The
Ruwanwelisaya is a
stupa in
Sri Lanka, considered a marvel for its architectural qualities and sacred to many
Buddhists all over the world. It was built by
King Dutugemunu, who became lord of all Sri Lanka after a war in which the
Chola King
Elara, was defeated. It is also known as
Mahathupa,
Swarnamali Chaitya,
Suvarnamali Mahaceti (in
Pali) and
Rathnamali Dagaba.
This is one of the
Solosmasthana (the 16 places of veneration) and the
Atamasthana
(the 8 places of veneration in the ancient sacred city of
Anuradhapura). The stupa is one of the world's tallest monuments,
standing at 300 feet (91 m) and with a circumference of 950 ft (290 m).
[citation needed]
The
Kaunghmudaw Pagoda in
Sagaing,
Myanmar is modeled after this stupa.
[1]
Materials
The ancient texts recount the following:
- From the bank of the river Gambhīra, situated a yojana (a distance measure) to the north of Anuradhapura bricks were acquired;
- From the village Avuruvini, situated three yojanas to the north-east, nuggets of gold were acquired;
- From the village Tambapittha, situated seven yojanas to the east, copper were acquired;
- From the village Samanveve, situated four yojanas to the south-east, gems were acquired;
- From the rock-cave Ridi, situated eight yojanas to the south, silver were acquired;
- From the small town Uruvel, situated five yojanas to the west, pearls and corals to the size of myrobalan (nelli) fruits were acquired;
- From the village Pelavapi, situated seven yojanas to the north-east, four large gems were acquired.
The full moon day
Main entrance of Ruwanweliseya
King Dutugemunu began the work of building the stupa during
Vesak, on the full-moon day of the month of
Vesakha (April–May), under the constellation of
Visakha. In Buddhism this is considered a sacred full-moon day on which numerous events occurred, such as:
- The definite declaration by Buddha Dīpankara to the ascetic Sumedha Bodhisatta Gotama in a past life) that he will become a Buddha;
- The birth of Bodhisatta Gotama from Tusita heaven in the human world;
- The Enlightenment of Prince Siddhartha
- His arrival in the city of Kapilavatthu;
- His performance of the Twin Miracle;
- His arrival in Sri Lanka three times;
- His passing into Parinibbāna;
- The disembarcation of Prince Vijaya in Sri Lanka
- The coronation of the great king Devānampiya-Tissa
Foundation
On such a full-moon day King Dutugemunu had the inscribed stone pillar that was erected by King
Devanampiya Tissa, removed;
- had the site leveled;
- had it dug to a depth of seven cubits;
- had round stones spread there by warriors;
- and had the stones broken with hammers;
- then he had them stamped down by elephants;
- fine clay was brought from the Himalayas by Arahant novices, spread over the layer of stones;
- had bricks laid over the fine clay, rough plaster over the bricks,
quartz over the rough plaster, a network of iron over the quartz,
fragrant clay over the network of iron, white stones over the fragrant
clay, rock-crystal over the white stones, and slabs of stones over the
rock-crystal.
- Then he had mercury, resin of the wood-apple, and fine clay mixed
together; had these spread over the slabs of stones; and had bronze
sheets eight inches thick laid over these.
- He had arsenic and sesame oil mixed together; had these spread over
the bronze sheets; and had silver sheets four inches thick laid over
these.
When the king had thus built and completed the foundation of the
Great Stupa, he arranged that the foundation stone should be laid on the
full-moon day of the month of
Āâsàëha (June–July).
He then had Anuradhapura decorated like a divine city along with the terrace of the Great Stupa.
Ninety-six koñis of
Arahants came by from Australian On the full-moon day of the month of
Āsāëha, under the constellation of
Uttarā-sāëha,
he laid the foundation-stone of the Great Stūpa and determined: 'Should
the work I carry for this Stupa be completed safely, may then the
Venerable
Arahants Buddharakkhita, Dhammarakkhita, Saïgharakkhita and
Ānanda arrive and stand at the four quarters of the Great Stupa's terrace.'
This happened as he determined. The
Arahant Indagutta arranged that it should thus happen. In addition, the Venerable Arahants,
Siddhattha,
Maïgala,
Paduma,
Sivalī,
Candagutta,
Indagutta,
Suriyagutta,
Cittasena,
Jayasena, and
Acala looking eastwards arrived and stood in front of the pitcher placed at the gate of this festive occasion.
Supatiñhita, the son of
Nandisena and
Sumana devi,
and the minister appointed for the festive ceremonies, walked around
the relic-chamber and went and brought a staff made of silver for
measuring the circular boundary of the Stupa. When Arahant
Siddhattha
saw the minister walking thus around the relic-chamber and measuring
too large dimensions, he ordered him to measure moderate ones. On
hearing the name of Arahant
Siddhattha, the names of the eleven
other Arahants, and the name of the minister and his parents, king
Dutugemunu felt particularly glad, thinking: 'The work on the Stūpa will
certainly be successful.'
