Mahavihara Monastery, at Anuradapura established in 250 BC., is the first Buddhist monastery of Sri Lanka. It was also the largest monastery ever in Sri Lanka. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is studded with a multitude of ruins, preserved ruins and renovated monuments.
Mayura Parivena at Mahavihara Monastery
The ruins of Mayura Parivena or Monara Parivena (Sinhala: Buddhist Academy) is located south-west of the sacred Sri Maha Bodhi Tree. The existing ruins consist of sculptured stone pillars, a flight of steps and a moonstone doormat of a building that would have measured 66 feet by 45 feet. The guradstones were not discovered.
Following the arrival of Buddhism to Sri Lanka from India in the year 250 BC, an embassy was sent to Emperor Asoka of India by King Devanampiya Tissa of Sri Lanka, with the request that Buddhist nun Theri Sangamitta be sent to Sri Lanka so that the Order of Buddhist Nuns too could be established in the fledging Sinhalese Buddhist civilization. Being pleased with the spread of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, Emperor Asoka dispatched his daughter, Theri Sangamitta together with a branch of the Bodhi tree under which Buddha attained supreme enlightenment. The branch of the Bodhi tree was planted at the present site of the Mahamegvana Garden by King Devanampiya Tissa in the year 249 BC. Thus, today, Sri Maha Bodhi, as it is called since then, the tree with the longest historical record in the world, is one of the most venerated sites of the Sinhala Buddhists of Sri Lanka.
Lovamahapaya or the Great Copper Roofed Mansion was built by the Hero of the Nation, King Dutugamunu (161-137 BC) on the premises of the first Uposathaghara or Chapter house built by King Devanampiya Tissa. The preserved ruins of the massive nine storeyed building consists of 1600 stone pillars set in 40 rows, each having 40 pillars. During its glory, the building was supported on those 1600 stone pillars. The super structure of the building may have been made of wood. The great Historical Chronicle of Sri Lanka called Mahavamsa narrates the magnificent building in vivid description.
“The pasada was four-sided, measuring on each side a hundred cubits, an even so much in height. In this most beautiful of mansions there were nine stories, and in each a hundred windowed chambers. All the chambers were overlaid with silver and their coral vedikas were adorned with manifold precious stones, gay with various gems were the lotus flowers on the vedikas and they were surrounded with rows of little silver bells.”
Ruwanvali Mahaseya or Ratnamali Mahathupa, is the most venerated of all the stupas in Sri Lanka, was built by King Dutugamunu (161-137 BC).The great stupa, an architectural marvel 360 feet in height is one of the tallest stupas in Anuradhapura and the third tallest brick building of its era in history. Ruvanvali Mahasaya is also one of the Solosmasthana (Sinhala: the 16 places of veneration) of Sri Lanka. It is believed considerably large amount of relic were enshrined at Ruwanvali Mahaseya. The construction of Ruwanvali Mahaseya is vividly narrated in Mahawamsa, Sri Lanka’s great historical chronicle. Narrating the preparation of the foundation for the Great Stupa the Mahavamsa says:
“He commenced the work on the full moon day of Vesak. Having got the inscribed pillar removed, the ruler had the site of the thupa (Stupa) there dug to a depth of seven cubits (about 17 feet) so as to make it firm in various ways. He, who knew the disadvantages, had round stones brought there by warriors and had them broken with hammers; then for the sake of firmness of the site, he had the crushed stones stamped down by Elephants with feet covered in leather, he had the butter clay spread there over the layer of stone. The king had bricks laid over the clay, rough plaster over it, quartz over that, a network of iron over it and, above that fragrant marimba.
The king had crystal spread over that and, over the crystal, stones. Eveywhere in work was the clay called butter-clay. With the resin of the wood-apple mixed in mercury, a bronze plate, eight finger breadth thick, was laid over the stones. The King had a silver plate, seven finger- breadth thick, laid over it with arsenic mixed in the oil of sesamum.”
Mahawamsa goes onto narrate the completion of stupa. King Dutugamunu, the hero of the nation, fell gravely ill nearing the completion of the great stupa. King Dutugamunu’s brother Saddhatissa had the partly constructed stupa set up a view, so as to present how it would like after the completion, by means of fabric woven round and round it. The hero of the nation passed away pleased with glory and beauty of Ruwanvali Mahasaya.
Ruwanvali Mahaseya had been renovated a number of time by a succession of Kings of Sri Lanka commencing from King Lanjatissa (119 -109 BC) to King Nissanka Malla (1187-1196 AC). By the 19th century, Ruwanvali Mahaseya was in ruins. A patriotic, pious and courageous Buddhist monk named Naranvita Sumanatissa Thera gave leadership to the humble villagers in the region for the renovation of the great stupa. The good work was followed up Ratnamali Chaityawaradhana Society and Department of Archeology in succession.
Thuparama monastery is located north of Ruvanvali Mahasaya, on the bank of rainwater reservoir Abhaya Weva (Basavakkulama). Built by King Devanampiya Tissa in the third century BC, at the behest of great Buddhist missionary Maha thera Mahinda, Thuparama monastery was the Mehenavara (Sinhala: nunnery) of Mahavihara monastery.
Thuparama dagoba is the oldest and at a height of 65 ft smallest stupa in Anuradhapura. Thuparama stupa, believed to have enshrined relic of right collar-bone of the Buddha, in its glorious days, was a Vatadage (Pali: circular relic house). Though the roof no longer exists, some of the stone pillars in concentric circles that upheld the roof were erected during the renovation.
To the south-east of Thuparama Dagoba is the unmistakable ruin of a hospital: a medicinal trough cut in stone for oil baths. The hospital meant for the Buddhist monks was built by King Kassapa the fourth (898-914 AC).
