Anuradhapura
The city of Anuradha was founded in
the 5th century BCE and remained the capital of Sri Lanka for 1400 years. The
city is surrounded by four large reservoirs the largest of which is the
Nuvaravava. The Tissavava now provides the modern city of Anuradhapura with its
drinking water. All the reservoirs are fed by a channel constructed in the 4th
century CE which leads water from the Kalavapi River about 50 miles from the
city. Like Lhasa, Kyoto, Xian and several other ancient Buddhist capitals,
Anuradhapura was a city surrounded by and to some degree dwarfed by a number of
huge monasteries and several other smaller ones. The history of Buddhism in Sri
Lanka up to the 13th century is to a very large extent the history of
Anuradhapura's three great monasteries: the Mahavihara, the Abhayagiri and the
Jetavana. The Mahavihara or Great Monastery was founded by Venerable Mahinda
himself and Theravadins in Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia even
today subscribe to the Mahavihara's interpretation of the Pali Tipitaka.
The ruins of the Mahavihara consist
of a collection of 13 complexes covering a wide area. Unfortunately in the 19th
century the town of Anuradhapura was built mainly over these ruins and many of
them were damaged. In about the year 249 a new teaching from India called the
Vetullavada was being enthusiastically advocated at the Abhayagiri. Some 300 of
its monks disagreed so strongly with certain of the principles of this new
teaching that they broke away and formed themselves into a new sect called the
Sagalikas after their leader Sagala, a renowned scholar. King Mahasena
appropriated some land owned by the Mahavihara and built these monks a
monastery which was named Jetavana after the famous monastery in Savatthi where
the Buddha used to live. The Jetavana stupa was the biggest ever built anywhere
and their image house was the most impressive ever built in Sri Lanka. It seems
that the Sagalikas were more liberal that the Mahaviharans but not as radical
as the Abhayagiri.
By the 9th century continual pressure from south India meant that Anuradhapura
was no longer safe as a capital and political power gradually shifted to
Polonnaruwa. But the city continued to be religiously important for at least
another 200 years but eventually it died and was buried by the jungle. Although
Anuradhapura was abandoned for a thousand years its sacred shrines were never
forgotten. A few lone monks lived among the ruins and looked after the
continual trickle of pilgrims who came. With the advent of the British and the
general improvement in roads and the construction of bridges pilgrimage became
much easier and for the first time in centuries large numbers of people started
coming again. In 1834, Lt. Skinner who accompanied the governor on his
inspection tour to Anuradhapura wrote. "The road from Kandy through Matale
and Dambulla was crowded with pilgrims on their way to the Sacred Bodhi
Tree". When he reached the ruins of the old city it was perfectly alive
with people’. The Thuparama was a jumble of pillars and stones while the Great
Stupa was little more that a steep-sided mound covered with thick jungle. Many
places could not be identified at all. In 18xxx Anuradhapura was made a
district capital and in 1904 the railway arrived. The sheer size and splendor
of the structures that were uncovered began to awaken in Sri Lankans a pride in
their past. The inspiration of Anuradhapura played a significant role in the
independence movement and a renewed confidence in their religion.
Mayura Pirivena
On the southern side of the Bodhi Tree are the ruins of the Mayura Pirivena
first built by King Buddhadasa. It was here that Buddhaghosa resided during his
stay in Sri Lanka. Buddhaghosa was the Indian monk who was invited to the
island to update, systemize and render into Pali all the ancient Sinhala
commentaries. In doing so he also turned Theravada has into a single monolithic
system. Buddhaghosa's famous Visuddhimagga, his compendium of the doctrine,
remains to this day the most widely read and studied of all Theravadin writings
and his commentaries are the standard by which Theravadin orthodoxy is judged.
Buddhaghosa himself described the Mayura Pirivena as "beautifully
appointed, agreeably endowed, with cool shade and with an ample water
supply". Today only a few calved pillars remain of the Mayura Pirivena and
other parts of it may still lie buried under the nearby bungalow.
The Sri Maha Bodhi
After the first Sri Lankan youths were ordained, Anula, one of Devanampiyatissa's
sub-queens and several other noblewomen expressed the desire to become nuns.
