Categories of Existential Philosophy in HOA HAO Buddhism in Vietnam

Abstract

Hoa Hao Buddhism is an indigenous religion of Vietnam that emerged in the early 20th century. Existentialism is a school of European philosophy that originated in the late 19th century and reached its peak in the early 20th century. Although these two distinct theoretical systems arose in different regions, they share a common theme: the human condition and the quest for liberation from that condition. Both developed in similar contexts, where the human being was thrown into alien and objective circumstances, facing the tragedy of the era to which they belonged. As a result, humans are burdened with the responsibility of seeking meaning for their own existence.

            This paper focuses on analyzing the common categories employed by existential philosophy, as reflected in the teachings of Hoa Hao Buddhism, in order to uncover the similarities in their approaches to human existence. On a theoretical level, this further affirms the correctness of the Marxist-Leninist principle that "social existence determines social consciousness."