Pure Land in the Making : Vietnamese Buddhism in the US Gulf South

Since the 1970s, tens of thousands of Vietnamese immigrants have settled in Louisiana, Florida, and other Gulf Coast states, rebuilding lives that were upended by the wars in Indochina. For many, their faith has been an essential source of community and hope. But how have their experiences as migrants influenced their religious practices and interpretations of Buddhist tenets? And how has organized religion shaped their understanding of what it means to be Vietnamese in the United States? This ethnographic study follows the monks and lay members of temples in the Gulf Coast region who practice Pure Land Buddhism, which is prevalent in East Asia but in the United States is less familiar than forms such as Zen. By treating the temple as a site to be made and remade, Vietnamese Americans have developed approaches that sometimes contradict fundamental Buddhist principles of nonattachment. This book considers the adaptation of Buddhist practices to fit American cultural contexts, from temple fundraising drives to the rebranding of the Vu Lan festival as Vietnamese Mother's Day. It also reveals the vital role these faith communities have played in helping Vietnamese Americans navigate challenges from racial discrimination to Hurricane Katrina. Contemplates the role of Buddhist temples in the nurturing of immigrant communitiesSince the 1970s, tens of thousands of Vietnamese immigrants have settled in Louisiana, Florida, and other Gulf Coast states, rebuilding lives that were upended by the wars in Indochina. For many, their faith has been an essential source of community and hope. But how have their experiences as migrants influenced their religious practices and interpretations of Buddhist tenets? And how has organized religion shaped their understanding of what it means to be Vietnamese in the United States?This ethnographic study follows the monks and lay members of temples in the Gulf Coast region who practice Pure Land Buddhism, which is prevalent in East Asia but in the United States is less familiar than forms such as Zen. By treating the temple as a site to be made and remade, Vietnamese Americans have developed approaches that sometimes contradict fundamental Buddhist principles of nonattachment. This book considers the adaptation of Buddhist practices to fit American cultural contexts, from temple fundraising drives to the rebranding of the Vu Lan festival as Vietnamese Mother's Day. It also reveals the vital role these faith communities have played in helping Vietnamese Americans navigate challenges from racial discrimination to Hurricane Katrina. "Most Vietnamese practice Pure Land, a form of Mahayana Buddhism. Pure Land is prevalent in China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam but is less familiar in the United States, where the scholarly and popular literature has focused on Zen and Theravada Buddhism. Rituals such as chanting sutras, reciting the names of buddhas and bodhisattvas, and making merit so one may be reborn in the Pure Land or Western Paradise associated with Amitabha Buddha defy what many Americans understand as Buddhism. Pure Land, Home Land explores intertwining spiritual orientations utilized by Vietnamese in the United States as they deal with loss and sacrifice experienced during the war in their homeland and in adjusting to life in a new place, while seeking refuge in Buddhist centers as a collective expression of staying Vietnamese. The book contributes to critical refugee studies by showing how the key Buddhist practice of "seeking refuge" in the Three Jewels-the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha-is of both spiritual and political significance to Vietnamese American communities. This ethnographic study of immigrant communities in the American Gulf South, from Louisiana to Florida, shows how Vietnamese refugees draw on Buddhist ideals and rituals to make sense of the aftermath of war and to rebuild their lives in diaspora"-- Provided by publisher Cover 1 Title Page 4 Copyright 5 Dedication 6 Contents 8 Preface 10 Acknowledgments 16 Introduction: Making Vietnamese Buddhism 22 Chapter One. Seeking Refuge in the Gulf South 39 Chapter Two. Recruiting Monks 64 Chapter Three. Building a Hall for Buddha 91 Chapter Four. Honoring Mothers 119 Chapter Five. Preparing to Die Well 142 Conclusion: Regenerating Buddhism 165 Notes 176 Bibliography 198 Index 214 A 214 B 214 C 215 D 216 E 217 F 217 G 218 H 218 I 218 J 218 K 219 L 219 M 220 N 221 O 221 P 221 Q 222 R 223 S 223 T 224 U 225 V 225 W 226 Z 226