Mihintale

Mihintale

Mihintale Mountain

Mihintale Mountain, with the arrival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, began to serve as a residential area for the venerable monks headed by Arahath Mahinda Mahathera. But soon, with the royal patronage, the sanctuary housed a multitude of with monastic buildings-stupas, uposathgharas, bodhigharas- to serve the monks. Sixty eight cave dwellings provided the monks shade and shelter. Mihintale, the sanctuary for many thousands of laymen as well as holy men, had all the facilities and amenities for basic living.

Vedahala – the Hospital at the foot of the mountain at Mihintale

With the growth of the community of monks and the pious laymen, there arose the inevitable need of a hospital. The first hospital at Mihintale was founded by King Sena the second (853-887 AC) at Mihintale. The identification was based on a tenth century inscription found at the site.

Today, the ruins of a hospital with its layout restored can be seen at the entrance to the site of Mihintale. At the entrance to the hospital is the outer courtyard that consists of four rooms: consulting room; room for preparation and storage of medicine; room for hot water baths. At the end of the outer courtyard, to the north is the main building: the quadrangular courtyard having a small shrine in the center.The rooms are arranged on a two high platforms on all four sides of the Central Courtyard. The rooms face the shrine which is in the Courtyard. The area of each room is about 100 square feet. The rooms open onto an inner Verandha making all cells accessible.

Archeological excavations have unearthed clay wares and blue colored jars. These jars are another evidence of the cultural and trade connections with Iran and Sri Lanka at such an ancient time.


Arama: the residence of the monks at the foot of the mountain at Mihintale

Between the ancient hospital and the great stairway to the mountain of Mihintale are ruins of ancient monastic buildings girt by a boundary wall. The entrance to the monastery is decorated with steps, Guard-Stones, makara (dragon) balustrades and naga (cobra) figures. This building is similar to arama buildings found in Anuradhapura. Ruins of quadrangle’s two story buildings, each built on 12 or 16 stone columns called Prasada that houses several rooms are found here.


The great stairway at Mihintale

The great stairway that leads up the Mihintale Mountain consists of no less than 1840 rock cut steps. While some of the neat steps are carved into the natural rock, the rest are paved with cut granite. Exceedingly wide for a pedestrian climb, the impressive staircase of unique distinction, well sheltered and shaded with frangipani flower trees and ever-green wood makes a very pleasant climb. The blossoms of Araliya (frangipani) make the staircase fragrant while the intrusive hoards of monkeys hover around and hang in the branches of the trees to grab snacks off the visitors.

When one proceeds along the ancient stairway-about half the distance, the path branches off to the right into a still steeper climb. The pathway, which consists of about 80 steps, leads you to the site of the Kantaka Cetiya. The branch pathway is 10 feet wide and about half the size of the stone steps laid on the main path. Mahasaya, Atvehera and Rajagirilena Kanda are approached through similar pathways.

The great stairway at Mihintale

Refectory, the Alms Hall at Mihintale

To the left of the first level of Mihintale is the main refectory. Two stone cut troughs used for serving rice are lined up along the walls to the north and east. The larger of the trough with a length of 23 feet is an indication of the large number of monks. Interior of these troughs were believed to be lined with a layer of metal. Refectory also consists of overhead water pipes and elaborates drainage system. A rock cut inscription reveals the members at the refectory: 12 cooks, warden and firewood suppliers.

Dage, the Relic House, the Main Shrine at Mihintale

Mihintale’s main shrine is located at an elevated level adjoining the refectory. A flight of stairs leads to the main shrine. Two large slabs of stone contain inscriptions in length on both sides of the entrance to the shrine. The beautiful inscription on polished slabs of granite made by King Mahinda the fourth (956-972 A.D.), one of the longest ancient inscriptions of Sri Lanka shed a great deal of information on the monastery.


Kantaka Chetiya at Mihintale

Kantaka Chetiya in its ruined state, is of a height of 40 feet and a circumference of 425 feet. On the four sides of the stupa are found four projecting front pieces called Vahalkadas. Two of the four Vahalkadas are preserved in good condition. The Vahalkadas are profusely ornamented with sculptures: frieze of ganas (dwarfs) and frieze of hamsa (geese). The caves located near to the stupa are the earliest dwellings of the resident monks at Mihintale.

The sixty eight caves at Mihintale

The sixty eight caves, the earliest dwellings of the monks at Mihintale are located around the Kantaka Cetiya. The Mahavamsa, the great historical chronicle of Sri Lanka narrates on the donation of caves to the monks by King Devanampiya Tissa. Furthermore the inscriptions engraved above the drip ledges of these caves too elaborate of the offering.

