Sharira and Sharira Flowers from the cremation of Madame Wang
Sharira from Shakyamuni Buddha located in Mt. Sumeru Yun Sculpture at Hua Zang Si .
Sharira are holy objects in Buddhism. In the Sutra on the Merit of Bathing the Buddha, Shakyamuni Buddha describes two types of relics or sharira: the bodily relic and the dharma-verse relic. The Holy One also explains how His disciples should honor His relics after he left this world.
Usually sharira are found in the remains or relics of cremated saints and holy ones like the Buddha. However, many different colors and sizes of sharira appeared as otherworldly gem-like stones along with certain of the nectars manifested by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III and on other occasions. Pictures of the sharira received from these ceremonies are included in a nectar video that can be viewed at various dharma centers and temples. A public viewing of these holy relics was held in southern California after the nectar ceremonies for hundreds of disciples, monks and nuns.
Sharira that appeared in the clippings of the hair of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III.
Sharira can appear in other ways. Sharira appeared in the box where one of the disciples was keeping His Holiness Dorje Chang Buddha III’s hair clippings. She was responsible for taking His Holiness to have his hair cut and routinely kept the clippings in a safe place. One day, she looked in the box and discovered that there were three beautiful red jewels in the box. These sharira (shown on the right) were very beautiful—like bright, clear rubies. However, because of certain conditions, one of them left this realm. There is an account of this given in the book H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III.
Several example of the appearance of sharira are given in the book, True Stories About a Holy Monk. Sharira fell from the sky or welled up from the ground when Elder Dharma King Dorje Losang transmitted the Dharma. An old woman who was the cook at the monastery where the Elder Dharma King was staying found five sharira glittering on a stone where he had been sitting. One was red, one was blue and three were white. They emitted light one time, but after she took part of them home to put on her altar, they did not emit light again.