Buddhangala - one of Sri Lanka's first Buddhist abodes
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Buddhangala is an ancient monastery 7 km north of the district capital Amparai. The archaeological site currently only accessible via a dirt road. The monastery is a so-called Aranya Senasana, a forest monastery in a group of rocks in the wilderness.
Legends & History of one of Sri Lanka's first BuddHist Temples
Buddhangala is not just any Buddhist monastery, but the first one in Sri Lanka, at least if one takes for grated the founding legend. According to it, Buddhangala dates back to the time before Buddhism was introduced to Mihintale and Anuradhapura by the Indian missionary Mahinda in the mid third century BC. Buddhangala is said to have been founded by Princess Chitra already in the fourth century BC. Chitra was the daughter of King Panduvasudeva, the third regent (and the second king) of the Sinhalese who had immigrated under Vijaya one century earlier on. There is a fairly well-known episode from the Mahavansa chronicle surrounding Chitra. She was held captive by her brothers, because fortune tellers predicted at her birth that her son would kill all of Chitra's brothers. But then, of course, a tricky admirer of her beauty managed to visit her and in result she bore a son, who then fulfilled the prophecy: In his fight for the Sinhalese throne, Pandukabhaya - this is the son's name - killed his uncles. This Pandukabhaya is none other than the first Anuradhapura king, as it was Panukabhaya who chose Anuradhapura as the new capital. But before that, as local tradition in Buddhangala tells us, Princess Chitra had fled to Buddhangala with her lover and cousin Digagamani. The local northern province of Rohana, which bears the name Digamadulla, was under the control of Digagamani's father. This father named Digayu in turn was a brother-in-law of that second Sinhalese king Panduvasudeva. As said, Chitra and Digagamani were cousins. So Digayu's grandson, the young future king Pandukabhaya, grew up here in Buddhangala.
However, many places in Sri Lanka claim to have been the prince's exile. The monastery is not mentioned as Pandukabhayas in the ancient chronicles. But an old rock inscription mentions a high-ranking princess named Chitra-Devi, and another one mentions the name of a local prince, Digagamani. Yet another inscription gives the name Karajikagala, but it is uncertain whether it means a place name.
Contrary to first appearances, the interpretation of those inscriptions as evidence of a type of monastery being founded before the Anuradhapura period and before the introduction of Buddhism in Anuradhapura under King Devanampiya Tissa has a certain degree of credibility. It is unlikely that Buddhism first appeared in Sri Lanka when the said Devanampiya Tissa converted to it. This first Buddhist king of Sri Lanka indeed may not have been the first Sinhalese Buddhist, although the chronicles deliberately create that impression. It is more likely that the king made a religion that had been already known in the country the new state religion, because it also served his role model. The Indian Emperor Ashoka, too, made use of Buddhism to unify his empire at around the same time. And if you we about the places where Buddhist monks could have lived in the country before Buddhism became the official religion of the court in Anuradhapura, then the region halfway between Anuradhapura and the south is a candidate that comes to one’s mind, because the east coast or the ancient Digamadulla was probably settled by Sinhalese from Bengal, so that there must habe been even family ties to the Ganges area. In any case, the princes of Digamadulla claimed descent from the Shakya family, i.e. from the family of the Buddha. The contacts from the island’s east to Bengal already arose due to geography and wind directions. The old sea trade routes connected the eastern coast od Sri Lanka with Bengal refion in northeast India and thereby with the Ganges region, whereas Anuradhapura's port cities in northwestern Sri Lanka maintained more intensive contacts with southern India and with northwest Indian Gujarat than with the Buddhist heartland in the more eastern part of the Ganges region, though the port of Mantai in particular also served for embarkements from Bengal, but to a lesser degree than the eastern ports. The fact that Buddhist monks lived as isolated hermits in Sri Lanka before the Anuradhapura period is also supported by evidence in the classic commentaries on the Tripitaka, which were written in Sri Lanka around the same time as the chronicles. Since Buddhist monks preferred a secluded life in natural caves in groups of rocks, the small rock massif of Buddhangala, the largest of its kind far and wide in the hinterland of the east coast, was ideal for this purpose - all the more as it also provided a good supply of fresh water.
