Mahaparinibbanasuttam (DN 16) - Ancient Buddhist Texts

te saṅghe gaṇe etad-avoca:
he said this to that community and group:
“Imaṁ me bhonto tumbaṁ dadantu,
“Please give me this urn, dear Sirs,
The Sixth Chapter for Recitation - 241
aham-pi tumbassa Thūpañ-ca mahañ-ca karissāmī.” ti
and I also will make a Shrine and hold a festival for the urn.” 271
Adaṁsu kho te Doṇassa brāhmaṇassa tumbaṁ.
They gave the urn to Doṇa the brahmin.
Assosuṁ kho Pipphalivaniyā Moriyā:
Then the Moriyā of Pepper Wood heard:
“Bhagavā kira Kusinārāyaṁ parinibbuto.” ti
“The Gracious One, it seems, has attained Final Emancipation in Kusinārā.”
Atha kho Pipphalivaniyā Moriyā
Then the Moriyā of Pepper Wood
Kosinārakānaṁ Mallānaṁ dūtaṁ pāhesuṁ:
sent a message to the Mallas of Kusinārā, (saying):
“Bhagavā pi Khattiyo mayam-pi Khattiyā,
“The Gracious One was a Noble, and we also are Nobles,
mayam-pi arahāma Bhagavato sarīrānaṁ bhāgaṁ,
we are worthy of a share of the Gracious One’s bodily relics,
mayam-pi Bhagavato sarīrānaṁ Thūpañ-ca mahañ-ca karissāmā.” ti
we will make a Shrine and hold a festival for the bodily relics.”
“Natthi Bhagavato sarīrānaṁ bhāgo vibhattāni,
“There are no more portions of the Gracious One’s relics,
Bhagavato sarīrāni ito aṅgāraṁ harathā.” ti
(instead) take the ashes from the Gracious One’s body.”
Te tato aṅgāraṁ hariṁsu.
Therefore they took away the ashes.
* * *
271 The Commentary tells a rather embarrassing story here. It says that Doṇa stole the right eyetooth
of the Buddha while the others were distracted and put it into his turban, but Sakka then
stole it and enshrined it in the Cūḷāmaṇi shrine in Tāvatiṁsa Heaven. Realising that it had gone
Doṇa then asked for the urn!