·By Radio Free Asia·5 min read
Radio Free Asia: Buddhist Pilgrimage by Unrecognized "Monk" Goes Viral in Vietnam
Minh Tuệ đã trở thành nhân vật viral tại Việt Nam nhờ thực hành lối sống khổ hạnh không được nhà nước công nhận, thu hút sự chú ý đến vấn đề tự do tôn giáo.
In May 2024, Radio Free Asia reported on Minh Tuệ — a man not recognized by Vietnam's state-sanctioned Buddhist organization who nonetheless became a symbol for millions of Vietnamese Buddhists.
He does not formally claim monastic status but practices what the scriptures teach with the utmost sincerity: owning only three garments, collecting alms house to house, and living minimally in natural environments. This contrast with state-backed monks drew massive attention.
Buddhist scholar Thanh Do explained his appeal: "The core of Buddhism for a clergy person consists of precepts, determination, and wisdom." Followers described him as "an authentic monk" precisely because he sought neither donations nor recognition.
State-backed institutions responded negatively. A government religious agency issued warnings about Tue, claiming he disrupts social order, while one official publicly called him "a thug who wears ragged attire" — a statement that itself provoked widespread public backlash.
RFAtự do tôn giáoviral2024
