THE DEPT. OF RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM
OF THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM (SRVN) Independence – Freedom – Happiness
NUMBER: 1329 / TGCP-PG
Concerning the religious activities of Hà Nội City, 29th of October in the year 2008
Plum Village (France) in Vietnam
Respectfully to: The Buddhist Church of Viet Nam (BCVN)
The Committee of Religious Affairs of SRVN received the document from the Buddhist Church of Viet Nam (no. 427/CV/HĐTS date 10 October 2008) regarding the matter of the activities of Plum Village practice in Vietnam. The Committee of Religious Affairs of SRVN has the following opinion on the matter.
Zen Master Thích Nhất Hạnh and the Plum Village Sangha (France) came back to Vietnam three times and organized religious activities at the invitation of the BCVN. The agreement for allowing Zen Master Thích Nhất Hạnh and the Plum Village Sangha to visit Vietnam expressed the legal religious policy of the government: to promote the spirit of great unity of the people and the international relationship of Vietnam with other countries, as well as the good standing of the BCVN within the country and throughout the world.
Nonetheless, in the three return trips to Vietnam, the Plum Village Sangha has conducted certain activities: organizing ordination ceremonies and a number of retreats; appointing abbots; consecrating superior ranks [ordaining Dharma Teachers] without necessary ratifications from the BCVN; unlawfully breaching confidentiality regarding certain governmental matters of the country; and posting on the internet (Vietnamese Plum Village Website) incorrect information about the reality in Vietnam. These activities are a violation of Vietnamese law. Their construction of campuses inside and outside of the country misrepresents the religious policy of Vietnam and jeopardizes the unity of the people, and the unity inside the BCVN.
With regard to these actions conducted by Plum Village, and in order to respect the law of Vietnam, the Committee of Religious Affairs of SRVN cordially announces to all branches of BCVN these points:
1.Proposes that BCVN give official recommendations to Plum Village concerning the actions they have done in Vietnam that are against the law and contravene the Charter of the BCVN; that the local BCVN should oversee activities conducted according to Plum Village practice, and manage these religious activities in accordance with the law, with the Charter of the BCVN and the usual customs of local Buddhists. Religious activities according to Plum Village practice in these compounds must have the approval of the BCVN 2. The government rebukes their [Plum Village Sangha] proposal to reclaim the campus of the School for Youth and Social Service (Hồ Chí Minh City) and the property of Fragrant Palms (Lâm Đồng Province); and will not arrange multi-entry visas and will not prolong visas for Plum Village because these actions are not in accordance with the regulations in force according to the law of Vietnam. 3. Directives to settle against the actions of the Plum Village Sangha that are currently creating complications, and disrupting security and order in Bat Nha Monastery (Lâm Đồng) are: -To respect the opinions of the Venerable Thích Đức Nghi, abbot of Bat Nha Monastery, who proposes not to support practitioners practicing according to the practice of Plum Village to continue to practice and study at Bat Nha Monastery. Thereby, practitioners practicing according to the practice of Plum Village no longer have a campus with the minimum legal status to take refuge at, and must abandon Bat Nha Monastery. The issue of Vietnamese-citizen practitioners practicing according to the practice of Plum Village residing at Bat Nha Monastery can resolve like so: those who are in accord with the regulations of provisional residency, can temporarily have permission to reside there for a period until they arrange to be relocated; those who are not registered for provisional residency, if they are wholeheartedly practicing and studying, and not disrupting security and order, have the permission to register for provisional residency and have the right to stay for a period of time (like those that have already registered for provisional residency) until they arrange to be relocated. The number who are disturbing security and order and disrupting unity, are ordered to return to their place of residence. -Concerning Plum Village Dharma Teachers holding citizenship of international countries, if the visa is valid, but they are acting against the law they are ordered to exit the country. If the visa is expired, they are given permission to exit according to regulations of the country. Those who recently asked to organize religious activities must pledge to remain within the law and pass through the BCVN; accordingly, they should have the BCVN’s support.
We propose that the BCVN guides the local Buddhists to settle in this manner, thus guaranteeing stable Buddhist activities locally, guaranteeing lawful security and order, and the safety of society.
CHIEF
Nguyễn Thế Doanh
The Vietnamese government’s motives were caused by fear and lack of understanding of how the outside world is functioning in the 21st century. That did not amaze me much since Vietnam is now a toy in the hand of China. What I found shocking is their method of carrying out their plan (throwing excrements, beating on the monastics and aspirants, smashing the facilities, employing noise torture, releasing poisonous snakes into the nuns’ belongings,brutalizing underage practitioners and digitally raping the monks) was sadistic, vulgar, backward and a slap in the face of the United Nations to which it (the Vietnamese government) belongs.