How Beautiful Is Buddhism? – The Most Gentle and Just Religion in the World

In this dharma talk, Venerable Thich Chan Quang shares the beauty of Buddhism: it is the most gentle religion, its law of cause and effect (karmic law) is the most just, and its spirit of harmony shines brightly in Vietnam. We invite you to listen.

Have you ever wondered why Buddhism holds such a mysterious allure? During a lecture at Dien Phuc Pagoda, Venerable Thich Chan Quang shared a small story. When he visited the funeral of a Theravada senior monk, he knelt down to bow to the Theravada elders. They were stunned because he was a Mahayana teacher. Yet, in his heart, there was no distinction at all. This story opens a different perspective on the harmony within Vietnamese Buddhism. It also serves as the beginning for him to discuss the topic: "How beautiful is Buddhism?" Let us listen together.

### The Most Gentle Religion in the World

Venerable Chan Quang affirms that Buddhism is the most gentle religion in the world. This gentleness is reflected in precepts that forbid indiscriminate cutting of trees or clearing of grass, and even require filtering water before drinking to avoid swallowing living beings. Thousands of years ago, the Buddha saw tiny life forms invisible to the naked eye.

Buddhism stands as the most compassionate path among all faiths.

However, there is a sad lesson from Nalanda, where extreme gentleness led to the massacre of ten thousand monks. But when Buddhism arrived in Vietnam, it adjusted wisely: gentleness with moderation and righteousness. Zen masters during the Tran Dynasty stood ready to defend their country.

When Buddhism came to Vietnam, it adapted like this. Its gentleness has limits and is rooted in justice.

### The Absolute Justice of Cause and Effect

The Venerable teaches that Buddhism presents the most intricate, detailed, and profound law of cause and effect (karmic law). For example, if someone is wealthy but somewhat irritable, one might observe they possess kindness in other areas; this reflects karmic results from past lives. If that wealthy person spends lavishly and indulges in excess, they will eventually collapse. A wise person who uses their talent to curse or attack others may lose their sanity. Someone born ugly into a beautiful family has likely just been reborn there, carrying their own unique conditions (dependent origination).

Everything in life has a reason. Nothing happens by mere chance.

He also tells the story of a family protected by a tough man guarding their rice field. After he died, he was reborn into that family as an ugly, aggressive child. Yet, the whole family loved him because they remembered the debt of gratitude from a previous life. This is the fairness of karma.

### Harmony Among Schools – The Beauty of Vietnamese Buddhism

In Vietnam, many Buddhist schools such as Theravada, Mahayana, and Pure Land coexist within one Sangha. Those who assumed these schools were in conflict will discover what true harmony means. Venerable Chan Quang recounts visiting the funeral of a Theravada senior monk. Although he was a Mahayana teacher, he bowed to the Theravada elders. This embodies the non-discriminatory spirit of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha.

So, those who thought there was discord or resentment must understand today that we must accept one another completely. They adjust that discord back into harmony.

It is precisely this spirit of harmony that brings peace to the world.

### Be the Kindest Person in Your Home and Neighborhood

Buddhism is gentle, but this does not mean weak. When the country was invaded, Zen masters like King Tran Nhan Tong still took up swords to defend their homeland. However, in daily life, practitioners must be the kindest people. He jokes that if a woman returns from the temple acting aggressively, she has misunderstood the teachings. A practitioner should make her husband see how much kinder she has become, so he too wishes to accompany her to the temple.

Since Buddhism is the most gentle religion in the world, we must at least be the kindest in our home. And then? The kindest in our neighborhood.

Practicing the Buddha's teachings (Dharma) is not far away. It begins with gentle words and kind actions toward family and neighbors.

Buddhism is beautiful, gentle, and just in this way. We are truly fortunate to have the conditions (dependent origination) to connect with such a religion. Let us live worthy of this connection—living gently and kindly—so that happiness spreads from each family throughout the world.