By relics I mean the physical anomalies left behind after cremation. Likely among various other places such objects can be found today on the altars and shrines of various Buddhist monasteries and temples as I have seen close up for myself.
I don’t advocate associating these objects with any kind of worship or superstition nor leading to any trace of division amongst beings whatsoever. Could and/or would it be skillful and wise to look deeper than faith strengtheners?
Upon browsing a little for resources on this topic, I wonder if this book would be of any help: Relics of the Buddha (Buddhisms: A Princeton University Press Series, 7). Probably not.
Then after conversing with a few folks about this including a novice monk I’ve decided to release some of these curiosities as questions. While I would gladly accept, I make no claims to the following ideas nor request any recognition:
- Could / would it make sense to allow something like a documentary film crew (approved by the monastic community who would also approve of any public release) — or just a sangha member filming (initially) for internal use — to film a prominent monastic cremation along with any anomalous “unexplained” substances in the ashes?
- Where there any unusual physical / bodily phenomena or features reported while still alive? (This question would be to investigate any possible precursors to any post cremated (anomalous) relics / substances)
- Could / would it make sense to afterwards submit (some of the) unknown substances to a lab for spectrum analysis and DNA testing; perhaps doing so initially without any agenda, just to have the data?
- [Later the monastic community could decide what to do or not do with the data. Some possibilities include releasing the raw data — with or without any purposes — to very specialized researchers / projects and even releasing data to the general public.]
- Or perhaps provide the data to any interested Ajahns writing about this as a topic on its own, or more likely as minor supports for other written works.
- Spectrum analysis and DNA testing like this could also be done with existing relics / substances. It may also be possible to do such testing in various ways like via a lay supporters and maybe even without being required to explain what’s being tested, of course without any deception or falsehoods, in order to minimize biases via the “blind” and/or “double blind” methodology
This is a very niche thing these days with likely little interest, especially within Buddhism. What’s the importance or lack of importance here? What about any challenges, potential issues and benefits?
(Perhaps somewhat) related:
- RELICS OF THE BUDDHA: https://factsanddetails.com/world/cat55/sub355/entry-5666.html
- Lek Lai: https://integratingpresence.com/2020/11/15/lek-lai/
Integrating Presence 
2 thoughts on “How To Investigate Relics?”