Ho Chi Minh - Urban Study

BUDDHISM Began in now southern Nepal as an offshoot of Hinduism. It originated in India

by Shiddharta (563-483 B.C.) or Gautama Buddha (the “Enlightened One�).

Buddhism is one of the worlds greatest religions and is predominant within Vietnam. In the second century B.C, the religion was introduced to Vietnam while it was under Chinese domination and by Indian preachers who travelled by sea. It was made the state religion under the Ly Dynasty (1010-1214), and lost its status as the state religion since the Tran Dynasty (1225-1440).

According to Buddhism, man was born into this world to suffer and when you free yourselves from suffering is to reach the state of Nirvana (pure happiness).

The law of Karma is what determines ones individual fate as your soul would not perish after death but reincarnate into another. From the two branches of Buddhism, Hinayana and Mahayana, the latter thrived in China, Korea, Japan and Vietnam.

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