Our history

The beginnings in Arcueil and Bagneux

Our history began in 1974 in Arcueil, when Venerable Thích Minh Tâm founded our first place of practice. The name Khánh Anh pays tribute to a Buddhist master who had passed away. In 1977, our community moved to 14 avenue Henri-Barbusse in Bagneux. On 19 February 1979, the laying of the foundation stone for the main hall marked a new stage.

Starting with a house and its garden, devotees gradually developed the pagoda. As Vietnamese refugees arrived in France, we offered a place to meet, help one another and support those rebuilding their lives. Other communities from Southeast Asia also joined us.

Building the great pagoda in Évry

As the premises in Bagneux became too small, initial studies for a larger complex began in 1992. The Évry project was intended to meet the needs of religious practice and provide training for young monastics. The foundation stone was laid on 18 June 1995. A prayer ceremony for the construction took place on 6 January 1996; work on the foundations reached another milestone on 30 June 1998.

Construction progressed through donations from devotees in France and abroad, supplemented by bank loans. Many volunteers also took part in the work. The Lotus committee supported the project. This collective effort enabled construction to continue despite funding difficulties.

In 2002, the large Buddha statue arrived from Thailand; its consecration was celebrated in 2006. On 12 August 2008, we welcomed the Dalai Lama, who blessed the site and gave a teaching on peace and non-violence.

Milestones in carrying the work forward

Most Venerable Thích Minh Tâm passed away on 8 August 2013, before his project was completed. Our community continued his work. On 16 August 2015, a Khánh Thành ceremony celebrated the completion of the pagoda and honoured the founder’s memory. The heads of the Évry and Bagneux pagodas were installed on this occasion. Work to bring the buildings into regulatory compliance was completed in 2016. In 2017, a further inauguration and Vesak celebration marked our community’s life.

A continuing history

The study retreats that began in Bagneux helped foster the development of European Buddhist seminars. This commitment continues, notably through the thirty-seventh seminar, held in Marseille from 21 to 30 July 2026.

On 11 December 2025, Évry-Courcouronnes municipal council decided to name a section of rue François Mauriac, near our pagoda, after Most Venerable Thích Minh Tâm. Announced to the community on 14 December, this tribute was marked by an inauguration on 7 February 2026. It places the memory of our founder within the city where his project took shape.

Our founder Most Venerable Thích Minh Tâm

An education begun in Vietnam

Most Venerable Thích Minh Tâm was born Lê Minh Tâm on 18 January 1940 in Bình Thuận province, Vietnam. He entered monastic life in 1949 at Bửu Tích Pagoda and received the Dharma name Nguyên Cảnh.

From 1953, he studied at the monastic school in Nha Trang, which became the Hải Đức Buddhist Institute. In 1956, he received the novice precepts from Most Venerable Thích Huyền Quang, along with the names Viên Dung and Minh Tâm. He continued his training at Quảng Hương Già Lam Monastery.

During the 1960s, he taught the Dharma and held responsibilities in Buddhist secondary education, notably in Tuy Hòa and Bình Định. In 1967, he received full monastic ordination and left for Japan. Until 1973, he pursued further studies in Buddhist philosophy at Risshō University in Tokyo.

Sharing the Dharma in France

In 1973, following the Paris Peace Accords, he came to France at the request of Most Venerable Thích Huyền Quang to work with Venerable Thích Nhất Hạnh. His settlement in France led to the founding of our pagoda the following year.

His work combined hospitality, the study of the Dharma and the training of monks, nuns and lay devotees. For him, building a pagoda meant giving future generations the means to receive and practise the Buddha’s teaching.

A commitment across Europe

He contributed to the founding and development of the Unified Vietnamese Buddhist Congregation in Europe. After five seminars held at Khánh Anh, he led the European seminar movement, twenty-five editions of which took place during his lifetime. He also participated in ordination ceremonies in Europe, North America and Australia.

He received the title Thượng Tọa (Senior Venerable) in 1983, followed by Hòa Thượng (Most Venerable) in Oslo in 1999. In 2011, he received an award in Colombo, Sri Lanka, for his contribution to spreading Buddhism in Europe and the Americas. His commitment also encompassed religious freedom and human rights.

