Vinitaruchi translated a few sutras, one of them being Tong-tri. According to his philosophy, the mind sign was a symbol of the transmission from master to pupil, when the pupil gains truth under the master’s initiation. The Vo Ngon Thong school considered “Perfection of Wisdom” (Prajnaparamita) literature as the basis that advocated sudden enlightenment, mind ground, and non-attachment to realization. After that, one realizes that all things have neither a separate reality of their own, nor a non-separate reality. His school preached repeating the name of the Buddha through mind and speech to extirpate one’s evil karma.

Thao Duong was given the title of national teacher and charged with teaching Thien practices and Buddhist philosophy in the royal palace. He preached rhythmic chanting of the Buddha’s name and intensive koan practice. In this way the mind is at all times aimed at realizing one goal—inner realization of the Pure Land, eliminating self-clinging and allowing one to attain nirvana. Thus, meditation and recitation went together. Kings from the 11th–13th centuries supported the propagation of Thien Buddhism in its development from a national to a nationalist religion. The apogee of this movement was the founding of the Truc Lam Thien school by King Tran Nhan Tong.

The theory of knowledge developed by Vinitaruchi is based on his own experiences. Mindfulness practice prepares the body and brain for enlightenment, both for the monks and lay Buddhists. The Buddha is popularly venerated as Shakyamuni (Sage of the Shakyas).