Prime Minister receives expatriate Vietnamese Zen Master
Prime Minister Phan Van Khai affirmed Buddhism's close link with and contributions to the nation while talking with expatriate Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh in Hanoi on Mar. 25.
PM Khai welcomed the visit to the homeland by the Zen Master, a Buddhist monk of Vietnamese origin, who founded and is the head of Lang Mai (Plum Village) Sangha in France. Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh's visit is being made at the invitation of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha's International Religious Board.
The Government leader also thanked Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh for his heartfelt sentiments towards and construction opinions about Vietnam Buddhist Church and the nation.
After affirming the Buddhism community's attachment and contributions to the nation, the PM expressed the hope that the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha will continue upholding the fine traditions of both religious and secular activities to create harmony between Buddhism's teachings and the nation's traditional culture so as to create a Vietnamese culture imbued with national identity.
PM Khai recalled late President Ho Chi Minh's great contributions to building the national great unity bloc.
He told his guest that the Party and State have focused on maintaining the policy on national great unity, and have considered it the driving force behind the past struggle for national independence and current national construction.
Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh expressed his joy at visiting the homeland and his thinking about the close link between Buddhism and the nation, stressing the importance of the spiritual life.
The Zen Master also expressed his hope that the Vietnamese Party and the State will continue to promote Buddhism's cultural values while building of a new cultural lifestyle.
Vietnam News Agency, March 26, 2005
