Relics/ dhathu have supernatural powers?

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I have heard and read that relics of Buddha have certain supernatural powers. I was reading a book once that said that it is not the relic alone that performs these supernatural acts but the deities that protect the relic. Can anyone help me understand this. thanks!

Sadly what you have heard and read is just some conjured up mumbo jumbo propagated by trinket peddlers, and has nothing to do with the Dhamma. True practitioners will stir clear from these baseless and blatantly false stories. Once the idea has been embedded in a devout person that a certain relic has supernatural powers its very difficult to get rid of such ideas.

The Buddha on many occasions referred to his body has foul object, in his latter years, he referred to it as a derelict cart plastered together. After his demise the foul thing was burnt.

People who are unable to realize the nature of impermanence, who have yet to destroy the view of self pertaining to the body (form) and the other khandas, say such things as the Buddha's immortality and continued existence through remaining pieces of bone.

Many Sri Lankans fall gullible, or at least used to, when some monks claim to display relics of great Arhats of the past. In most cases its a money making scam. These days people want more definitive proof about the origins and authenticity of such relics.

There is certainly a sense of nostalgia and awe to be in presence of a the relics of the a great man. However, the mindful realize that its not the relics that are great, but the life and the dhamma of the person who lived, and for the truly motivated, we don't need relics.

May you be well and happy.

Upvote:1

The supernormal acts can happen in 2 ways:

  • The Person has Jhanic powers and made a strong determination that so and so should happen with the relicts
  • A deva or being which the power influence matter in the human realm influences the relicts

Generally in my opinion the latter is happens when relicts mysteriously appear in shrine rooms and places of worship. If the relicts do not get veneration in where they are a deva may bring them to another place where they might get the veneration.

The former case may be associated with crystallizing of the relicts. E.g.: http://www.bdcu.org.au/bddronline/bddr12no7/Mun168.htm

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