Attractions of Mihintale - cradle of Sri Lanka's Buddhism
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Mihintale is the name of a town and of a group of hills situated 13 km east of of Anuradhapura. Mihintale is prowd to be called the "the cradle of Sri Lanka's Buddhism", since it was at Mihintale that the ordinated Buddhist Monk Mahinda from Indian met the king of Anuradhapura for the first time and impressed him so much that the king and his family and his subordinates converted to Buddhism soon afterwards. The very first dialogue with Mahinda took place on a full moon day in the month of Poson (June) in the mid 3rd century before Christ. The very spot is marked by the Ambasthala Dagoba. The name of the king, "Tissa", was changed to "Devanampiyatissa" after his conversion. "Devanampiya", which translates to "God's beloved" was the name Emperor Ashoka used in his official anouncements. According to the Sri Lankan chronicles, Ashoka was the father of Monk Mahinda.
southern Vahalkada of Kantaka Chetiya in Mihintale
On the touristic map, Mihintale seems to be an attraction of secondary importance to the nearby World Heritage Sites Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Sigirya, Dambulla. Only half of those Sri Lanka itineraries offered by foreign companies that include Anuradhapura also visit Mihintale. But though not a World Heritage Site in itself at this point in time, Mihintale should be counted as one of the Top 5 places of interest in Sri Lanka's Cultural Triangle. Many foreigners reading international guide books underestimate the number and variety of attractions Mihintale has to offer and the time required to see them. You can spend an entire day to explore Mihintale, your itinerary would be fully packed. In order to see all places of interest of the Mihintale area, one and a half days are just enough or two days are more suitable for a relaxed holiday tour. We know, first-time visitors don't believe this and consider it to be hust a promtion claim. However, those experienced Sri Lanka travellers who enjoyed our guiding to the hidden gems of Mihintale, too, can confirm, this timeline recomendation is not at all an exaggeration.
Recommended Mihintale sightseeing excursions
We offer a variety of guided tours, sightseeing, hiking, cycling, trips by tuktuk or car, picnic. Pick-up service from any place in Anuradhapura and surroundings can be provided.
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"Mihintale" means "Mahinda's plateau" or "Mahinda's mountain saddle", Mahinda being the name of the missionary who introduced Buddhism to the Anuradhapura kingdom. The word "Mihintale" is stressed on the second and on the last syllable. Another spelling is "Mihinthale"; but in contrast to most other Indian languages, "t" and "t with h" are not pronounced differently in modern Sinhala, since native Sinhalese people do not use aspirated consonants in their spoken language any more. Other transcriptions of "Mihintale" are "Mihintalai", "Mintalaya", "Mihintalava" or "Mihintalawa". The Sinhalese endings transcribed as "aya" or "awa", are transcriptions for a long vowel, which can be pronounced "e" or "ae" as in the case of "Mihintalava" or "aa" or diphtong "ai" in other words. Top 10 list of Mihintale attractions
1. Ambasthala terrace with Invitation Rock
2. Et Vihara vantage point 3. most ancient stupa Kantaka Chetiya 4. Dark Pond Kaludiya Pokuna 5. Meda Maluwa with alms hall and tablets 6. Crocodile Lake Mahakanderawa 7. Rajagirilena Rock 8. Doramadelawa Cave Temple 9. Stone Bridge Gal Palama 10. Rock Paintings of Wassamale for more information and photos of each of these places, please scroll down... Accommodation in Mihintale
Enjoy the hospitality of my own family! First House Mihintale is a guest house with both style and a very private atmosphere. We hope to welcome you as guests and say goodbye as friends. But of course, we will neither disturb you nor push you to enjoy our guiding or excursion services - which are nevertheless excellent, has to be mentioned by the way. Our comfortable rooms are clean, with attached Western-standard bathrooms. See here...
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History of Mihintale - Birthplace of Sinhalese Buddhism
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In the ancient chronicles Mihintale was known as "Missakapabbata", which translates to "forested hill". Since the establishment of the Buddhist religion on the island Mihintale was known as "Chetiyapabbata" in the Pali chronicles.
According to the 13th chapter of the Mahavamsa, Monk Mahinda and his comrades from India arrived in Mihintale 236 years after the passing away of the Buddha. The 14th chapter narrates, that Mahinda met the king from Anuradhapura in Mihintale and converted him and 40.000 subordinates almost instantly. The 14th and 15th chapter give a detailed account of the establishment of the Buddhist order in the capital Anuradhapura. According to the 16th chapter, Mahinda and his comrades, though practicing in Anuradhapura, chose Mihintale as their retreat during the rainy season. Thus Mihintale has been a consecrated place sinde the 3rd century B.C. At the outset the monks settled under natural rock shelters. King Devanampiya Tissa is said to have sixty eight rock cells at Mihintale made habitable and to have gifted them to the monks on the full moon month of Esala, that falls within the months of July or August of the Gregorian calendar. Mihintale is the finding place of some of the oldest rock inscriptions in Sri Lanka. Having been a hunting ground for the Anuradhapura kings previously, Mihintale from now on was a sanctuary, disturbing animals was prohibited, some say: it's the world's first wildlife reserve. According to the chronicles, a stupa was piled up at the burial ground of the first Buddhist missionary, Mahinda. Achaeological evidence confirms that at least two stupas, Kantaka Chetiya and Mihindu Seya, date back to the very early times. This is why the sacred area was therefore called "Chetiyapabbata" by the Buddhist authors of the Pali chronicle, "pabbata" translates to "hill". During the course of time Mihintale was transformed into a demarcated monastery with proper stone constructions. According to the Mahavamsa (Verses 34,30-31), King Kutakanna Tissa (second half of the 1st century B.C.) built an ordination hall (for Uposatha ceremonies) and planted a Bo-Tree. The building of an alms hall must have followed suit, since the Great Chronicle states his son and sucessor, King Bhatikabhaya, "bestowed food by tickets to a thousand monks in the Vihara Chetiyapabbata" (Mahavamsa verse 34,64). The chronicle mentions half a dozen Sinhalese rulers from the first three centuries A.D. in connection with Chetiyapabbata (Mihintale). However, though adorned with edifices, Mihintale remained to be a renowned haven of reclusive monks, who prefered a more ascetic life style. The part of the Great Chronicle written be the Monk Mahanama in the 5th century ends with the deeds of King Mahasena. This king is of ill fame due to his deconstruction of buildings of the Mahavihara, which was the island's oldest monastery once founded in Anuradhapura by Mahinda himself, and for favouring Mahayana Buddhism instead of the Mahavihara's Theravada tradition, thus causing a schism in the order. Chetiyapabbata (Mihintale), which had been under the supervision of the Mahavihara, now became attached to the Abhayagiri monastery. Though the Mahavihara was reestablished by King Mahasena's successsor, Chetiyapabbata remained under control of the Abhagiri brotherhood for six centuries, just till the end of the Anuradhapura period. Faxian (Fa Hsien), the famous Chinese India-pilgrim, who also studied several years in Anuradhapura in the early 4th century, notes that the monastery of Mihintale was inhabited by 2000 monks, compared to 3000 at Anuradhapura's Mahavihara and 5000 at Anuradhapura's Abhagiriya. |
The story of of the arrival of the Elder Mahinda in Mihintale is also chronicled in the Dipavamsa, which was composed one century prior to the Mahavamsa. The chronicles written in Pali, the holy language of Theravada Buddhism, used sources which, centuries earlier, had been drawn up in the local language, which was called "Sinhala" already by those early Buddhist scholars. Regrettably, the original Sinhala sourcebooks have not survived, Mahinda's story is also mentioned in the Samantapasadika, the most renowned commentary on the Vinaya Pitaka, which is the first part of the Buddhist Scriptures. The auhor of the Samantapasadika is the classic teacher of the Theavada doctrine, Buddhaghosa, who lived in the 4th century and spend most of his life as a monk in Anuradhapura. Parts of the Samantapasadika are taken from the Dipavamsa. The chronicles and commentaries report, that Monk Mahinda was the son of India's Emperor Ashoka. However, Ashoka's rock and pillar edicts do not mention his son's mission to Tambrapanni, which then was Sri Lanka's Indian name, mentioned in the 2nd and in the famous 13th edict. The 2nd century Sanskrit narrative about Ashoka called Ashokavadana, which is not a chronicle but an educational book and which heavily influenced the Ashoka legends of East Asia, does not mention Mahinda (Pali) or "Mahendra" (Sanskrit) or "Mahinda form of as the name of a son of Ashoka. Learn more about Missionary Mahinda's conversation with the king in our attraction descriptions below...
