Date: Fri, 4 Feb 2005 09:45:02 -0800 (PST)
From: Dan Tsang <dtsang@lib.uci.edu>
Reply-To: vsg@u.washington.edu
To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
Subject: New Buddhist magazine
From VietNam News
http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/showarticle.php?num=01REL020205 Buddhism culture magazine launches inaugural edition (02-02-2005)
HA NOI The Viet Nam Buddhist Sangha Congregation yesterday issued the first issue of its monthly magazine entitled Buddhist Culture, which aims to bring domestic and foreign Buddhist issues to monks, nuns and other interested parties.
The issue contains more than 60 pages, with features on conserving and developing Buddhist culture and on one of Viet Nams oldest Buddhist texts.
The magazine was developed from a bulletine issued three times a year on Phat Dan (Buddhas birthday) on the 15th of the forth lunar month, on Le vu lan (mother festival) on the 15th of the seventh lunar month, and on Phat thich ca thanh Dao, held on the 15th of the first lunar month, when the Buddha attained spiritual perfection.
There is also a weekly magazine called Giac Ngo (Awareness), which is issued by HCM Citys Buddhist Association and a magazine entitled Nghien cuu Phat hoc (Buddhist Study), which is printed bi-monthly by Ha Nois Buddhist Study Sub-institute.
Monks, nuns donate
Monks and nuns in HCM City contributed VND47 billion (US$2.9 million) to the citys charitable fund for the poor last year.
They also helped build 120 houses, enabled more than 1,400 poor children to attend school, spent nearly VND1 billion to provide the poor with medical check-ups, and took care of more than 500 elderly people.
Their activities were reviewed at a conference of the Viet Nam Buddhist Sangha chapter in HCM City on Monday.
Most Venerable Thich Tri Quang, head of the HCM City chapters executive board, said 2004 saw strong religious development across the nation, including the VBS chapter in HCM City.
This year, the municipal VBS chapter will continue offering education for monks and nuns, implementing programmes to promote morality and the national culture, discouraging social evils, increasing charitable activities and contributing to national unity. VNS