The History and Symbolism of ??arīra

【摘要】 This paper examines the history and symbolism of ??arīra (Buddhist relics, 舍利) in Buddhism. It argues that Chinese historical records of ??arīra appeared much later than the introduction of Buddhism to China, while the emergence of the awe-inspiring whole-body ??arīra was later still. Clearly, this phenomenon arose during Buddhism’s adaptation to the Chinese context, a process that incorporated the traditional Chinese concept of physical immortality to forge a distinctive symbol transcending life and death.更多还原

【Abstract】 This paper examines the history and symbolism of ??arīra (Buddhist relics, 舍利) in Buddhism. It argues that Chinese historical records of ??arīra appeared much later than the introduction of Buddhism to China, while the emergence of the awe-inspiring whole-body ??arīra was later still. Clearly, this phenomenon arose during Buddhism’s adaptation to the Chinese context, a process that incorporated the traditional Chinese concept of physical immortality to forge a distinctive symbol transcending life and death.更多还原