This Relic Revered as a Sacred Object in Buddhism, Why Is It in Boston?

'Silver Gilt Lamatap-shaped Sarira Reliquary' Held by Boston Museum of Fine Arts
Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism and Cultural Heritage Administration "Plan to Discuss Sarira Return"

Discussions have been brought to the negotiation table with growing anticipation regarding the return of a sarira (pearl-shaped relic bones believed to be the result of true Buddhist practice) of a Goryeo Dynasty monk and the sarira reliquary that housed it, which are currently held by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

'Eunje Dogeum Ramatap-shaped Sarigu' owned by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Photo by Museum of Fine Arts, Boston website

On the 5th (local time), the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism and the Cultural Heritage Administration announced that they plan to meet with officials from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston to discuss the return of the "silver-gilt Lama pagoda-shaped sarira reliquary" and the sarira contained within it. Attending this meeting will be Hye-gong Seunim, head of the Jogye Order’s Cultural Department, and Choi Eung-cheon, head of the Cultural Heritage Administration. Since the pearl-shaped sarira is regarded as a sacred relic in the Buddhist community, a certain level of consensus on its return appears to have been reached.

Previously, Hye-gong Seunim stated at last year’s Jogye Order New Year press conference that positive discussions were underway regarding the return of the sarira. However, the return of the sarira reliquary, the container that holds the sarira, remains uncertain. This is because there is no evidence to suggest that the reliquary was stolen or illegally acquired in the past. Accordingly, the Jogye Order and the Cultural Heritage Administration emphasize that the sarira and the reliquary are not separate but one artifact, and if full return negotiations are not successful, they are expected to propose alternatives such as temporary loan or support for preservation measures.

Meanwhile, the silver-gilt Lama pagoda-shaped sarira reliquary at the center of this negotiation is a Buddhist heritage artifact created during the Goryeo period and is currently held by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Inside the reliquary are four sarira relics, including the Buddha’s true sarira and those of monks Jigong and Naong. The reliquary was taken to Japan during the Japanese colonial period and was acquired by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston in 1939 from a dealer in Boston. Discussions to reclaim the reliquary and sarira began in 2009, but due to the museum’s refusal at the time, talks were effectively halted after 2013, making the current negotiations highly anticipated.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.