TEACHINGS BY VEN. THICH CHUC THANH

What is Buddhism?

Here are several of Ven. Thich Chuc Thanh’s comments regarding the nature of a Buddhism:

In January 2016 while teaching in Virginia Beach, Thay Thanh said “Buddhism is education.  Learn how to be happy, to respect others, to not categorize others, to do good things.”  Later in 2016 when visiting North Carolina, he said “Buddhism is the freedom to adapt.”  In 2017 he told a service in Virginia Beach that “Buddhism is education.  Put away the religion part.  It is okay to make mistakes.  You don’t have to be perfect.”

Buddhism is typically defined as one of the world’s “major religions.”  Is it a religion?  Or is it something else?

(Venerable Thich Chuc Thanh is the Dharma Master at Dong Hung Temple. These quotations were collected from 2015 through 2018 as he taught in Virginia Beach, VA and Southern Shores, NC.  The quotation titles and commentary are by Mark Palamara.)