Custodians of Relics as Guardians of the Sāsana
Chapter 3
Custodians of Relics as Guardians of the Sāsana
3.1 Purpose of this Chapter
In Chapter 2 we focused on Buddha’s sacred relics themselves. We saw that the relics are divided and enshrined, and that relic shrines support faith, merit, and practice. We also saw that relics are part of cultural heritage and shared memory.
In this chapter we move from the relics to the people and institutions who care for them. These are the custodians of Buddha’s sacred relics. Here we ask:
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Who are the traditional and modern custodians of relics?
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How is their work connected to the sāsana – the Buddha’s teaching and practice?
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In what ways do custodians protect not only objects, but also faith, ethics, and social harmony?
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What challenges do they face today?
The aim of this chapter is to show that relic custodians are not only “guards of a box”. They are also guardians of the sāsana, and their decisions can help or harm peace in the community.
3.2 The Meaning of Sāsana and Continuity
The Pāli word sāsana can be translated as “dispensation”, “teaching”, or “message”. It does not mean only written doctrine. It includes:
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The teachings of the Buddha (Dhamma).
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The discipline of the Saṅgha (Vinaya).
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The living practice of monks, nuns, and lay people.
Some teachers in the Theravāda tradition describe the sāsana in three aspects:
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Pariyatti – study and learning of the teachings.
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Paṭipatti – practice of the teachings (morality, meditation, wisdom).
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Paṭivedha – realisation of the truth, direct experience of Nibbāna.
When Buddhists speak about “protecting the sāsana”, they usually mean keeping all three aspects alive. Books alone are not enough. There must also be people who practice, and people who realise the Dhamma.
Relics belong to this big picture in two ways:
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They support faith and direct people towards study and practice.
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They act as symbols of the Buddha’s presence, which reminds people to live according to Dhamma and Vinaya.
Therefore, those who take care of relics also take care of the conditions that keep the sāsana strong: faith, respect, discipline, and teaching.
3.3 Traditional Custodians: Saṅgha, Rulers, and Lay Supporters
In early Buddhist history, several groups share responsibility for sacred objects and sacred places.
1. The Saṅgha (monks and nuns)
The Saṅgha is the main “owner” and caretaker of religious property. Vinaya rules show that:
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When a monk dies, his robes and requisites usually go to the Saṅgha of the four directions, not to one person. This means that property is held in common.
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Senior monks have a duty to organise and distribute these things in a fair way, often giving some share to those who nursed the sick or helped the deceased.
This shows an important principle: sacred property is not private; it belongs to the Saṅgha as a whole. Monks act as trustees, not as personal owners. We can apply this idea to relics: relics also should not be treated as private objects, but as a trust from the Buddha to the whole community.
2. Kings and political leaders
In early Buddhist stories, we often see kings building stupas and monasteries, and taking responsibility for their safety. They may:
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Provide land and money to build or repair sacred places.
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Send soldiers to protect pilgrims on dangerous roads.
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Make laws to prevent theft or damage to monasteries and shrines.
In these cases, rulers become worldly custodians. They do not manage the Dhamma directly, but they create a safe material environment so that the sāsana can flourish.
3. Lay donors and committees
Lay people support relic shrines in many ways:
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Donating money or land.
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Joining temple or shrine committees.
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Organising festivals and ceremonies.
In many Buddhist countries today, temple committees made of local lay people work together with monastics. In this way, custodianship becomes a shared responsibility. Monks bring knowledge of Dhamma and Vinaya; lay people bring social connections, skills, and financial management.
When we think about modern relic custodians, we should remember this traditional pattern:
Saṅgha, rulers, and lay supporters all have a role in protecting sacred places.
3.4 Vinaya and the Ethics of Custodianship
The Vinaya is not a manual about relics, but many of its rules are directly relevant for how custodians should behave.
1. Reasons for rules and public trust
As we saw in Chapter 1, the Buddha gave ten main reasons for making rules. Among them are:
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The excellence and comfort of the Order.
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The restraint of bad behaviour.
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The benefit of non-believers and the increase of believers.
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The maintenance of the true Dhamma and discipline.
These reasons show that every rule has social effects. The behaviour of monks and nuns must not cause fear, anger, or loss of faith in the wider public. For relic custodians, this means:
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They must avoid actions that could make people doubt their honesty.
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They must be transparent when handling donations and relic-related income.
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They must act in ways that increase respect for the Dhamma, not in ways that cause scandal.
2. Property held in trust
Vinaya stories show that when monks misuse the property of the Saṅgha, there are consequences. For example:
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Selling or pawning sacred objects is clearly not allowed.