Sinha Pokuna (Lion pond) at Mihintale

To the south of the Assembly Hall in the middle terrace at a lower level is the Lion pond amidst the ruins of a monastic building. The pond built into a natural rock has water channeled from Naga Pokuna at a higher elevation. The water is discharged through the open mouth of the life size-lion carved onto a rock wall. Right round the pond are sculptures depicting dancers, Elephants, musicians and dwarfs.

Sinha Pokuna

Ambasthala Chetiya at Mihintale

The first monument that comes into view when entering the upper terrace is Ambastala dagoba built by King Mahadatika Mahanaga (09-21 AC). It is a small stupa surrounded by stone pillars forming a circle. The pillars are the unmistakable evidence that Ambastala dagoba was a circular relic house with a roof of wooden construction over the stupa supported on those pillars.

The site of Ambasthala Dagaba is believed to be the precise location at Mihintale where Mahathera Mahinda met King Devanampiya Tissa and the great sage delivered his first sermon on the mount, Cula Hatthipadopama Sutta.

Sila Chetiya at Mihintale

Sila Cetiya at the upper terrace is believed to have been built on a spot Buddha had seated on his third visit to Sri Lanka. It is a stupa built in the medieval era of Sri Lanka.


Mihindu Seya at Mihintale

Mihindu Seya was built by King Uttiya (210-200 BC) to enshrine a portion of the bodily relics of Mahinda Mahathera.

Aradhana Gala (The Rock of Invitation) at Mihintale

On the eastern side of the Ambasthala Cetiya is the rock called Aradhana Gala. It is believed to be the location where the novice monk Sumana invited the gods and deities to the first sermon of Mahinda Mahathera in Lanka.

Aradhana Gala

Mihindu Guhawa, the cave of Mahinda at Mihintale

About three hundred yards downhill from the Upper terrace, on the eastern side a stone slab sheltered by another rock called Mihindu Guhawa Cave. It is believed to be the location where Mahinda mahathera mediated. The rectangular area is believed to be the bed of Mahathera Mahinda.


Mahaseya, the great stupa

Returning from Mihindu Guhawa Cave to the maluwa (plateau), the Mahasaya can be seen on the summit of the mountain to the south. 110 steps cut into the rock leads to the Mahasaya the great stupa. The largest stupa on the summit of the mountain, Mahasaya stupa is the monument all would invariably witness from far distant while arriving at Mihintale. Mahathupa is 45 feet in height 136 feet in diameter. The location of monument must have made the construction entailing as much expense and effort as one of the large monuments at the capital.

Mihintale Mahaseya

Naga Pokuna, the Cobra Pond at Mihintale

Just below the Mahasaya and Mihindu Saya at the foot of a steep hillock is the Naga Pokuna (Cobra Pond) built into a natural rock basin. Originally, a rainwater filled pool, following the establishment of the monastery, springs were tapped to maintain the storage of water. Naga Pokuna was central to the supply of water to the monastery: Lion Pond and Alms Hall too were supplied with water from Naga Pokuna. The name of Naga Pokuna is derived from the five hooded cobra cut in low relief on the rock surface.

Naga Pokuna

Atvehera, The Inner Temple at Mihinatale

A long flight of some six hundred steps from Naga Pokuna leads to Atvehera stupa at Atvehera Kanda hill. Though the stupa at the summit of the hill is smaller than Mahasaya, the view from the location is panaromic.


Indikatuseya at Mihintale

Descending from Atvehera, at the ruins of the ancient hospital at the foot of the mountain, the main road Mihintale-Galkulama leads to an ancient vihara Indikatusaya to the right hand side. Well protected by a stone wall are ruins of two stupas. Indukatusaya, the larger of the two stupas, is built on an elevated platform paved with stone slabs. The platform is about 5 feet above the ground level and each side is about 40 feet. The stupa has basal terraces that differ in form and style from those of other stupas. The stairways are flanked by balustrades and a plain moonstone.


Rajagirilena Kanda, the Royal Rock Cave Hill at Mihintale

About half a kilometer from Indikatusaya along the gravel road and on the turning to the left is located Rajagirilena Kanda. On the low hill with a height of about of 100 feet, among the boulders at the summit are caves once occupied by the monks. Fairly roomy cells were formed by brick and clay walls that divide the interior sheltered by an overhanging rock roof. Rajagirilena Kanda with its airy caverns in a pleasant setting is believed to be first dwellings of the Buddhist monks at Mihintale.


Kaludiya Pokuna, the Black Water Pool at Mihintale A short path of about fifty meters through the boulders at Rajagirilena Kanda leads to Kaludiya Pokuna, the central attraction of the hill named Porodini in the Mihintale Tablets of King Mahinda the 4th. Kaludiya Pokuna, the largest pool at Mihintale measures 200 feet in length and 70 feet in width. Around the pool are the ruins of meditation halls, bathing houses and walled caves. The name Black Water Pool was a result of the dark shadows left upon the waters by the rock boulders and shady trees surrounding the pool.