Poson Poya festival (Fullmoon Day in June) celebrating the arrival of Buddhism on the island attracts tens of thousands of pilgrims to Mihintale, the cradle of Sri Lanka's Buddhism. Annual festivals were already held in antiquity. The Mahavamsa (Great Chronicle) for example mentions enourmous amounts donated for a Mihintale festival by King Lanja Tissa (mid 1st century B.C.). Verse 33,26 reads as follows:
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The second part of the Mahavamsa, written centuries later (and sometimes called "Chulavamsa") mentions several kings from the late Anuradhapura period who embellished Chetiyapabbata (Mihintale). Most ruins that can be seen today are from this period. Royal inscriptions of the very same centuries also confirm the persistent significance of this monastery. The most remarkable of these inscriptions, the Mihintale Tablets, give a detailed account of royal orders for monastic discipline and maintenance.
Remarkably, Mihintale is the place in the core of the Sinhalese Kingdom (nowadays called "Cultural Triangle") where most Mahayanistic inscriptions have been found, some of them even Tantric. This must be called an irony of history, because it's venerated as the birthplace of the Sinhalese Theravada tradition. But in order to avoid misunderstandings: Mahayana Buddhism was practiced alongside with Theravada Buddhism and did not entirely replace it. Sri Lanka's monastic culture finally became outright Theravada Buddhist in the Polonnaruwa period, due to reforms of King Parakramabahu (1153-86). But during those centuries Mihintale already fell into decay.
Remarkably, Mihintale is the place in the core of the Sinhalese Kingdom (nowadays called "Cultural Triangle") where most Mahayanistic inscriptions have been found, some of them even Tantric. This must be called an irony of history, because it's venerated as the birthplace of the Sinhalese Theravada tradition. But in order to avoid misunderstandings: Mahayana Buddhism was practiced alongside with Theravada Buddhism and did not entirely replace it. Sri Lanka's monastic culture finally became outright Theravada Buddhist in the Polonnaruwa period, due to reforms of King Parakramabahu (1153-86). But during those centuries Mihintale already fell into decay.
Aradhana Gala - Invitation Rock
Our list of places of interest in Mintale, cradle of Sri Lanka's Buddhism, starts with one of the peaks of the Mihintale Kanda (Mihintale hills). It's the most stony one and indeed the hugest boulder in this group of hills. The reason for starting our description at this top – although sightseeing tours, of course, cannot start from there – is a historical one: This rock outcropthe beginning of the Buddhist story of Mihintale (and of the Anuradhapura kingdom and Sri Lanka), since it was on this very spot that the first Buddhist missionary from India, the great Monk Mahinda, arrived in Sri Lanka with his companions. So the story goes, as it is written down of the 14th chapter of the Mahavamse, the "Great Chronicle" of Sri Lanka. It was from this rock in the Mihintale hills, that Missionary Mahinda alone, hiding his companions to avoid frightening the king in the forest, started his conversations in order to introduce Buddhism to the island nation. He did so by calling the name of the king: "Com hither, Tissa". The king, surprised to hear his name from a stranger's mouth, first thought, the missionary was a demon. But still standing on the rock, the great Monk Mahinda said he was a monk and a follower of the Great Teacher, thus identifying himself as a member of the Buddhist order. Then the fear left the king and he approached the the Missionary and also exchanged greetings with the Indian comrades who now came forward, too. Since here a Buddhist monk addressed a Sri Lankan king for the firs time and King Tissa followed Mahinda's invitation to come closer, the rock where he stood is now called "Invitation Rock" in English.
The Pali name is "Aradhana Gala", which translates to "assembly rock" or "homage hill". Additionally, there is a local legend that the Aradhana Gala was the place where the novice Sumana climbed to invite the gods to come and listen to the first sermon of Monk Mahinda. Another name of the outcrop is "Sila Gala", mening "virtue rock".
On the very same day, Missionary Mahinda Mahinda visited Anuradhapura. And still on his first day on the island, a layman who had accompanied him from India was accepted to the order. Thus the first Buddhist monk who had received his ordination in Sri Lanka was a foreigner. By the way: "Mahinda" is the Pali version of the Sanskrit name "Mahandra". "Mihindu" is Sinhala.
The Pali name is "Aradhana Gala", which translates to "assembly rock" or "homage hill". Additionally, there is a local legend that the Aradhana Gala was the place where the novice Sumana climbed to invite the gods to come and listen to the first sermon of Monk Mahinda. Another name of the outcrop is "Sila Gala", mening "virtue rock".
On the very same day, Missionary Mahinda Mahinda visited Anuradhapura. And still on his first day on the island, a layman who had accompanied him from India was accepted to the order. Thus the first Buddhist monk who had received his ordination in Sri Lanka was a foreigner. By the way: "Mahinda" is the Pali version of the Sanskrit name "Mahandra". "Mihindu" is Sinhala.
Buddhist pilgrims visiting Mihintale do not fail to visit this rock, which is situated at the eastern side of Mihintale's holiest stupa, the Ambasthala dagaba. Some of the steps they use to climb Aradhana Gala were chiselled already in ancient times. Iron railings now help them to climb safely to the summit. Halfway to the top of the Invitation Rock, there is a small chasm enabling to reach the other side of the outcrop. Here is a flat overhanging rock just large enough to allow one person to sit down of it. It's a cool place in the shadow in the afternoon and due to its scenic setting a perfect place for contemplation. This is why it is known as Mihintale's "meditation rock". Be careful when taking a souvenir photo on this cliff, don't risk your life for a selfie.
Ambasthala Dagoba - a memorable first Buddhist dialogue
Ambasthala Dagaba in Mihintale, with Mahaseya in the background
When Mahinda called Tissa, the king stood on the plain below the Aradhana Gala. This highest mountain saddle in the Mihintale hills is called Ambasthala. "Ambasthala", a semi-Sanskrit word, or "Ambathala", which is the corresponding term in Pali, translates to "Mango-tree place" or "Mango-tree elevation". It's the name of both the plateau in the Mihintale Kanda and of the medium-sized stupa in its very centre. This Ambasthala Dagoba (also known as "Ambasthala Dagaba" or "Ambasthala Chetiya") is the most venerated monument of the sacred site of Mihintale. There are three reason's for this highest reputation for sanctity.
Firstly, this is the stupa know as "Sila Chetiya" (also transcribed "Seela Chetiya") in Sri Lanka's ancient chronicles. Sila Chetiya is mentioned in the Mahavamsa as one of the ten places visited by the Buddha himself. This occured during his third stay on the island, when he also visited Kelaniya (near Colombo), Siri Pada (Adam's Peak), Digavapi (Eastern Province), and finally what later became Anuradhapura, and Mihintale. In the late Middle Ages or even later, in the Kandyan period, the number of Buddha-visitited places in Sri Lanka was canonized to be 16, most of them in the Anuradhapura area, one of them Sila Chetiya in Mihintale. The places honoured by a visit of Lord Buddha are called "Solosmathananas". Apart from the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, the Solosmathanas, including Anuradhapura's Bo-tree as one of these 16 sites, are the holiest Buddhist places of worship on the island of Sri Lanka.
