This article is just a draft made from copy pasting sources from wikipedia/chatGPT in order to get an initial set of information.
Vietnamese Buddhist temples, like other Buddhist temples in Southeast Asia, are places for worship, meditation, and learning about the teachings of the Buddha. They feature a variety of statues, artwork, and architectural elements that represent different aspects of Buddhism. Here are some common features you may see in Vietnamese Buddhist temples and their meanings:
Main Hall (Chánh Điện):
The central area of the temple, where the primary Buddha statue is placed, often on a raised platform. This hall is used for daily rituals, ceremonies, and meditation.
Buddha Statues
You will typically find several statues of Buddha in various poses (mudras) representing different aspects of his life and teachings. Some common ones include:
Shakyamuni Buddha
The historical Buddha, often portrayed in a seated position with one hand touching the ground (Bhumisparsha Mudra) symbolizing his enlightenment.
Amitabha Buddha
The Buddha of Infinite Light, typically depicted in a seated position with both hands resting in his lap (Dhyana Mudra), representing meditation and concentration.
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Amitābha (Sanskrit: अमिताभ), also known as Amitāyus, is the primary Buddha of Pure Land Buddhism. In Vajrayana Buddhism, he is known for his longevity, discernment, pure perception, purification of aggregates, and deep awareness of emptiness. He possesses infinite merit resulting from good deeds over countless past lives as a bodhisattva named Dharmākara.
According to the Larger Sūtra of Immeasurable Life, Amitābha was, in very ancient times and possibly in another system of worlds, a monk named Dharmākara. In some versions of the sūtra, Dharmākara is described as a former king who, having come into contact with Buddhist teachings through the buddha Lokeśvararāja, renounced his throne. He then resolved to become a Buddha and to create a buddhakṣetra (literally “buddha-field”, often called a “Pureland” or “Buddha Land”: a realm existing in the primordial universe outside of ordinary reality, produced by a buddha’s merit) possessed of many perfections. These resolutions were expressed in his forty-eight vows, which set out the type of Pureland Dharmākara aspired to create, the conditions under which beings might be born into that world, and what kind of beings they would be when reborn there.
Medicine Buddha (Bhaisajyaguru)
The Buddha of Healing, often portrayed holding a medicine bowl, symbolizing healing and compassion.
Bodhisattva Statues
Bodhisattvas are enlightened beings who have chosen to remain in the cycle of rebirth to help sentient beings attain enlightenment. Commonly depicted Bodhisattvas include:
Avalokitesvara (Quan Âm)
The Bodhisattva of Compassion, often shown with multiple arms and heads to represent her ability to help all sentient beings.
Avalokiteśvara (Sanskrit: अवलोकितेश्वर, IPA: /ˌʌvəloʊkɪˈteɪʃvərə/), also known as Avalokitasvara, is a bodhisattva who contains the compassion of all Buddhas and is the principal attendant of Amitabha Buddha on the right. He has 108 avatars, one notable one being Padmapāṇi (lotus bearer). He is variably depicted, described, and portrayed in different cultures as either male or female. In Chinese Buddhism and East Asian Buddhism, he is in a feminine form called Guanyin (pinyin: Guānyīn).
Manjushri (Văn Thù Sư Lợi)
The Bodhisattva of Wisdom, often depicted holding a sword (to cut through ignorance) and a book (representing the wisdom of the Buddha’s teachings).
Ksitigarbha (Địa Tạng Vương Bồ Tát)
The Bodhisattva of Hell Beings, often portrayed as a monk holding a staff and a wish-fulfilling jewel, symbolizing his vow to help those suffering in hell realms.
Guardian Deities
Statues of guardian deities or Dharmapala are placed at the entrance of the temple or the main hall to protect the sacred space. They often appear fierce to ward off evil spirits and negative energies.
A protector of Buddhist dharma is called a dharmapala. They are typically wrathful deities, depicted with terrifying iconography in the Mahayana and tantric traditions of Buddhism. The wrathfulness is intended to depict their willingness to defend and guard Buddhist followers from dangers and enemies. The Aṣṭagatyaḥ (the eight kinds of nonhuman beings) is one category of dharmapālas, which includes the Garuda, Deva, Naga, Yaksha, Gandharva, Asura, Kinnara and Mahoraga.
In Vajrayana iconography and thangka depictions, dharmapala are fearsome beings, often with many heads, many hands, or many feet. Dharmapala often have blue, black or red skin, and a fierce expression with protruding fangs. Although dharmapala have a terrifying appearance, they only act in a wrathful way for the benefit of sentient beings.
Stupa or Pagoda
A stupa is a mound-like structure containing Buddhist relics, while a pagoda is a tiered tower structure, both symbolizing the Buddha’s presence. They are often built to house relics or as monuments to commemorate important Buddhist events or figures.
Ancestor Altars
Vietnamese Buddhist temples may also have altars dedicated to ancestors, reflecting the influence of Confucianism and traditional Vietnamese ancestor worship. Offerings are placed on these altars to honor and remember deceased family members.
Artwork
Temples often display paintings or murals depicting the life of the Buddha, important events in Buddhist history, and scenes from Buddhist sutras (scriptures) to help educate and inspire visitors.
Mahayana
Mahāyāna (/ˌmɑːhəˈjɑːnə/ MAH-hə-YAH-nə; “Great Vehicle”) is a term for a broad group of Buddhist traditions, texts, philosophies, and practices. Mahāyāna Buddhism developed in ancient India (c. 1st century BCE onwards) and is considered one of the three main existing branches of Buddhism (the other being Theravāda and Vajrayāna). Mahāyāna accepts the main scriptures and teachings of early Buddhism but also recognizes various doctrines and texts that are not accepted by Theravada Buddhism as original. These include the Mahāyāna sūtras and their emphasis on the bodhisattva path and Prajñāpāramitā. Vajrayāna or Mantra traditions are a subset of Mahāyāna which makes use of numerous tantric methods Vajrayānists consider to help achieve Buddhahood.
Mahāyāna also refers to the path of the bodhisattva striving to become a fully awakened Buddha for the benefit of all sentient beings, and is thus also called the “Bodhisattva Vehicle” (Bodhisattvayāna). Mahāyāna Buddhism generally sees the goal of becoming a Buddha through the bodhisattva path as being available to all and sees the state of the arhat as incomplete. Mahāyāna also includes numerous Buddhas and bodhisattvas that are not found in Theravada (such as Amitābha and Vairocana). Mahāyāna Buddhist philosophy also promotes unique theories, such as the Madhyamaka theory of emptiness (śūnyatā), the Vijñānavāda doctrine, and the Buddha-nature teaching.
Although it was initially a small movement in India, Mahāyāna eventually grew to become an influential force in Indian Buddhism. Large scholastic centers associated with Mahāyāna such as Nalanda and Vikramashila, thrived between the 7th and 12th centuries. In the course of its history, Mahāyāna Buddhism spread throughout South Asia, Central Asia, East Asia, and Southeast Asia. It remains influential today in China, Tibet, Mongolia, Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, Singapore, Vietnam, the Philippines, Nepal, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Bhutan.
As of 2010, the Mahāyāna tradition was the largest major tradition of Buddhism, with 53% of Buddhists belonging to East Asian Mahāyāna and 6% to Vajrayāna, compared to 36% for Theravada.