The Vietnamese Buddhist Family (also known as Gia Đình Phật Tử Việt Nam (GĐPTVN)) is a lay Buddhist youth organisation that seeks to imbue its members with Buddhist ethics. It has been in existence for over 70 years in Vietnam and in Overseas Vietnamese communities since the Fall of Saigon, and are usually associated with Buddhist temples.
Objectives of the GĐPTVN
The objectives of the Vietnamese Buddhist Youth Association are:
1. Training youths to be true Buddhists (Constructing the individual).
2. Training youths to be productive citizens who will make positive contributions to society (Constructing the society).
The Five Morals that a Buddhist needs to practice daily:
1. Diligence: always progress toward the goals of the Vietnamese Buddhist Youth Association and Buddhism.
2. Forgiveness: always be happy, forgiving, and joyful; trying to bring happiness to all beings and know when to sacrifice for others.
3. Purity: Always be pure in body, speech, thought, and action. Always lead a simple and modest life.
4. Wisdom: Always have a broad knowledge and an accurate understanding of all subjects.
5. Compassion: Always brings happiness in order to reduce miseries for all beings. Know how to use only kind words and gracious gestures to bring peace and happiness to all beings. Know how to conduct charity to help all beings.
Three Virtues every GDPT Youth members and leaders are advised to follow:
Compassion: (Từ Bi) means sympathetic concern for the suffering of another being. A Buddhist living by the principle of compassion will be affected by the sufferings of others, including all living animals. A Buddhist will not perform actions that cause the suffering but bring happiness to all beings.
Wisdom: (Trí Tuệ) means understanding that which is true and right. Ignorance will not be accepted by a Buddhist. Everything must be clearly understood. Also, a Buddhist need to help others cultivate their wisdom so they too can learn to understand what is true and right and skillful.
Bravery: (Dũng Mạnh) means courage and diligence. Do not be fearful or cowardly.
The motto of the organization is Compassion-Wisdom-Bravery "Bi-Trí-Dũng".
The Practices Required by GĐPT Youth members:
1. Have respect, be polite, kind and happy towards others.
2. Learn to tolerate, love, be honest and always ready to help each other.
3. Learn to be studious and happily fulfill any task given.
4. Learn to read, write and speak Vietnamese to enhance the member's communication ability with the member's family and preserve the Vietnamese culture.
5. Fulfill a responsibility to protect and maintain the association's properties.