Contrary to first appearances, the interpretation of those inscriptions as evidence of a type of monastery being founded before the Anuradhapura period and before the introduction of Buddhism in Anuradhapura under King Devanampiya Tissa has a certain degree of credibility. It is unlikely that Buddhism first appeared in Sri Lanka when the said Devanampiya Tissa converted to it. This first Buddhist king of Sri Lanka indeed may not have been the first Sinhalese Buddhist, although the chronicles deliberately create that impression. It is more likely that the king made a religion that had been already known in the country the new state religion, because it also served his role model. The Indian Emperor Ashoka, too, made use of Buddhism to unify his empire at around the same time. And if you we about the places where Buddhist monks could have lived in the country before Buddhism became the official religion of the court in Anuradhapura, then the region halfway between Anuradhapura and the south is a candidate that comes to one’s mind, because the east coast or the ancient Digamadulla was probably settled by Sinhalese from Bengal, so that there must habe been even family ties to the Ganges area. In any case, the princes of Digamadulla claimed descent from the Shakya family, i.e. from the family of the Buddha. The contacts from the island’s east to Bengal already arose due to geography and wind directions. The old sea trade routes connected the eastern coast od Sri Lanka with Bengal refion in northeast India and thereby with the Ganges region, whereas Anuradhapura's port cities in northwestern Sri Lanka maintained more intensive contacts with southern India and with northwest Indian Gujarat than with the Buddhist heartland in the more eastern part of the Ganges region, though the port of Mantai in particular also served for embarkements from Bengal, but to a lesser degree than the eastern ports. The fact that Buddhist monks lived as isolated hermits in Sri Lanka before the Anuradhapura period is also supported by evidence in the classic commentaries on the Tripitaka, which were written in Sri Lanka around the same time as the chronicles. Since Buddhist monks preferred a secluded life in natural caves in groups of rocks, the small rock massif of Buddhangala, the largest of its kind far and wide in the hinterland of the east coast, was ideal for this purpose - all the more as it also provided a good supply of fresh water.
According to epigraphic evidence, King Saddhatissa, Dutthagamani's brother, who before becoming Dutthagamani's successor on the throne in Anuradhapura governed this eastern region of Digamadulla, is said to have expanded the monastery in the second century BC. Some bricks could be dated to pre-Christian times based on their inscriptions.
The most valuable object unearthed in Buddhangala was a stupa-shaped gold reliquary, a Devata Kotu with engraved letters, probably from the first half of the first millennium AD. The excavation finds also include coins and ceramics. Some bronze figures from later centuries were found, too. The majority of the structural remains date from the 6th or 7th century, i.e. from the middle Anuradhapura period.
At the beginning of the 13th century, Buddhangala - like so many other monasteries in the north and east of the island - appears to have been destroyed by the fanatical usurper at Polonnaruwa Kalinga Magha. The place from then on remained abandoned for centuries.
The most valuable object unearthed in Buddhangala was a stupa-shaped gold reliquary, a Devata Kotu with engraved letters, probably from the first half of the first millennium AD. The excavation finds also include coins and ceramics. Some bronze figures from later centuries were found, too. The majority of the structural remains date from the 6th or 7th century, i.e. from the middle Anuradhapura period.
At the beginning of the 13th century, Buddhangala - like so many other monasteries in the north and east of the island - appears to have been destroyed by the fanatical usurper at Polonnaruwa Kalinga Magha. The place from then on remained abandoned for centuries.
Recent History of Buddhangala
Today's monastery - and, incidentally, its name Buddhangala - goes back to a figure in recent history, namely the monk Dhammananda from Kalutara on the west coast, who in 1964, together with a befriended monk, searched for a new place to stay that was suitable for meditation in the Eastern Province. He came across this excellently suited rock group with its ancient hermit caves. In collaboration with authorities and private sponsors, he organized the settlement of hundreds of Sinhalese new settler families on newly cultivated rice land not far east of the monastery. From then on, the Buddhists in the surrounding area simply called the chief monk Buddhangala Thera.
Today, Buddhangala is a comparatively large forest monastery housing arounnd a dozen monks. Both with its early history as a monastery founded in the former early Sinhalese eastern kingdom of Digamadulla and with its new settlement by monks and Sinhalese rice farmers in the 1960s, the story of Buddhangala has a political connotations. It demonstrates the historical claims of the Sinhalese and Buddhism to this region, which has been predominantly populated by Tamils and Muslims in recent centuries. The Tamil extremists, looking for targest of high symbolism often, carried out several terror attacks on the Sinhalese settlers around Buddhangala. There are even said to have been several assassination attempts on the chief priest himself. That the LTTE, which operated in the east through small guerillas - not as a territorial army as in the north - sought the life of Thera Dhammananda is credible, because several Buddhist monks in the east became targets of the fight against Sinhalese-Buddhist "fascism", as it was stated in the the language of the murderous gang that was called the LTTE. For example, the abbot of Dimbulagala was killed in an LTTE attack. The Buddhist clergy were a main enemy of the LTTE, although certainly not for religious reasons, as Tamil Hindu priests were also repeatedly killed for being too pro-government and too distant from terror. Conversely, the Buddhist clergy were largely among the most bitter opponents of political concessions to the Tamil minority, which forms the majority in many parts of the country. The Tamil terror group, overcome in 2009, not only sent suicide bombers against politicians and detonated bombs in civilian buses, but also forcibly recruited child soldiers from the Tamil population to be "liberated" and extorted protection money and also murdered more moderate Tamil politicians and internal critics in series.
