Buddhism in Sri Lanka .. read the origin of Buddhism in Sri Lanka Buddhism in Sri Lanka has a very long and exciting history. Popular Buddhist traditions, historical source both literacy and epigraphically prove the fact that the missionary who brought Buddhism to the island of Lanka was no other than the Thera Mahinda. Mahavansa, the main literary source of the early history of Sri Lanka gives us an authentic account of the three Buddhists councils held in India – first just after the Parinibbana of Buddha and the advent of Buddhism to Ceylon. Some inscriptions found in Dambulla caves recording grants to the Sangha has used the Brahani Scripts from which the Sinhala alphabet evolved. Archaeological sources revealing the creative talents of the Sinhala artists of yore, magnificent structures as dagabas, monasteries, uposatha (Sanga Kamma) halls not only prove the creativity of one of ancient artists but also a highly developed culture behind it which blossomed after the coming of Buddhism. Names such as Mihintale Maha Guhava etc. commemorate the name of the great Thera Mahinda forever as the founder of Buddhism in Sri Lanka .
Anuradhapura was first settled by Anuradha, a follower of Prince Vijaya the founder of the Sinhala race. Later, it was made the Capital by King Pandukabhaya about 380 B.C.
According to the Mahavamsa, the epic of Sinhala History, King Pandukabhaya's city was a model of planning. Precincts were set aside for huntsmen, for scavengers and for heretics as well as for foreigners. There were hostels and hospitals, at least one Jain chapel, and cemeteries for high and low castes. A water supply was assured by the construction of "tanks", artificial reservoirs, of which the one called after himself exists to this day under the altered name of Baswakkulam.
It was in the reign of King Devanampiya Tissa (250 - 210 B.C.) that the Arahat Mahinda, son of the great Buddhist Emperor Asoka, led a group of missionaries from North India to Sri Lanka. With his followers he settled in a hermitage of caves on the hill of MIHINTALE - whose name derives from Mahinda's own.
The new religion swept over the land in a wave. The King himself gave for a great monastery in the very heart of the city his own Royal Park - the beautiful Mahamegha Gardens.
The Buddhist principality had had but a century to flourish when it was temporarily overthrown by an invader from the Chola Kingdom of South India. The religion, however, received no set-back.
At this time far away on the southeast coast, was growing up the prince who was to become the paladin of Sinhala nationalism: Dutugamunu (161 - 137 B.C)
For all his martial prowess, King Duttha Gamini must have been a man of singular sensibility. He built MIRISAVETI DAGABA, and the mighty Brazen Palace, nine stories high he presented to Mahasanga (order of monks). But, the RUWANVELI DAGABA, his most magnificent gift he did not live to see actually completed.
Two more, at least, of the Anuradhapura Kings must be mentioned - if only because some of the greater monuments are indisputably attributable to them.
The earlier of these was Vattagamani Abhaya Valagama (103 & 89¬77 B.C.) in the first year of whose reign Chola invaders again appeared and drove him temporarily into hiding. For fourteen years, while five Tamil Kings occupied his throne, he wandered often sheltering in jungle caves. It is recorded that as in his flight he passed an ancient Jain hermitage, an ascetic, Gin called and taunted him. "The great black lion is fleeing!" Throughout his exile the gibe rankled. Winning the Kingdom back at last, he razed Giri's hermitage to the ground building, there the ABHAYAGIRI Monastery. The name is a wry cant
on his own name and the tactless hermit's as well as (meaning mountain of fearlessness) a disclaimer of his cowardice!
Next came the heretic king Mahasena (274 - 301 A.D) who built the Sri Lanka's largest Dagaba JETAWANARAMA (World Heritage Site) much complicated irrigation system and 16 vast reservoirs (tank) like MINNERIYA, even today which irrigate thousands of acres of paddy land.