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Using communal goods for private luxury is wrong.
From this, we can draw a principle:
Custodianship means use without selfishness.
Relic custodians must think: “This does not belong to me. It belongs to the Buddha’s dispensation and to present and future generations.”
3. Protection of the Saṅgha’s reputation
The Vinaya also forbids monks from behaviour that looks bad in the eyes of lay people, such as:
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Joining sham battles and fighting games.
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Taking part in activities that are normally for thieves or criminals.
The reason is simple: if people see monks behave like this, they will lose respect and may reject the Dhamma.
Modern relic custodians must also care about reputation. If they are involved in corruption, politics, or quarrels, they damage not only their own name, but also the image of the shrine and of Buddhism more widely. In peace studies language, they weaken social trust, which is a key part of positive peace.
3.5 Modern Custodians: Relic Museums and Centres
In our internal materials, there is a modern handbook linked to a Buddha Tooth Relics Preservation Museum. This handbook shows a new kind of institution:
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It preserves a Buddha tooth relic.
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It offers classes on Abhidhamma and dependent origination.
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It trains people in meditation and the three aspects of the sāsana (pariyatti, paṭipatti, paṭivedha).
This museum is a good example of modern custodianship. It combines:
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Conservation work – keeping the relic safe from physical harm.
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Educational work – teaching the Dhamma to visitors and students.
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Spiritual work – supporting practice and realisation.
Such a museum usually has:
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A group of monks or teachers who design the teachings.
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A management office (in this case, called something like “Office of the Relic Preservation”) that handles administration.
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Lay volunteers who help with events, cleaning, and guiding visitors.
Here we see clearly that relic custodianship today is team work. It demands spiritual knowledge, organisational skills, and also an understanding of modern fields like heritage management, museum studies, and interfaith relations.
3.6 Material and Intangible Heritage
Custodians must protect two kinds of heritage:
1. Material heritage
This is the physical relic, the reliquary, the stupa, the shrine building, and all related objects. Duties here include:
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Proper storage and display conditions (temperature, humidity, security).
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Protection against theft, vandalism, or war.
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Maintenance of buildings (roofs, walls, access paths).
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Careful cleaning and repair, using materials that do not damage the object.
2. Intangible heritage
This is everything that cannot be touched but lives in the minds and hearts of people. It includes:
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The stories and legends linked to the relic.
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Chanting, rituals, and festivals around the shrine.
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Traditional ways of offering flowers, incense, or lamps.
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The ethical teachings that are repeated at the shrine, for example, taking the five precepts before a ceremony.
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Local customs that make the shrine part of community life.
If custodians focus only on the physical object and forget the intangible heritage, the shrine may become “dead” – like a museum object with no life. If they protect only rituals and stories but neglect the physical relic and building, everything can be lost through damage or decay.
Good custodians balance both sides. They know that:
A relic is most powerful when material and intangible heritage come together to support faith and practice.
3.7 Custodians and Faith Communities
Relic sites are usually surrounded by faith communities: local residents, frequent pilgrims, occasional visitors, and monastic communities. The custodians stand in the middle, between:
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The relic and shrine,
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The Saṅgha,
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The lay followers,
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And sometimes also the state and tourists.
Their relationship with faith communities has several important duties.
1. Providing access
Custodians must decide:
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When the shrine is open.
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Who may come close to the relic.
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What kind of dress and behaviour is required.
If the rules are too strict, ordinary people may feel pushed away. If the rules are too loose, the atmosphere of respect disappears. Good custodians create clear and kind guidelines that help people behave properly without feeling afraid.
2. Listening and communication
Faith communities have needs and worries:
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They may want more teaching.
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They may have questions about the history of the relic.
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They may feel unhappy if they think decisions are unfair.
Custodians should have channels for listening: meetings, suggestion boxes, or open talks. When people feel heard, they are more ready to support decisions, even difficult ones.
3. Inclusive management
In many places, different ethnic or social groups visit the same relic shrine. If one group dominates all decisions, others may feel excluded. To support peace, custodians can:
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Include representatives from different groups in advisory committees.
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Use multiple languages in signs and teachings when possible.
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Organise events that welcome all, not only one subgroup.
In this way, the shrine becomes a shared space rather than a symbol of one group’s power.
3.8 Ethical Responsibilities of Custodians
Because relics are powerful symbols, people often trust their custodians very much. This trust brings ethical responsibilities.
1. Personal integrity
Custodians should:
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Keep at least the five precepts (for lay people) or full monastic discipline (for monks and nuns).
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Avoid intoxication, which can lead to carelessness, quarrels, and scandal.
