 When he returned, he participated in anti-French activities, calling for the independence of Vietnam as part of the Hội Phật Giáo Cứu Quốc, and was arrested by the colonial authorities in 1946.He was released in 1947 and continued his anti-colonial activities for a period before returning to purely religious activities.In 1963, Vesak (the birthday of Gautama Buddha) fell on 8 May.