The objective of this thesis is to study the translation, transmissionand influence impact of the Lotus Sutra in Vietnam by taking Huayen Temple as a case study. Buddhism has already entered Vietnam for more than two thousand years. As a foreign religion, once in Vietnam, it has to adapt itself so as to meet the cultural, political, customary and other expectations of the Vietnam society. Along the way, Buddhism has accompanied the nation getting through a number of disasters; sometimes, it was considered the religion of the state such as in the Dynasty of Li, and Chen. Even the time has now come to the twenty first century, and having been through a few ups and downs, Buddhism remains an indispensable religion in Vietnam. In particular, the influence of the Lotus Sutra on Vietnamese Buddhists is deep and far-reaching, both in the aspects of doctrines and devotional faith, and the cultivation methods, all are highly revered by the Vietnamese people. Whenever Lotus Sutra are mentioned, Vietnamese Buddhists know it to be a very efficacious sutra; for example, prostration to the Lotus Sutra will result in redemption and generating good fortune, reciting the name of Bodhisattva Guanyin would enable ones to be away from encountering calamities etc. In the present day Vietnamese society, the Lotus Sutra has become the core of the cultivation practice in most “Fahua-centered temples”, and much endeavor has been made to promote it to an even wider public. Some key points of this study are as below: 1. This study focused on searching for historical data of Vietnamese Buddhism extant today and provided analysis by comparing with other research data to show how the Lotus Sutra was translated and transmitted down the history in Vietnam, and conclusions were made in the end. 2. A field study approach was employed whereby personal interview was undertaken to collect data. The duration of all interviews lasted for about two months, a total of 29 respondents were interviewed and grouped into two (including the abbot of Huayen Temple in Ho Chi Minh City, and those lay Buddhists associated with Fahua-centered temples). Interviewed data were then analyzed in-depth, and findings in relation to its impact on Vietnamese society were discussed, and recommendations were offered. It is hoped that more and more people are benefited from Buddhism, the society will turn into a pure land, and more people can gain the grace and the wisdom from the Buddha.