Secondly, as already mentioned, it was here that Tissa, King of Anuradhapura, saw a Buddhist monk for the very first time. Mahinda, the Buddhist missionary from northern India, also started a first conversation with the king at this very same spot. Rather, it was a kind of interview. Mahinda tested the intellectual capacity of the King, in order to find out if he is capable and worthy to embrace the Buddhist teaching. It's a kind of ancient riddling IQ-test. Try to test yourself, if you know the correct answer! Standing at the palce of the later Ambasthala Dagaba, Mahinda pointed at the tree standing here and asked the King: "What kind of tree is that?". King Tissa gave the correct answer: "That's a mango-tree." So far so good. But the Mahindu proceeded: "And apart from this tree, are there other Mango-trees, too?" The king gave the correct answer: "Yes, there are many other Mango-trees." But Mahinda want's to know more: "And apart from Mango-trees, are there also other trees?" Again the king had no problem to give the right answer: "Sure, there are many more trees than only Mango-trees." Finally, Mahinda asked: "And apart from the other Mango-trees and all the other trees that are not Mango, trees, are there even more trees?" What question is this? Do you know the correct answer. Just think about it for one minute or two. And find out if you pass the test just as well as the King of Anuradhapura did. He gave the correct answer again. The answer is: "Yes." Surprised? The king's answer was correct: "Yes, this Mango-tree here." Do you now understand? Or think again! Why is this the correct answer? The clue is the word "other" in Mahinda's question. He did not ask: "Are there more trees than only Mango-trees and trees which are not Mango-trees?" What he asked is: Are there more trees than only the "other" Mango trees and trees which are not Mango-trees. Thus, he spared out just one tree in his question, this very single tree in front of them that is neither one of the other Mango-trees nor of the non-Mango-trees." So the king's answer is correct: "Yes, this Mango-tree". The king passed the Buddhist exam and he and thousands of followers became the first Sri Lankans taking refuge in the Buddhist teachings immediately afterwards, at this very place of the Mango-tree. So this is another reason why the Mang-tree Dagoba, the Ambasthala Chetiya, is one of the most sacred Buddhist sites on the island.
Thirdly, the Ambasthala Dagoba is believed to be the burial place or Monk Mahinda, the first Buddhist in Sri Lanka and ounder of the island nations monastic tradition. It is said to contain relics of the Indian monk. However, this is not undisputed. The much larger white dome of the stupa close-by, the Mahaseya, is also a candidate and the brick structure called "Minduseya" at the same summit has chances, too. However, it is mentioned in the chronicles, that Mihindu's bones are kept at the Chetiyapabbata, which is the ancient Pali name of the Mihintale Hills.
In the course of the centuries, the Ambasthala Dagoba, or "Sila Chetiya" as it is named in the chronicles, was enlarged and embellished. It became a so-called Chetiyagara ot Vatadage. "Chetiyagara" is a Pali term meaning "stupa house". Vatadage is Sinhala and means "Circular house". What is meant by this, can easily be detected. Mayby you wondered why the famous Ambasthala Dagaba is surrounded by so many stone pillars arranged in circles? The ancient columns once carried a wooden roof. It protected pilgrims circumambulating the stupa from sun and rain. In a way, this was a house with a stupa or chetiya in its centre. This is why the circular structure is called "Chetiyagara". Chetiyagaras are a type of construction that is characteristic of ancient Sinhalese Buddhist architecture. Thuparama and Lankarama in Anuradhapura are other specimen and quite similar to Ambasthala. They too were just stupas originally which later on were endompassed by a pillared hall. Presumably, there purely wooden circular halls had been added to such stupas already in the first half of the first milliennium A.D. They were replaced by stone structures in the second half of the first millennium, approximatly in the 7th century, which marks the beginning of the late Anuradhapura period, when many typical features of ancient Sinhalese architecture were invented. But many say, that the stone pillars of the Chetiyagara are from a much earlier date and ascribe it to kings of whom the chronicles record that they contributed to the stupa building. Mahadatthika Mahanaga, who reigned during the early first century, is one such king. The stupa of course is much older, it is from the very beginnings of Buddhism on the island.
Remember, "Ambasthala" is not only the name of the stupa building but of the entire terrace. You will see some modern structures and statues in this area, for example gifts from visitors from Thailand in a shrine room at the rear, where the stairway to the Mihindu Guhawa starts. But there are remarkable other artifacts from ancient times, too, namely stone inscriptions. There are many of them in this area, from very different centuries and of various languages and charcter types.
Firstly, this is the stupa know as "Sila Chetiya" (also transcribed "Seela Chetiya") in Sri Lanka's ancient chronicles. Sila Chetiya is mentioned in the Mahavamsa as one of the ten places visited by the Buddha himself. This occured during his third stay on the island, when he also visited Kelaniya (near Colombo), Siri Pada (Adam's Peak), Digavapi (Eastern Province), and finally what later became Anuradhapura, and Mihintale. In the late Middle Ages or even later, in the Kandyan period, the number of Buddha-visitited places in Sri Lanka was canonized to be 16, most of them in the Anuradhapura area, one of them Sila Chetiya in Mihintale. The places honoured by a visit of Lord Buddha are called "Solosmathananas". Apart from the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, the Solosmathanas, including Anuradhapura's Bo-tree as one of these 16 sites, are the holiest Buddhist places of worship on the island of Sri Lanka.
Secondly, as already mentioned, it was here that Tissa, King of Anuradhapura, saw a Buddhist monk for the very first time. Mahinda, the Buddhist missionary from northern India, also started a first conversation with the king at this very same spot. Rather, it was a kind of interview. Mahinda tested the intellectual capacity of the King, in order to find out if he is capable and worthy to embrace the Buddhist teaching. It's a kind of ancient riddling IQ-test. Try to test yourself, if you know the correct answer! Standing at the palce of the later Ambasthala Dagaba, Mahinda pointed at the tree standing here and asked the King: "What kind of tree is that?". King Tissa gave the correct answer: "That's a mango-tree." So far so good. But the Mahindu proceeded: "And apart from this tree, are there other Mango-trees, too?" The king gave the correct answer: "Yes, there are many other Mango-trees." But Mahinda want's to know more: "And apart from Mango-trees, are there also other trees?" Again the king had no problem to give the right answer: "Sure, there are many more trees than only Mango-trees." Finally, Mahinda asked: "And apart from the other Mango-trees and all the other trees that are not Mango, trees, are there even more trees?" What question is this? Do you know the correct answer. Just think about it for one minute or two. And find out if you pass the test just as well as the King of Anuradhapura did. He gave the correct answer again. The answer is: "Yes." Surprised? The king's answer was correct: "Yes, this Mango-tree here." Do you now understand? Or think again! Why is this the correct answer? The clue is the word "other" in Mahinda's question. He did not ask: "Are there more trees than only Mango-trees and trees which are not Mango-trees?" What he asked is: Are there more trees than only the "other" Mango trees and trees which are not Mango-trees. Thus, he spared out just one tree in his question, this very single tree in front of them that is neither one of the other Mango-trees nor of the non-Mango-trees." So the king's answer is correct: "Yes, this Mango-tree". The king passed the Buddhist exam and he and thousands of followers became the first Sri Lankans taking refuge in the Buddhist teachings immediately afterwards, at this very place of the Mango-tree. So this is another reason why the Mang-tree Dagoba, the Ambasthala Chetiya, is one of the most sacred Buddhist sites on the island.
Thirdly, the Ambasthala Dagoba is believed to be the burial place or Monk Mahinda, the first Buddhist in Sri Lanka and ounder of the island nations monastic tradition. It is said to contain relics of the Indian monk. However, this is not undisputed. The much larger white dome of the stupa close-by, the Mahaseya, is also a candidate and the brick structure called "Minduseya" at the same summit has chances, too. However, it is mentioned in the chronicles, that Mihindu's bones are kept at the Chetiyapabbata, which is the ancient Pali name of the Mihintale Hills.
In the course of the centuries, the Ambasthala Dagoba, or "Sila Chetiya" as it is named in the chronicles, was enlarged and embellished. It became a so-called Chetiyagara ot Vatadage. "Chetiyagara" is a Pali term meaning "stupa house". Vatadage is Sinhala and means "Circular house". What is meant by this, can easily be detected. Mayby you wondered why the famous Ambasthala Dagaba is surrounded by so many stone pillars arranged in circles? The ancient columns once carried a wooden roof. It protected pilgrims circumambulating the stupa from sun and rain. In a way, this was a house with a stupa or chetiya in its centre. This is why the circular structure is called "Chetiyagara". Chetiyagaras are a type of construction that is characteristic of ancient Sinhalese Buddhist architecture. Thuparama and Lankarama in Anuradhapura are other specimen and quite similar to Ambasthala. They too were just stupas originally which later on were endompassed by a pillared hall. Presumably, there purely wooden circular halls had been added to such stupas already in the first half of the first milliennium A.D. They were replaced by stone structures in the second half of the first millennium, approximatly in the 7th century, which marks the beginning of the late Anuradhapura period, when many typical features of ancient Sinhalese architecture were invented. But many say, that the stone pillars of the Chetiyagara are from a much earlier date and ascribe it to kings of whom the chronicles record that they contributed to the stupa building. Mahadatthika Mahanaga, who reigned during the early first century, is one such king. The stupa of course is much older, it is from the very beginnings of Buddhism on the island.
