenda of the seminar "The Contemporary Trúc Lâm Zen Sect" is now completed. After more than 3 hours of continuous working in a spirit of seriousness, urgency and excitement, 17 speeches were presented at the Conference with many opinions exchanging and criticising that are both highly scientific and practical at the same time. After reaching agreement among chairpersons, some conclusion can be drawn as follows:
1. Trúc Lâm Yên Tử Zen Sect was established by an intelligent king with a vision to penetrate the earthly human realm of contemporary society along with "geopolitics" and "geo-religion." He went to Yên Tử Mountain to become a monk according to the philosophy of "Buddha Dharma can’t separate from the world Dharma"; acquired the refinement of the Buddhist quintessence, the philosophy to lead a religious life of all three lineages (from India and imported China) to create a new Zen school imbued with Vietnamese identity and "engagement to help the world", making Yên Tử become the "sacred mountain", the Capital of Religion and the Zen Capital of Buddhism in Vietnam.
2. The moral and philosophical thoughts of Trúc Lâm Yên Tử Zen Sect has spread widely and deeply influenced in Dai Viet society as well as ever after, contributing to Buddhism in Vietnam which has become brilliant in the hearts of the people of Vietnam.
3. Under the influence of Trúc Lâm Zen Sect with the main philosophy of engaging to save life, Vietnamese Buddhism has always been involved in all the ups and downs of the country throughout its history, especially in the wars against foreign invaders. When two recent wars against Western aggression took place, monks and nuns have had a movement "Taking off Kasaya to put on battle dress" going to the front line, typically at Cổ Lễ pagoda (Cổ Lễ Town in districr Trực Ninh, Nam Định province) launched by Most Venerable Thích Thế Long which has spread widely to the whole society.
4. The workshop also recognised clearly that over 700 years of Zen sect has been maintained and developed as today thanks to human factors. King Trần Nhân Tông publicly enlightened and inherited through two brilliant generations but it almost then faded away until the 16th century when Zen master Chân Nguyên restored it and until the twentieth century, Most Venerable Thích Thanh Từ and his disciples again stood out for revival.
And so, Trúc Lâm Yên Tử Zen Sect has existed for more than 700 years, "engaged for life-saving philosophy" founded by King Trần Nhân Tông, and in the current contemporary society, it has been thriving not only in Vietnam but also in foreign countries where Vietnamese people live. That shows the vigorous vitality of the Zen sect and King Trần Nhân Tông, the first Patriarch of the Zen sect, who was praised by society as King Buddha, also contributed to the brilliantness of Vietnamese Buddhism!
Mr Trần Khánh Dư
Director of Centre for Religious Cultural Heritage Conservation
Contents
1. Mr. Trần Khánh Dư, Foreword.
2. Mr. Bùi Văn Khiêm, Some pictures of the scientifc conference Contemporary Trúc Lâm Zen Sect.
3. Most Venerable Thích Giác Toàn, Trúc Lâm Yên Tử Zen Sect: from tradition to modernity
4. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Đặng Văn Bài, About Cultural Heritage of Trúc Lâm Yên Tử Zen Sect.
5. Venerable Thích Tâm Vượng, Taking of Kasaya to put on battle dress is contributing to enhancing the role of the contemporary Trúc Lâm Zen Sect.
6. Venerable Thích Kiến Nguyệt, Trúc Lâm Zen Sect on the way of revival and propagation in the 21st.
7. Recluse Scholar Mạc Khải Tuân, Sketches of Trúc Lâm Zen Sect from the origin to the contemporary (from Supreme Highness Trần Thái Tông (16/6/1218 - 01/4/1277) to Zen Master Thích Thanh Từ (27/7/1924).
8. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hoàng Thị Thơ, Several signifcal values of Trúc Lâm Yên Tử Zen Sect.
9. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bùi Thị Thanh Mai, The role of art in preserving and promoting Trúc Lâm Zen heritage values in contemporary life Venerable Thích Tâm Thuần - The 21st century - a milestone of reviving Trúc Lâm Zen Sect.
10. Dr. Đinh Thị Điểm & MA. Nguyễn Thị Thành Vân, The origin and role of Trúc Lâm Zen Buddhism in the development of the country.
11. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Đặng Thị Lan, The relationship of Buddhism and politics in the Lý - Trần period.
12. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Phạm Hùng, Ideology on Trúc Lâm Zen of Trần Nhân Tông and Huyền Quang
13. Venerable Thích Tâm Hạnh, The continuity and revival of Vietnam’s Trúc Lâm Zen.
14. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phạm Văn Khoái, Trần Thái Tông - the founder of national engaged Trúc Lâm Zen Buddhism.
15. Movie director Mai An Nguyễn Anh Tuấn, King- Buddha Trần Nhân Tông in modern world.
16. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Đỗ Thu Hà, Political philosophy of the Buddhism: from Great Emperor Aśoka to King - Buddha Trần Nhân Tông.
17. Dr. Trịnh Văn Định, Trúc Lâm Yên Tử, A perspective from geopolitics and georeligion in the context of China’s Belt and Road strategy Trúc Lâm Yên Tử, A perspective from geo-politics and geo-religion in the context of China’s belt and road strategy.
18. Researcher Minh Đạo, The restoration and development of the Trần’s Buddhism spirit.
19. MA. Nguyễn Xuân Hà, Trúc Lâm Zen Sect - A milestone in the integration and development of Vietnam’s Buddhism.
20. Mr. Trần Diên Linh, Trúc Lâm Yên Tử Zen Sect - the Vietnamization of Buddhism.
21. PhD. Candidate Lê Trung Kiên, Buddhism with the governance of the country, experiment through the case of Trúc Lâm Yên Tử Zen Sect with the Trần dynasty building.
22. Thích Nữ Hằng Tịnh, Trúc Lâm Đại Sĩ - A great personalty (1258 - 1308).
23. Mr. Bùi Văn Khiêm, Bell casting and statue making.
24. Mr. Trần Khánh Dư, Conclusion.
Translate: Trúc Lâm Group