According to the Vinaya women have to be ordained twice; once by monks and
again by nuns and as no nuns had accompanied Mahinda to Sri Lanka a message was
sent back to King Asoka requesting some nuns to come. With this message was
also included a request for a cutting of the Bodhi Tree, the very tree at Bodh
Gaya that the Buddha had sat under on the night he was enlightened. So it was
that the following year a group of nuns led by Sanghamitta, the daughter of
King Asoka, arrived in Sri Lanka with a cutting of the famous tree.
The original Bodhi Tree is on the left
On passing through the gate the
pilgrim enters a large compound surrounded by a high thick wall made up of
large rough cut stones. Some of these stones are placed on angle to create
triangular holes in which lamps are burned during special festivals. This wall
was built by King Kirti Sri Rajasingha after he received reports that elephants
were damaging the Bodhi Tree. All the other buildings within the compound are
recent and of no interest.
Along the north side of the wall is
a line of steles recording donations that have been made to the Bodhi Tree over
the years. In the middle of the compound are a series of terraces which one
should ascend on the north side. The two guard stones at the foot of the stairs
are particularly fine and to the right of it is a bronze statue of Sanghamitta
donated by the Buddhists of Thailand. At the top of the stairs the pilgrim will
see the highest and smallest terrace surrounded by a fence made of 18-carat
gold. There are several shoots and branches of the Bodhi Tree but what is
believed to be the original cutting brought from India can be seen on the north
east side of the terrace supported by brightly painted crutches and with its
trunk wrapped in yellow cloth.
The Brazen Palace
Leaving the northern gate of the Bodhi Tree the pilgrim will see on the right a
veritable forest of stone pillars, forty rows of forty pillars each. This is
the remains of the Brazen Palace or Lohapasada first built in the 3rd century
BCE by King Tissa and later redesigned by Duthagamani as the chapter house for the
Mahavihara. The Brazen Palace was nine stories high, with a thousand rooms and
got its name from the sheets of gilt copper that covered its roof. Being made
mainly of wood it burned down and rebuilt several times and restored for the
last time by King Parakramabahu I.
The Refectory
Leaving the Brazen Palace and proceeding north along the path the pilgrim will
see the foundations of a building off to the right. This is the remains of one
of the Mahavihara's several refectories. With so many monks around Anuradhapura
it was simply impossible for them all to be sustained by begging for alms so
each monastery usually had huge dining rooms like this one below. Monks who
were entitled to eat in such places were issued with wooden ration tickets.
A rice boat in the refectory
The main entrance leads to a large
paved rectangular courtyard which was originally surrounded by a pillared
verandah under which monks used to sit, probably on mats on the floor or on
wooden benches. Note the drains where there would have been facilities for the
monks to wash their bowls and their hands after their meals. Against the east
wall of the refectory is a huge stone trough made of several pieces of stone so
finally finished that they fit together perfectly. In the Mahavamsa such
troughs are called rice boats. Steaming rice was tipped into these troughs and
then doled out to monks as they lined up and walked passed with their bowls. It
has been calculated that this particular trough would have held enough rice to
fill 3,800 bowls.
The Great Stupa
Returning to the main path and continuing north the pilgrim soon arrives at the
eastern entrance to the Sri Lanka's most sacred stupa. After Dutthaamani made
himself king in 161 BCE he began an extravagant building program. His most
ambitious project was a huge stupa which came to known as the Ruvanvalisaya or
simply as Mahachatiya, the Great Stupa. Dozens of architects submitted designs
for the stupa but one after the other these were rejected. Finally one
architect when asked how he intended to design the monument called for a bowl
of water, scooped up some of it and let it flow back into the bowl so that it
formed a bubble. "I will make the dome of the stupa like that" he
said and his design was accepted. Foundations of brick and stone more than 20
feet deep were laid and to make them more firm teams of elephants were
repeatedly driven back and forward over them. Dutthagamini was determined that
he should have all the merit from this work of piety for himself so he made
sure that everyone who labored on it was well paid. As the stupa moved towards
completion, Dutthagamini went into decline and it became clear that he
would not live to see his masterpiece. Out of pity for the old monarch his
brother and heir Saddhatissa had white cloth stretched over the uncompleted
parts of the stupa; he was carried out to see it and then died thinking it was
finished. When the Ruvanvalisaya was finally completed it was one of the
wonders of the age; with a diameter of 294 feet at the base and a height of 300
feet. The famous stupa at Sanchi by comparison which was built at roughly the
same time has a diameter of 120 feet and a height of 54 feet.
