My Master of Fine Arts research project focuses on installation and sculpture that embodies the themes of Buddhism and War. My artwork examines how the two themes interact and influence each other. Making art, for me, is an intensely personal process of rediscovering myself. The project is an attempt to create a visual conversation between my personal experiences, memories and imagination. In particular, I explore the collective memory of the people of Hue in relation to the immediate past, and the longer historical heritage of the city and the region. Chapter One provides a background to my personal experiences of growing up in Hue, Vietnam, during a time of war. This is a relevant starting point as these experiences have shaped my life and my art practice. This chapter begins with my childhood and charts my journey into art education. Visual art is the form and methodology by which I can best express my thoughts, dreams, and reflections. Through sculpture I can share my own vision and thoughts with people from different cultural backgrounds, ideally reaching beyond existing socio-cultural boundaries. It is a personal journey that has led me toward the path of re-discovering my inner world and awakening a forward-looking perspective. Chapter Two explores the influence Buddhist philosophy has on my art practice. This chapter also discusses the work of four contemporary artists who are primarily concerned with themes of Buddhism and war. Through this research I explore how the philosophy of Buddhism gave me a new perspective on how an artist can live completely in the present, while building a bridge between the past and the future through creative practice. Buddhism is a process of everyday transformation; in practice it is an attempt to forge new beginnings in every facet of daily life. Chapter Three discusses my earlier sculpture and installation artworks. I then examine how this led me to collaborate with other international contemporary artists who share a common aesthetic or theme. Chapter Four examines my current art practice and discuss how I see it shaping my future art practice.

Doctor of Philosophy(PhD) / This work provides an analysis of the two inter-related processes of Buddhist meditation, samatha and vipassanā. Despite their frequent appearance in the Buddhist canonical and commentarial texts, most scholars have not settled the exact role of samatha and vipassanā in the path of enlightenment. They continue to remain divided over the question as to how samatha and vipassanā are related. This research contributes to the eventual resolution of this question for the Buddhist presentation of the way to liberation. The determination will focus on the clarification of samatha, vipassanā, and their collaboration. The clarification of samatha begins with its etymological study as well as the detailed examination of the principle equivalent term, ‘samādhi.’ Its perspective of important set of concentrative attainments, namely, the jhānas will be investigated covering three major areas: the general characteristics of the term ‘jhāna,’ the specific characteristics of each jhāna state and the potentiality of subject of concentration for the jhāna attainments. This investigation of jhānas focuses on their relationship with vipassanā contemplation and Buddhist ultimate goal in reference to the mental quality rather than meditative exercise. The critical analysis of vipassanā is based on two inquiries: the development of vipassanā, and its advantage. The first inquiry is to explore the etymological characteristic of the term ‘vipassanā.’ And then the commencement of vipassanā will be discussed in relation to the complementary process which is samatha. The second inquiry is to examine how the process of vipassanā operates in order to overcome the mental defilements. The evaluation of the relation between samatha and vipassanā will be performed to understand the path of enlightenment. This section aims to clarify the issue of whether or not samatha needs to be strengthened during the process of vipassanā and how they work together in order to nullify all cankers.

Doctor of Philosophy(PhD) / This work provides an analysis of the two inter-related processes of Buddhist meditation, samatha and vipassanā. Despite their frequent appearance in the Buddhist canonical and commentarial texts, most scholars have not settled the exact role of samatha and vipassanā in the path of enlightenment. They continue to remain divided over the question as to how samatha and vipassanā are related. This research contributes to the eventual resolution of this question for the Buddhist presentation of the way to liberation. The determination will focus on the clarification of samatha, vipassanā, and their collaboration. The clarification of samatha begins with its etymological study as well as the detailed examination of the principle equivalent term, ‘samādhi.’ Its perspective of important set of concentrative attainments, namely, the jhānas will be investigated covering three major areas: the general characteristics of the term ‘jhāna,’ the specific characteristics of each jhāna state and the potentiality of subject of concentration for the jhāna attainments. This investigation of jhānas focuses on their relationship with vipassanā contemplation and Buddhist ultimate goal in reference to the mental quality rather than meditative exercise. The critical analysis of vipassanā is based on two inquiries: the development of vipassanā, and its advantage. The first inquiry is to explore the etymological characteristic of the term ‘vipassanā.’ And then the commencement of vipassanā will be discussed in relation to the complementary process which is samatha. The second inquiry is to examine how the process of vipassanā operates in order to overcome the mental defilements. The evaluation of the relation between samatha and vipassanā will be performed to understand the path of enlightenment. This section aims to clarify the issue of whether or not samatha needs to be strengthened during the process of vipassanā and how they work together in order to nullify all cankers.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington. / Bibliography: l. [220]-231.

Thesis (M.A.)--St. John's Seminary, 1986. / Paintings not included on microfiche. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 243-288).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--State University of New York at Binghamton, Comparative Literature Department, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. Phil.)--Hong Kong Baptist University, 2000. / Thesis submitted to the Dept. of Government and International Studies. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 109-120).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Toronto, 2004. / Adviser: George J. Dei.

Diss. Stockholm : Stockholms universitet, 2005.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 254-268) Also available in print.