Sotheby's in Hong Kong stopped a sale of jewels connected to Buddha's remains after the Indian government said they were against the sale and asked for it to stop.

The auction house said the valuable stones being sold were found in northern India in 1898. They were buried with the body parts of the historical Buddha and were inside special boxes. The auction house also said the stones were from about 240-200 BC.

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

In a letter sent to Sotheby's Hong Kong on Monday and shared on Facebook, the group said the items being sold are sacred Buddhist objects. They believe these objects are a very important part of the religious and cultural history of India and Buddhists around the world. The group asked for the objects to be sent back to the Indian government and for Sotheby's and Chris Peppé to apologize publicly.

Peppé is the great-grandson of William Peppé from Britain. William Peppé dug up the ancient objects.

The Indian government warned that if the auction house didn't do what they asked, they would sue them and start public campaigns. These campaigns would point out how the auction house was helping to keep colonial injustice alive and was wrongly selling religious items.

Sotheby's said on Wednesday that they were delaying the event. They mentioned the problems brought up by the Indian government and said that the people who were selling the items had agreed.

"This will allow the groups to discuss, and we will share any news when it is suitable," it said.

On Wednesday, some of Sotheby's websites about the sale could not be found.

India's Ministry of Culture announced on Facebook Wednesday that they were "happy to say" the auction was delayed because they got involved.