A ceremony at the Southern California headquarters of Fo Guang Shan, scheduled for 21 March, will enshrine the ashes of Venerable Master Hsing Yun, nearly two years after his death at age 95.
Master Hsing Yun, who died on 5 February 2023, had instructed disciples not to search for relics in his ashes. Following his cremation, however, followers reportedly found several pearly relics but left them within the ashes in accordance with his wishes. The ashes containing the relics are to be enshrined during the upcoming ceremony.
The event has drawn renewed attention to the role of relics in Buddhist devotion, including at the nearby Wei Mountain Temple, which annually displays what it calls the “10,000 Buddha Relics” during lunar new year observances.
According to the temple’s founder, Master Yong Hua, the number of relics far exceeds the title. The collection includes tooth and finger bone relics that devotees believe belonged to Shakyamuni Buddha, as well as numerous shariras—objects resembling pearls or crystals that have emerged from the cremated ashes of Buddhist masters and the Buddha himself.
Practitioner Katherine Nguyen, visiting the temple during the holiday display, stood with hands folded before the altar. “To be able to see the Buddha, to get close to him and feel the energy—it’s very special for a Buddhist,” she said. (Los Angeles Times)
Master Yong Hua said the relics were donated to the temple about 14 years ago by a collector and are intended to inspire faith. He expressed no doubt about their authenticity. “I have seen them multiply with my own eyes,” he said. “They move on their own, they levitate. . . . I’ve seen people get cured of various ailments just by being in their presence.” (Los Angeles Times)
Relic veneration has played a role in Buddhist history since the earliest centuries after the Buddha’s death. Pali texts dating to about the second century BCE describe the distribution of his remains after cremation. Later commentaries depict relics as glittering jewels—some as small as mustard seeds, others resembling gems or golden nuggets.
Professor emeritus of religion at Bates College, John Strong, author of Relics of the Buddha (Princeton University Press 2004), said relics serve as tangible links to a figure who is otherwise “essentially absent” because he attained liberation from the cycle of rebirth. (Los Angeles Times) Theories about how relics are formed vary, Strong noted, but their devotional function remains central across Buddhist traditions.
Relics are found across the Buddhist world, including India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, Taiwan, Japan, and Singapore. In temple and monastic settings, authenticity is rarely questioned, and leaders often avoid scientific testing for fear that it could diminish the relics’ spiritual meaning.
At the Rosemead temple, some relics appear larger than typical human teeth or bones. Master Yong Hua said this was because they had “grown” over time. He also described the tooth relic as producing “baby shariras,” which he said had multiplied and filled several containers. (Los Angeles Times)
Claims of multiplication are not unique to Rosemead. Believers often explain the large number of relics worldwide by stating that they can appear, grow, or multiply. At the same time, reports of counterfeit relics—including fabricated tooth and bone fragments, and acrylic shariras—have circulated in Asian markets and online platforms, sometimes accompanied by falsified certificates.
In Singapore, the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum houses a tooth relic enshrined in a gold stupa weighing 320 kilograms. In 2007, dental experts suggested that the three-inch tooth’s dimensions were inconsistent with a human tooth and likely belonged to a cow or buffalo. The temple’s abbot, Venerable Shi Fazhao, said at the time that he had never questioned its authenticity, adding, “If you believe it’s real, it’s real.” (Los Angeles Times)
Accounts of relics emerging during cremation continue in contemporary Buddhist communities. Geshe Tenzin Zopa, a Tibetan monk and educator, described witnessing relics after the 2001 cremation of his teacher, Geshe Lama Konchog, who had been recognized by the Dalai Lama as a realized yogi. Zopa said pearl-like objects emerged from the crematorium “like popcorn.” (Los Angeles Times) After the site was sealed for three days, disciples reportedly found hundreds of relics, along with the guru’s intact heart, tongue, and eyes. Many are now enshrined in a memorial stupa at Kopan Monastery.
“We believe that the relics are left behind due to the kindness of these holy gurus for the sake of us sentient beings to collect merit and purify ourselves,” Zopa said, adding that producing such relics required “very strong and extensive prayers” and pure morality over many lifetimes. (Los Angeles Times)
Yet leaders within Fo Guang Shan emphasize that relics should not overshadow daily ethical practice. Venerable Hui Ze said Master Hsing Yun consistently taught followers to prioritize Humanistic Buddhism.
“Our venerable master emphasized Humanistic Buddhism—how we can bring the Buddha’s teachings into our daily lives with good thoughts, words and actions,” Ven. Hui Ze said. “He instructed us that relics should not distract us from the path to liberation.” (Los Angeles Times)
As the 21 March enshrinement approaches, the ceremony places relics once again at the center of public attention in Southern California. For some Buddhists, relics embody sacred presence and blessing; for others, they remain secondary to the Buddha’s teachings on mindfulness, compassion, and liberation.
In the United States, where Buddhism continues to develop through immigrant communities and converts alike, the differing approaches reflect both ancient traditions and evolving interpretations of faith.
See more
Teeth, bones and blessings: At Rosemead Buddhist temple, relics inspire belief (Los Angeles Times)
Buddhist Relics (HJ News)
25 ‘Buddhist human pearls’ left behind after cremation of late Chinese Buddhist monk Hsing Yun (Dimsum Daily)
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