Buddha residue auction
International News:On the night of May 1, when most of the people in the world were busy in everyday life, a news shook the heart of a quiet Buddhist community. An organization " Ancient Bones and Sacred Objects" are going to be auctioned the sculpture of Mahatma Buddha on 7 May in Hong Kong. The auction is an injury to the sensations of not only India, but also Sri Lanka, Thailand, Japan and other Buddhist countries.
It is not just the remains, but the shadow of thoughts, principles and compassion, which have been giving direction to humanity for thousands of years.
The remains discovered by British explorer William Claxton in Piparahwa Stupa in Uttar Pradesh in 1898 are considered to be one of the most sacred signs of Buddhist history. Caskets, pieces of bones, gemstones and sandstone sculptures - all these things are silent stories of a heritage, which is now being weighed in dollars.
These items were engraved in a Brahmi script on a particular object: "Casket offered by Shakya Sangh in memory of Mahatma Buddha" - and now, this is the casket on the auction table.
The Government of India did not take it lightly. The Ministry of Culture has sent a legal notice to the Sotheby's auction institute at Hong Kong demanding immediate stopping the sacred auction. This is a step that states - "Buddha's peace is not our weakness, our consciousness."
India, citing international cultural property protection laws, has demanded that these remains be handed over to India immediately, as these are invaluable capital of faith coming out of Indian soil.
Buddhist religious leaders, monks union, international sangathanas and common citizens - all have described this auction as religious disrespect. A senior Nepal monk said, "Buddha is not a brand that should be auctioned." Sri Lankan union heads called it "the culmination of cultural tradingism".
Buddhist followers in India have demanded the government through social media and dharna to take up the matter in the United Nations and have a permanent global treaty that would completely stop such auctions.
Around 1800 historical items - including gold, sapphire, crystal and expensive gems - their estimated auction amount is estimated to be more than ₹ 100 crore. But do this value includes tears, which come down in the eyes of a Buddhist follower, when his Guru's bones are sold on a foreign stage?
Copyright © 2025 Top Indian News