A legacy passed on to his disciples

After the twenty-fifth European seminar in Turku, Finland, he was hospitalised and passed away on 8 August 2013. He belonged to the forty-fourth generation of the Lâm Tế lineage and the tenth generation of the Liễu Quán lineage.

We preserve his legacy of practice, study and service. His disciples, including Most Venerable Thích Quảng Đạo, continue this commitment with the community. Through teachings and everyday actions, we continue to keep alive what he passed on to us.

Our community in Bagneux and Évry

Our Khánh Anh Pagoda is a Vietnamese Buddhist place of worship rooted in the Mahāyāna tradition. In Bagneux and Évry-Courcouronnes, we gather to practise and share the Dharma, the Buddha’s teaching. We welcome devotees as well as those who wish to discover our tradition.

Founded by Most Venerable Thích Minh Tâm, our community continues his work with his disciples, monks, nuns and devotees. In Évry, Most Venerable Thích Quảng Đạo carries this spiritual commitment forward and guides the life of the pagoda.

Practising and passing on the teaching

Ceremonies, teachings and retreats shape our spiritual life. Sutra recitation, Pure Land practice, retreats observing the eight precepts, and prayers for peace and for the deceased hold an important place in our activities.

We aim to enable everyone to deepen their practice and pass on a living religious and cultural heritage to future generations. The Quảng Đức Buddhist Youth Association offers children and young people Vietnamese classes, an introduction to the Dharma, artistic activities and games. Our project also includes training monks and nuns.

Welcoming and sharing

Guided tours, vegetarian meals, European Heritage Days, the Téléthon and other events provide opportunities to meet. We also welcome other Buddhist traditions, including Tibetan traditions. Families can reflect and honour their deceased loved ones in a spirit of openness and respect for everyone’s beliefs.

Our activities depend on the commitment of the religious community and volunteers, who help welcome visitors, maintain the premises and organise activities. In both Bagneux and Évry-Courcouronnes, these contributions sustain the daily life of our places of worship.

Two complementary places

Bagneux is our original home and preserves the memory of our earliest years. In Évry, the ochre façades, curved roofs covered with glazed tiles, and towers draw inspiration from Vietnamese architecture. The large statue of Śākyamuni Buddha in meditation, made in Thailand and covered in gold leaf, stands at the heart of the prayer hall. Spaces for worship, meetings and teaching carry forward our pagoda’s mission of passing on the tradition.

To prepare for your visit, please consult our programme and directions. In the prayer hall, we invite you to remove your shoes, maintain a quiet atmosphere and respect the services taking place.

Most Venerable Thích Quảng Đạo

Continuing his teacher’s work

A disciple of Most Venerable Thích Minh Tâm, Most Venerable Thích Quảng Đạo plays a central role in the continuity of our pagoda. He continues his teacher’s work, ensuring that Khánh Anh remains a place of practice, teaching and welcome.

On 16 August 2015, during the major ceremonies held in Évry, he was formally installed as head of Khánh Anh Pagoda in Évry. During the same celebrations, Venerable Thích Nữ Diệu Trạm was installed as head of the Bagneux pagoda. This milestone affirmed the continuity of the two places founded by Most Venerable Thích Minh Tâm.

Being present for devotees

His commitment is expressed through welcoming visitors and providing spiritual support to devotees. He visits people who are ill or nearing the end of life, at home or in hospital. This care for those experiencing hardship gives tangible expression to the compassion taught by the Buddha.

Through his presence, the pagoda remains a meeting place for Vietnamese families living in France and abroad, while welcoming people from other backgrounds. Everyone can find a space for reflection and an opportunity to discover Buddhist teaching.

Keeping the transmission alive

Most Venerable Thích Quảng Đạo also helps sustain gatherings for study and practice across Europe. His involvement in organising seminars continues the work begun by his teacher to bring communities together around the Dharma.

Together with monks, nuns and devotees, he helps keep this heritage alive through ceremonies, teachings and gatherings. Our history thus continues through shared practice and care for those who come to the pagoda.