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Vietnam Orders Buddhist Monks To Leave Monastery

By Howard M. Friedman

The New York Times today reports on the standoff between Vietnamese authorities and Buddhist monks at Bat Nha Monastery. They were ordered last October by the chairman of Vietnam?s National Committee on Religious Affairs to leave the monastery. The monks, who are followers of Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, have been training other monks there since 2005 after Hahn?who developed the philosophy called Engaged Buddhism-- was welcomed back from 39 years of exile in France.

The monastery?s problems with authorities began after Hanh made statements in support of the Dalai Lama and urged broader religious freedom in Vietnam. In ordering Hanh?s followers to leave, the government claimed that Plum Village, Hanh?s monastery in southern France, had published false information about Vietnam on its website. On June 27, power was cut to the Monastery compound and two days later a mob threw rocks and animal excrement at an official Buddhist delegation that came to investigate. Government authorities say the problems are caused by disputes between Hanh?s followers and Abbot Duc Nghi, the original owner of the property at Bat Nha. Hanh?s followers have invested over $1 million in expanding the monastery compound.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on August 01, 2009 (boomark / email).