Remember, "Ambasthala" is not only the name of the stupa building but of the entire terrace. You will see some modern structures and statues in this area, for example gifts from visitors from Thailand in a shrine room at the rear, where the stairway to the Mihindu Guhawa starts. But there are remarkable other artifacts from ancient times, too, namely stone inscriptions. There are many of them in this area, from very different centuries and of various languages and charcter types.
When entering the plateau you will not miss to see a fenced rock inscription on the right side, close to the place where you have to leave the shoes. The inscription, already discovered in the mid 19th century, covers a rock surface of 9 m length and 5m height. Regrettably, the central parts of the lines of this long inscription are indecipharable. However, names of tanks and villages with paddy field could be indentified. They were donated for the maintaining of the monastery. Also the name of Mahinda is mentioned. The inscription is ascribed to the already mentioned king, Mahadatthika Mahanaga, who is mentioned in the chronicles. But the type of Brahmi characters and language could indicate, that they are two or three centuries younger. The language is not Pali but a slightly different predecessor of Sinhala.
Not far away, placed at the same rock at the right side, there are inscriptions on pillars. They are from the Anuradhapura period, too, although from much later centuries.
Another interesting inscription from the same period (7th till 10th century) cannot be detected as easily. It is engraved in the rock surface at the opposite site. That's the rock at the summit of which the huge sitting Buddha is placed. However, the characters are vague and maybe you will not find them without the help of a guide. This description mentions different "bodies" (kayas) of the Buddha, which is a typical teaching of the Yogachara school of Mahayana Buddhism. Mahayana inscriptions from the late Anuradhapura period are well known from the island's Eatern Province. They indicate presence of Tamil Buddhist merchants in that area. However, finding Mahayana inscriptions in the very heartland of Theravada Buddhism may come to a surprise for you. However, as we will see, Mihintale actually is the main finding place of Mahayana descriptions in the Cultural Triangle. Mahayana, though branded as heretic by the chronicles, played a significant role in the Anuradhapura period, particularly in arts.
Not far away, placed at the same rock at the right side, there are inscriptions on pillars. They are from the Anuradhapura period, too, although from much later centuries.
Another interesting inscription from the same period (7th till 10th century) cannot be detected as easily. It is engraved in the rock surface at the opposite site. That's the rock at the summit of which the huge sitting Buddha is placed. However, the characters are vague and maybe you will not find them without the help of a guide. This description mentions different "bodies" (kayas) of the Buddha, which is a typical teaching of the Yogachara school of Mahayana Buddhism. Mahayana inscriptions from the late Anuradhapura period are well known from the island's Eatern Province. They indicate presence of Tamil Buddhist merchants in that area. However, finding Mahayana inscriptions in the very heartland of Theravada Buddhism may come to a surprise for you. However, as we will see, Mihintale actually is the main finding place of Mahayana descriptions in the Cultural Triangle. Mahayana, though branded as heretic by the chronicles, played a significant role in the Anuradhapura period, particularly in arts.
Houses of the modern monastery of Mihintale are situated at the Ambasthala, too. A new monastic building is still under construction. Some residences of the monastery are at the eastern side of the Ambasthala mountain saddle. One building is open to the public. It's a kind of image house, although not Buddha images but caskets in the form of small stupas are on display. It's a kind of relic chamber. It's also a donation hall. Monks from Southeast Asia visiting Sri Lanka like to come to Mihintale, since it's the birthplace of Sinhalese Buddhism and almost all monastic ordination lineages in Myanmar and Thailand are of Sinhalese origin. Official delegations, particularly when celebrating the arrival of Mahinda on the annual Poson Poya Day, often donate valuable requisites of monastic life to the Mihintale Rajamahaviharaya. This name designating many Buddhist temples all over Sri Lanka, simply means "Royal Grand Monastery", indicating that is a royal endowment.
Mihindu Guhawa - Monk Mahinda's stone bed
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The "Mahinda cave" is a kind of narrow rock arch, a rock shelter open to both sides. There is a flat and polished slab of rock in the shelter, it's called "Mahinda's bed", "Mihindu Guhawa" in Sinhala. Local tradition has it that this stone bed inside the scenic rock was the rain season retreat of Missionary Mahinda.
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At the rear of the Ambasthala, there is one stairway leading to the top of Aradhana Gala on the right side. On the left, just behind the image hall keeping the donations from other Buddhist countries, another stairway leads downwards to Mihintale's most famous cave. It's a pleasant jungle trek of about half a kilometres. Halfway down to the rock called "Mihindu Guhawa" is another overhanging rock transformed into a simple cell. It serves as a small Hindu temple. Shiva's son Ganesha is venerated by few Buddhists, too, though most Buddhists do not pray to Lord Shiva and his family.
According to the chronicles' accounts, Missionary Mahinda soon after arriving in Mihintale proceeded to King Tissa's nearby capital, Anuradhapura, and founded the first monastery in Sri Lanka. But the Mahavamsa also mentions that Arhat Mahinda chose Mihintale as his rain season retreat. According to the sacred rules of monastic life, Buddhist monks were roaming mendicants. However, monasteries as monastic residences are already known to have existed during the lifetime of the Buddha. The Holy Scriptures mention, where the Buddha stayed during each three-month rainy season. Locally fixed rainy season abodes are part of the monk's rules layed down in the Vinayapitaka. Since there were no buildings erected in Mihintale serving as monks' cells during those early days of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, it's highly likely that Mahinda used one of the natural rock shelters as his rainy season abode. Acording to the island's amost ancient inscriptions, such caves were donated to the Buddhist order. The donators made them habitable. So the flat "stone bed" probably served as a prepared seasonal home for monks. One of the monks recorded to have lived in Mihintale is Missionary Mahinda, as mentioned. It seems plausible, that the most striking cave was chosen as worthy retreat for the local figurehead of Buddhism.
According to the chronicles' accounts, Missionary Mahinda soon after arriving in Mihintale proceeded to King Tissa's nearby capital, Anuradhapura, and founded the first monastery in Sri Lanka. But the Mahavamsa also mentions that Arhat Mahinda chose Mihintale as his rain season retreat. According to the sacred rules of monastic life, Buddhist monks were roaming mendicants. However, monasteries as monastic residences are already known to have existed during the lifetime of the Buddha. The Holy Scriptures mention, where the Buddha stayed during each three-month rainy season. Locally fixed rainy season abodes are part of the monk's rules layed down in the Vinayapitaka. Since there were no buildings erected in Mihintale serving as monks' cells during those early days of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, it's highly likely that Mahinda used one of the natural rock shelters as his rainy season abode. Acording to the island's amost ancient inscriptions, such caves were donated to the Buddhist order. The donators made them habitable. So the flat "stone bed" probably served as a prepared seasonal home for monks. One of the monks recorded to have lived in Mihintale is Missionary Mahinda, as mentioned. It seems plausible, that the most striking cave was chosen as worthy retreat for the local figurehead of Buddhism.
Missionary Mahinda is often called "Bhikku Mahinda". This simply means "Monk Mahinda". But "Arhat Mahinda" or "Arahat Mahinda" or "Arhant Mahinda" has a more specific meaning, not all monks were Arhats. Only those are called Arhats who attained enlightenment by following the instructions and teachings the Buddha had layed down. There are few Arhats mentioned in the ancient chronicles. Local traditions know some more Arhats, all of them living more than two thousand years ago. Their abodes, almost all of them in rock shelters, are of significance as pilgrimage sites even today, because these places were inhabited by the most venerated Bikkhus regarded as a kind of "Buddhist Saints".
