Buddha relics exhibit coming to a close
Viewing of 10,000-piece collection ends Sunday at Wei Mountain Temple
Your chance to be in the presence of the biggest Buddha relics collection in the U.S. ends Sunday.
The 10,000 Buddha Relics Collection is on view from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day through Sunday at Wei Mountain Temple, 7732 Emerson Place, Rosemead. Admission is free. For more information, go to MahaStupa.org or call 626-280-8801.
“It's an invaluable collection,” said Vickie Sprout, a Buddhist practitioner. “The thing to remember is that these relics are not dead. They're part of the Buddha.”
The relics, displayed in cases around the main temple, are the crystallized or hardened remains of an enlightened being, Sprout said. More than 90% of the collection are relics of the historical Buddha, a wealthy prince who renounced his privileged life to attain nirvana, or enlightenment.
That young Prince Siddhartha became Buddha Shakyamuni. After he entered nirvana, his body was cremated and crystalized “shariras,” or relics, were found in his remains. Like Christian relics, these reflect the Buddha's wisdom and virtue. These relics, from a tooth to bones and brilliant, colored, gemlike pieces, are displayed together with those of his royal family and disciples.
“This is a testament of our faith,” Sprout said. “We're not here to convince anybody. We want others to benefit from the energy of the relics. If people feel peace when they're here, that's the best. We want them to know they're welcome.”
“This is a testament of
our faith. We're not here to convince
anybody. We want others to benefit from the energy of the relics. If people feel peace when
they're here, that's the best. We want them to know they're
welcome.”
— Vickie Sprout, Buddhist practitioner
The collection includes relics from Venerable Thich Quang Duc, the Buddhist monk who set himself on fire at a Saigon intersection in 1963. He was protesting the persecution of Buddhists by the South Vietnamese government. Most of the items come from Asian countries such as Thailand, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Vietnam.
The collection has gone on exhibit twice a year since 2013, after a grateful donor gave the core group of relics to Master YongHua. Master YongHua is the founder of Bodhi Light International, a nonprofit that teaches Mahayana Buddhism through assemblies, programs and retreats.
Special times to meditate with the relics are held each day from 9 to 10 a.m. and 7 to 8 p.m. Meditation instruction is available upon request and translations
are available in Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Spanish.
Visitors came to the exhibit opening Saturday, the start of the Lunar New Year, to experience the blessings of the Buddha for the Year of the Dragon. Other guests include healers, psychics and practitioners of Qi Gong healing arts. They come to honor the relics but are also open to being changed or healed by them, Sprout said. Everyone can benefit from being in the relics’ presence, she said.
Venerable XianWen has served as a nun at the temple for five years. She said she hopes visitors come away from the temple with peace and bliss. The meditations and ceremonies of Buddhism are pillars in her own practice, she said. Her definition of happiness is “no affliction.”
“We’re here to share what we have,” Sprout said.
The exhibit was also featured in season five of episode 10 of the History Channel series “The UnXplained” with William Shatner.