The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-04-30
RELICS OF BUDDHA.
Remarkable Find On the Nepaul
Frontier of India,

| The King of Siam is sending an en-
voy to India to receive the relics OF
Buddha discovered some time ago on
the Nepaul frontier, which were Of
fered to his majesty by the Indian Gov
eminent. The King, who gratefully
| accepted the offer, has agreed to dis
tribute portions of the relics among tbs
Buddhists of Burmah and Ceylon from
| Bangkok.
| 1t will probably be remembered that
| in January, 1898, a well-preserved stupa
was opened at the village of Pipra-
Hwa, on the Nepam frontier in the Bas-
| II district of the northwest provinces
This village was in the Birdpur grant
large property owned by William c.
/ Peppe and his brother. Inside the
building was found a large stone cot
| fer, crystal and steatite vases, bone and
ash relics. fragments Of lime, plaster
and wooden vessels. AMI a large guam
! THY of jewels and ornaments placed
! in two vases in honor of the relics. A
careful list was at once made of all
articles, and Mr.. Peppe generously Of
fered to place them at the disposal of
| the Government.
| The special interest of the discovery
| hes in the fact that the relics in hon
or of which the stupa was erected ap-
pear to be those of Guatama Ruddha
Sakya NUM- himself, and may be the
actual share of the relics taken by the
Sakyas of Kapilavastir at the time of
the cremation of Gautama Buddha. The
inscription on one of the urns proves
that the builders of the stupa be-
| lieved the relics to be those of Gau-
tama Buddha himself. It runs: "Tnis
relic receptacle of the blessed Sakya
Buddha is dedicated by the renowned
brethren with their sisters and their
sons wives The characters of the
record, Professor Buhrer points out. do
not mark medal long vowels, and APP
pear to be older than those of the
Asoka inscription.
The relics, being a matter of such
| intense interest to the Buddhist world.
were offered by the Indian Government
to the King of Siam, who is the only
existing Buddhist monarch, with a pro-
viso that he would not object to offe,
a portion of the relics to the Buddahists
of Burmah and Ceylon, and it was sug-
| gested that his majesty should send a
deputation to receive the sacred relics
with due ceremonial
| dupHGnClCatGQ
a direct inscription have before been
| found in modern times, so the relics
are as rare as they are unique. and by
all Buddhists will be regarded as most
sacred and holy objects of devotion
Their presentation to the King of Siam
the recognized head of the religion. is
! therefore, highly proper The accesso-
ries which were discovered will. it is
understood be distributed among the
Imperial Museum at Calcutta. the
Lucknow Provincial Museum, and. per-
haps, the British Museum. Mr.. Peppe
retaining a reasonable number of dupli-
Gates for his own use The stone Golfer
above referred to is over four feet in
length and two feet in hight. 1t is
made out of solid block of sandstone
and weighs about sixteen hundred
weight 1t is understood that the ac-
acknowledgements of the Government
have been conveyed to Mr. Peppe for
his public spirited action in the matter
= Calcutta correspondence London
/ Standard.