Was Zubeen Garg a Buddhist?

Zubeen Garg often described himself as an atheist, and at times as a Buddhist. He sang across religious traditions with ease—rendering Hindu Vaishnavite devotional songs, performing Muslim zikirs with equal depth, and lending his voice to Christian gospels—a testament to the fact that he inhabited multiple traditions.

While it is difficult to determine—without access to all his remarks—the exact nature of his self-identification as a Buddhist, it is clear from his statements and actions that Zubeen, to a large extent, practiced a form of lived Buddhism: an adaptation of Buddhist ideas without strict doctrinal fidelity.

This becomes especially clear in his final interview with Rita Chowdhury, conducted less than a week before his sudden passing in Singapore on 19 September 2025. Asked whether he believed in a soul or core, Zubeen replied bluntly: “There is no such thing as a soul, only the body. (Soul is what you call it when you die.)” He went on, “There is the heart and the brain. The world runs on those two things. This soul and all of that is just rubbish. I am a Buddhist, and Buddha says that.” When asked which governed him, he answered simply: “My brain.” On the subject of feelings, he explained: “That’s emotion. It’s in you. It’s been there since childhood. From my childhood, it has always been there. You love someone, you want to stay with someone…”

One is reminded of the ancient Buddhist text Milindapañha, where the monk Nāgasena tells King Milinda that a person is not a fixed essence but a collection of parts, much like a chariot assembled from wheels, axles, and poles. Life, he explains, is not driven by an eternal soul but by causes and effects—a chain of body and mind shaped by karma. Zubeen’s reflections, though free of doctrinal language, echo this perspective: he defined himself through the brain, the heart, and emotions rather than any permanent core.

Zubeen once stated, “Krishna [a Hindu deity] was a human, not God,” recalling the Buddha, who identified himself as a human being rather than a deity. In Buddhism, the Buddha is revered as a historical figure who achieved awakening through human effort; his example matters precisely because liberation is achievable for all. Through this lens, Zubeen reframed Krishna not as a divine incarnation but as a human exemplar whose cultural and moral influence shaped communities.

Zubeen’s interpretation aligns with Buddhist canonical texts. The Majjhima Nikāya notes that even devas, the so-called gods, are impermanent and subject to decay like humans. Viewed in this light, Krishna, like the Buddha, is a ‘human’ conditioned by causes and effects rather than a timeless God.

A Brahmin by birth, Zubeen famously discarded his sacred thread (logun) and consistently rejected caste. The Aggañña Sutta of the Pāli Buddhist canon frames caste as a social construct, emerging from collective labour rather than divine ordination, and emphasizes that one’s worth and social standing should depend on deeds rather than birth.

Zubeen also embodied Buddhist ethics in tangible ways. Practicing dāna (generosity), a key Buddhist practice, he quietly supported thousands of families, paying for children’s education and medical expenses. Each evening, people gathered outside hwatchis Guwahati studio seeking help—and he responded without hesitation. He also spoke consistently about environmental conservation and animal welfare. Through these actions, Zubeen exemplified a Buddhism that was lived, practical, and socially responsible.

In the end, Zubeen Garg’s philosophy cannot be confined to labels. He sang across religions, claimed atheism while invoking the Buddha, rejected caste while embracing community, and fused reflection with action. His worldview was not about doctrinal purity but about lived practice—rooted in compassion, social justice, and the dignity of human life.

Also Read: The Infinite Afterlife of Zubeen Garg