Śarīra

Śarīra is a generic term referring to Buddhist relics, although in common usage it usually refers to pearl or crystal-like bead-shaped objects that are purportedly found among the cremated ashes of Buddhist spiritual masters. Relics of the Buddha after cremation are termed dhātu in the Mahaparinibbana Sutta. Śarīra are held to emanate or incite 'blessings' and 'grace' (Sanskrit: adhiṣṭhāna) within the mindstream and experience of those connected to them. Sarira are also believed to ward off evil in the Himalayan Buddhist tradition.

Terminology

Śarīra originally meant "body" in Sankrit, but when used in Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit texts to mean "relics", it is always used in the plural: śarīrāḥ. The term ringsel is a loanword from the Tibetan language. Both of these terms are ambiguous in English; they are generally used as synonyms, although according to some interpretations, ringsels are a subset of śarīras.

Śarīra can refer to:

Arara people

The Arara people, also called Arara do Pará are an indigenous people of Brazil, living in the state of Pará, Brazil. They are known for both their prowess in warfare and trophy-keeping practices, as well as their ability to interact and accommodate non-native peoples. They maintained a nomadic existence and frequently intermarried with other tribes. The largest Arara settlement is Laranjal village.

History

The Arara have been in contact with non-native peoples since the 1850s. They had peaceful encounters with outsiders along the Xingu and Iriri Rivers. From 1889 to 1894, they were harassed by rubber tappers.

Language

Arara people speak the Arára language, also known as the Ajujure language, which is a Karib language. Its ISO 639-3 language code is "aap". A few Arara people also speak Portuguese.

See also

Notes