Mount the stairs to pass through the
gatehouse of which only the pillars remain. Such gatehouses are at the four
directions around this and all other stupa. Note on the right a trough where
pilgrims could wash the dust of their feet before entering the sacred precincts.
The retaining wall of the stupa's platform is made up of a line of elephants
which although much restored are substantially the same as the originals.
Climbing the stairs and passing through the inner gateway the pilgrim enters
the vast paved courtyard. On the right end of this modern temple is an
inscription of King Nissankamalla in beautifully inscribed letters. In it this
monarch records some of the many good deeds he did to make himself popular with
his subjects. He had himself, his son and queen weighed against gold and jewels
and then gave it all to the poor. Proceeding further one will come to a kind of
screen put up at the four cardinal points around stupas so as to serve as focal
points for the worship. Flowers and lamps were offered here and garlands were
hung on the hook-shaped protrusions. This first screen is a modern copy of the
original. A little further along is a model of the Ruvanvalisaya. Popular
legend says that this model was used as a guide for the architects when they
were building the original; in fact it dates from about the 7th century. The
next screen the pilgrim passes is an ancient one and may date from the time of
the stupa's construction. Further along is a huge stone trough once used for
holding water used for washing and refreshing flower offerings and now used for
whitewash.
Thuparama
This elegant little stupa was the first such monument in Sri Lanka and was
built by Devananpiya Tissa to enshrine the Buddha's collarbone. Being such a
revered stupa the Thuparama often generously endowed by wealthy patrons and
kings but not all the attention it received was welcomed. It is said that once
the famous monk Jotipala pointed out to King Aggabodhi II that the Thuparama
was in urgent need of repair. The king removed the relic but then kept putting
off the promised repairs. Jotipala became convinced that the king had decided
to keep the sacred relic for himself and it was only after threats of terrible
dreams from Jotipala that the king finally repaired the stupa and more
importantly, returned the relic. During a fierce power struggle between
Dathopatissa and Aggabodhi III both parties looted monasteries in order to get
funds to carry on their struggle and Aggabodhi even broke open the relic
chamber of the Thuparama and stole the golden caskets and other treasure
inside.
The stupa was originally paddy heap
shaped but was rebuilt in the bell shaped form in the 19th century. It sits on
a circular platform and is surrounded by four concentric circles of octagonal
pillars each diminishing in height from the innermost circle. These pillars
once supported the dome over the stupa which was built in the 6th century. The
tallest pillars are 22 feet 10 inches long and are masterpieces of the stone
mason’s art. At the entrance of the Thuparama is a very fine stone trough. This
trough would have originally been placed under a spout which filled it with
water and its undulating lip would have created numerous streams of water
allowing many devotees to wash themselves at the same time. Just a little to
the southeast of the entrance to the Thuparama are the remains of several of
its subsidiary temples. The capitals on the pillars are shaped like vajras
suggesting that at least during one period Tantra was practiced at the
Thuparma. Wander around the back of the Thuparama and the pilgrim will see the
ruins of an attractive temple and yet another stone medicine bath.
The Citadel
Leaving the Thuparama and proceeding east down the road the pilgrim will soon
begin to walk passed the now barely discernible walls of Anuradhapura's
citadel. These walls were 18 feet thick in parts and about 4 miles long. A
smaller road turns off to the left and passes through what was once the main
south gate of the citadel and roughly follows its main ancient north south
thoroughfare, the famous Mangulmaha Street. Archeological investigation have
shown that the gate had two entrances, one for incoming and another for
outgoing traffic and that the road was 57 feet wide. The main gate to the city
was on the eastern wall and its immense ruins are still visible.
