I. The Nature and Goal of Relic Worship

The Mahāparinibbāutta (hereafter MPS) provides a direct canonical warrant for Buddhist pilgrimage and stūpa worship. Pilgrimage and stūpa worship convey a new dimension of Buddhist practice quite different from the practice of Dhamma and Vinaya. There is an emotional element in both pilgrimage and stūpa worship. Both of them are connected with the physical aspect of the Buddha. They are reminders of events in his life rather than of his teachings themselves. Some intelligence-oriented monks express anxiety about this cultic movement. These devotional practices were originally regarded as ideal for lay people. Such practices provide a religious opportunity for Buddhists, especially lay people, to express their devotion for the Buddha. In particular relic worship plays a significant role in the formation of Buddhism as a religion. This paper will discuss the origin of relic worship and its nature by focusing on participants in relic worship in early Buddhism