Mối quan hệ giữa niềm tin tôn giáo và hoạt động kinh tế của tín đồ Phật giáo Hòa Hảo

Abstract

This study focuses on the phenomenon of Vietnamese Australians
returning to Vietnam, particularly Ho Chi Minh City, to practice Buddhism after years
of living abroad. Over the past decade, a considerable number of individuals who
have acquired Australian citizenship and reached retirement age (55–60 years old)
have chosen to repatriate to their homeland in search of a spiritual life. While they do
not take full monastic vows, they primarily maintain the role of lay Buddhists, with a
profound attachment to Buddhist teachings reflected in their daily practices. The
research was conducted through qualitative interviews with these individuals, aiming
to explore their motivations, the spiritual values they pursue, and the ways they apply
Buddhist teachings to create meaning and peace in later life. The findings reveal that
Buddhism plays a vital role as a source of spiritual support, fostering connected
communities while offering a sense of fulfillment and serenity to returnees. This
phenomenon clearly reflects the transnational dynamics of religion within the
Vietnamese diaspora and contributes to enriching the contemporary landscape of
Buddhism in Vietnam and simultaneously opens new directions for further research on
lay Buddhist groups in the context of globalization.