Abhayagiri Viharaya

Abhayagiri Viharaya

Abhayagiri Monastery is situated on the ancient city of Anuradhapura and is credited to king Vattagamini Abaya popularly known as king Walagamba ( 103 BC, 89-77 BC)

Proof has been found that a Jain temple has existed on this land in the 5th century BC during the rule of King Pandukabaya (437-367 BC).

In 104 BC, the youngest son of king Saddhatissa (137-119 BC), prince Vattagamini Abaya came to the throne in Anuradhapura. Soon after a Tamil invasion took place. The new king unable to withstand the attack, was retreating from the capital. At this time a Jain monk was residing in the area which Abhayagiri stands today. When the king was passing this area the Jain monk named “Geri” shouted insultingly “Lo the great black Sinhala king is in flight”.

The king ignored this comment but when he came back to Anuradhapura after 14 years after defeating the invaders, he has not forgotten this incident. The king razed this hermitage to the ground and built a massive stupa and 12 buildings and offered it to Kuppikala Mahathissa Thero. The stupa was named by coining the two rivals names “Abaya” (The king’s name) and “Geri” (The Jain monk) – The “Abayagiri” . The stupa is also believed to be built by the same king.

Until this time the center of Sri Lanka buddhism was Maha Viharaya who followed purest form of Theravada buddhist teaching. The priests of this institute accused the Mahatissa thero for accepting a personal gift and was expelled from Maha Viharaya.

Mahathissa Thero broke away with a following of monks to established Abhayagiri . Even though these two temples didn’t have any differences in buddhist practices, a group of disciples of a Dhammaruchi Thero of India introduced some practices which was quite different to Theravada teachings to Abhayagiri Viharaya. With this the Abhayagiri Vihara Bhikkus were called Dhammaruchi Nikaya (sect). Later Abayagiri became a great rival of Maha Vihara and became the seat for Mahayana Buddhism in Sri Lanka.

The peak of this rivalry was during the reign of King Mahasen (276-303) when the king dismantled great buildings of Maha Viharaya Complex including the Loha Maha Prasada to be used as raw material for buildings of Abayagiriya. According to the famous Chinese traveling monk Fa- Hsien, there were over 5000 monks residing at Abayagiri Viharaya, exceeding the count at Maha Viharaya in 5th century BC.

Over the footprint at the north of the city the king built a large tope, 400 cubits high, grandly adorned with gold and silver, and finished with a combination of all the precious substances. By the side of the top he further built a monastery, called the Abhayagiri, where there are (now) five thousand monks. There is in it a hall of Buddha, adorned with carved and inlaid works of gold and silver, and rich in the seven precious substances, in which there is an image (of Buddha) in green jade, more than twenty cubits in height, glittering all over with those substances, and having an appearance of solemn dignity which words cannot express. In the palm of the right hand there is a priceless pearl.

According to the The Great Chronicle of Sri Lanka – The Mahavamsa, The Buddha visited a place called “Seela Chetiya” in Anuradhapura on his 3rd visit to Sri Lanka. Deepawamsa connects the Seela Chetiya and Abhayagiriya together and the records of Fa-Hien, the stupa of Abhayagiri is built upon a footprint of Buddha. Therefore it is believed by some that the Seela Chetiya has been located where the current Abhayagiri Stupa stands.

Until the beginning of the 20th century there was a confusion of which is what and the historians had mixed up Abhayagiri Stupa and Jethawana Stupa. But this mistake was corrected after the inscriptions found 1909 and after. The Aramaic Complex covers approx. 500 acres (200 ha) and a large number of ancient structures can be found on this site.

Abhayagiri Viharaya

Lovamahapaya

The king Devamnampiyatissa, the first Buddhist king of the country build a chapter house in this location on the instructions Mahinda Thero who brought Buddhism to the country. A century later king Dutugamunu (161-131 BC) built a massive structure of which the remains you see today.

According to Mahavamsa, the great chronicle of the Sinhalese, Lovamahapaya was a massive nine storied building with a height of 150 ft (47 meters) and each side with a 150 feet (46 meters) length. The building was supported by 40 rows of stone pillars with 40 pillars which totaled 1600 pillars. In each level there were 1000 rooms and 100 windows. The building of Lovamahapaya was adorned with corals and precious stones. Its roof was covered with copper-bronze plates. Although this description may be a little exaggerated, this would have been a very impressive building at that time looking at what remains today.

Superstructure of the Lovamahapaya probably would have been wood and the height of this building deceased with time. According to Mahavamsa, this building was destroyed by fire during king Saddhatissa (137-119 BC) and it was built to seven stories. King Sirinaga II (240-242 AC) restored this building again to five levels.  King Jettatissa (266-276 AC) once again raised the size of the building to seven levels.

King Mahasena (276-303) demolished this building and gave the material to the Abayaghiri Viharaya due to a conflict with the monks in the Mahavihara. His son Sirimeghavanna rebuild this mansion again but was destroyed  by the Pandayns  from South India who invaded the city in the 9th century and was rebuild again in the same century by king Sena II.

Again the Colas from India invaded the city in 10th century and plundered the city of it’s all valuables which finally saw the fall of the Anuradhapura as the capital of Sri Lanka after over 1400 years.

The great king Parakramabhu I who reigned from Polonnaruwa (1153-1186 AC) raised again the 1600 pillars and partly restored it. This is what you see today.
Alternate Names :great cooper roofed mansion, lova maha prasadaya, lovamahapaya, lowamahapaya

Gal Potha ( Stone Book)

Gal Potha ( Stone Book)

Polonnaruwa Gal Potha ( Stone Book) is a large stone inscription found next to the Sath Mahal Prasada. This Stone book is consists of three main sections a, 26 feet and 10 inch in length and 4 feet and 7 inch in width. This was done during the time of king Nissankamalla, who ruled Sri Lanka during 1187-1196.

The two lengthy sides Gal Potha is decorated with two rows of Swans(Hansa). In other two sides decorated with carving of god Lakshmi and two elephants are in both sides of her. These carving is call "Gaja Lakshmi" and may have done due to Hindu influence in Polonnaruwa era. This carving depicts that god Lakshimi is holding two flowers and two elephants are pouring water to it. 

Gal Potha ( Stone Book)

Totally there are 72 rows in three sections and more than 4500 characters. Those letters are belonging to 12th century Sinhalease characters. 

Gal Potha ( Stone Book)

According to the information mention in the inscriptions, this was taken here from Mihinthalaya, which is around 50 km away from here. So there must be some sort of developed technology used to bring that from that far distance. 

Gal Potha ( Stone Book)

These inscriptions also mention about king Nisshanka Malla and the his contribution to develop the Poloinnaruwa kingdom. Its is believe that this Gal Pota was done during the last years of King Nissankamalla's time.

Polonnaruwa Gal Vihara

Polonnaruwa's rock-hewn Buddha Statues - in brief

 "Gal Vihara", also spelt "Gal Viharaya", means “Rock Monastery”. It's the name of Sri Lanka’s most celebrated rock-cut Buddha statues. They once belonged to the Uttara Rama, meaning “Northern temple”, founded by Polonnaruwa’s great King Parakramabahu I (1153-86). The Gal Vihara group consists of four fascinating statues, three colossal rock-cut images and a smaller one in a partly artificial cave. The Gal Vihara sculptures, each different in design, are undoubtedly  the most perfect specimen of Buddha statues hewn out of solid granite in Sri Lanka. All four images are hallowed out of the abrupt eastern slope of a single massive boulder, which is about 27 meters in length and 10 meters in height. They are still in a good state of preservation. In order to protect them from acid rain, the resplendent images are sheltered under a new roof, the aesthetic perfection of which might be debatable.

The colossal sitting Buddha image of Gal Vihara is 4.5 m (15 ft) high and sits in a huge rock niche, framed by a Torana, and on a low pedestal, the front of which has panels showing lion figures in front view.

The enigmatic standing Buddha of Polonnaruwa’s Gal Vihara group, 7 m (23 ft) tall, shows an unusual gesture with the arms crossed in front of the breast. Because of this gesture of devotion, scholars have speculated and most tour guides believe that this is not an image of the Buddha but of his favourite disciple Ananda grieving for his master who is passing away beside him. There is an ongoing controversy about the meaning of this imposing and also very charming rock statue. It’s most likely, it actually depicts the Buddha and not Ananda.

Next to the colossal seated Buddha is a cave with pillars carved into the cliff similar to Buddhist cave temples in India. In the middle of this semi-artificial cave is a second sedentary Buddha image, the arms of which are also in the meditation gesture called Dhyani. The legs  show the same “hero posture” called Virasana that can be seen at the larger statue, too . The excellently carved image is placed on a throne and under a canopy, flanked by a Torana with deities and servents and mythical crocodiles called Makaras.

The most admired image of Gal Vihara is South Asia's largest reclining Buddha from ancent times, 14m (46 ft) long, depicting his passsing away into the final and eternal Nibbana (Pari-Nirvana)

 

 

 

History of the Gal Vihara rock temple - and its rediscovery

The Gal Vihara appears to mentioned in Sri Lanka’s ancient chronicle, the Mahavamsa, or more precisely, it’s second part which is sometimes referred to as the Chulavamsa. The Culavamsa part was writen during the Polonnaruwa and Dambadeniya periods, most probably under the Kings Parakramabahu I and Parakramabahu II respectively. The Gal Viahra’s name given in the chronicle is Uttara Rama, meaning “northern monastery”. The name refers to its location in the northern part of the capital Polonnaruwa and just north of the main monastic complex which is called Alahena Parivena today. 

The Chronicle attributes a sedent and a reclining Buddha of the Uttara Rama to the great King Parakramabahu I. (1152-86). It does not not mention a standing Buddha statue, which contributes to some speculation concerning the time of origin and the identification of the standing rock statue of the Gal Vihara group.

Polonnaruwa’s Gal Vihara marks an important development in Buddhist history. The rock sculptures are remarkable in many respects. Though they still bear traces of Mayanist influences, the recling Buddha in particular is a new form of rock-cut Buddhas indicating a shift from worship of supernatural giant Buddhas to the more human form of the historical Buddha. Accordingly, the rock inscriptions of the Gal Vihara are significant sources of a principal development in the island’s Buddhist history: They record a monastic reform under the auspices of King Parakramabahu I, the result of which was the unification of the previous three monastic traditions (Nikayas), now in accordance with the Mahavihara tradition, which was purely Theravadic. From then on, Theravada has remained to be the predominant, or some say: sole form of Buddhism on the island. Parakramabahu’s Buddhist reform, documented at the Gal Vihara in Polonnaruwa, is of significance of Southeast Asian religious history, too. The pure form of Theravada Buddhism in Myanmar, Thailand and Cambodia became predemoninant there, too, namely under the name “Sinhalese” or “Mahavihara” school.

After the fall of Polonnaruwa in the middle of the 13th century, caused by the maroding troops of the invader Kalinga Magha, Polonnaruwa fell into decay. Though the imposing rock statues have never been unknown to locals, who indeed created the modern name “Gal Vihara” or “Kalugala Viharaya” for them, the statues in the jungles were an exciting discovery for British explorers in the 19th century.       

The first colonial officer who visited the Gal Vihara statues and reported about them, was Lieutenant Fagan in 1820.

Major Jonathan Forbes mentioned the rock-cut statues of Polonnaruwa in his famous travel log “Eleven Years in Ceylon”, first published in 1840 in London.

Samuel Baker, who later on became famous as explorer of the River Nile, saw the Gal Vihara rock statues and made a record of them in one of his first books, “Eight Years' Wanderings In Ceylon”, published in 1855.

Photos of the sculptures were taken for the first time in 1858. In the begin of the 1860s, Sir James Emerson Tennant, a noteworthy colonial secretary of Ceylon 1845-1850, described the Gal Vihara, too. But the first scientific account was written by James Ferguson in his “History of Indian and Eastern Architecture”, punlished 1910 in London). The report of British Ceylon’s most famous Archaelogical Commissioner, H.C.P. Bell mentioning his predecessors is cited below, given at the end of this webpage.

 

Sedentary Buddha - Vijjadhara Guha

 

 The four sites of the Buddha statues of the Gal Vihara are called “caves”, though the three huge ones are not posted below rock sheltered but sculptured in partly artificial rock niches, except from the one small Buddha image seated in a cave indeed. The Gal Vihara rock measures 52 m (170 ft) in length, Along the 26 m long centrepiece, the rock is 10 m high, it then falls away gradually towards each end.

Sockets cut into the rock just behind the statues indicate that the walls had originally separated the statue from one another. Accordingly, remnants of brick foundations walls testify that each of the four figures was enshrined in a separate image house. The images were not intended to decorate a rock surface picturesquely but to be venerated inside shrine rooms, three of them with vaulted brick walls. Those “cave rooms” were only illuminated by small windows and candle light. This means, originally the immense statues were not exposed to sunshine as today. The figures were once plastered and painted in the same manner as other images in Sri Lanka’s cave temples.

The southernmost of the fours “caves” is Vijjadhara Guha, also transcribed Vijjadhdharaguha. The huge artificial alcove contains the island’s largest ancient image of a sedent Buddha, measuring 4.6 m (15 ft. 2.5 in) in height. The serene exquisitely carved Vijjadharaguha Buddha Image is regarded as one of Asia’s best specimen of seated rock statues at all. It’s cut back 5 m (17 ft.) for the shrine of the colossal sedentary Buddha statue.

The seated Vijjadharaguha sculpture is depicted in the common meditation gesture, which is called Samadhi Mudra or Dhyani Mudra, both hands are placed on the lap, right hand on left with fingers fully stretched. The-flame like symbol of enlightenment over the head of Buddha is called Siraspata.

The imposing rock-cut Vijjadharaguha figure sits on a throne, an Asana, the front of which is decorated with lions and thunderbolt symbols. The latter are noteworthy, because “Vajras”, as they are called, are indicating influence of the Tantic form of Mahayana Buddhism, which is otherwise even more alien to the Polonnaruwa art than to the previous Anuradhapura period.

