Archaeology & History

Has the skull of Buddha been found in China ?

By T.K. Randall
July 4, 2016

Image: AI-generated (Midjourney) The discovery was made following an archaeological excavation of a Buddhist temple in Nanjing.

Inside, researchers found an ancient stone chest containing an elaborate stupa model ( a hemispherical structure used to store relics ) which was adorned with gold, silver and gems.

An inscription on the chest, which is thought to date back to the reign of Emperor Zhenzong in the Song Dynasty (A.D. 997-1022), indicated that the remains inside where those of Buddha himself - the man whose teachings became the foundation of Buddhism.It remains unclear however if the skull fragment actually is that of Buddha or if the people who placed it within the chest had simply believed that to have been the case.

The inscription, which was written by a man named Deming, contained the words: The Master of Perfect Enlightenment, Abbot of Chengtian Monastery [and] the Holder of the Purple Robe.

It also goes on to tell the story of how Buddha had been cremated near India's Hirannavati River and that his remains had been split up before being distributed around the world.

Source: Live Science

Tags: Buddha