In 1974, an area of 18 square kilometers around the rock group was placed under nature conservation. The group of rocks with the monastery covers 3 square kilometers alone. Wild elephants, leopards and bears live in the wider area. The fact that no onehas ever been injured by wild beasts in this area is explained by the sacredness of the place.
In 1978 a cyclone caused extensive damage to the buildings.
In 1974, an area of 18 square kilometers around the rock group was placed under nature conservation. The group of rocks with the monastery covers 3 square kilometers alone. Wild elephants, leopards and bears live in the wider area. The fact that no onehas ever been injured by wild beasts in this area is explained by the sacredness of the place.
In 1978 a cyclone caused extensive damage to the buildings.
Visiting Buddhangala - What to see
The dead-end road from Ampara ends in the middle of the group of rocks at a visitor parking lot. Here you are surrounded by granite ridges on all sides. Four such blocks frame a central pond next to the parking lot. The pond is additionally dammed, but is said to have already existed here naturally. It gives the Buddhangala rocks a special charm that is reminiscent of Tantirimale. But unlike there, the natural beauty of the place is significantly impaired by a large number of new buildings. In addition to the obligatory pious "beautifications", these are monastic buildings for ceremonies and pilgrims, some still as construction sites, others already in disrepair. Completely mundane functional buildings such as power houses and, unfortunately,unnecessary small garbage dumps also spoil the otherwise charming and serene site. Electricity pylons and cables are particularly disturbing those visitors who like to take photoes. There is a nice second tank, smaller and overgrown a little further south. Small garden areas have also been created in other parts of the monastic compound.
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At the most eye-catching point just above the pond is a newfangled, scaled-down replica of the Gal Vihara rock Buddhas of Polonnaruwa. The view of Buddhist sculptures pleases the monks and pilgrims, and the ensemble is photogenic for tourisrs. From the perspective of an art historian, new additions might be disturbing. However, when compared to other replicas of the famous ancient Gal Vihara group of Buddha statues, the sculptures of Buddhangala are of surprisingly good quality.
You can get an impression of the original atmosphere of such a lonely rocky outcrop as Buddhanga still is when walking to the wide, flat bushland a little further north, behind the group of rock sculptures.
You can get an impression of the original atmosphere of such a lonely rocky outcrop as Buddhanga still is when walking to the wide, flat bushland a little further north, behind the group of rock sculptures.
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On the southern neighbouring rock (so-called Rock A) lies the main sanctuary with the bright white Dagoba, which is said to have been built over some of the ashes of the Buddha and two of his main disciples. These precious relics are said to have been brought here personally by the Sri Lankan missionary Mahinda.
On the summit plateau of rock A are parts of the excavation that are most worth seeing, such as a former image house in which some typical decorative stones from the Anuradhapura period are still lying around.
On the eastern and southern slopes of Rock A, there are still pillars of former colonnaded halls from the Anuradhapura period, pretts picturesquely located in front of a wide panoramic view to the east.
On the summit plateau of rock A are parts of the excavation that are most worth seeing, such as a former image house in which some typical decorative stones from the Anuradhapura period are still lying around.
On the eastern and southern slopes of Rock A, there are still pillars of former colonnaded halls from the Anuradhapura period, pretts picturesquely located in front of a wide panoramic view to the east.
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Visitors can reach the monks' living area via the weir that connects rock A with the parking lot. The monk cells are located in a long stretch of abris, called caves in Sri Lanka, under the neighbouring rock to the west. Here you are required to behave calmly and respectfully, and this also includes - as at any Buddhist shrine - taking off your shoes. The 150m high rock above the monastic caves can be climbed and offers the best overview of the entire complex as well as a distant view of reservoirs and mountains of the Gal Oya region.