Behind the head of the Vijjadharaguha Buddha is a bas-relief of a halo. The entire figure is framed by a relief in the shape of an arch, which is called Prabhamandala in Indian art. It resembles a Torana, a wooden gate, which is richly ornamented. Heads of the mythical crocodile-dragons called Makaras can be seen projecting on either side, holding small lions in their mouths. The upper part of the arch carries small celestial palaces or shrines with bas reliefs depicting Buddhas in their front niches or entrances.

Due to some Tantric symbolism of the Asana and the Prabhamandala, it has been speculated that the Vijjadharaguha Buddha does not represent the historical Buddha Shakyamuni but the cosmic Buddha Vairocana, one of the eternal Adibuddhas in Tantric Buddhism. The four small images of Buddhas or Bodhisattvas, all of them in Samadhi Mudra, too, could then represent the four directions of the universe, like in a Tantric Mandala.

Cave Statue - Nisinnapatima Guha

 

 There is only one cave room at the Gal Vihara which is hallowed out of the solid rock as a complete shrine room, using the rock as its ceiling. Presumably, this was a natural cave artificially enlarged to a rectangular cave room. The Pali name is Nisinnapatimaguha. This so-called “Excavated Cave” of Polonnaruwa’s Gal Vihara is the only example of an ancient cave in Sri Lanka, which is man-made and therefore resembling Buddhist cave temples of mainland India. Traces of wall-paintings can be seen on the walls of the Nisinnapatimaguha cave, too.

The Excavated Cave, too, houses a rock-carved sedent Buddha sculpture in Samadhi Mudra. Measuring 1.4 m (4 ft. 7 in.) in height, the image inside the cave is of course much smaller in size than the neighbouring Vijjadharaguha Buddha, but it’s excellently carved and charming indeed. This rock-cut image is seated on an almost 1 m high pedestal, a Padmasana, which means “Lotos Seat”. The Nisinnapatimaguha Buddha is depicted under a parasol. Only the body of this sedentary Buddha is framed by a Prabhamandala arch, which is of rectangular form. Makara-Dragons are displayed in anupright position. Besides the foot of the arch, there are two noteworthy figures depicting attendants with flywhisks. Flywhisks are called “chamara” or “prakirnaka” in Indian art. In Tantric Buddhism, they represent the sweeping away of obstacles to enlightenment. In Hindu art, flywhisks are emblems of royal dignity and souvereignty.

The halo surrounding the head is clearly marked. On either side of the head are minuscule images of Brahma to the right and Vishnu to the left of the of the Nisinnapatimaguha Buddha, both guardian deities are depicted four-armed.

 

 

Gal Vihara rock inscription - and Parakramabahu's monastic reform

 

Next to the entrance of Excavated Cave (Nisinnapatima Guha) is the famous Gal Vihara inscription on the sloping rock between the cave and the standing image. It’s one of Sri Lanka’s longest ancient inscriptions at all. It contains the records of King Parakramabahu I. about his convening of a Buddhist council in 1165 in order to restore the order by establishment of rules for good conduct and monastic discipline. Many monks, who had children or were engaged in magical rituals, which is not in accordance with the Vinaya rules of the Sangha, were expelled from the Buddhist order.

In particular, this Gal Vihara rock insciption mentions the king's efforts to unite the Buddhist order under a single Nikaya tradition, that of the ancient Mahavihara.

Convening a council, purifying the order from monks’ bad conduct, unifying the Sangha as well as well as recording this in inscription, all of this belongs to a tradition of significant Buddhist kings established by none other than the famous Indian Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century B.C.E. After periods of corruption of monastic discipline, important Sri Lankan Kings were engaged in restructuring the Sangha. Parakramabahu the Great is the best example. Such edicts are called Katikavata in Sri Lankan history.

Accordingly, the text quotes the king: “Seeing again and again a blot on the immaculate Buddhist religion if a mighty monarch like myself were to remain indifferent the religion might perish and many living beings would be destined for hell. Let me serve the religion that it might last a thousand years”.

The new code of conduct for monks was drawn up with the help of the most renowned monk of the Polonnaruwa period, Mahakassapa from Dimbulagala, who followed the Theravadic traditions of the Sri Lanka’s most ancient monastery, the Mahavihara in Anuradhapura. Mahakassapa became the “Sangharaja”, the “King of the Buddhist Order”. Though the period of a unified Sangha under a hierarchical leadership disappeared again with the fall of Polonnaruwa, there is one legacy of Parakramabahu’s Sangha reform lasting in Sri Lanka till the present day. It was from Parakramabahu’s Buddhist Council onwards, that the Theravada school of Buddhism, the “Elders’ Teaching”, has been the sole accepted form of Buddhism on the island. In this respect, the significance of the events recorded in the Gal Vihara inscription cannot be underestimated for the culture of Sri Lanka and beyond.

