Sacred Buddha Relic from India in Vietnam for UN Vesak Day

Spread love

Buddha Relic from India in Vietnam for UN Vesak Day 2025 Celebration

By TRH News Desk

NEW DELHI, May 2, 2025 — A sacred relic of the Buddha, excavated from Nagarjunakonda in Andhra Pradesh and dated to before 246 C.E., arrived in Vietnam on Friday for a three-week exposition tied to the United Nations Day of Vesak, a global celebration of the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and passing.

The event underscores the deepening cultural and spiritual ties between India and Vietnam. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the BIMSTC Summit in Thailand had announced that the relic of Buddha will be brought to Vietnam and other Buddhist nations.

The relic, housed at the Mulagandha Kuti Vihara in Sarnath and managed by the Mahabodhi Society, was transported to Ho Chi Minh City aboard an Indian Air Force aircraft. A delegation led by Kiren Rijiju, India’s minister of parliamentary affairs and minority affairs, and Kandula Durgesh, Andhra Pradesh’s minister for tourism and culture, was welcomed by Vietnamese officials and Buddhist leaders.

After a ceremony at the Vietnam Buddhist University, the relic was carried in a procession to Thanh Tam Pagoda in Binh Chanh district, where it will be displayed for public veneration from May 3 to 8, coinciding with the UN Vesak Day celebrations from May 6 to 8.

The relic will then travel to Ba Den Mountain in Tay Ninh province, Quan Su Monastery in Hanoi, and Tam Chuc Monastery in Ha Nam province through May 21.

“This is a journey of peace, compassion, and harmony,” Rijiju said on X, expressing gratitude for leading the delegation. The event, organized by India’s Ministry of Culture and the International Buddhist Confederation, includes exhibitions of Jataka tales, Buddhist sculptures, and artifacts to highlight the shared heritage of Indian and Vietnamese Buddhism.

The UN Vesak Day, recognized by the United Nations since 1999, will draw 1,200 delegates from 85 countries to Ho Chi Minh City. Themed “Unity and Inclusivity for Human Dignity,” the event features academic conferences and cultural displays, including the veneration of the heart relic of Bodhisattva Thich Quang Duc, a Vietnamese monk revered for his self-sacrifice in 1963.

Vietnam, hosting its fourth UN Vesak celebration, sees the event as a platform for cultural diplomacy, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of its national reunification. “This is an opportunity to showcase Vietnam’s peace-loving culture,” said Thich Duc Thien, vice president of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha.

For many Vietnamese Buddhists, the relic’s arrival is a rare chance to connect with their faith. “Not all Buddhists can visit holy sites in India,” said Nhat Khang, a follower in Ho Chi Minh City. “This is an immensely fortunate occasion.”

Modi during his recent visit to Colombo had also announced that the Buddha relic discovered in Gujarat will be brought to Sri Lanka for the people to pay their respects.

The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) on a regular basis arranges people from the Buddhist nations to visit sites related to Buddha in India. India also offers scholarship to students in the East Asian nations to pursue studies in Buddhism.

Follow The Raisina Hills on WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn