1986年5月，在中國陝西省扶風鎮的法門寺，有很大的發現。對考古學家，歷史學家和佛教徒而言，是個鼓舞人心的消息。
法門寺建於東漢時期，是佛教從印度被傳到中國不久以後建造的。法門寺曾經被毀壞過一次，後來又修復好了。有一段很長的 時間，很多人前往法門寺燒香拜佛。直到宋朝時代，法門寺才慢慢地沒落。1981年4月，因為地震大雨，法門寺的部分建築倒塌了。
1986年重建廟宇時，工人發現古老的地窖，是公元874年，唐朝時代的和尚封了的一個地窖；一千多年間沒有人打開過的。考古學家和佛教徒想知道這個地窖里藏着什麼秘密、古董和寶物。他們就打開了那一千多年來沒有開過的門，進了陰暗的小房間。
在地窖牆壁上有個小洞，洞裡頭有個小盒子。盒子是鐵做的。事實上，盒子是個小棺材，用金色的絲巾包着。外殼雕了四十五個佛像和幾個中國字。棺材裡頭另有三個盒子。第一個是檀香木做的；檀香木盒子裡頭有個水晶玻璃盒子，盒子兩邊飾有寶石和珍珠。最後，玻璃盒子裡頭是個玉盒子。令人驚訝的是玉盒子里裝的是一根發霉泛黃的手指骨頭（舍利子）。
經過仔細的調查研究以後，中國佛教協會主席，趙朴初宣布說：小棺材裡頭的寶物和棺材外面雕刻的字，一致地證明小盒子里裝的是一根釋迦牟尼的手指骨頭！
我相信全世界佛教徒聆聽此消息時，他們高興得不得了！但是，這個消息帶給基督徒的造就和鼓勵卻更大！釋迦牟尼死了，埋葬了；他的骨頭保留至今。但是，耶穌基督卻不然。雖然耶穌也死了，埋葬了。不同的一點是耶穌復活了！《聖經》記載着告訴我們說：“他沒有被撇在陰間；他的肉體也沒有腐爛。這位耶穌，上帝已經使他復活了…”(《聖經》使徒行傳 2:31-32)。
耶穌復活了！不論是考古學家，歷史學家，基督徒或非基督徒，沒有人能夠找到耶穌的骨頭！他復活了！他的骨頭不再在墳墓裡頭！耶穌勝過死亡！死亡和復活的權柄都在乎耶穌。朋友，釋迦牟尼是一位偉人，佛教徒也很虔誠，但是他們敬拜一位過世的人。基督徒呢？基督徒敬拜一位復活了的，永遠活着的救主。
歡迎您學習耶穌基督的教訓和真理。
耶穌基督的復活證明以下的事實：
① 耶穌是神的兒子 (《聖經》羅馬書 1:4)。
② 耶穌自己是無罪的 (《聖經》羅馬書 6:23)。
③ 耶穌擁有赦罪權，能夠赦免別人的罪 (《聖經》使徒行傳13:37-38)。
④ 基督徒不必那麼怕死亡，好象別人怕死一樣 (《聖經》提摩太前書 4:6-8)。
⑤ 有一天神要審判世界上所有的人 (《聖經》使徒行傳 17:31)。
Buddha’s Bone
A very unusual discovery was made in May of 1986 in the Famen Temple in Fufeng County, Shaanxi Province of China. This is about 118 km from Xi’an where the famous terra cotta soldiers from the Chin Dynasty were unearthed in 1974. The discovery gave archaeologists, historians and Buddhists much excitement.
The Famen Temple was built between A.D. 200-300, but was later destroyed and rebuilt. The temple was very prominent for a lengthy period of Chinese history and it gained favor and support of royalty, high-ranking officials and celebrities. After the 10th century the temple began to fade into obscurity however. Many centuries passed, and finally an earthquake and heavy rainfall caused the temple to partially collapse in 1981. The Chinese government decided to rebuild the temple however, and during the process, in April of 1986, a large crypt was discovered. This crypt had been sealed in A.D. 874 and left undisturbed for over one thousand years. How the archaeologists and Buddhists alike wondered what secrets, antiques and relics the crypt might contain!
According to the Beijing Review (Sept. 7, 1987), Ling Yuan described in detail what was found inside the crypt. The archaeologists found a niche in the rear chamber, and inside it was a small iron casket, wrapped in gold colored silk. The outer most casket was decorated with 45 gilded images of Buddha and engraved with elegant Chinese characters. When the casket was opened, a smaller sandalwood box was revealed inside. Further in, there was a crystal box inlaid with a yellow gem at one end and a blue gem at the other, each surrounded by pearls. Lastly a jade box was removed. When the jade box was opened on May 10, 1986, archaeologists found in it four bones of yellowish-white color and stained with mildew. And what were these bones? After intense examination, three of the four bones were determined to be “sacred copies” of the real thing. But the fourth bone was accepted by Zhao Puchu, chairman of the Chinese Buddhists’ Association, as the true finger bone of Siddhartha Gautama (Sakyamuni), the Buddha and founder of Buddhism, who died about 483 B.C. Zhao confirmed to the modern world what the inscription on the outer casket had stated, “this precious casket which contains the genuine finger bone of Sakyamuni is presented by the Tang Emperor.”
I’m confident that it is very edifying to Buddhists all over the world that one mildewed bone from one finger of the founder of their religion has been unearthed in China, but this discovery makes Christians very happy also. In fact, the truth of the discovery is at once obvious to Christians: Buddha died, was buried and his bones are with us to this day. Jesus, on the other hand, “was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption;” his bones have never been and will never be found because God raised him from the dead!
By overcoming death Jesus proved that he is the Son of God (Romans 1:4), that he himself had no sin (Romans 6:23) and that he can forgive the sins of others (Acts 13:37-38). Jesus’ resurrection proves that Christians need not fear death as other people do (1 Timothy 4:6-8), and that all people will one day be judged by the God of this universe (Acts 17:31). Siddhartha Gautama was a great person, and many Buddhists are very sincere in their religion, but the truth is that Buddhists worship a dead man. Christians on the other hand worship a resurrected and living Savior!
Please consider the impact on your own life the resurrection of Jesus can make! Become a Christian!
佛骨
Buddha’s Bone
作者：謝德華 ©By Edward Short