The Way of Zen in Vietnam

What is the way of Zen in Vietnam? Is there only one answer, or many? Should the answer be a wordless gesture? Who has the authority to answer those questions?

This book is written to give a glimpse of the way of Zen in Vietnam. Personally, I am nobody. Though I have studied and practiced Zen for nearly half a century, I feel I will always remain a student of Zen. Readers can find many of the sentences here in some books of Buddhism in Vietnam; some are my memories of the things I've read or heard. The comments and the English translation in this book are mine; otherwise will be indicated.

Three of those I am indebted to are Zen Master Thch Thanh T, Prof. L Mnh Tht, and researcher Trn nh Sn. In this book, I use many poems that were translated into modern Vietnamese language by the three scholars above. The ancient Zen masters in Vietnam wrote poems in the Chinese and Nm languages. At times, I paraphrase poems into simple prose to make them easier to understand.

This book is not for profit. You are free to copy or reproduce noncommercially. May all beings be healthy and happy; may all beings be free.

ng li Thin Tng ti Vit Nam l g? C mt cu tr li, hay nhiu hn? Hay l, cu tr li nn l mt c ch khng li? Ai c thm quyn tr li nhng cu hi ?

Sch ny c vit cho mt ci nhn v Thin Tng ti Vit Nam. Bn thn ti khng l g c. D ti hc v thc tp Thin trong gn na th k, ti cm thy mnh vn l mt Thin sinh vnh vin. c gi c th thy nhiu cu ni y trong cc sch v Pht Gio Vit Nam; mt s l k c ti nh v nhng g ti c hay nghe. Cc ghi nhn v phn Anh dch trong sch l ca tc gi, trng hp khc s k r tn ngi ghi nhn.

Ba tc gi ti mang n l Thin s Thch Thanh T, Gio s L Mnh Tht v nh nghin cu Trn nh Sn; trong sch ny, ti s dng nhiu bi th c ba hc gi ny dch sang ting Vit hin nay. Cc Thin s ti Vit Nam nhiu th k trc lm th bng ting Hn v ting Nm. C nhng lc, ti chuyn cc bi th sang vn xui n gin d hiu hn.

Sch ny vit khng v li nhun. Ai cng c quyn t do sao chp hay ph bin li, mt cch phi thng mi. Xin nguyn cho tt c chng sinh c sc khe v hnh phc; xin nguyn cho tt c chng sinh c gii thot.