That the Sri Lankan Buddhist tradition was held in high esteem during that period, can be learned from the account of a Tibetan envoy who visited Bodhgaya, the holiest place of worship in India for all Buddhists. His report from 1235 states, he counted 300 Sinhales monks at the Buddhist main shrine, who were in charge of keeping the sacred place intact.

 

Standing Gal Vihara Statue - Utthitapatima Guha

 

 

The rock-cut statue is 7 m (23 ft) tall statue. It’s a masterpiece of art and stonemasonry. The identity of the standing figure of Polonnaruwa’s Gal Vihara group is one of the most controversial issues in Buddhist art history. Popular belief as well as many educated tour guides consider it to be a depiction of Ananda, the Buddha’s favourite disciple, mourning besides the reclining Buddha statue, which definitely represents the passing away of the Master. Nevertheless, it is much more likely, that this mystic standing rock statue of Gal Vihara is a Buddha image.

The 78th chapter of the Mahawansa (belonging to the part called Chulavansa) states that Parakrama caused cunning workmen to make three caves in the rock, the cave of the spirits of knowledge, the cave of the sitting image, and the cave of the sleeping image. No mention is made of the standing image. But the brick foundation could provide evidence this separate cave with the standing image was a later addition, just to add a "standing posture" to the already existing sedent and recumbent ones in order to assemble all three common postures of Buddha stues in Sri Lanka. Others expain the missing reference in the chronicles in just the opposite way: The standing image is earlier, maybe from the same period as Sri Lanka’s other rock-hewn status such as Aukana Buddha. Both the latter explanation is not entirely convincing. The styles of the upright ant the nearby lying statue in Polonnaruwa are quite similar, particular the round face and the elaborate but very thin garment of the standing statue resemble those of the other Gal Vihara statues much more than those of rock-cut statues from the previous Anuradhapura period.

The main reason for the controversy and for identifying this marvellous statue as Ananda is the gesture of crossing the hands on the chest. Sri Lanka’s most renowned archaeologist, Senarat Paranavitana, was of the opinion that it represents the Buddha himself in grief, namely as Paradukkha-dukkhita, this is sorrowing for the sorrows of others. Similarly, other authors believe that this Buddha statue depicts the Buddha’s great compassiontowards all sentinent beings, which is called “Maha Karuna”.

Today’s most widely accepted theory was put forward by Prof. Leelananda Prematilleke, former Head of the renowned Department of Archaeology of the University of Peradeniya and Coordinating Director of the UNESCO - Sri Lanka Project of the Cultural Triangle. He assumed that the upright statue of Gal Vihara represents the Buddha in the second week after attaining enlightenment. He spent this week paying respect to the Bodhi tree and the lotus seat below the tree. Therefore a Bodhi tree was planted recently there by the custodians of the Cultural Triangle Project.

  

Contra identification as Ananda statue

 

* Buddha images with crossed arms are uncommon but not completely unknown. There are many examples in Southeast Asia, and at least one of them is earlier than the Gal Vihara standing statue. Standing Buddha statues with crossed armes are also known from the later Kandyan art in Sri Lanka.

* Disciples like Ananda are usually depicted baldheaded. Curles indicate a depiction of a Buddha.

* The elongated ears of the statue are typical for Buddha images, not a feature of diciples.

* In Buddhist iconography, the Padmasana, a pedestal in the form of a lotus throne, is usually reserved for Buddha statues.

* The grieving Ananda is usually depicted at the feet of a dying Buddha, not at his head.

* It is clear, from the marks in the rock and the brick foundation walls in front of it, that the standing statue of Gal Vihara had a separate shrine, where it was the principal idol of veneration, which would be unthinkable for a statue of Ananda.

Reclining Buddha of Polonnaruwa - Nipannapatima Guha

Sri Lanka’s iconic Gal Vihara Reclining Buddha is 14 m (46 ft) long. In spite of the colossal dimensions, the statue is graceful and resonating with peace. The liquid flow of the robes over the body has been much admired.

The soles of the Buddha's feet are decorated with a lotus blossom and other auspicious marks of royalty or Buddhahood.

Typically for the Polonnaruwa period, the Gal Vihara Reclining Buddha has a round face with a high forehead. The feet are not entirely parallel as it would be for sleeping Buddhas. The The left foot of the Buddha resting on the right is slightly drawn back. In Buddhist iconography, this is a feature marking the moment of the passing-away and attaining the final Nirvana. which is called Mahaparinirvana in Sanskrit and Mahaparinibbana in Pali.

There is a debate, if this is nevertheless a depiction of a sleeping Buddha instead of an expiring Buddha. The reason is: If the upright standing statue nearby is not Ananda, then there are no attendents. Earlier Indian representations of the Mahapariniravana usually show Ananda and some more disciples standing at the feet of the Buddha.

The sleeping Buddha is a much more common motive in Sri Lankan art than the expiring Buddha. This is why some interpret this image as a depiction of a sleeping Buddha in the so-called “Lion Posture” (Sihasana or Sinhasana). It’s also called the “pose of the sleeping lion”, as the lion sleeps resting its head on its paw.