Mahaseya - Mihintale's landmark stupa
The landmark building of the Mihintale Kanda is the white dome of the Mahaseya, it's also called "Maha Saya" or "Maha Stupa" or "Maha Seya Dagaba" . "Maha Seya" simply means "Big Stupa" or "Grand Thupa" or "Great Chedi". It's Sri Lanka's only stupa dome of such dimensions that is situated on a hill. That's why you can see it from far distance.
The bright white dome of the Mahaseya Dagaba is said to have enshrined a hair relic of the Buddha himself. A first stupa at the site of the Mahaseya is believed to have been built by King Mahadathika Mahanaga (7-19 A.D.), who is credited with construction works at Chetiyapabbata, which is the ancient Pali name of modern Mihintale. But due to its delipidated condition when found in 1890, the stupa had to be completely restored. The current white dome is an enlargement from the 20th century.
The bright white dome of the Mahaseya Dagaba is said to have enshrined a hair relic of the Buddha himself. A first stupa at the site of the Mahaseya is believed to have been built by King Mahadathika Mahanaga (7-19 A.D.), who is credited with construction works at Chetiyapabbata, which is the ancient Pali name of modern Mihintale. But due to its delipidated condition when found in 1890, the stupa had to be completely restored. The current white dome is an enlargement from the 20th century.
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According to popular beliefs, a hair of the Buddha is enshrined in the Mahaseya. Most probably, the historical Buddha, in contrast to most Buddha images, was in fact a shaved monk and therefore bald. However, the Buddha is said to have had a whorl of hair between the eyebrows. It's one of these hairs that is venerated at Mahaseya in Mihintale. This additional small coil of hair is called "Urna", "Urnakosha" or "Urnaroma" in Sanskrit. The Pali term is "Unna". In Buddhist art, the Urna is a circular dot placed on the forehead of a Buddha statue, often in the form of a spiral. Like the third eye of the Hindu deity Shiva, the mark symbolizes universal knowledge. In the Holy Scriptures of Theravada Buddhism, the Urna is mentioned in the so-called "Discourse of Marks". This Lakkhana Sutta, which is the 30th chapter of the Digha Nikaya, mentions the Urna as the 31st of 32 physical characteristics of a Mahapurusha, a "Great Being", the highest form of which is Buddhahood. |
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Mihinduseya - ancient tomb
"Mihindu Seya" means "Mahinda's stupa". A stupa is a burial ground for relic's. It's highly likely that Missionary Mahinda's ashes have been kept inside this stupa. The appearance of Mihindu Seya is inconspicuous, compared to the neighbouring Maha Seya, which is of much larger size and completely renovated and shining bright. In contrast, Mihindu Seya is still broken, just a mound of brickstones. However, it's the more ancient stupa and gives a better impression of the original condition. Mihindu Seya, besides Kantaka Chetiya (see below) is one of the most ancient brick structure surviving in Sri Lanka. It had been a mound covered with earth. In 1936, the Archaeological Department protected what had survived of the stupa. After the base was completely cleared of debris in 1951, the interior of this monument was investigated by Sri Lanka's high-profile historian, Senarath Paranavitana, then Head of the Department of Archaeology. Mihindu Seya is one of the very few stupas in Sri Lanka the relic chamber of which has been opened by archaeologists. What Paranavitana found in Mihindu Seya is amazing indeed. Within a relic casket of polished black earthenware consisting of a lid and two compartments, two stupa-formed reliquaries of thin gold foil were found intact, still containing fragments of bone and ashes, besides in addition to beads and trinkets. The discovery of the reliquaries came to to a surprise, since the building of Mihindu Seya had obviously been damaged by treasure hunters. A guilt bronze image of a sitting Buddha in Dhyani-Mudra was found in a differnt layer.Two other images of sitting Buddhas made of thin gold foil were found at the floor of the relic chamber. The statues are from a much later period (Polonnaruwa period or late Anuradhapura period) . But the reliquaries are said to be the most ancient discovered in Sri Lanka, from the very beginning of the Buddhist period. The type of Brahmi characters incised on some bricks indicates such an early date.
According to the 20th chapter of the Mahavamsa, Mahinda died in Mihintale, when he was sixty years old. On order of the King Uttiya, the body of the great missionary was brought to Anuradhapura in a huge procession and set upon a funeral pyre. At the place where the rites of the dead were carried out, a stupa was erected. But one half of the relics was distributed into portions which were brought to all monasteries and more commemoration stupas were erected for them. The only other secondary burial place the Great Chronicle mentions by name is Chetiyapabbata, this is Mihintale.
According to the 20th chapter of the Mahavamsa, Mahinda died in Mihintale, when he was sixty years old. On order of the King Uttiya, the body of the great missionary was brought to Anuradhapura in a huge procession and set upon a funeral pyre. At the place where the rites of the dead were carried out, a stupa was erected. But one half of the relics was distributed into portions which were brought to all monasteries and more commemoration stupas were erected for them. The only other secondary burial place the Great Chronicle mentions by name is Chetiyapabbata, this is Mihintale.
Sitting Buddha of Mihintale
One landmark of present-day Mihintale is the colossal statue of a Sitting Buddha, shining white. It's placed on the northern one of the three summits surrounding the mountain saddle of Ambashtala. The statue is remarkable less for its artistic value but as a modern trend-setter. In recent decades, more and more giant Buddha statues have been constructed all over Sri Lanka, some of them even at remote places. There appears to be a trend to strive for superlatives. Currently, the largest Buddha statue in seated position is that of Aluthgama Kande Vihara just 3 km to the north of Bentota. That 50 m high Siting Buddha was consecrated 2008. The tallest rock-cut statue is the 21 m high Rambodagalla Buddha Statue in Monaragala Temple in Kurunegala district, situated halfway between Colombo and Mihintale. It was unveiled in 2015. Sri Lanka's tallest Standing Buddha is the 41 m high statue of Matugama in Kalutara District from 2016, it lies about 20 km to the northeast of Bentota, not far from the expressway, halfway between Colombo and Galle. However, the fashion of creating larger and larger Buddha statues in Sri Lanka already began in the late 20th century, Mihintale being one example, the other one even larger is Wewurukannela near Dickwella in ther very south of the island, erected in 1970. From a distance, the huge meditating Sitting Buddha of Mihintale seems to venerate the equally bright stupa of Mahaseya.
Naga Pokuna - Cobra Pond
Having visited the upper terrace of the Ambasthala, you can put on your shoes again. Shoes are allowed at all the other places described below. Going the stairway downwards from the Ambasthale entrance and the shoekeeoing shelves, you will notice a small jungle path leading off to the left. It's worth proceeding along it to continue your Mihintale sightseeing tour. After only 200 m, you will arrive at the Naga Pokuna, which translates to "Cobra Pond" or "Serpent Bath" or "Snake Pool", so called because of the huge seven-headed Cobra carved out of the cliff at the back of the pond. The tail of this carved Naga reaches right down to the bottom of the pool. The Pond itself measures 11 meters in length and up to almost 5 meters in width.
Originally, there must have already been a small natural pond here, collecting the rainwater pouring down on the exposed rock-surface of the hill which is crowned by the white Mahaseya and the old Mihinduseya. The place is mentioned in the 16th chapter of the Great Chronicle of Sri Lanka, the Mahavamsa. It records that Missionary Mahinda, when returning from Anuradhapura to Mihintale, he took a bath at a tank called Nagacutakka.
Originally, there must have already been a small natural pond here, collecting the rainwater pouring down on the exposed rock-surface of the hill which is crowned by the white Mahaseya and the old Mihinduseya. The place is mentioned in the 16th chapter of the Great Chronicle of Sri Lanka, the Mahavamsa. It records that Missionary Mahinda, when returning from Anuradhapura to Mihintale, he took a bath at a tank called Nagacutakka.
When Chetiyapabbata alias Mihintale became an increasingly large Buddhist monastery, the numerous monks' demand for water grew. Therefore, the natural pond was embanked and deepened to store a larger quantity of water, which was distributed from here to the refectory and Lion Pond further below. An elaborate system of stone pipes was constructed for this purpose, remnants of which can still be seen in the Archaeological Museum of Mihintale. Thereby, the Naga Pokuna became a main source of water supply to the monastery. The later part of the Mahavamsa, sometimes called Chulavamsa, credits King Aggabodhi I, who reigned in the late 6th century, with construction works at a pond called Nagasondi.
