Author(s): Dr. Le Hong Linh

Abstract: The present paper examines the position of English language teaching in Vietnamese Buddhist colleges and compares this situation to that found in Buddhist universities around Asia and the West. In a time of globalisation, English has become the lingua franca in academia and elsewhere not only for academic exchange and research but also for transnational Buddhist dialog. While the Vietnamese Buddhist academies have experienced significant institutional expansion, this has not yet necessarily translated into monastic students with robust English language skills necessary for meaningful connections in global academic networks. Building on applied linguistics theories, such as EMI/CLIL (English Medium Instruction / Content and Language Integrated Learning), combined with sociocultural frameworks, our study proposes that the knowledge gap seen in language use is not the result of cultural unfitness or intellectual inability but systemic and pedagogical incongruities. In the context of Vietnamese Buddhist learning, English is seen more as an adjunct than a critical tool for thought and doctrinal reflection. It also goes into psychological factors including foreign language anxiety, shyness, and lack of confidence, as substantiated by some recent Vietnamese studies. In comparing Buddhist universities in Singapore, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Australia, and the United States, it is concluded that institutions which manage to integrate English as a core academic medium effectively produce more globally engaged monastic scholars. The paper closes with a call for reform that would enable English to become an upaya type skillful means of contemporary Dharma transmission. This shift requires an institutional policy adjustment, integrated pedagogical methods, and emotional support for the learners.

Keywords: English Language Education, ELT, Vietnam Buddhist University

Article Info: Received:28 Dec 2025; Received in revised form: 24 Jan 2026; Accepted: 27 Jan 2026; Available online: 31 Jan 2026

DOI: 10.22161/ijels.111.23