Hong Kong (AP) - Sotheby's decided on Wednesday to delay an auction of jewelry connected to Buddha's remains. This happened because the Indian government was against the sale and asked for it to be stopped.

The auction house said that the valuable stones for sale were found hidden together in special containers with the bones of the historical Buddha. They were discovered in northern India in 1898 and are thought to be from around 240-200 BC.

However, India’s Ministry of Culture said on Facebook on Tuesday that it had sent a legal notice to Sotheby’s 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 to Sotheby's Hong Kong, shared on Facebook, the group said the auction includes important Buddhist items. They believe these items are a key part of the religious and cultural history of India and Buddhists everywhere, and should not be separated from them. The group asked for the items to be sent back to the Indian government. They also wanted the auction house and Chris Peppé to apologize publicly.

Peppé's great-grandfather was William Peppé, a British man who found the relics.

In the letter, the Indian government warned that if the auction house did not follow the rules, they would take legal action and start public campaigns. These campaigns would point out how the auction house helped continue colonial unfairness and was involved in selling religious items in a wrong way.

Sotheby's announced on Wednesday that they were delaying the auction. They said this was because of the issues raised by the Indian government, and the people selling the items agreed to the delay.

"This will help the groups to talk to each other, and we will tell you about any new information when it is the right time," it said.

Some of Sotheby’s webpages about the auction could not be found on Wednesday.

The Indian Ministry of Culture announced on Facebook on Wednesday that they were happy to say the auction was delayed after they got involved.