The dark but clean water of the Cobra Pond invites pilgrims for a refreshing swim even today. Situated at the slope of the hill, Naga Pokuna is a vantage point, too. It's one of the most charming places in Mihintale.
The dark but clean water of the Cobra Pond invites pilgrims for a refreshing swim even today. Situated at the slope of the hill, Naga Pokuna is a vantage point, too. It's one of the most charming places in Mihintale.
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In Indian mythology, Nagas (serpents) are guardians of treasures, protectors of water ressources in particular. Perhaps Naga Pokuna was used for Naga worship. Naga cults are still practiced in various regions of India. Naga worship, just as tree worship, has been integrated in Buddhism. Muchalinda, King of Nagas, protected the Buddha soon after his enlightenment. Though not mentioned in the Tipitaka, legend has it that four weeks after becoming a Buddha, Gautama meditated under the Bodhi Tree. When a cloudburst occured, lasting a full week, Muchalinda came from beneath the earth in order to protect the Buddha with his hood, spreading his numerous heads. After the thunderstorm had cleared, the cobra king assumed his human form, and revered the Buddha. Snake cult is known all over Asia, actually it's the origin of the Chinese snake cult, too. As protector of water and fertility, the snake's symbolism in Eastern cultures is quite contrary to the hostile view in the Christian tradition. |
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Et Vehera - Mihintale's sunrise and sunset vantage point
Looking at the groups of the Mihintale hills from a distance, for example from Lake Mahanuwara Wewa in Anuradhapura, you will see one conical peak sticking out. It reaches a height of 309 m above mean sea level. The peak is set apart from the pilgrims way in Mihintale Kanda. A stairway of 600 more steps branches off at the ruin of an image house just below the Naga Pokuna.
Not surprisingly, the highest peak of Mihintale Kanda is crowned by a dagaba. Et Vehera is a brick structure, not huge in size, from the Anuradhapura period. The three levels of ring seen at the base of larger dagabas, reach almost the top of this smaller dome. There are many different spellings for it such as "Et Wehera", "Eth Vehera", "At Vehera", "Et Vihara". Correspondingly, the hill is known as "Et Vehera Kanda", which means "Et Vehera Mountain" and is often translated to "Elephant Dagoba Peak.
Not surprisingly, the highest peak of Mihintale Kanda is crowned by a dagaba. Et Vehera is a brick structure, not huge in size, from the Anuradhapura period. The three levels of ring seen at the base of larger dagabas, reach almost the top of this smaller dome. There are many different spellings for it such as "Et Wehera", "Eth Vehera", "At Vehera", "Et Vihara". Correspondingly, the hill is known as "Et Vehera Kanda", which means "Et Vehera Mountain" and is often translated to "Elephant Dagoba Peak.
What is the meaning of "Et"The common Sinhala word for an elephant is "Ali" or "Aliya". The Sanskrit term "gaja" refers to ceremonial elephants in the first place. In toponyms, "Et" or "Eth" or "Ath" is often used as an abbreviation of Pali "Hatthi". This is why many people call the highest summit of Mihintale Kanda "Elephant Dagaba Peak". But there is a completely different meaning of "Et" in the case of Et Vehera Kanda. It is believed to be an abbreviation of "atul", meaning "inner". This name may refer to the fact that Et Vehera, although located in some distance away from the monastic centre of Mihintale, is still part of the inner circle of monastic buildings, all of them grouped within the hills of Mihintale. A name given in a rock inscription at the stairway is "Paribada Cheta". The Pali term "Paribhanda Chetiya" translates to "adjoining stupa". This recorded name can indeed have the same meaning as the current Sinhala name: a stupa still belonging to the monastery, despite its location in a distance. The inscription mention a king by the name "Naka". He is identified with King Mahadathika Mahanaga, who is mentioned in the chronicle and reigned in the early 1st century A.D. |
What is the meaning of "Vehera"?"Vehera" is just a different spelling of "Vihara". In general, though not in each and every case, "Vihara" or "Viharaya" is more common for places or institutions, whereas the less frequent term "Vehera" tends to mean specific buildings. "Vihara", the Sanskrit and Pali term now used for Buddhist monasteries, translates to "a secluded place to walk in". In the period of the Buddha, it referred to refuges inhabited by wandering monks as a settled place only during three months of the annual rainy season. However, when permanent monasteries became more common, the name "Vihara" was kept. Originally, it referred to a specific kind of structure within a monastery, namely a complex of small sleeping rooms of monks. A standard plan for such Viharas was established in India in the second century B.C., it consisted of a quadrangular courtyard flanked by dozens of cells. In contrast, one millennium later in Thailand, the term "viharn" refers to a large ceremonial hall within a temple complex. In Sri Lanka, "viharaya" is the common label for a Buddhist temple or monastery taken as a whole. Even more confusingly, "vihara" or "vehera" is often used in names of stupas. For example, "Rankot Vehera" is the largest surviving stupa in Polonnaruwa. As mentioned above, there are many different terms in use for Sri Lanka's stupas: "thupa", "dagaba", "chetiya", "seya". "Vehera" is just one more word in that long list. |
Et Vehera has Mihintale's best panoramic view - it's both sunrise point and sunset point
Et Vehera commands the best view of the surrounding area. An early morning walk along the stairways is highly recommended, as you can enjoy the sounds of the forest, undisturbed by other tourists. Most vistors arrive at Et Vehera for sunset, but usually there are not many finding their way to the very top, which is a little bit exhausting indeed. However, the birds eye view of the surrounding hills and plains and lakes are worth the climb and an advantage of Mihintale's best outlook is: Sunrise as well as sunset can be seen perfectly well from the very same vantage point. Such is the panoramic view, that you can even spot the huge stupas of Anuradhapura in 12 km distance, good weather conditions provided. The white dome of Ruwanweliseya is situated exactly in western direction.
to the northeast, Mahakanadarawa Lake can be seen behind the white dome of Mahaseya
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to the east, there are paddy fields and the smaller lake called Mihintale Wewa
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to the south, the neighbouring higher peak is behind the Vajirarama Medition Centre
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to the west, Kaludiya Pokuna is just below and the vast Lake Mahanuwara at the horizon
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Sinha Pokuna - Lion Fountain
Returning from the Et Wehera summit, you will reach the middle terrace. Meda Maluwa is the Sinhalese name for it. This was the central area of monastic life. Chapter hall and refectory belonged to the group of building in this mountain saddle. Today, it's the centre of the excavated area where all pathes and stairways within the archaeological zone meet. We will describe the main attractions of the middle terrace further below, after returning from the detour to the Kantaka chetiya. The stairway to this most signigicant dagaba of Mihintale begins just west of the Mea Maluwa. On the way to this stairway you come along the so-called Lion Fountain, which is situated at the slope to the left. This structure called Sinha Pokuna is one of the most interesting ancient hydraulic works in Sri Lanka. "Sinha Pokuna" translates to "lion pond". In contrast to the Naga Pokuna, the Cobra Pokuna described above, the Sinha Pokuna is not a bassin but was a fountain indeed. More precisely, it was a waterspout. The mouth of the lion sculpture served as gargoyle. Thus, it's more a water rail than a pond.The lion is designed in a quite unique posture. The sculpture shows a lion frozen in the act of pouncing on prey. The two meter high raging lion is considered to be the most vivid animal carvings of ancient Sri Lanka.
The Lion Fountain of Mihintale was a kind of open-air bath. Probably it was used by the Bhikkhus who were living in the cells and caves of the neighbourhood. Instead of the pond, there is a small water tank above the lion sculpture that spouts the water. Not the narrow tank but the running water of fountain could have been use for the monks' bathes. Half of the almost square tank is cut out of the natural rock as a monolithic block, whereas the other half is constructed of stone blocks. The life-sized lion is carved against the outer rock wall to the west. The water for the Sinha Pokuna was supplied by a channel from the Naga-Pokuna situated above the Sinha Pokuna on a much higher elevation.
