Buddhism in Vietnam has a strong presence. Mahayana Buddhism and Theravada are the two types of Buddhist religious beliefs in Vietnam.

Mahayana Buddhism reached Vietnam’s Red River Delta region from China around second century AD and later spread throughout the country. It is the most prevalent religion in Vietnam, even found to be practiced amongst the minority Hao population.

Theravada Buddhism first spread from India around 300-600 AD to Vietnam’s Mekong Delta region. But unlike Mahayana Buddhism it popularity is concentrated to the south delta region only and is followed mostly by the ethnic Khmer minority.

Before the advent of Communism, Buddhism enjoyed autonomous power from the state.
Due to constant prosecution by the rising communist regime Buddhism, as a Vietnam religion witnessed a decline in its rituals and practices, and lost most of its pagodas.