HH Dalai Lama            HH Mindroling    HHs Chetsang & Chungsang    HH Sakya Trizin      HH 17th Karmapa

History and Purposes

Viet Nalanda Foundation, Inc. was originally founded in January of 2006 as Viet Vajra Foundation, Inc. by a group of Vietnamese Tibetan Buddhists worldwide to promote networking among Vietnamese Tibetan Buddhist practitioners and friends.

The organization seeks to establish mutual understanding and cooperation between Vietnamese and Tibetan ordained members, scholars, translators, spiritual friends and lay practitioners, as well as to generate an appreciation for both Vietnamese and Tibetan histories and cultures in the context of Buddhism.

Audience with HH the 14th Dalai Lama

On October 16, 2007, core members and friends of Viet Vajra Foundation were granted a group audience with His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama in Washington, D.C.  Upon this most auspicious occasion, we humbly submitted to His Holiness a letter of request to seek for His Holiness's advice and instructions on the development of Tibetan Buddhism for Vietnamese Buddhists and practitioners worldwide.

His Holiness spoke in depth about the Buddhist teachings at the famed Nalanda University of the past, and how these teachings influence Tibetan Buddhism in general.  He also spoke about the need for Vietnamese ordained, practitioners and translators to be well-trained in the Tibetan language, and vice versa for the Tibetan to gain a working knowledge of the Vietnamese language. 

{Click here to read our report on the audience and HH Dalai Lama's advice. { New!

{Click here to view a video clip and listen to the recording of the audience.

Change of Name to Viet Nalanda Foundation

His Holiness also suggested to us that the name Viet Vajra can mistakenly be taken to be associated with an non-Buddhist Indian tradition and thus, gave us the blessing to change the name of our organization to Viet Nalanda Foundation.

Following our meeting with His Holiness, we legally submitted for the name change as of November 2007.  However, the name Viet Vajra Foundation still remains as a secondary name of the organization.

Viet Lotsawa Institute, Viet Tibet House and Viet Nalanda Initiatives

As we progress on the path, we are aspired to  develop three fully self-sustained units, namely, Viet Lotsawa Institute, Viet Tibet House and Viet Nalanda Initiatives which will function under the general guidelines, policies, legal and financial governance of  Viet Nalanda Foundation, Inc.

Viet Lotsawa Institute  will  focus on  the religious and language development, and translation projects, while Viet Tibet House  on the arts, cultural, social and historical-anthropological development. Viet Nalanda Initiatives, on the other hand, will focus on educational and training projects.

Global Peace and Four Immeasurables

Under all circumstances, we seek to promote global peace and follow the practice of the Four Immeasurables, of loving-kindness, compassion, rejoice and equanimity, in accordance with the teachings of the Lord Buddha Shakyamuni in the management and operation of the organization, and implementation of its programs and activities.

Projects and Activities

In the short term, we will be focusing on  networking and publishing Vajrayana Dharma texts and teachings in the Vietnamese language as a community service - for free distribution.

In the long term, we are aspired to sponsor projects such as (1)  language training programs for Vietnamese-speaking translators to learn the Tibetan language and for  Tibetan-speaking lamas to learn the Vietnamese language, (2) collaborative workshops for Vietnamese and Tibetan scholars and translators, as well as (3) social-cultural and charitable projects to bridge the gaps between the two communities.

Following our audience with His Holiness in 2007, we officially launched the Zangpo Project in support of programs for Vietnamese ordained, translators and lay practitioners to become trained in the Tibetan language and basic Buddhist philosophy in India or Nepal. 

{Click here to read Ngawang Tsultrim Zangpo's letter to HH the Dalai Lama. { New!

{Click here to view a brochure of the Zangpo Project and download a pledge form.

{Donation to the Zangpo Project can also made on line via PayPal. Click here to donate.
 

Non-Sectarian

Viet Nalanda Foundation promotes the "non-sectarian" spirit, as well as equal respect and appreciation for  the great masters and teachings of Buddhism and its Three Vehicles, especially of the Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions and all four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism, namely, Nyingma, Sakya, Kagyu and Gelug. 

Viet Nalanda Foundation at all times shall maintain affiliations with, and have representatives in the Board of Directors, Board of Advisors and Outreach Council from all four major schools, including sub-schools, of Tibetan Buddhism of which purpose is to transmit the precious  teachings of Mahayana and Vajrayana under the auspice of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

What we think is most unique and most inspiring  is that although  members of our group all follow different traditions, have different root teachers, maintain different practices according to our respective lineages, yet we joyfully chose to remain open, committed and supportive of one another, and appreciative and respectfully of one another's teachers, traditions and aspirations. As we embark on  this quest of spirituality, it is very much in the spirit of the non-sectarian tradition that we and a large sector of the Vietnamese Vajrayana practitioners are embracing.

Viet Nalanda Foundation, Inc., based in Maryland, USA,  is a tax-exempt non-profit organization founded exclusively for charitable, educational and religious purposes. It was incorporated on January 9, 2006 in the State of Maryland. 

{ Click here to view our By-Laws. 

{ Our English page is currently under construction and has only partial information.
       We hope you will come back to visit us  in the future when our English sections
       are fully complete.

{ At all times, we happily welcome participation of, and support from our non-Vietnamese
      Dharma friends and members of the community-at-large. If you have questions or
      concerns, please do not hesitate to email us at vietnalanda@ymail.com or call us at
      240-238-1903.

{ If you wish to support our causes, donation can be made on line via PayPal.
       Please click here to donate to our general fund  and programs, and click here donate
       to our  printing projects. With heartfelt gratidude, may all your aspirations come true
       to benefit all beings!