Stone Statue of Sarira Offering

This stone statue was moved to the museum from Geumjangdae in Seokjang-dong, Gyeongju, in 1980. The round stone pillar shows an engraving of a ceremony for offering “sarira,” which were pearls or crystals placed with the cremated ashes of Buddhist monks, and offers valuable insight about such ceremonies. In the center of the scene, a sarira casket sits on top of a bed. On either side of the casket, there are incense burners, featuring a design of Mt. Baksan, a Kalavinka taking flight, and five bowing sattvas. The upper part of the pillar is decorated in different divisions, with many designs of flowers and the head of Anuruddha. Thus far, there are five known records or artifacts depicting scenes of sarira transportation or offering, but this stone statue is rare that stands independently from other attachments or supplements.