The Vu Lan Festival opened on August 11 with thousands of Buddhists flocking to the Kim Son-Lac Hong Pagoda in the northern province of Hoa Binh to honour their parents and ancestors.

More than 500 Buddhist monks, nuns and followers registered for blood donation while 150 people put their names on the list of organ donors at a festival in Hanoi on August 4.

As Vietnam and Indian developed ties in the third century, Buddhist monks played a major role in cementing the relationship.

The second time hosting the United Nations Day of Vesak, the Vietnam Buddhist Shangha is expected to welcome 10,000 people, including 1,500 delegates from 100 countries around the world.

Nearly 150 Buddhist antiques, including paintings, statues, woodblock, worshiping items and musical instruments dating back to the 7th-8th centuries are displayed at an exhibition in Da Nang Museum.

 Many practical activities have been held in many localities across the country to mark the 2,577th birthday of Lord Buddha which falls on the 15th day of the fourth lunar month.

With approximately 300 artifacts related to Buddhism through the Ly - Tran - Le – Nguyen dynasties, the exhibition of Buddhism cultural heritage open on May 17 at Xa Loi Temple in HCM City.

A Buddha statue was "stoned" on the Internet for its “lust” shape. However, according to researchers, the statue not only violates the “lust” rules, but also is invaluable if it is indeed an ancient statue of Vietnam.