Vietnamese Buddhism has a long history of more than 2000 years. Its origin dates back to the 3rd century B.C., when numerous Buddhist missions were sent abroad by Emperor Asoka to disseminate Lord Buddha’s Teachings in such distant countries beyond the borders of India as those in Africa, West and Central Asia as well as South East Asia including Malaysia, Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and North Vietnam, which was known then as Giao Chau ( modern Bac Ninh province ).

Vietnamese Buddhism can be roughly divided into 4 periods: