in

Gemstones supposedly buried with Buddha are to be offered at public sale – it’s a symptom of Buddhism’s ongoing commercialisation

Source link : https://bq3anews.com/gemstones-supposedly-buried-with-buddha-are-to-be-offered-at-public-sale-its-a-symptom-of-buddhisms-ongoing-commercialisation/

Virtually 2,000 years in the past in modern day Uttar Pradesh, India, somebody deposited a cache of gemstones inside of a reliquary (a container for holy relics), together with some bone fragments and ash. The gemstones have been valuable, however the bones and ash much more so, for in line with an inscription at the reliquary, they belonged to Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha.

The Piprahwa gemstones have been positioned together with the Buddha’s physically relics (śarīra) as an providing inside of a stūpa (A Buddhist funerary construction that comprises relics and acts as a spot of pilgrimage). Such an providing isn’t just intended to generate “merit” (puṇya) and optimistically a just right rebirth for the devotee, however could also be an act of devotion and gratitude to the Buddha.

In 1898, a British land proprietor, William Claxton Peppé, ordered the excavation of that very same stūpa on his land in colonial India and came upon the reliquary. The physically relics have been despatched to the Buddhist king of Thailand, lots of the gemstones went to the previous Imperial Museum in Calcutta and Peppé used to be authorized to stay the remaining.

This latter portion used to be because of be submit for public sale at Sotheby’s Hong Kong this month, simply days earlier than the Buddhist holy day of Vesak – and it has generated controversy. No longer most effective has the sale been described as perpetuating colonial violence, however the Indian govt…

—-

Author : bq3anews

Publish date : 2025-05-09 23:48:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

—-

12345678

UAE Women’s Team Achieves Historic ODI Status!

Surprising Golden Globes Snubs: Lady Gaga and Ryan Reynolds Miss Out on 2025 Nominations