HONG KONG (AP) — On Wednesday, Sotheby’s stopped selling jewels linked to Buddha’s remains after the Indian government opposed the sale and asked for it to stop.

The auction house said that the jewels being sold were found buried together in special containers. They were with the actual remains of the historical Buddha and were discovered in northern India in 1898. The house added that they are very old, dating back to around 240-200 BC.

But India's Ministry of Culture said on Facebook on Tuesday that they had sent a legal warning to Sotheby's Hong Kong. They asked them to stop the sale right away, saying the auction broke "Indian laws, international rules, and UN agreements."

In a letter sent to Sotheby's Hong Kong on Monday and shared on Facebook, they said the auction includes important Buddhist items. They believe these items are part of the religious and cultural history of India and the world's Buddhist community, and should be returned. They asked for the items to be sent back to the Indian government and for Sotheby's and Chris Peppé to apologize publicly.

Peppé is the great-grandson of British William Peppé. William Peppé found the relics by digging.

In a letter, the Indian government warned that if the auction house did not follow their instructions, they would take legal action and start public campaigns. These campaigns would show how the auction house was involved in continuing unfair colonial practices and selling religious items in a way that was morally wrong.

Sotheby's announced on Wednesday that they were delaying the event. They said they understood the concerns of the Indian government and that the people who owned the items agreed to the delay.

This will allow the parties to talk, and we will share updates when it is right to do so.

On Wednesday, some pages on Sotheby's website about the auction could not be found.

India's Ministry of Culture announced on Facebook on Wednesday that the auction was delayed after they got involved, and they were happy about it.