Exposition of sacred relics of Buddha at Sarnath to be held in Vietnam

     New Delhi, Apr 29 (PTI) An exposition of the Holy Relics of Lord Buddha enshrined at a vihara in Uttar Pradesh's Sarnath will be held in Vietnam during the gala celebrations of the United Nations Day of Vesak in May, the culture ministry said on Tuesday.
     Before that, the Holy Relics will be ceremonially brought to Delhi on Wednesday and placed in a "special protected enclosure" at the National Museum for prayers, it said in a statement.
     On May 1, the Holy Relics will be transported from the National Museum with great reverence and escorted by senior monks with full religious sanctity and protocol to Ho Chi Minh City by a special Indian Air Force aircraft, it said.
     The sacred relics will be ceremoniously enshrined, venerated, and worshipped at several important sites in Vietnam.
     These include the Hanh Tam Monastery in Ho Chi Minh city from May 2–8,(coinciding with the UN Day of Vesak 2025); the Ba Den Mountain in Tay Ninh province from May 9–13, (Southern Vietnam's national spiritual pilgrimage site); the Quan Su Monastery in Hanoi from May 14–18, (headquarters of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha), and finally the Tam Chuc Monastery in Ha Nam province from May 18–21 (the largest Buddhist centre in Southeast Asia), the statement said.
    "A high-level delegation from the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) led by Secretary General Ven. Shartse Khensur Rinpoche Jangchup Choeden, including members of the Governing Council, are attending the Holy Exposition ceremonies and the Vesak celebrations in Vietnam," it said.
     From the government side, the delegation will be led by Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju, the ministry said.
     The Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), New Delhi will be holding for the "first time" an exposition of the sacred relics of the Buddha enshrined at Sarnath, in Vietnam during the gala celebrations of the United Nations (UN) Day of Vesak 2025, the statement said.
     The relics will be ceremonially brought to Delhi on April 30 from Mulagandha Kuti Vihara (monastery) in Sarnath, it said.
     The vihara is enshrined with the sacred relics of Sakyamuni Buddha. It was built by Angarika Dharmapala, who was the founder of Mahabodhi Society, and is still maintained and run by the Mahabodhi Society, the ministry said.
     At the National Museum, it will be placed for prayers, chanting and meditation by the followers of Dhamma, including eminent members of the community and the diplomatic representatives from the Buddhist countries on Wednesday evening.
     These relics of the Buddha, enshrined in Mulagandha Kuti Vihara, were excavated in Nagarjuna Konda, a prominent site in Andhra Pradesh.
     "It holds historical significance as a major centre of Mahayana Buddhism and is associated with the monk, philosopher Nagarjuna of second century CE. These were worshipped and venerated for ages since the Mahaparinirvana of the Buddha," the statement said.
     A H Longhurst, the then superintendent of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), conducted full scale excavation from 1927-31; and most of the monuments at the site were constructed in 3rd-4th century CE; as remains of more than 30 Buddhist establishments were found. Inscriptions date the oldest great Stupa around 246 CE but archaeologists say the Stupa could be older, it said.
    "After the excavations, they were presented to the Mahabodhi Society of India on December 27, 1932, by Rai Bahadur Dayaram Sahni, Director General of ASI, on behalf of the Viceroy of India before a distinguished gathering of Buddhists," the statement said.
     Every year on the foundation day of the Mulagandha Kuti Vihara which is celebrated in the month of November, thousands of people from different parts of the world come to Sarnath.
     The important upcoming exposition coincides with the UN Day of Vesak 2025 as it is being celebrated in Vietnam, an opportunity for not only the citizens of Vietnam to seek blessings of the Holy Relics but also for the international delegates from over 100 countries and regions who would be participating in the Vesak Day celebrations, the ministry said.
     Every year, since the passing of the resolution by the United Nations General Assembly on December 15, 1999, the thrice-sacred day of Vesak (celebrating the birth, enlightenment, and passing away of Gautama Buddha) has been celebrated internationally, it said.
     The International Day of Vesak was celebrated at the United Nations Headquarters in New York for the first time in 2000. This had inspired annual celebrations of the UN Day of Vesak (UNDV) by international Buddhist communities.
     The main theme for the UNDV 2025 Celebrations and Academic Conference will be 'Buddhist Approach to Unity and Inclusivity for Human Dignity: Buddhist Insights for World Peace and Sustainable Development', at Vietnam Buddhist University, Ho Chi Minh City, Sunworld Buddhist Cultural Centre, Tay Ninh Province, the statement said.
     On the occasion, the IBC will also be hosting three exhibitions on the dissemination of Buddha Dhamma and its cultural practices from India to Vietnam. These include an electronic display of Jataka tales; the sculptures depicting different forms of the Buddha; and a comparative study of Buddhist artefacts from India and Vietnam.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)