Lord Buddha’s sarira now open for public veneration in Vietnam

On May 2 morning, a military plan carrying the sarira of the Buddha recognised as a national treasure of India lands at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, Ho Chi Minh City.

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Following a solemn handover ceremony, the sarira is respectfully escorted to the Vietnam Buddhist Academy II in Ho Chi Minh City, where the United Nations Day of Vesak 2025 will take place in the coming days.

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From there, the relic is ceremonially transferred to Thanh Tam Pagoda in Binh Chanh district, Ho Chi Minh City, where it will be officially enshrined for monks, nuns, devotees, and the public to pay homage from May 3 to 8.

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A close-up of the Buddha’s relic, India’s national treasure, currently housed at Thanh Tam Pagoda.

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Prior to the arrival, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha has fully prepared specialized equipment for the respectful escort of the Buddha’s relic.

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The Buddha’s relic is a national treasure of India and is usually enshrined at the National Museum of India in New Delhi. According to India’s diplomatic regulations, every time the relic is taken abroad, it is considered a national-level event, equivalent to a state visit by a head of state.

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Earlier, on May 1, at the National Museum of India, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, in coordination with the International Buddhist Confederation and the Vietnamese Embassy in India, organise a ceremony to receive and escort the Buddha’s relic to Vietnam.

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The ceremony is attended by Vietnamese Ambassador to India Nguyen Thanh Hai, and a 25-member delegation of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha.

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The event also welcomes over 120 Vietnamese monastic students currently studying in India, representatives of the Indian government, the International Buddhist Confederation, and a large number of international Buddhist devotees.

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Bringing the Buddha’s relic to Vietnam carries three major meanings. It affirms the deep friendship between Vietnam and India; it serves as a sacred spiritual and cultural gift from the Indian government for the Vesak 2025 celebration; and it elevates Vietnam’s status as a spiritual and cultural bridge for the global Buddhist community.

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The United Nations Day of Vesak 2025 will be jointly organised by the International Council for the Day of Vesak (ICDV) and the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha from May 6 to 8 at the Vietnam Buddhist Academy II in Ho Chi Minh City. Delegates from 85 countries and territories are expected to attend the event.