Dong Nai is one of the provinces that has many places of worship, Buddhist monks, nuns and followers. Presently, the province has 497 pagodas and more than 300 hermitages with 3,119 monks, nuns and over 560,000 followers.
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The provincial Buddhist Sangha organises visits to the cemetery to burn incense sticks for the martyrs and organises the gathering to pray for the martyrs in the afterworld in national festivals. |
* The development of Buddhism in Dong Nai
Dong Nai is one of the provinces that has many places of worship, Buddhist monks, nuns and followers. Presently, the province has 497 pagodas and more than 300 hermitages with 3,119 monks, nuns and over 560,000 followers. This showed the development of Buddhism and
The local monks, nuns and followers have markedly contributed to national development. They took an active part in environment protection activities such as afforesting, maintaining security and public order. Some
prestigious superior Buddhist monks were elected as the People’s Council representatives and made important contributions to protect the people’s legitimate rights and interests. Besides, many monks and nuns participated in organizations as fatherland front committee, red cross chapter and charity organisations, etc. |
| The Provincial Buddhist Sangha representatives present gifts to typhoon victims in central. |
* Charity and Humanitarian activities
Many ancient temples and pagodas in Dong Nai province have been recognized as national cultural historical relic sites by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for their specific values of architecture, history and culture. Accordingly, the conservation of the relic has be done to preserve historical and cultural sites. Pagodas not only are places of worship or religious activities but also are places where Buddhist followers are raised their awareness of the need to preserve and develop the fine customs and habits, uphold the moral principles of the nation in the community life.
The efforts of the provincial Buddhist Sangha in charity and humanitarian activities have been highly appreciated by the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha and the provincial Fatherland Front Committee. Wishes of monks, nuns and followers about providing free medical treatment for poor people were satisfied when Duc Quang Tue Tinh Duong Free Clinic for underprivileged people, the first Buddhist Free Clinic in the Southern region was established in late 2007. The clinic has 40 beds and provides free medical treatment to the poor. Besides, some pagodas in the province also provide free herbal and oriental medicine for the poor. These activities have received support and help from local authorities and local residents. Buddhist monks, nuns and followers provincewide have poured over 40 billion VND in humanitarian activities over the past 26 years, according to the provincial Buddhist Sangha. The donation was channeled to aid the poor, natural calamity victims, social policy beneficiaries and Vietnamese heroic mothers through building houses, presenting gifts and providing financial aids.
Reported by Phong Vu