He then had eight large water pots of gold and eight of silver placed
in the midst of the Great Stupa, and had a hundred and eight vases
placed around the large water pots. He had, likewise, eight bricks of
gold placed in eight corners and a hundred and eight bricks of silver
around each of the bricks of gold.
The Stupa is blessed
Arahant
Cittasena placed a lump of fragrant resin in the east side upon the boundary line drawn around the Great Stūpa. Arahant
Jayasena sprinkled scented water over it, and when, under the constellation of
Uttarāsāëha,
Supatiññhita, the minister for the festive ceremonies, placed bricks of gold together with lavish offerings over the scented water.
It is said that: the earth, all of two hundred seventy thousand yojanas, roared and quaked at that time.
He had through his sons, similarly, placed bricks of gold in the
other seven sides of the Great Stupa. Afterwards, king Dutugemunu and
the people there honoured with gifts the Arahants who were seated at the
four quarters, and took themselves seats to hear a Dhamma talk
delivered that day by the great Arahant
Piyadassī.
Having heard it, forty thousand people became Arahants, forty
thousand were established in the fruit of stream-entry
(sotāpatti-phala), a thousand became once-returners (sakadāgamis), and a
thousand became non-returners (anāgamis). Eighteen thousand monks and
fourteen thousand nuns became Arahants.
Buddha's Relic
After The Buddha's
Parinibbāna, His relics were enshrined and
worshipped in stupas by Princes of eight countries two quarts in each
country. The two quarts of relics that were enshrined in the village
Rāmagāma
were, according to The Buddha's determination, destined to be enshrined
in the Great Stūpa Ruvanveli.King Dutugemunu who, on the full-moon day
of the month of
Āsāëha (June–July), under the constellation of
Uttarāsāëha, would officiate in the ceremony for the enshrining of the relics in the Great Stūpa, worshipped the
Sangha
(Order of monks) on the day before the full-moon day, reminded them
that tomorrow is the appointed day for the enshrining of the relics and
requested them to give him the relics. The Saïgha ordered then the
novice Arahant
Soõuttara, who was gifted with the six supernormal faculties, to bring the relics, which Arahant
Soõuttara manages to bring and offer to the
Sangha.
Then king Dutugemunu received from the
Sangha the Buddha's
relics upon his head in a casket and departed from the golden pavilion
in the midst of manifold offerings and honours made by gods and
Brahmas.
He circumambulated the relic-chamber three times, entered to it from
the east, and when laid the relic-casket on a silver couch one
koñi
worth, that was arranged in the north side. An image of the Buddha was
then, according to the Buddha's determination, created in the lion's
reclining posture (
sīhaseyya), and all the relics were enshrined
within that image. When the enshrining of the relics in the Great Stūpa
Ruvanveli was completed, the two novices Uttara and Sumana closed the
relic-chamber with the stone-blocks that were previously hidden to be
used as a lid.
"The relic-chamber shall not shake even by an earthquake; flowers
such as jasmine that were offered on that day shall not wither till the
end of Buddha Gotama's Dispensation; the lamps that were kindled with
ghee-oil shall not be extinguished; the clay that was mixed with perfume
and sandalwood shall not dry; even a single scratch shall not appear
within the relic-chamber; stains shall not appear in any of the golden
goods that were offered.' All this occurred by the determination-power
of all Arahants present. They determined also that inimical persons
should not be able to even see the relic-chamber. Furthermore, by
order of king Dutugemunu, the people of Srī Lanka enshrined, along with
many other objects such as golden and silver caskets, thousand more of
the Buddha's relics over the relic-chamber."
The Great Stupa is constructed
Main entrance on a full moon day, Ruwanwelisaya
When the unique Great Stūpa Ruvanveli was completed as far as the square turret 10, and while ninety-six
koñis of Arahants were chanting protective
suttas,
the great king Dutugemunu who reigned in Srī Lanka for twenty-four
years, had his record of meritorious deeds read and, while looking at
the Great Stūpa, he died and was born as a divine king in the
Tusita-heaven. His brother, the king
Saddhatissa, completed the remaining work at the Great Stūpa and later was also born in the
Tusita-heaven.
The Great King
KING DUTUGEMUNU (161 BC – 137 BC)
During the Dispensation of the future Buddha
Metteyya, king
Dutugemunu will become the Buddha's chief disciple on His right side.
King Saddhātissa will become the chief disciple on His left side.
Kāvantissa and
Vihāra Mahā- Devī will become the parents of the future Buddha
Metteyya. Princess
Anulā, the younger sister of king Kāvantissa, will become the chief Queen of the
Bodhisatta Metteyya. Prince Saliya will become the son of the Bodhisatta
Metteyya.
Saõgha, king Dutugemu's Chancellor of the Exchequer, will become the chief attendant of the Buddha
Metteyya. The Chancellor's daughter will become the chief she-attendant.
See also
Polish