The Temple of the Tooth
In a deep depression are the ruins of an unusual structure built on a cross
plan and with numerous stone windows. This and several other structures in the
area represent the remains of Anuradhapura's Temple of the Tooth, perhaps the
most famous temple in the ancient Buddhist world. The Chinese pilgrim I-tsing
mentions that a little before his time another Chinese monk had been so
enamored by the Tooth that he actually tried to steal it. But the relic casket
was attached to a kind of mechanical device so that when it was moved an alarm
went off and all the doors closed. The monk was caught and was only saved from the
most extreme punishment by his yellow robe. Apart from its sacred relic the
Temple of the Tooth was also famous for the enormous ruby set on its highest
spire. When Hiuen Tsiang was traveling down the east coast of India he was told
that the red hue he could see in the sky towards evening was the light from
this gem. This gem later passed into the hands of the kings and may have been
the same as the one that Marco Polo was shown in the 13th century.
The Temple of the Tooth is built on
a polygonal plan. The stone steps lead up to the entrance and inside is a small
rectangular room with a altar in it. It is possible that this is where the
Tooth was enshrined or perhaps where it was viewed by the public on special
occasions. The small room is surrounded by a circumambulation passage which was
lit from the light from 11 windows, the stone frames of which can still be see.
The Twin Ponds
Returning to the road and continuing to head north the pilgrim will eventually
pass through what was the northern gate of the citadel and enter what was the
southern edge of the Abhayagiri, the second of the three great monasteries
around Anuradhapura. The opulence and splendor of this monastery is hinted at
by the Twin Ponds, which the pilgrim will soon encounter. As several thousand
monks and staff lived at the Abhayagiri proper bathing facilities were
necessary and the Twin Pond is the most impressive of the several such baths in
the monastery. The Twin Ponds date from the 8th century, the larger one being
built first while the smaller one was added some time later. The larger pond is
132 feet long while the smaller one is 91 feet long and both are 51 feet wide.
Each pond has a flight of stairs at each end as well as steps around their
sides allowing that many people could bathe at the same time.
The stairs on the northern end of the Twin Ponds
The size of some of the stones and
their finish is impressive. At the far end of the ponds the pilgrim will notice
the sophisticated filtering device. Water flowed into the first part where
sticks and leaves were trapped and then into the second part which allowed silt
to settle before finally flowing into the pond via a dragon-headed spout. Next
to this spout is an impressive naga stone. Nagas were mythical creatures who
were believed to live in the watery depths and stones honoring them were always
placed near sluices, fountains and waterspouts. The water then flowed from the
smaller into the larger pond through a duct some way towards the bottom of
pond. After being used for washing the water was carefully channeled out to the
adjoining rice fields. Near the north west corner of the ponds is a spout where
people washed their feet before bathing.
Samadhi Buddha
Continuing west along the road the pilgrim will come to a large and much
weathered Buddha statue. This statue dates from about the 3rd century and may
be the one Fa Hien mentioned seeing and that is sometimes referred to in the
chronicles as The Great Stone Image. Excavation has shown that this statue was
one of four that were originally placed with their backs to a Bodhi tree. Until
recently the statue was surrounded by trees and covered with fallen leaves and
moss and the occasional monkey would amble up and sit in its lap. It used to be
a wonderful experience to suddenly come across the statue as one walked through
the silent forest. Now the large restored nose, the barbed wire fence, the
nearby toilet block and the trinket stalls means the statue is hardly worth a
look. Just beyond the samadhi Buddha is the Abhayagiri’s massive stupa, now
being repaired.
Moonstone
Further along the road from the stupa is a small temple with the most beautiful
moonstone to be seen at Anuradhapura. Note the whimsical wide-eyed dwarfs on
the stairs.
Ratnaprasada
This huge monastery was built by King Kanitthatissa for the monks of the
Dhammarucikas, a sect that broke off from the Abhayagiri. The Mahavamsa tells
us that Mahinda II repaired this monastery in the eighth century. At the left
of the stairs leading to the monastery is an exceptionally fine guard stone.
And on the left and a little further along is an immense pillar giving some
idea of just how impressive this monastery must have once been.
Pavilion
A little beyond the Dhammaruchi Monastery is perhaps the most charming building
to survive from ancient Sri Lanka. It is not known what this pavilion was for
but I imagine that it was originally set in a beautiful garden and was used by
monks for quite study or meditation.