Anuradhapura was to continue for six hundred years longer the national capital. But as the protecting wilderness round it diminished with prosperity and internecine struggles for the royal succession grew, it became more and more vulnerable to the pressures of South Indian expansion; and the city was finally abandoned and the Capital withdrawn to more secluded fastnesses.
But the monuments of its heyday survive, surrounded by such beauties as become the past: the solemn umbrage of trees, the silence of cold stone, and the serenity of the sheltering sky. |
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Abhayagiri Monastery, Anuradhapura established in the second century B.C., by King Valagamabau, during its glorious days, was not only complex of monastic buildings, but also a great seat of learning. Unlike orthodox Mahavihara monastery, Abhayagiri Monastery accommodated the intellectual discussion on various schools of Buddhist thought in addition to Theravada Buddhism, considered as the pure words of Buddha. The center of attraction of the monastery was Abhayagiri stupa, the second tallest stupa at Anuradhapura, also built by King Valagambahu (89-77 BC).
In the 5th century, the Chinese monk Fa-hsien visited Abhayagiri, the flourishing center of Buddhist studies. The monk lived 2 years at Abhayagiri Monastery copying Buddhist texts and took all copies to China. Fa-hsien also made written records of his life and times at Abhayagiri Monastery. In his memoirs, he wrote about the Tooth Relic, monasteries, stupas and statues of Sri Lanka.
Museum
The new museum at Abhayagiri Monastery, a source of valuable information to the tourists, was established in memory of Fa-hsien to house the treasures discovered during the excavations at Abhayagiri Monastery. A large horde of artefacts were unearthed at the monastery during the recent excavations: ornaments and jewellery made of gold and studded with gems and crystals; coins belonging to pre-Christian era; metal objects; moulds and crucibles used in their manufacture; ceramics; pottery; glass; tiles; sculptures etc.
Lankarama Dagoba
Lankarama Monastery is located to the south of the Abhayagiri Monastery and east of the Bulankulama man-made tank. Lankarama Dagoba, known Mani Somarama meaning “the monastery of Soma” in Sinhalese, was built by King Valagambahu in celebration of the return of Somadevi, who was captured and taken to southern India by the marauding Dravidian Army. Having regained his kingdom from the Dravidian invaders, king secured the release of his queen too. It is believed that Lankarama was the nunnery of the Abhayagiri Monastery.
Lankarama Dagoba is another vatadage (circular relic house) in Sri Lanka: in its days of glory, Lankarama had 88 stone columns, in three concentric circles, surrounding the dagoba that held up a circular roof. Today only a few of the carved stone pillars can be seen around the renovated dagoba. The renovated dagoba measuring 38 feet in diameter is set up on a platform 10feet in height and 132 feet in diameter. Four flights of steps from the cardinal directions take the devotees to the platform 10 feet above the ground level. The four vahalkadas (front entrances doorways) no longer exist. Among the ruins are few damaged Buddha statues and stone tub for washing feet before entering the sacred terrace, the platform.
Eth-Pokuna
Eth-Pokuna (Sinhala: Elephant Pond), located south-west of the Abhayagiri stupa was built during the third century A.C. A flight of steps from each of the four sides leads down to the rectangular pond measuring 150 meters in length and 50 meters in width and 10 meters in depth. Its cistern sluice (bisokotuwa) and conduit that supplied water to the refectory present another instance of testimony to ancient hydrology of Sri Lanka. Eth-Pokuna is believed to be the largest man-made pond built in the ancient era of Sri Lanka.
Pancavasa or the Five Residences
A group of 5 buildings set in a rectangular bloc enclosed by a wall has a layout of the roll of dice resulting in 5: four identical buildings at the four corners and a similar yet larger building in the center. The lotus pedestal at the center of the building at the center suggests that it once housed a Buddha statue. In turn the existence of a Buddha statue suggests the building was an image house. The main attraction of the building is a moonstone.
