HONG KONG (AP) — Sotheby’s stopped a sale of jewels that some people think are connected to Buddha's remains. They stopped the sale because the government in India did not like it and told them to stop.

The auction house said the jewels for sale were found together in special boxes in northern India in 1898. They were found with things from the historical Buddha's body. It said they were from around 240 to 200 BC.

But the government in India said on Facebook that they told Sotheby's Hong Kong to stop the sale. They said the sale was against Indian laws and international rules.

In a letter to Sotheby's Hong Kong, which was put on Facebook, it said the sale was of important Buddhist items. It said these items are a very important part of the Buddhist religion and culture in India and around the world, and they should not be sold. It asked for the items to be given back to the Indian government. It also asked Sotheby's and Chris Peppé to say sorry in public.

Peppé is the great-grandson of William Peppé. William Peppé was from Britain, and he found the relics.

The Indian government wrote in a letter that if the auction house did not do what they asked, they would take them to court. They would also tell people that the auction house was helping to continue unfair things from the past and was part of selling religious items that should not be sold.

Sotheby's said they would have the auction later because the Indian government had some concerns. The people selling the items also agreed to this.

This will facilitate discussions between the parties, and we anticipate sharing any updates as they become available.

Some pages on Sotheby's website about the auction were gone on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, the culture ministry in India said on Facebook that the sale was stopped because they helped.