The Jetavana Stupa
The Jetavana stupa, is the largest stupa in the Buddhist world in both its
dimensions and its mass. It is 231 feet high up to its broken pinnacle and it
has been calculated that it is made up of 160 million bricks. At present the
stupa is being renovated although the work it likely to take many years.
Image House
This building with its entrance facing the stupa was the main image house of
the Jetavana Monastery. The image, a standing Buddha at least 37 feet high,
originally stood on a stone lotus pedestal and below it the pilgrim will see
the numerous square chambers which contained the many precious stones and
relics enshrined under the image. All the walls including the circumambulotry
passage around the image would have been covered with paintings and the door
frames must have once held enormous calved and gilt wooden doors.
Issarasamana
This temple started as a monastery, then became a part of a royal pleasure park
and from its reoccupation during the 19th century became a monastery again. On
the boulder above the back left hand corner of this pool is carved several
elephants who look as if they are coming to bathe in the water. In the boulder
above and a little to the left of the elephants is a niche in the rock in which
there is a figure of a man in the 'royal ease pose' with a horse peering over
his shoulder.
An enormous amount of ink has been
used trying to explain what these figures represent. Whatever it’s meaning the
figure shows distinct south Indian influence. Most of the sculpture in the
temple's museum is of a secular nature. The most famous piece in the museum,
usually called 'The Lovers'. It shows a young warrior (note the sword and
shield behind him) with his arm around his girlfriend. She has her finger
raised in admonishment, which seems to be coyly urging him to desist. The
couple are wearing large earrings of the type that were popular between the 6th
and the 8th centuries in Sri Lanka.
The Goldfish Park
If the pilgrim goes behind the Issarasamana to the bund of the Tissavava and
walks along it a little to the north he or she will arrive at the Goldfish
Park, the most well preserved of Anuradhapura's royal pleasure grounds. The
park was situated below the Tissavava so that water could be channeled into its
ponds and fountains. On the west side of the bath is an alcove with a stone
couch in it. A curtain of water flowed over the entrance to the alcove. The
second bath has a bolder on the west side of the path bath calved with images
of elephants frolicking in amongst lotuses.
The line of rocks behind the two
baths originally had pavilions All around the park are to be seen a highly
sophisticated system of underground and overhead pipes, sluices and cisterns.
When the baths were surrounding with flower beds and flowering trees and vines
it must have been a particularly delightful place. One inscription says that
after water comes out of the sluice it should be directed through the Goldfish
Park, the plantain garden, the pond in the park and the water lilly pond. And
then it is used to irrigate fields owned by the Issaramuni monastery. This is
where Dutthagamani's only son prince Sali met the untouchable woman Asokamala
and renounced the throne out of love for her. The park was 35 acres and was
surrounded by a wall.
Isurumuniya Viharaya
The Meghagiri Vihara is now commonly
known as Isurumuniya Vihara or Isurumuniya. But the real Isurumuni Vihara is
located few hundred metres away is now called Vessagiri Vihara.
Isurumuniya is most famous for the
stone carving of a couple located there. This carved stone was found in the
royal pleasure garden and brought here. There are many interpretations for this
carving. HELLO THERE
The most popular is that this
carving shows the prince Saliya (the son of the great king Dutugamunu) and his
mistress Asokamala. Asokamala was of a lover cast called “Chandala” and the
prince Saliya gave up the right to be the king by marrying this girl of a lower
cast.
Bathing
elephants above the water tank
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Another belief is that this couple
represent the god Siva and goddess Parvathi of Hindu belief.
The vihara also has another stone
slab which depicts a court scene which is thought to be the court of king
Dutugemunu. Both these stone slabs are thought to be originated in the 8th
century.
The vihara itself is built on a rock
and the sacred tooth relic of Buddha has been originally kept here when it
arrived to the island from India in the 312 AC.
How To Get There
Anuradhapura is 250 km (155 miles)
north of Colombo. There are plenty of Colombo-Anuradhapura buses each day; you
can either catch an older style bus or catch an inter-city airconditioned bus.
Trains also go to Anuradhapura.