The Buddha rests his head on an elaborately decorated cylindrical pillow, the carving of which is carefully executed. It has a slight depression under the weight of the head. The pillow is decorated with the Chakra, the eternal wheel. The very centre of the pillow shows a so-called “Lion-Face” (Kirthimukha).

The so called “Cave of Reclining Image” (“Nipannapatima Guha”) was indeed an image house with brick walls on three sides. The image house once sheltering this impressive recumbent sculpture had its own separate entrance and two windows additionally.

Polonnaruwa Vatadage

The Polonnaruwa Vatadage (House of relic) is one of the best preserved ancient structures of the kingdom of Polonnaruwa that existed during the 11th - 14th century CE. Its origins may be conflicted by many historic texts, however, it is widely believed to be a shrine of the sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha during the kingdom’s glory days, which makes the stone structure a very significant part of Sri Lanka’s Buddhist culture and history.

Best Known For

• The vatadage is more or less unique architecture of ancient Sri Lanka, which exists in many parts of the country, but it is best expressed by this single monument in Polonnaruwa, as it is the least damaged and has undergone extensive restoration throughout the years.
• Since the Vatadage is located in the Dalada Maluwa or ‘Hall of Relic’, it is virtually surrounded by a gorgeous riot of artistry, with almost every surface carved in a melee of decoration.
• The reason for being one of the most visited monuments in Sri Lanka is due to its significant history, as it is believed that King Parakramabahu the Great (1164 - 1196 CE) built it as a shrine for the sacred tooth relic that belonged to Lord Buddha.

Interesting Facts

• The Polonnaruwa Vatadage’s origins are hazy due to many sources claiming it to be built by different rulers with different purposes.
• The most widely held story comes from the Culavamsa (a chronicle that has documented the monarchs in the country) where King Parakramabahu the Great built this structure to enshrine the sacred tooth relic.
• However, the Rajavaliya and Poojavaliya, which are also important ancient chronicles, state that it was built by King Nissankamalla (1198 - 1206 CE) and was built with the intention to hold the bowl used by Lord Buddha for alms.
• The Vatadage is believed to have been an elaborate structure that had four entrances in which a sitting statue of Buddha presides at each entrance. The centre of the structure is the ruined stupa that once housed the sacred tooth relic.
• However, the structure now lays in ruin due to the Dravidian invaders that came from South India in early 14th century CE and destroyed the historic monument further ending the reign of the Polonnaruwa Kingdom.

Sri Maha Bodhi

 The sacred city of Anuradhapura has been nominated by the UNESCO as a World Heritage. The main reason for the historical city of Anuradhapura to become a sacred city was the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi.

This sacred tree has been planted in the historical Maha Megha Vana Royal Park in Anuradhapura in the month of ‘Unduvap’ (December), 236 BC, according to the written facts. The sacred Bodhi sapling has been ceremonially brought here by Arahant Sanghamitta Maha Theree, under instructions of Arahant Mihindu Maha Thero. King Devanampiyatissa who ruled Sri Lanka in this period has planted this Bodhi tree with great pageantry in the Maha Megha Vana Royal Park dedicated to the venerable bhikkhus. The present age of the Anuradhapura Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi is 2,247 years.

Accordingly, the oldest tree of the whole world with a written history is the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi of Anuradhapura.

This tree belongs to the family of trees known as ‘asvastha’ in Sanskrit, ‘asvattha’ in Pali, ‘aesatu’ in Sinhala. Botanists have named it ‘ficus religiosa’ taking into account its religious significance.

Lord Gautama Buddha is esteemed as the greatest human being appeared on earth. He attained Samma Sambodhi, enlightenment, seated with his back against it under the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi tree of Bodhgaya, India. The Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi of Anuradhapura being the southern branch of that sacred Bodhi tree is the second most special reason.

Within a short period of bringing the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi sapling to Sri Lanka, the original Bodhi tree of India was destroyed by Queen Thishyarakkha, a queen of Emperor Dharmashoka observing a different faith. The saplings sprouted from its roots were destroyed twice due to hostilities and natural disasters. It is a fourth generation Bodhi tree that dwells in Bodhgaya presently.

But, what we see living in Anuradhapura is the southern branch of the original Bodhi tree under which Gautama Buddha was seated with his back against it. Therefore, the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi tree of Anuradhapura is the only sacred relic in the whole world comparable to the living Buddha, which has been sanctified by the touch of the Lord Buddha and was subjected to the homage of the esteemed one himself for one whole week through ‘Animisa Lochana Pooja’.

It is a specialty here that, this highly sacred Bodhi could be seen and worshipped by anyone without hindrance.

Sri Maha Bodhi

Sri Maha Bodhi