The earliest known relics are those discovered in the stupa of Piprâvâ
on the borders of Nepal in 1898. Their precise nature and the date of
the inscription describing them have been the subject of much
discussion. Some authorities think that this stupa may be one of those
erected over a portion of the Buddha's ashes after his funeral. Even
Barth, a most cautious and sceptical scholar, admitted[58] first that
the inscription is not later than Asoka, secondly that the vase is a
reliquary containing what were believed to be bones of the Buddha.
Thus in the time of Asoka the worship of the Buddha's relics was well
known and I see no reason why the inscription should not be anterior
to that time.

According to Buddhaghosa's _Sumangalavilâsinî_ and Sinhalese texts
which though late are based on early material[59], Mahâkassapa
instigated Ajâtasattu to collect the relics of the Buddha, and to
place them in a stupa, there to await the advent of Asoka. In Asoka's
time the stupa had become overgrown and hidden by jungle but when the
king was in search of relics, its position was revealed to him. He
found inside it an inscription authorizing him to disperse the
contents and proceeded to distribute them among the 84,000
monasteries which he is said to have constructed.

In its main outlines this account is probable. Ajâtasattu conquered
the Licchavis and other small states to the north of Magadha and if he
was convinced of the importance of the Buddha's relics it would be
natural that he should transport them to his capital, regarding them
perhaps as talismans.[60] Here they were neglected, though not
damaged, in the reigns of Brahmanical kings and were rescued from
oblivion by Asoka, who being sovereign of all India and anxious to