Buddhism during the Vietnam War
Sathish Naadimuthu Buddhism in Vietnam Buddhism developed in India and is heavily influenced by the tenets of Hinduism. A major example is the concept of karma, in which a person’s position in life is influenced by actions in prior ones. As such, good deeds lead to an elevated future status and bad deeds, the opposite. A major characteristic of Buddhism is its explanation of human suffering. Buddha and his followers concluded that people suffer because of their rampant desires for material positions, which are, by nature, impermanent and in perpetual states of decay. The more people gain, the more they subsequently want. Only when one can renounce such desire can one achieve true happiness. Vietnamese Buddhism developed through Chinese and Indian channels in the early centuries of the first millennium. The practice in Vietnam is heavily influenced by that in China; characteristics of Taoism, Confucianism, and ancestor and local deity worship abound. The Mahayana and Theravada schools of Buddhism are present today in Vietnam. The former focuses on the achievement of social justice, the communal struggle to reach enlightenment, and the worship of a plurality of deities. The latter is more conservative with a focus on monasticism and the worship of Buddha singularly. In addition, while the majority of Vietnamese believe in this “Pure Land” school of Buddhism, clerics generally practice Thien, or Zen, with a concentration on meditation in the achievement of enlightenment. Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism both place precedence on compassion and nonviolence, both ideals in a way of life that respects the rights of all living creatures. Thus, Buddhist actions in the Vietnam War and those in conflicts of the past were not solely carried out in the auspices of reaching peace, but also in that of egalitarian of rule and compassion. The religion is naturally amenable with the precepts of democracy, as the religion’s power structure during the war allowed people to express their objections to the corruption and rule of the Government of Vietnam (GVN). Moreover, because the GVN had no formal systems in place to redress grievances, Buddhist monks became primary outlets for which to confide and follow.
Sources of Conflict between Buddhist and American Ideologies As can be inferred, the conflict between Buddhists and Americans throughout the Vietnam War was defined by fundamental differences in ideology. As Vietnamese Buddhists could not justify a foreign power actively flouting the majoritarian will of the Vietnamese people, the Americans could not understand how Buddhists could take a neutral stance on the communism vs. capitalism question. Moreover, so accustomed to a separation of church and state, they could not understand many Vietnamese’ absolute allegiance to the teachings of Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism, which to them manifested an entire way of life. American officials were indoctrinated by Cold War ideology, or the with us or against us mentality. This bipolar attitude was particularly at odds with the teachings of Zen, which claims that the true understanding of the nature of the universe is the path to enlightenment. Any attachment to belief systems or simple dualism cannot lead to this nuanced and true insight. While Buddhists feared Communism, they did the consequences of a protracted U.S. invasion more so. They decided that the pursuit of a coalition government with the NLF, or National Liberation Front, had far fewer potential consequences than what would most likely be an unsuccessful occupation by U.S. troops. There are more broad distinctions, with regards to approaching conflict, that go beyond religious beliefs. While Western thought promotes the direct handling of all situations, Asian philosophy dictates the opposite, with a Taoist and Confucian emphasis on the attainment of social harmony and the use of non-violence. Such efforts, which paint situations in sometimes novel and creative ways, may have been interpreted by U.S. forces as attempts to confuse and misdirect.
Many Vietnamese Buddhists related the United States’ actions in Vietnam to its enslavement to desire. Its riches and power, though immense, were in state of decay, and its actions were a direct result of its futile and extravagant attempts to gather more. Similarly they witnessed the negative effects that Western day to day habits had brought upon Vietnamese culture. As Buddhism is focused on the notion of compassion, the immense wealth of America and continued greed, as demonstrated by the arms race of the Cold War, further deprived poor countries and could be interpreted as a manifestation o evil. Origins of Buddhist Influence in the War
Since the very beginning of the Vietnam War, there had been a latent desire within Buddhist leaders to foment social revolution in Vietnam, through the elimination of poverty, corruption, and violence. Yet for years they had not the means for substantive change. In fact South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem, actively suppressed the practice which defined the religious lives of over 80% of the population. These goals became even more salient as much of the impoverished Vietnamese populace became seduced by the NLF’s call for Communist egalitarianism. It was when the President banned the flying of any flag save the national colors of Vietnam, that Buddhists objected with a peaceful protest. Riot police opened fire and killed eight people.
As a result, Buddhists began to become more assertive in their demands for equality, and their actions became emblematic of vast opposition to Diem’s rule. This crisis is most explicitly remembered in the self-immolation of monk Thich Quan Duc in June of 1963. His actions symbolized the country’s resistance to Diem’s dictatorship and also catalyzed international and American public opinion movement in favor of the Buddhists. In August, Diem responded to the Buddhist actions by fierce and violent repression and a declaration of martial law. Consequently, American officials also began to tire of Diem’s ineffective and brutal rule. They granted GVN dissidents asylum, reduced nonmilitary aid to the country, and passively supported a fatal coup against the president and his brother. This action was initially interpreted as a great victory for Buddhists. Their existence as the only non-Communist opposition group in South Vietnam had led to an almost single-handed resistance that led to Diem’s fall from power. Their influence following this event was the highest it would ever be during the crisis. They were able to alter government power structures, veto office appointments, and organize massive demonstrations. However, the long term results of this incident would be far darker. Although a brutal and corrupt ruler, Diem represented the only formal resistance to American power in the country. With his absence emerged a power vacuum that was exploited by the U.S. and led to future, more cooperative governments. As the war progressed, when Buddhists agitated for greater control, the result was invariably greater American hegemony, a phenomenon that would continue for almost another decade.
Study Questions What evidence might support some Buddhists’ interpretation of the U.S. entrance into the Vietnam War as due to greed for material things? What other examples can you think of that demonstrate the role of religion in wars that are ostensibly about other matters?
Works Cited Fitzgerald, Francis. Fire in the Lake. Boston: Atlantic Monthly Press, 1972. Topmiller, Robert. The Louts Unleashed. Lexington, Kentucky: University Press of Kentucky, 2002. Photos: http://www.religionfacts.com/buddhism/symbols/wheel.htm http://img.timeinc.net/time/magazine/archive/covers/1966/1101660422_400.jpg http://www.openorigins.com/top-five-photo-tips/top-five-friday-five-photographs/ http://www.people.cornell.edu/pages/mvb9/places/pages/vietnam%20buddha.htm