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Be honest in speech, especially about miracles, visions, or benefits connected to the relic. Exaggeration for profit is dangerous.
2. Financial transparency
Relic shrines often receive large donations. If money is misused:
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The reputation of the shrine is damaged.
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Donors feel betrayed.
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Conflicts can arise inside the management group.
To prevent this, custodians can:
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Keep clear records.
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Use independent audits.
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Report openly to the community about income and spending.
3. Avoiding manipulation
Sometimes people use sacred symbols to:
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Gain political support.
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Attack other religions or Buddhist groups.
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Justify violence or discrimination.
Custodians have a duty to refuse such manipulation. They should not allow the relic to become a “tool” in political campaigns or hateful speech. Instead, they can repeatedly teach that the Buddha’s relics stand for compassion, wisdom, and non-violence.
3.9 Custodianship and Peacebuilding
From our peace studies perspective, we can now see that relic custodians can play a real part in peacebuilding, both inside the Buddhist community and in wider society.
1. Preventing and healing conflicts
Disputes can appear over:
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Who has the right to manage the shrine.
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How donations are used.
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Which rituals are “correct”.
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Whose lineage or teacher is honoured.
These disputes can easily grow into schism and division, which, as we saw in Chapter 1, are strongly condemned in Buddhist texts.
Custodians can act as mediators by:
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Encouraging calm dialogue.
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Seeking advice from respected elders.
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Accepting majority decisions when appropriate.
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Putting the unity of the Saṅgha above personal pride.
2. Creating a culture of non-violence
Relic shrines can be used to promote:
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The five precepts as a basic “culture of non-violence”.
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Teachings on loving-kindness (mettā) and compassion (karuṇā).
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Activities such as blood donation, support for the poor, or interfaith friendship projects.
When custodians organise such programmes, they help people to live the Dhamma, not just listen to it. This builds positive peace, where relationships are based on care and justice.
3. Interfaith and intercultural dialogue
Relic sites sometimes attract visitors from other religions or countries. If the custodians are open and friendly:
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They can explain the meaning of the relic and shrine in simple, respectful language.
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They can point to shared values like kindness, honesty, and respect for life.
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They can avoid language that criticises other faiths.
In this way, the relic shrine becomes a place of learning and dialogue, not of competition.
3.10 Challenges for Custodians Today
Modern relic custodians face many challenges:
1. Tourism and commercialisation
Large relic shrines often become tourist sites. This can bring money but also problems:
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Shops and loud behaviour may disturb the sacred atmosphere.
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Prices for offerings or services may become unfair.
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The place can start to feel like a business, not a holy site.
Custodians must balance economic needs and spiritual values. They can create quiet zones, control commercial activity, and keep some times of day just for prayer and meditation.
2. Politics and nationalism
In some countries, relics and temples are linked to national identity. While healthy pride in culture can be good, there is also a danger:
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Relics can be used as symbols against minority groups.
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Political leaders may appear at the shrine mainly for votes, not for true respect.
Custodians must be wise and careful. They should welcome all peaceful visitors but avoid supporting policies or actions that go against Buddhist ethics of non-violence and compassion.
3. Sectarianism inside Buddhism
Different Buddhist traditions may have different rituals and teachings. Sometimes they disagree about:
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How to honour relics.
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Which lineage is “authentic”.
If custodians support one group in a harsh way and reject others, conflict can grow. A better way is to focus on shared roots: the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, the basic precepts, and respect for the Buddha.
4. Modern scepticism
Some modern people doubt the authenticity of relics. They may ask:
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“How can we know this bone or tooth really belongs to the Buddha?”
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“Isn’t this just superstition?”
Custodians should not become angry or afraid of such questions. Instead, they can answer calmly:
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Explain historical traditions and evidence, but also admit what is uncertain.
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Emphasise that the most important relic is the Dhamma and the practice that leads to peace.
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Invite people to see the relic as a symbol that can inspire good qualities, whether or not they are sure about the physical history.
In this way, they keep honesty and do not depend on blind belief.
3.11 Summary and Link to the Next Chapter
In this chapter we have seen that:
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Custodians of Buddha’s sacred relics come from the Saṅgha, the lay community, and sometimes from state institutions.
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Their role is closely connected to the sāsana understood as study, practice, and realisation.
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Vinaya principles show that sacred property is held in trust, not owned, and that rules aim to protect both inner discipline and public trust.
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Modern custodians, such as relic museums, must care for both material and intangible heritage.
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They have ethical duties in access, communication, financial honesty, and resistance to political or commercial misuse.
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When they act with wisdom and compassion, custodians can become real peacebuilders in their communities. When they fail, relics can become sources of rivalry and conflict.
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