EXCEPTIONAL  ACHIEVEMENT : For the first time ever The Tripitaka -The Three Baskets of Buddhist Texts- has been completely translated from classic Chinese into Vietnamese and published by the World Linh Son Buddhist Congregation.

Buddhism came to Vietnam about 2000 years ago. During the most glorious  500 years of the nation’s history, from the 11th to the  16th century, the great kings of the Lý, Trần and Lê, dynasties, often accomplished Zen masters themselves, left quite outstanding literary and religious works.

However, one had to wait till the beginning of the 21st century to see for the first time ever the first edition of the Three Baskets of the Buddhist Texts in Vietnamese, entirely performed by the World Linh Son Buddhist Congregation.

This monumental masterwork comprises three «Baskets » : One for the Sutras or recordings of  Buddha Sakya Muni’s teachings, one for the Rules and the third for the commentaries. The first two baskets compile the Buddha’s teachings during his 45 years of preaching whereas the third basket contains the selection of the exegesis and comments by the greatest Indian and Chinese masters and scholars on the Sutras and the Rules. The translating Commission, under the supreme supervision by the most venerable Thich Tịnh Hạnh took great care when rendering the texts from classic Chinese into Vietnamese.

The translating process followed several successive stages : translation, authentication of the exact meaning of the text, elaboration of the text, refining the style, rẹ-editing the text and finally reviewing the whole. The Most Venerable Thích Tịnh Hạnh took charge of the overall review of the translating team’s work.
This exceptional work comprises 200 volumes of 1000 pages each, format 24cm x 17cm  totalling 200.000 pages !

From 1994 till 2004, The Most Venerable Thich Tinh Hanh supervised the entire mission : from mobilising the finances to operate a  full time translating team of 150 erudite religious masters and lay scholars to editing, publishing and distributing this encyclopedic masterwork. 

It is noteworthy, for comparison, to point out that China needed the aid of Emperor Tang and 2000 years to complete the translation of  this work from Sanskrit (Buddha’s language) into Chinese and that in other Buddhist lands it has been the state budget which takes charge of the finances of this long and arduous undertaking.

The Most Venerable Thích Tịnh Hạnh financed the donation of 250 of this  Tripitaka to Vietnam’s Buddhist schools and institutes at all levels and to most public libraries and cultural institutions throughout the country. He also plans to donate 2 such works to France’s Grande Bibliothèque François Mitterrand, Paris and to the Bibliothèque d’Indochine in order to encourage its consultations by  Vietnamese speaking users.