A 'sarira' discovered along Indo-Nepal border between 1896-98 and given to Thailand by the then British government in India will be presented to China by Thai Buddhist monks on Friday.
More than hundred monks reached China on Monday to present 'sarira', a bead-shaped object said to be collected from the cremated ashes of Buddhist masters to country's oldest Buddhist Temple in central China's Henan Province.
The sarira was discovered by A British archaeologist on the Indo-Nepal border between 1896-98, and was said to belong to Sakyamuni (Lord Buddha), the report quoted a member of the Thai entourage adding India gave it to King Rama V of Thailand in 1898.
The sarira will be placed in a Thai-style garden at the 1,946-year-old Baima Temple in Luyong to celebrate the garden's recent renovation, state run Xinhua news agency reported.
A grand ceremony to welcome the sarira is to be launched this Friday, when the gift shall be shown to visitors.
The Temple, also known as White Horse Temple, was the first Buddhist temple in China and considered "the cradle of Chinese Buddhism" by most believers.
A 7.2-meter-tall bronze Buddha statue in the hall of the Thai garden was also gifted by Thailand.
The mural, covering 248 square meters, was created by a famous Thai artist to tell the life story of Sakyamuni.
