The purpose of the present paper is to demonstrate that most objects found within Tibetan stupas and images are best understood in terms of the Indo-Tibetan concept of relics. In the category of relics are included not only physical remains and objects associated with holy persons, but also the Buddhist teachings in the form of books and dharanis. The latter type of relic is based on the sacred power of the Sutra texts and on views that locate the Buddha in his teaching rather than in his physical body. Dharanis encapsulate the teachings just as a single fragment of bone is seen to contain the entire Buddha. Another type of relic is the stupa which is considered to be a relic of the dharmakaya, parallel to the physical remains which are relics of the nirmanakaya. These notions correspond to developments in the theories about the multiple bodies of the Buddha and the dharmakaya in its abstract meanings. Even images came to be considered relics. Similar to physical relics, the scriptures, and stupa, images too are an answer to the problem of the presence of the parinirvanaed Buddha in the samsaric world. The category of relics of contact, that is to say, objects that came into contact with holy persons, was extended to include a variety of blessed substances and blessing bestowing receptacles, such as ma ni pills, images or tsha tshas. Holy places and objects have 'relics' as well, such as earth, water, stones and wood from holy places or fragments of decayed or destroyed holy objects. Among the types of written relics are name mantras which encapulate the essence not of the teachings, but of particular Buddhas and lamsa, and so are akin to physical relics. All thses types of relics are deposited in Tibetan stupas and images in a manner that demonstrates a hirerarchical scale of values.
目次
introduction 21 diachronical overview 22 theoretical categories of relics 24 parallel practices in other buddhist countries 26 actual tibetan practices 26 1. physical remains and relics which are like mustard seeds 27 2. relics of contact and association 28 3. books and dharanis 31 4. stupas and tsha tshas 32 the content of the pedestals 33 rituals accompanying the deposition of relics 34 conclusions 35 notes 36 bibliography 40
