IOverview
Outside Vietnam, Hoa Hao Buddhism lives in Vietnamese communities in the United States, Canada and Australia. Followers call their meeting places halls, and they keep the faith's simple form of worship.
The group is made up of the halls and committees of Vietnamese followers abroad. The largest are in the United States, among them the Southern California Hoa Hao Buddhist Hall. These communities run hoahao.org, which publishes the Hoa Hao Buddhism book series, scriptures, community news and historical material.
Their teaching and worship are those of the whole faith. They are not active inside Vietnam and are not part of the Hoa Hao Buddhist Church recognized there.
IIHistory
According to English Wikipedia, after 1975 many Hoa Hao followers went to Cambodia or migrated to the United States. The overseas communities grew out of that wave of Vietnamese resettlement.
In Santa Ana, California, the Hoa-Hao Buddhism Association was registered as a nonprofit on 26 November 1980 at 2114 W McFadden Ave, according to California business records. Santa Ana lies in Little Saigon, the largest Vietnamese community in the United States.
- 1975Leaving VietnamMany followers go to Cambodia or the United States, according to English Wikipedia.
- 1980Registered in CaliforniaThe Hoa-Hao Buddhism Association in Santa Ana is registered on 26 November.
- 202586th founding anniversaryhoahao.org reports anniversary ceremonies abroad.
IIITeachings and Distinctive Features
Overseas communities keep the teaching of Learning Buddhism and Cultivating Humanity, repay the Four Debts, read the Oracles and Teachings and keep the Eight Prohibitions. Homes still have the brown-cloth altar, and where there is a yard, a Thông Thiên sky altar.
The most visible marker is the PGHH emblem. As described on hoahao.org, it is a circle with a brown field and a gold border, bearing a white lotus and the letters PGHH. No source gives the number of petals or the exact placement of the letters. The emblem appears on publications and at community ceremonies.
The faith uses no statues or pictures in worship. Portraits of the founder are not used as symbols on this page.
IVPractice, Ritual and Daily Life
Followers practise at home and pray morning and evening. The hall is where fellow believers meet, hear readings and hold the major ceremonies. According to the news and overseas activities sections of hoahao.org, communities keep:
- The Founding Day on the 18th of the fifth lunar month, its 86th anniversary in 2025.
- The founder's birthday on the 25th of the eleventh lunar month.
- The Vu Lan festival of filial gratitude in the seventh month.
Abroad, not every home can raise a sky altar in the yard. The faith allows those far away to face west and pray, so practice remains complete.
VOrganization and Distribution
Communities are organized locally, each with its own hall or committee. hoahao.org acts as the shared information hub and carries a supplement on the history of Hoa Hao boards. The library has not found a reliable source listing all the halls, their founding years or membership.
The largest community is in the United States, especially Southern California. There are also communities in Canada and Australia, according to the library's symbol file.
VIToday
Overseas communities still hold the festivals every year and report them on hoahao.org. Their main task is passing on the faith's worship and scriptures to a generation born abroad. The Hoa Hao Buddhism book series on hoahao.org is one of the library's references for doctrine and worship.
The library does not rank overseas communities above or below any group in Vietnam. All Hoa Hao groups share the same teaching and worship.
VIISymbol of the Branch
PGHH emblem
VIIIOther Branches of Hòa Hảo Buddhism
Hoa Hao Buddhist ChurchGiáo hội Phật giáo Hòa Hảo, Ban Trị sự Trung ươngThe officially recognized organization since 1999, headquartered at An Hoa Pagoda in An Giang.
Unaffiliated Hoa Hao lay followersBecause practice is home-based, many families keep the faith at their own altars without joining any organization.
Pure Hoa Hao BuddhismGiáo hội Trung ương Phật giáo Hòa Hảo Thuần TúyA separately organized group outside the recognized church and not registered with the state.Uses the common symbol of the pathOverseas Hoa Hao communitiesPhật Giáo Hòa Hảo hải ngoạiTemples and committees of Vietnamese followers abroad, largest in the United States, such as the Southern California Hoa Hao hall.IXSources
The library cross-checks the sources below. Where they disagree, the page gives both.
?Quick Questions
Is Hoa Hao Buddhism practised outside Vietnam?
Yes. Communities in the United States, Canada and Australia formed after 1975, the largest in Southern California.
When was the Hoa Hao association in California founded?
The Hoa-Hao Buddhism Association in Santa Ana was registered as a California nonprofit on 26 November 1980.
What does the PGHH emblem look like?
According to hoahao.org, it is a circle with a brown field and gold border, bearing a white lotus and the letters PGHH.