The Buddha's RELICS on display! (Sept. 5-7)

CC Liu, Teri Mei, Bhante, Dhr. Seven, Wisdom Quarterly; Master Yong Hua (MahaStupa.org)

The remains of the Buddha's body will be on display Sept. 5-7, 2015. See details below.

They are hard to believe in or understand, but all are invited to see for themselves (MS).

Kids love the energy emanating from Buddhist relics rarer than precious gems (MRT)

Cameras record miraculous viewing of sacred tooth and other relics (MahaStupa.org).

Visitors view relics on Lu Mountain, L.A., Aug 18, 2013 (Christina House/LATimes.com)

Close up of various relics multiplying under glass in full view of onlookers (MahaStupa.org)

Relics in glass, Lu Mountain, Aug. 2013 (Wisdom Quarterly: American Buddhist Journal)

Relics on cover of the Los Angeles Times

First of all, what is a "relic" (Sanskrit sharira, "subtle body emanation")? It is a part of the body, or more often the post-cremation remnant, of an enlightened person, literally a "saint" or arhat in Buddhism.

• Buddhist Śarīras or "relics"
  
• Buddhist relics of the world

Something about the body transforms at the moment of full enlightenment, arhatship. And the physical proof of this transubstantiation is evident in the ashes of the cremation pyre -- miraculous crystal like "beads" and bone fragments, colorful concretions, formations, inexplicable pieces of glass with the unique property of multiplying and disappearing and reappearing.

Prajna Paramita, the Buddha, and Quan Yin on Lu Mountain altar (Wisdom Quarterly)

 
Buddhist miracles and marvels today?

Special glass containers with various relics (WQ)

It is easy to imagine that when a revered teacher passes away, her or his students, wishing to "prove" their teacher was an enlightened meditation master, might toss in bags of sand or something. Then with great heat brought about by binding in prodigious amounts of wood, linen wrappings, and oil the glass might melt into beads.

That would be one hot fire to congeal sand into glass like an atomic blast. Yet, it would still not explain the marvelous powers of the remains. Everything burns up, but these colorful glassy formations grow, appear, multiply, disappear, teleport, and give coherence to meditation in their vicinity. People more easily enter states of profound concentration (stillness, one-pointedness, serenity, calm, joy, samadhi) when they meditate.

Ven. Abbot Yong Hua holds relics (MS)

The abbot, Master Yong Hua, is very generous and from time to time is drawn to give one or more away. Then those blessed persons experience miracles -- seeing the relics multiply (or disappear if they are not worthy of them for lack of virtue or sufficient respect).

September 7th 2015 Event

Massive collection of the Buddha's relics goes on display in Los Angeles on Sept. 7, 2015 at Lu Mountain Temple in California. The collection includes teeth, the Buddha's finger bone, hair, and thousands of colorful crystallized shariras formed when the Buddha's body was cremated.

The 10,000 Buddha Relics Collection is the largest collection of its kind in existence in the United States. To our knowledge it is the biggest in the world, with the possible exception of the collection gathered by Tibetan Buddhists and deposited in Kusinagar, India, at the future site of the world's largest Buddha statue (of Maitreya, the "Buddha-to-come," see maitreyarelictour.com). Two teeth and one finger bone of the Buddha will be on display and are among the most sacred relics of the Buddha and his immediate enlightened disciples in the world today.

• These showings are FREE and open to the public! 
• Saturday, Sept. 5 to Monday, Sept. 7, 10:00 am-7:00 pm
• Lu Mountain Temple, (626) 280-8801
• 7509 Mooney Dr., Rosemead, Los Angeles, CA 91770

Tibetan altar from the Maitreya Relic Tour building reliquary in India (MRT)

Growing tooth relic, gift of generous benefactor who acquired it in Thailand, also on display.

Meditation and puja hall where cases will be placed under guard for display (WQ)