Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s2.t12.5

v1.c7.s2.t12.5

Buddha’s body was laid in state for seven days at a coronation hall/ Chaitya of the Mallas and offerings were made to him. The last rites, it is said, were performed by Mahakashyap of the Mallas at Mukut Bandhana, Ramabhar (in Kushinagar) on the banks of Hiranyavati River. There were scrambles among the kings to collect his ashes. Finally, a Brahmana Drona intervened and divided his ashes into eight equal parts and distributed it to representatives of eight kingdoms for preserving as relics. The Mallas erected a big *stupa* over his ashes at the cremation place. Later, Emperor Ashoka renovated and expanded the *stupa*. According to legends, he further divided Buddha’s ashes and built more than 84,000 *stupas* over the relics.