The Lion Fountain of Mihintale was a kind of open-air bath. Probably it was used by the Bhikkhus who were living in the cells and caves of the neighbourhood. Instead of the pond, there is a small water tank above the lion sculpture that spouts the water. Not the narrow tank but the running water of fountain could have been use for the monks' bathes. Half of the almost square tank is cut out of the natural rock as a monolithic block, whereas the other half is constructed of stone blocks. The life-sized lion is carved against the outer rock wall to the west. The water for the Sinha Pokuna was supplied by a channel from the Naga-Pokuna situated above the Sinha Pokuna on a much higher elevation.
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The frieze on three sides of the Sinha Pokuna is an attraction in itself. The bas reliefs round the pond depict elephants and lions as well as apparently human figures such as musicians, dancers and wrestlers and dwarfs. The latter are called Ganas in India and Sri Lanka. These figures represent gnomes which work beneath the earth surfice as small helpers providing fertility of the soil. Ganas are sculptures or religious significance, whereas the other figures seem to depict amusing scenes of courtly life. However, Ganas are funny guys, too. And dancers and musicians and acrobats also inhabit the Mountain of the Gods in order to amuse the divine beings. The subjects of this frieze are well known from temple decorations in India. Although they are fewer in numbers at the Lion Pond in Mihintale than at Indian temples, the frieze reveal the high standard that sculptural in ancient Sri Lanka.
The Sinha Pokuna is situated amidst ruins of ruins of plenty of small structures. Only quadrangular foundations and pillars survive. They once carried wooden roofs. The privacy shield consisted in curtains instead of brick walls. The pavillons may have served as monks cells or as changing booths for monks taking a bath. A stone wessel in front of the Lion Fountain is said to have served for dying monks's robes saffron-yellow.
The Sinha Pokuna is situated amidst ruins of ruins of plenty of small structures. Only quadrangular foundations and pillars survive. They once carried wooden roofs. The privacy shield consisted in curtains instead of brick walls. The pavillons may have served as monks cells or as changing booths for monks taking a bath. A stone wessel in front of the Lion Fountain is said to have served for dying monks's robes saffron-yellow.
Kantaka Chetiya - Sri Lanka's most ancient stupa structure
There are two different stairways leading to the Kantaka Chetiya. One from the east is branching off the main stairway at the opposite site of the Timbiri Pokuna, halfway between the plains and the Middle Terrace (Meda Maluwa). Another one, from the south, begins at the car park near the Lion Fountain of this Middle Terrace
An inscription mentions the term "Kataka". Locals only recently interpreted this as the name "Kantaka" given to the Stupa. Other common spellings are "Kanthaka" or "Kanthika" Kantaka was the horse of Prince Siddharta Gautama, before he became a Buddha. When the 30 years old pronce left his home and family to search for a path to salvation from suffering, aging and death, he was carried by his horse. Outside the city, he left the horse, too, the devoted animal died in sorrow. "Chetiya", as already mentioned, is just another term for a stupa building. In early Buddhism Chetiya tended to be the name of those stupas that contained symbolic relics instead of bodily remains.
From an artistic point of view, Kantaka Chetiya is definitely Mintale's main attraction. Actually, it's one of the most remarkable stupas of the Buddhist world, due to its age and its state of preservation. The reason for the good condition of its sculptural adornments is that the stupa had been buried for centuries under the debris of the partly collapsed building and wascovered with soil with trees growing on the mound until 1934, when the extraordinary monument was discovered and excavated by the doyen of Sri Lankan archaeology, Senarath Paranavitana. During the excavation, there was evidence of the relic chamber having been vandalised by treasure hunter.
The stupa has a diameter of 128 at the basis and is still 12.2 m high. Originally, the height was an estimated 30 m. Kantaka Chetiya is said to have been built by King Suratissa already in the 3th century B.C. This is the earliest stage of Buddhism on the island. However, as in the case of many other stupas, Kantaka Chetiya was enlarged and embellished several time. Constructional measures were taken by Lanja Tissa (119-09 B.C.), who according to the Mahavamsa Chronicle had a mantling made of stone for the stupa. The final size of the dome might well be from pre-Christian times, whereas the sculptural designs at the Valalkadas are estimated to be from the early centuries A.D. According to a rock inscription from the early 1st century A.D., Mahadathika Mahanaga provided ways of income for the maintenance of a "Kataka" stupa.
An inscription mentions the term "Kataka". Locals only recently interpreted this as the name "Kantaka" given to the Stupa. Other common spellings are "Kanthaka" or "Kanthika" Kantaka was the horse of Prince Siddharta Gautama, before he became a Buddha. When the 30 years old pronce left his home and family to search for a path to salvation from suffering, aging and death, he was carried by his horse. Outside the city, he left the horse, too, the devoted animal died in sorrow. "Chetiya", as already mentioned, is just another term for a stupa building. In early Buddhism Chetiya tended to be the name of those stupas that contained symbolic relics instead of bodily remains.
From an artistic point of view, Kantaka Chetiya is definitely Mintale's main attraction. Actually, it's one of the most remarkable stupas of the Buddhist world, due to its age and its state of preservation. The reason for the good condition of its sculptural adornments is that the stupa had been buried for centuries under the debris of the partly collapsed building and wascovered with soil with trees growing on the mound until 1934, when the extraordinary monument was discovered and excavated by the doyen of Sri Lankan archaeology, Senarath Paranavitana. During the excavation, there was evidence of the relic chamber having been vandalised by treasure hunter.
The stupa has a diameter of 128 at the basis and is still 12.2 m high. Originally, the height was an estimated 30 m. Kantaka Chetiya is said to have been built by King Suratissa already in the 3th century B.C. This is the earliest stage of Buddhism on the island. However, as in the case of many other stupas, Kantaka Chetiya was enlarged and embellished several time. Constructional measures were taken by Lanja Tissa (119-09 B.C.), who according to the Mahavamsa Chronicle had a mantling made of stone for the stupa. The final size of the dome might well be from pre-Christian times, whereas the sculptural designs at the Valalkadas are estimated to be from the early centuries A.D. According to a rock inscription from the early 1st century A.D., Mahadathika Mahanaga provided ways of income for the maintenance of a "Kataka" stupa.
The most outstanding features of the stupa building of Kantaka Chetiya are the frontispieces joining the hemispherical dome at its four cardinal directions.These frontispieces came to be decorated or embellished with designs such as the ornamental creepers and mythological figures. Stone slabs erected for the purpose of offering flowers have been placed in front of these frontispieces. Vahalkadas are a characteristic element of Sinhalese architecture. They are less known from more ancient Buddhist stupas in India. Sanchi Stupa in central India for example has oranmented gates to an elevated circumambulatory at its four cardinal points. They are replaced by massive walls in Sri Lanka. But the purpose of Vahalkadas is still a matter of conjecture. However, early Buddhist art is represented in finest examples found in Kantaka Chetiya's Vahalkadas.
The eastern and southern frontispieces were found in their original state. The northern one could be restored, whereas the western Vahalkada remains heavily damaged. The Vahalkadas of Kantaka Chetiya, though not the largest in Sri Lanka, can be called the most impressive ones due to their excellent original decorations. They are decorated with friezes of elephant heads close to the foundation and geeses in a higher band. Above head-height, there are friezes of mythical dwarfs in amusing postures, a subject which became quite popular in Sinhalese art. The so-called Ganas are portrayed in various attitudes such as playing musical instruments, standing on their head, even playing with a cobra. The frolic gnomes at Kantaka Chetiya are the earliest known from the island's history of art. Ganas figures are also called "Vamanas" or "Bahirawas". In Indian mythology, such Gana dwarfs are friendly helpers to keep the soils fertile, as already mentioned. Their leader is Ganapati. Ganapati is well-known to most travellers in South Asia under his name Ganesha. It's the elephant-headed son of Lord Shiva. Ganesha can be seen at the northern wing of the East Vahalkada. It's the earliest example of a Ganesha depiction known in Asian art.
