Day 9: Buddhism and Independence Palace

This morning we attended a class at UEF about the foundations of Buddhism. About 60% of Vietnam practices Buddhism, making it the largest religion in the country. We learned about principles such as the founder Siddhartha Gautama and his journey of leaving royalty behind in order to help relieve suffering. Nirvana is the state of enlightenment, and it is achieved through the Eightfold Path. I especially like this slide that broke down the core principles of Buddhism:

We also did an activity debating whether Buddhism should be considered a religion or a philosophy. We split into two groups and listed arguments for each side. In the end, we concluded that Buddhism is a religion because it involves religious texts, devotion, and the worship of a higher being.

After class, we visited a Buddhist temple. It was interesting to see the free flowing nature of the space. People entered at their own pace and prayed either alone or in small groups. This felt very different from the synagogue services I am used to seeing, or the typical church service. Both are usually led by one person speaking to a large group. Buddhism felt much more individual and internally focused, whereas other religions often emphasize preaching and collective worship.

Later in the day, we visited Reunification Hall, also known as Independence Palace. It was where the president of South Vietnam lived during the war and where the war officially ended when North Vietnamese liberation tanks crashed through the gates. One of the UEF students told me it was especially meaningful to visit that day because it was the 136th birth anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh. He was born on May 19th, 1890 and served as the first President and founding father of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Citizens and leaders celebrated around the country, especially in Hanoi where many people visited the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. It felt surreal to visit such a historically important place on such a significant day.