India: Between the Sacred and the Mortal

There is an India resplendent with gold in its Hindu temples, an India tranquil in its Buddhist holy sites, but there is also an India of the working class. It is a land where the boundary between the sacred and the profane is as thin as a silk sari.

Watching the sunrise over the Ganges River in Varinasi, the "spiritual capital." Along one side of the river are temples and shrines, interspersed with cremation pyres. The ashes of human remains are scattered into the Ganges to reach a peaceful realm. (Photo: TGCC)

Those impressions kept recurring in my mind after my pilgrimage to the land of Buddha. If there is any place where the sound of temple bells, the recitation of Vedas and Buddhist scriptures, and the sound of prayers blend into one, it can only be India. Indians don't just "believe" in spirituality; they "breathe" with spirituality. For them, the divine isn't high above, distant and unattainable, but present in every cup of masala tea each morning, in every nod, and in every breath of the day.

Journey to the Land of Buddha

We call our journey to the Four Holy Sites of Buddhism (four locations marking the most sacred milestones in the life of the Buddha) a journey of knowledge. The group included many professors and scholars who had lived and studied in India for many years, but they all shared the common feeling that each visit to India was a time of spiritual purification.

Amidst the chaos of traffic throughout India and the dust of Bihar (an Indian state), stepping into the sacred sites is like entering a world of serenity and peace. Beneath the towering Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya, listening to the murmuring chants in countless languages ​​from thousands of Buddhist monks and nuns from all over the world, one experiences a strange connection to the distant past, to the compassionate wisdom of the Buddha, and a profound understanding of the limitations of human life. This is followed by Lumbini (now in Nepal), where he was born, the Deer Park where the Wheel of Dharma began to turn, and the absolute tranquility of Kushinagar where he passed away.

Dhamekh Tower

A giant monument marks the spot where the Buddha turned the Wheel of Dharma in Sarnath, built by King Ashoka in the 3rd century BC. (Photo: TGCC)

Traveling through these four lands, I realized that Buddhism in India is not about gilded statues, but about lessons of mindfulness present in every ancient brick ruin. And there is also the bloody pain left behind on thousands of Buddha statues, due to the brutal destruction of Buddhism throughout history.

The mystery of the land of the Ganges River

Far removed from the opulent spaces of Hindu temples and the extravagant wealth of the super-rich, visitors can encounter a stark reality of wealth inequality between the super-rich and the rest of the population everywhere in this country of over 1.4 billion people. This gap is widening in India, with the richest 1% now holding over 40% of the country's total wealth, while the poorest 50% possess only 3%. A February 2025 report by venture capital firm Blume Ventures indicates that approximately one billion Indians lack sufficient funds beyond basic necessities. Nevertheless, thanks to various government economic stimulus measures, the Indian economy has reached $4.18 trillion, rising to become the world's fourth-largest economy by the end of 2025, with prospects of surpassing it to third place within the next two to three years.

Professor Abhay Kumar Singh, Head of the Department of Historical Studies at Nalanda University, presents certificates and gifts to speakers at the “Indian-Vietnamese Buddhist Heritage Workshop: Retrospectives and Prospects”, Nalanda University, October 2025. (Photo: TGCC)

India taught me to accept paradoxes, but also taught me to live a life of freedom with compassion and kindness, constantly hoping for a future where humanity lives in peace . In an insecure world, this is truly a healing gift that the Indians have given to the world.

Furthermore, a little-known fact is that, despite being the birthplace of Buddhism, India today has only about 8-10 million Buddhist followers. For nearly ten centuries, Buddhism declined to the point of almost disappearing in India, only reviving in the late 19th century with large-scale archaeological excavations around Buddhist relics; followed by the Dalit movement (1956), initiated by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, considered the father of the Indian Constitution and the leader of the Dalits, who were considered the lowest caste in the caste system. In the historic conversion ceremony on October 14, 1956, in Nagpur, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar led approximately 500,000 people to join Buddhism. He chose Buddhism because it is an egalitarian religion, without caste distinctions, helping the poor and suffering to regain their dignity and freedom.

Surprisingly, the scarcity here doesn't bring despair. The Indians captivated us with their ever-present gentle smiles and an extraordinary calmness, a tranquil way of life as if everything would just happen naturally. It is this intense spiritual life that acts as a "shield," helping people navigate the harsh realities of modern industrial society. This is also the allure of India, drawing tourists from all over the world to immerse themselves in the spirit of the Ganges civilization, to experience, once in a lifetime, a sacred and divine life amidst the human world.

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Leaving India, I will forever remember the sunrises over the Ganges River in Varanasi, watching the tranquil river flow downstream, where one encounters human remains cremated and scattered into the mother river. It was at that moment that I deeply felt the lesson of balance between existence and non-existence: spiritual richness and material scarcity, what is today may be tomorrow, between temporary life and eternal death. I wondered: Does true happiness lie in the wealth we possess, or in inner peace? Concluding my journey, what I brought back was not just memories of India, both rich and modern yet backward, but a more tolerant and appreciative perspective on life. Perhaps this is a gift that Indian civilization has given to the world?

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/an-do-giua-linh-thieng-va-bui-tran-355001.html