Relics of the Buddha

The book begins with an Introduction, “Relics of the Buddha,” which frames relics as central to Buddhist material culture and argues that they should be read as extensions of the Buddha’s biography rather than as mere remains or symbols. Chapter One, “Relics of Previous Buddhas,” examines relic traditions associated with earlier Buddhas, their stūpas, soteriological meaning, and the spread of the tradition. Chapter Two, “Relics of the Bodhisattva,” studies relics connected with the Bodhisattva’s past lives and final birth, including Jātaka stūpas, Sumedha’s hair, bones, embryonic relic imagery, and signs of future Buddhahood. Chapter Three, “Relics of the Still-Living Buddha: Hairs and Footprints,” analyzes hair, nail, and footprint relics, including traditions of Trapusa and Bhallika, the Shwe Dagon Pagoda, Sri Lankan narratives, and Adam’s Peak. Chapter Four, “The Parinirvāṇa of the Buddha,” discusses the Buddha’s corpse, funeral, cremation, relic dispute, distribution, and stūpa construction. Chapter Five, “Aśoka and the Buddha Relics,” presents Aśoka’s collection and redistribution of relics, the 84,000 stūpas, relic security, compassion, and relic festivals. Chapter Six, “Predestined Relics,” focuses on Sri Lankan traditions, including the Bodhi tree, collarbone relic, Rāmagāma relics, Mahāthūpa, and relic chamber narratives. Chapter Seven, “Further Extensions of the Buddha’s Life Story: Some Tooth Relic Traditions,” studies tooth relics in Kashmir, Sri Lanka, China, and their relation to kingship, ritual, and personal piety. Chapter Eight, “Relics and Eschatology,” examines the Buddha’s bowl, robe, Mahākāśyapa, the decline of the Dharma, and the parinirvāṇa of the relics. The Conclusions synthesize the book’s major themes: relics and biography, buddhology, the spread of Buddhism, darśan, post-liminal presence, polity, legitimation, performative objects, and continuity within discontinuity.