Tsering Dhundup
DHARAMSHALA, May, 5: A collection of ancient jewels associated with Buddha’s remains is set for auction at Sotheby’s Hong Kong on Wednesday, igniting controversy over the ethical implications of selling items considered sacred by many Buddhists worldwide.
The collection, known as ‘The Piprahwa Gems of the Historical Buddha, Mauryan Empire, Ashokan era, circa 240-200 BC’, includes nearly 1,800 pearls, rubies, sapphires, gold ornaments, and other rare stones, unearthed in 1898 from a brick stupa at Piprahwa in present-day Uttar Pradesh, India, just south of Lumbini, the Buddha’s birthplace. These precious items have remained in a British family’s possession for over a century.
William Claxton Peppé, an English estate manager who led the excavation, uncovered the relics that were consecrated nearly 2,000 years ago. While the bone relics themselves were distributed to Buddhist countries including Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar for veneration, the accompanying jewels remained with the Peppé family.
Chris Peppé, great-grandson of William, defended the decision to auction the items, stating the family had considered donation but ultimately determined an auction to be “the fairest and most transparent way to transfer these relics to Buddhists”.
Sotheby’s representatives maintain they conducted a thorough review regarding the jewels’ authenticity, provenance, and legality before proceeding with the sale.
However, the auction has drawn significant criticism from scholars. Amal Abeyawardene of the London-based British MahaBodhi Society referenced Buddhist teachings, stating, “The Buddha teaches us not to take other people’s possessions without permission.” Historical records indicate the Sakyamuni clan were originally granted custody of these relics to be preserved alongside adornments for perpetual veneration.
Southeast Asian art experts Ashley Thompson of SOAS University of London and curator Conan Cheong raised additional ethical concerns in a joint statement to BBC: “Should human remains be traded? And who gets to decide what are human remains or not? For many Buddhist practitioners around the world, the gems on sale are part and parcel of the bones and ash.”
The controversy extends to social media, where one Buddhist condemned the auction on X (formerly Twitter): “I strongly condemn this act. This is not just a sale; it is a theft of spiritual heritage and a continuation of colonial violence. These sacred objects, taken from India under exploitative colonial conditions, are now being commodified for profit.”
According to historical records, Peppé surrendered most relics to the colonial Indian government, with bone remains going to the King of Siam and urns transferred to a museum in Kolkata. Peppé retained what Sotheby’s describes as “duplicates”, approximately one-fifth of the discovery.
The collection has previously appeared in exhibitions, including one at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2023, before being brought to auction this week.