Moonstones, the doormats
Moonstone that serves as a doormat at ancient buildings of Sri Lanka, is a work of art. At Abhayagiri Monastery two exquistely carved moonstones are discovered: one is at Mahasen’s palace also known as Pancavasa building; the other is at Queen’s Palace, just a short distance away. The stone carving on the semi circular doormat is given several interpretations by the scholars. Of these Prof. Senerat Paranavitana’s interpretations is particularly noteworthy.
“The outer motif represents the world on fire that symbolizes desire. The next ring of animals depicts the four states of birth, disease, ageing, and death. Going beyond these sorrows on your path of emancipation there is the creeper and leaves that symbolize the life force. When you surpass this craving you reach the swan representing purification. And the lotus at the center represents Brahma worlds.”
The format of the cravings at various cultural attractions of Sri Lanka isn’t the same: Moonstones at Polonnaruwa is carved also with the image of bull among other symbols. However, in any event, seeing a Moonstone is witnessing masterpiece of sculpture.
Ratnaprasada
Abhayagiri Monastery’s largest building is Ratnaprasada also called Uposathagara of the resident monks. First built by King Kanitthatissa in the second century, it was later enlarged by King Mahinda the second who added several stories and had a golden statue of Buddha erected in it. The Dravidian invasion in the ninth century put the building to fire and sword. The present preserved ruins, monolithic pillars on a stone platform, date to 7-8 centuries while the recent excavation unearthed the ruins of the second century foundation of the Ratnaprasada.
Among the preserved ruins is a guardstone, one of the two guradstones that were originally at Ratnaprasada. It is one of the finest work of art that belongs to the eighth century. The figure of a godking therein is sheltered by an image of five hooded cobra Naga king. On both hands of the godking image are vessels symbolizing prosperity: in the left hand is Pot of Plenty (purnaghata); in his right hand is a bunch of flowers representing Prosperity. At his feet is an image of dwarf (bahirave) figure.
The Refectory - Dana Sala
The large trough cut in a stone in the shape of a boat used to serve rice to about 5000 monks at the monastery. The smaller trough alongside is believed to be for gruel. Since the Buddhist monks were disciplined to have solid food only before the noon, serving 5000 resident monks at the monastery could have been made easier by the shape of the vessel: monks on either side of the boat could themselves at a pace, in modern buffet style.
Underground conduits had supplied water at the entrance of the refectory for the monks to have their feet washed. The stone tablet at the eastern section of refectory is a replica of the stone tablet that was used for measuring movement of sun. The original stone tablet was shifted to Abhayagiri museum.
Abhayagiri Stupa
Abhayagiri Stupa rising to a height of 75 meters is of a diameter of 106 meters. The outer square terrace is strewn with sand while the inner terrace is paved with stone. The premises of the Abhayagiri stupa encompassing the building and two terraces spread over an area of about 6 hectares. The four ponds at the four entrances set in the four cardinal directions were designed to gather the water falling onto the terrace.
The Abhayagiri stupa built by King Valagambahu in the second century B.C, was enlarged by King Gajabahu also in the second century B.C. and renovated by King Parakramabahu the great in the 12th century. Abhayagiri stupa’s four vahalkadas or the front pieces in the four cardinal directions at the base of stupa are set facing the gateways of the square terrace.
Twin Ponds
The twin ponds, exquisite specimen of landscape architecture was belived to have been constructed during the reign of King Aggabodhi the first in the sixth century for the use of resident monks at Abhayagiri Monastery. Both ponds are same in breadth, i.e. 51 feet. The larger pond measures 132ft and the smaller pond measures 91ft in length. A cistern sluice located at the far end of one of the ponds supply water to the twin ponds. The channeled water pours into the pond through a stone cut spout. The perimeters of the twin ponds are molded in stone. Each pond has two flights of steps that lead down from the ground level into the pond from both ends. Two pots of plenty (purnaghata) sit on the pedestal on either side of flight of steps in each pond.
