In the thirteenth century, King-Monk Trần Nhân Tông founded the Trúc Lâm Thiền (Chan/Zen) sect. During the Golden Age in Vietnamese Buddhist history, the sect flourished under three patriarchs with renowned Thiền masters. Unfortunately, the Trúc Lâm sect faded over the following centuries, and Thiền Buddhism in Vietnam, for the most part, disappeared. In the late twentieth century, a growing new religious movement led by Thích Thanh Từ, a Pure Land monk, called for a restoration of Trúc Lâm Thiền Buddhism. Who is Thích Thanh Từ? How and why did he choose to revive this particular sect and its emancipation practices? Trúc Lâm currently boasts hundreds of monasteries and thousands of monks and nuns in Vietnam and beyond, but how have the forces of modernity influenced its original traditions? Through existing literature and extensive onsite fieldwork, this book analyzes the history and revival of a forgotten Buddhist sect and examines the movement’s reform.

Covers shared logics of spiritual efficacy across a range of practices, which include ancestor veneration, spirit mediumship, Buddhist sectarianism and Catholic myths and miracles. Defines, documents, and discusses each issue relating to Vietnam studies.

Shawn McHale explores why the communist-led resistance in Vietnam won the anticolonial war against France (1945–54), except in the south. He shows how broad swaths of Vietnamese people were uneasily united in 1945 under the Viet Minh Resistance banner, all opposing the French attempt to reclaim control of the country. By 1947, resistance unity had shattered and Khmer-Vietnamese ethnic violence had divided the Mekong delta. From this point on, the war in the south turned into an overt civil war wrapped up in a war against France. Based on extensive archival research in four countries and in three languages, this is the first substantive English-language book focused on southern Vietnam's transition from colonialism to independence.

When 14- and 12-year-old sisters embark on a global family adventure, they learn that surviving new cultures and customs is even scarier than surviving middle school. This TRUE, dual POV, coming-of-age journey features maps and images of people and places across the globe. "THANKS FOR RUINING MY LIFE!" Delaney's eighth-grade dreams crumble when her parents announce their "global family field trip." While her younger sister, Riley, is thrilled to ditch middle school for world school, Delaney cringes at trading parties and friends for a passport and 24/7 family time. While Riley researches bungee jumping and packing tips, Delaney must decide whether to continue the silent treatment or embrace this adventure. What about school? Forget acing science and math, the only way to pass this class is to survive: scam artists, monster cockroaches, deadly stingers, projectile vomiting, public nudity, and toilet catastrophes. And those lessons aren't in their textbooks. Each passport stamp is a real-life social studies lesson in new religions and new rules--resulting in so many awkward family moments. But when an itinerary mistake puts the family's freedom at risk, they learn the most valuable lesson of their lives. Trapped together in their parents' mid-life crisis, will the sisters survive this global adventure? And will non-stop family time turn them into friends? Or enemies?

An introductory guide to the beliefs and key concepts of Pure Land Buddhism, the most widely practiced form of Buddhism in East Asia. Pure Land is a brief introduction to the history and practices of Pure Land Buddhism, a popular and growing global tradition. Pure Land practices center on Amitābha Buddha, rebirth in his pure buddha-land, and the guaranteed attainment of buddhahood. It constitutes the dominant tradition of most Buddhists in East Asia and is the most common form of practice within immigrant Buddhist communities in America, yet it remains elusive to many general readers of Buddhism. This brief introduction summarizes the core teachings of this tradition and charts its growth throughout the world. Part of the Buddhist Foundations series, Pure Land covers the spiritual tenets behind the tradition before describing how prayer and devotion to Amitābha allow for rebirth in a realm free from suffering and ideal for progress on the path to enlightenment. It then outlines specific Pure Land practices, all the while providing historical context to account for its widespread popularity throughout East Asia. The author also covers contemporary Pure Land traditions, providing a useful touch point for modern readers. Pure Land practitioners and readers interested in Asian-American Buddhist communities now have a concise guide to the ideas, practices, and origins of this widely popular spiritual tradition.