SBS Night: Ven. Pomnyun and Guests Wrap Up Their India Journey, "This Trip Was Play for Me… I Had a Great Time"

Ven. Pomnyun and his guests have concluded their journey in India.

On the episode of SBS's "Ven. Pomnyun Road: The Monk and the Guests" (hereinafter "The Monk and the Guests") that aired on June 16, the guests were shown spending their final moments in India.

In the episode, Ven. Pomnyun suggested that everyone spend the last day of the trip traveling on their own.

Ven. Pomnyun explained his reasoning, saying, "When we travel together, people feel at ease and just follow along. I want you to have a time where you are the center of your own experience, just like a backpacker, going wherever you want to go. Wouldn't there be a mix of fear and novelty in that?" He expressed his hope that they would experience a sense of freedom in their daily lives in India.

Following this, Lee Sang-yoon and Lee Ki-taek visited Mother Teresa's Mother House, while Lee Joo-bin drew attention by visiting a yoga studio to practice physical and mental discipline.

Meanwhile, Woo-chan and Noh Hong-chul visited the University of Calcutta to meet Indian students. The inseparable duo, Woo-chan and Noh Hong-chul, interviewed students in front of the university.

They then headed to a restaurant recommended by an Indian student they met by chance. The two expressed their gratitude for the student who warmly welcomed them despite their lack of plans.

The student, Asif, who majors in nuclear physics because he likes science, was asked by Woo-chan and Noh Hong-chul about the caste system and whether it affects life at school.

Asif caught their attention by saying, "We don't judge each other by our caste. Everyone is equal. That is not an issue between friends."

In India, where names often reveal one's caste due to historical naming conventions, Asif remarked, "It was created in my grandfather's time. Now, many things have changed," speaking about the evolving nature of India.

When Noh Hong-chul asked Asif when he feels happy, Asif replied, "I think the very fact that I am alive is happiness. Ultimately, being alive is what matters." His words left a deep impression on the two.

Reflecting on the end of the trip, Noh Hong-chul said, "Before experiencing India, I had prejudices, but after experiencing it, I realized there is no place as wonderful as this." Woo-chan added, "It was a movie-like moment where all the coincidences overlapped to become a connection."

Ven. Pomnyun concluded, "The world is a collection of individual existences. All beings are interconnected," noting how the guests, who were strangers to one another, met and formed bonds. He summarized the India trip by saying, "This trip was play for me. I had a great time. I worked up a sweat and came back."

(Reported by Kim Hyo-jung | Produced by SBS Entertainment News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.