The recent event marking the first time relics of the Buddha - regarded as national treasures of India - were brought to various locations in Vietnam drew widespread public attention. However, few people are aware that Vietnam also possesses Buddha relics of great historical and spiritual significance.

Dr. Nguyen Van Anh, a lecturer in the Department of Archaeology at the Faculty of History, and Acting Director of the Museum of History and Culture at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, shared fascinating insights with VietNamNet about these rare artifacts.

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Dr. Nguyen Van Anh (second from right) and colleagues. Photo provided by the character

What exactly are Buddha relics?

“Buddha relics,” or sarira, originally refer to the cremated remains of Shakyamuni Buddha, also known as “Buddha bones.” Later, the term expanded to include the remains of eminent monks.

According to the Golden Light Sutra, relics are created through rigorous spiritual practice and are considered a supreme field of merit. In this sense, relics are not just sacred objects, but tangible manifestations of spiritual enlightenment and moral purity.

Some Buddhist texts distinguish between two forms: physical relics (cremated remains) and Dharma relics (Buddha’s teachings and precepts). The Duc Phat Cong Duc Sutra classifies relics similarly, and the Dharma Garden Sutra further subdivides them into bone relics (white), hair relics (black), and flesh relics (red).

Today, relics are generally understood to be small, smooth, hardened remains found among the ashes after cremation, typically from highly accomplished monks.

There’s also an important distinction between relics of Buddha Shakyamuni, Vietnam’s Buddhist King, and other revered monks. Shakyamuni Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, lived in India and his relics were distributed across Asia, including Vietnam.

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Worshipping Buddha relics is believed to be spiritually transformative. Photo provided by the character

Spiritual and cultural significance

Worshipping Buddha relics is considered a way to "encounter the Buddha and hear his teachings," a profound opportunity for spiritual connection and awakening.

For Buddhists, enlightenment is the ultimate goal - dispelling ignorance and cultivating wisdom and virtue. Relic worship allows believers to connect with the Buddha’s essence, and the sites where relics are housed are revered as sacred destinations for pilgrimage.

Although recently highlighted, the existence of Buddha relics in Vietnam is not a new discovery. “To clarify, I was not the one who discovered these relics,” said Dr. Nguyen Van Anh, “but evidence confirms that at least two locations in Vietnam once housed Buddha relics - Tien Du (Bac Ninh) and Nam Dan (Nghe An).”

In Thuong Thanh, Bac Ninh, a stone casket was discovered in 2004 during brickwork excavations. Inscriptions revealed it was used to enshrine Buddha relics brought by Emperor Wen of Sui in 601 CE, to be placed in a stupa on Mount Tien Du in Giao Chau (now Bac Ninh province). Although the relics were no longer inside, the inscriptions provided irrefutable proof of their historical presence.

Researchers believe the relics were originally enshrined on Mount Tien Du and later relocated to the area around Dau Pagoda in modern-day Bac Ninh.

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Mount Hoa Yen in Yen Tu (Quang Ninh) is a sacred pilgrimage site. Photo provided by source

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Few people know that Vietnam also holds Buddha relics, considered national treasures. Photo: Provided by the character

In Nam Dan, Nghe An, relics were found during excavations at Nhan Tower in 1986. The stone casket contained several spherical objects believed to be Buddha relics, also likely brought to Vietnam during the Sui dynasty. This relic casket was officially recognized as a National Treasure of Vietnam in 2017 and is currently preserved at the Nghe An Museum.

Many may wonder why a Chinese emperor had the authority to enshrine Buddha relics in Vietnam. Historical records show that from 601 to 604 CE, Emperor Wen of Sui distributed relics and constructed stupas in over 100 administrative regions under his rule, including areas now in northern and north-central Vietnam.

During the first ten centuries CE, northern Vietnam was under Chinese rule. Though the Ly Phat Tu regime had achieved a degree of autonomy, it was still officially under Sui control when the relics were enshrined.

Vietnam regained full independence in 938 CE after Ngo Quyen defeated the Southern Han at the Battle of Bach Dang River, ending nearly a millennium of Chinese domination.

Therefore, the presence of Buddha relics in Vietnam - enshrined during Chinese rule - offers a rare glimpse into a sacred intersection of history, religion, and national identity.

Binh Minh