This article looks at polemical arguments between Sakyapas (sa skya pa) and Kagyüpa (bka' 'gyud pa) over relics. Small relics (ring bsrel) are often regarded in Tibet as appearing miraculously at the death of a saint. However, as the article demonstrates, the exact nature of these relics and their authenticity has been a matter of debate among Tibetan Buddhists. Furthermore, controversies over relics have sometimes taken place in the context of broader political contentions. (Ben Deitle 2006-02-28)