Śarīra
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Śarīra | |||||
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Tibetan རིང་བསྲེལ། | | ||||
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Vietnamese name | |||||
Vietnamese | Xá lợi | ||||
Korean name | |||||
Hangul | 사리 | ||||
Hanja | 舍利 | ||||
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Japanese name | |||||
Kanji | 仏舎利 | ||||
Hiragana | ぶっしゃり | ||||
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Śarīra is a generic term referring to Buddhist
Terminology
Śarīraḥ (pronounced /ɕɐɽiːɽɐh/) means "body" in Sanskrit. When used in
Śarīra can refer to:
- Dharmakāya śarīra, which are sutras as told by the Buddha. According to Ding Fubao's Dictionary of Buddhist Terms, a Dharma body śarīra is "the Sutra as told by the Buddha: That which is unchanging in what is told by the Buddha, is of the same property as the essence of the Buddha himself, hence it is called the 'dharma body śarīra'".
- Remains of the Buddha or other spiritual masters, either cremated remains or other pieces, including a finger bone or a preserved body, similar to the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox incorruptibles.
- Broken-body śarīras refers specifically to cremated remains.
- When used without qualification, it generally refers to the pearl-like remnant of a master left after cremation.
Pearl-like śarīras
Although the term śarīra can be used to refer to a wide variety of Buddhist relics, as listed above, it is generally used to refer to pearl or crystal-like bead-shaped objects that are purportedly found among the cremated ashes of Buddhist spiritual masters.
These objects are considered relics of significant importance in many sects of
Sariras are typically displayed in a glass bowl inside small gold urns or stupas as well as enshrined inside the master's statue. Śarīras are also believed to mysteriously multiply while inside their containers if they have been stored under favorable conditions. Saffron threads are sometimes placed within or around the bowl containing individual śarīra as an offering.
In the Korean Samguk yusa it is said that the monk Myojong received a śarīra from a turtle which caused others to treat the monk better.[3]
The occurrence of śarīra is not restricted to ancient times, and many Buddhists have shown that śarīra are not limited to humans or masters. Many texts of Pure Land Buddhism report śarīras of many adherents, some occurring recently. Some Buddhists associate a student's spiritual life with the amount and condition of the śarīra they leave after cremation. Many Pure Land Buddhists believe Amitābha's power manifests cremated remains into śarīra. Many claim that pearls of śarīra rain at the funerals of eminent monks. There are reports that śarīra may appear, multiply or disappear, depending on a keeper's thoughts. One's vow may also be important. One legend holds that the translator Kumārajīva wanted to demonstrate that his translations were not false; as a result his tongue remained intact after cremation.[citation needed]
Scientific analysis
There is evidence that under certain conditions of heating, human bones can form crystalline structures.[4] In one chemical analysis, śarīras were found to be composed of the constituent elements of both bones and stones.[5]
Documentary films
Pearl relics are documented in the 2008 film, Unmistaken Child, among the cremation ashes of Geshe Lama Konchog.
In Javanese language
Javanese has a strong historical bond with the Hindu tradition and Sanskrit liturgical language. Śarīra is also used in Archaic (Kawi) Javanese, preserving its original meaning of 'body' or 'human body'. The word also finds its way into the modern Javanese language as "slira" with the same meaning. "Sliramu" (strictly translated as 'your body') and "sliraku" (strictly translated as 'my body') are usually used in poems or songs to replace "you" and "I", respectively. The word is not common but is used in both oral and written contexts.
See also
References
- ^ *"Maha-parinibbana Sutta,"
- JSTOR 3270352.
- ISBN 1-59654-348-5
- PMID 7665130.
- ^ "A Brief Introduction of Forshang World Foundation". Forshang.org. Retrieved 2012-12-12.
External links
- Sariras: Ringsels and Mummies (side by side comparison between ringsels and gallstones) Archived 2009-08-31 at the Wayback Machine
- Relics of Buddha
- Sacred Buddhist Relics
- Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly, Episode no. 711
- MIT News: Buddhist relics
- WNET New York
- Maitreya Relic Tour
- Sarira collection
- Buddhist relics collection