Beijing, Sep 24 (IANS): More than 100 Buddhist monks arrived at China's oldest Buddhist temple to present a precious sarira gifted by Thailand, authorities said.
The sarira, a bead-shaped object said to be collected from the ashes of the Buddha, will be placed in a Thai-style garden at the 1,946-year-old Baima temple in Luyong of Henan Province, Xinhua reported Wednesday.
According to a member of the Thai entourage, the relic was discovered by a British archaeologist on the border of India and Nepal between 1896 and 1898 and was said to be belong to Gautama Buddha. India gave it to King Rama V of Thailand in 1898.
A grand ceremony to welcome the sarira will be launched Friday, when the gift shall be shown to visitors.
The Baima temple, also known as the White Horse temple, was the first Buddhist temple in China and is considered by believers to be the cradle of Chinese Buddhism.