East Vahalkada of Kantaka Chetiya in Mihintale
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elephant-headed Ganesha in the frieze of Gana gnomes
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Another typical feature of Sinhalese art are guardians in the friendly form of Nagarajas, snake kings in human form. The earliest depictions of Nagarajas too are found at Kantaka Chetiya, viz. at the southern Vahalkada. They are older than Buddha sculptures and thereby the first representations of human forms in Buddhist art of Sri Lanka. At the eastern wing of the southern Vahalkada, remnants of early lion paintings can still be seen. Primarily red and yellow colours have been used for these paintings.
Nagaraja as human-shaped guardian statue at the southern Vahalkada
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lion paintings at the South Vahalkada of Kantaka Chetiya
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On either side of the four Vahalkadas are stelae in the form of carved pillars. They were topped with either lions, elephants, horse or bull. Elephants were placed on the stelar of at the eastern Vahalkada, lions, horses and bulls at the northern, the western and the southern frontispieces respectively. Some of the sculptures are still in situ, though one was stolen in the late 20th century. The four animals are well-known from Buddhist art. They can be seen at the famous "Lion Column" of India's Emperor Ashoka, which is on exhibition in the Sarnath museum near Varanasi. The four animals symbolize the four rivers springing at the mythical Mount Kailas and the four cardinal directions. They represent the spread of the Dharma, the Buddhist teaching, in space, wheres the flying geeze (Hamsas) represent the spread in time.
The columns and cornerstones at the frontispieces of Mihintale's Kantaka Chetiya are carved with highly ornamental ranks. These creepers growing from a pot became another typical feature of Sinhalese art, particularly at pillars. The creepers growing in geometrical circles are a subject of Western origin. They were known in hellenistic art which was present in northwestern India in pre-Christian centuries and influenced Indian art in general and Buddhist art in particular. Bands of two winding creepers encircling panels decorated with animal figures are known from the edges Roman mosaics, for example. In the Buddhist art of India and Sri Lanka, you can find them engraved in stone. They found a new interpretation as symbolizing Kalpalata, the creeper winding to the heavens to let the gods know the human wishes. The pot of fertility at the bottom of the creeper is known as Purnakalasha or Purnaghata or Purnakumbha. Each of these names literally means "full or rich vessel".
The columns and cornerstones at the frontispieces of Mihintale's Kantaka Chetiya are carved with highly ornamental ranks. These creepers growing from a pot became another typical feature of Sinhalese art, particularly at pillars. The creepers growing in geometrical circles are a subject of Western origin. They were known in hellenistic art which was present in northwestern India in pre-Christian centuries and influenced Indian art in general and Buddhist art in particular. Bands of two winding creepers encircling panels decorated with animal figures are known from the edges Roman mosaics, for example. In the Buddhist art of India and Sri Lanka, you can find them engraved in stone. They found a new interpretation as symbolizing Kalpalata, the creeper winding to the heavens to let the gods know the human wishes. The pot of fertility at the bottom of the creeper is known as Purnakalasha or Purnaghata or Purnakumbha. Each of these names literally means "full or rich vessel".
Situated to the west of Kantaka Chetiya, there is Mihintale's largest group of rock shelters. The drip ledges bear the oldest Brahmi character inscriptions found in Mihintale, indicating that these so-called caves had been the very first abodes of Buddhist monks living at the cradle of Sinhalese Buddhism. The 16th chapter of Sri Lanka's Great Chronicle, the Mahavamsa, too has it that King Devampiya Tissa, the island's first Buddhist monarch, prepared 68 rock-cells for Mahinda and the monks at a place where later on the Kantaka-Chetiya stood.
Meda Maluwa - Middle Terrace attractions
Sannipata Salawa - Mihintale monastery's main Assembly Hall
Returning from the Kantaka Cetiya brings you back to the large Meda Maluwa complex, where the Lion Fointain is located. Three major buildings belonging to almost every monastery (except from those of Pamsukulika brethren) are assembled at the eastern side of this Middle Terrace, close to the main stairways of the Mihintale hills. The first one, just at the centre where the stairway bends eastwards to the Ambasthale platform, is inconspicuous. Only foundation walls sirvived of what had once been the Assembly Hall or Convocation Hall, where monks held their everyday meetings and also gathered in public together with laymen. The hall had access from all four directions with flights of steps. The dais in the centre of this 20 m long square hall served as the seat of the chief monk. Foundations and some pillars are remnants of the Convocation Hall. It had a wooden roof and was more a kind of open pavilion than a closed building. The open nature of the place of congregatio is more suitable in a tropical climate.The Pali term for Convocation Hall isSannipata Salawa. It's also said this was the chapter house. However, it's not entirely clear if this was an Uposathagara for the highest ceremonies.
Mihintale Tablets - with royal inscriptions from the late Anuradhapura period
Just behind the Convocation Hall is another roofless hall in a better state of preservation, It's situated on an elevated platform. Presumably, it was an image house, a Patimagara, where a Buddha statue was venerated by lay visitors in particular. Others consider it to have been a Dage, the relic house. It is quite possible that the building once had an upper wooden storey, similar to the much later Tooth Relic Temple of Kandy. Then the ground floor may have served as an image house and the upper storey for the safekeeping relics.
The most remarkable feature of this structure are two engraved stone tablets flanking the entrance. The tablets carry engravings of rules for the administration of the monastic order. They were set up by King Mahinda IV, in the 10th century. King Mahinda IV (956-72), known as Mihindu IV in Sinhala was the last Anuradhapura King who managed to defeat armees of the rising Chola Empire of South India. To form an alliance against this powerful Tamil dynasty, he married a princess from Kalinga, which was the northern neighbour of the Cholas and their main adversary in mainland India. The Kalinga lineage will turn out to be of utmost significance for the history of the Polonnaruwa Kingdom two centuries later on. Mahinda IV placed a similarly detailed inscription in the Jetavanarama monastery of Anuradhapura, which mentions that only a future Buddha, a so-called Bodhisattva, is able to ascend the Sinhalese throne. Both inscription of Mahinda IV are high-value sources for scholars researching the administrational structure of the Anuradhapura Kingdom and its leading monasteries, that were the the largest landowners during the late Anuradhapura period. The regulations mentioned in the so-called Mihintale tablets are meticulously detailed. The first part deals with the conduct of the monks, whereas the second part covers the administrion of temple land by lay servants and their emoluments.
Dana Sala - Alms Hall as refectory
The most remarkable ruins on the Middle Terrace (Meda Maluwa) are those just downhill from the Mihintale tablets and Convocation Hall. The 36 m long and 24 m wide structure was the refectory of the monastery, the Alms Hall. The latter term refers to the Buddhist praxis of giving food to monks as alms. Originally, wandering monks collected food by going from house to house in villages. After they settled down in permanent monasteries it became more common that villages visited them for donating food to them or that lay helpers working in the monastery prepared the meals inside the monastery. The inscription of King Mahinda IV mentioned above tells us details about the lay servants and their duties and their salaries. There were 12 cooks employed in this refectory, as well as a warden and several additonal servants who provided firewood. However, the name "alms" refers to the original practice according to the canonical monastic rules: All meals of the monks are gifted by laymen. The Pali term for "Alms Hall" is "Dana Salawa" or "Dana Sala". "Dana", etymologically related to the English word "donation", means gift. The Pali term for "Eating Hall" is "Bojana Salawa" or "Bojana Sala"
As it is typical for ancient Sri Lanka monasteries, a central courtyard was open to the sky. The main entrance is from the west. The inner courtyard, paved with granite slabs, measures 20 m by 8 m. The roof was supported by 14 rows of stone columns arranged symmetrically. The kitchen is in the southeast, whereas store rooms were in the west wing. One extraordinary feature of the Alms Hall are two large stone troughs of different sizes at the eastern side, the larger one being the rice boat, the other one the gruel boat. The Pali term for the rice trough is "Bat Oruwa" which translates to "rice boat", which refers to the canoe form of the trough. The gruel trough, though of a different form, a bassin deepened into the ground, is called "Kanda Oruwa", which translates to "porridge boat". It is believed that these troughs were once inlaid with a layer of metal. The impressive rice boat is similar to those found in Anuradhapura's three main monasteries.
The courtyard was supplied with water by cisterns and covered drains. Ruins of a pipe line and drains have been discovered in and around the refectory. They belonged to the well planned-pipe borne water scheme that supplied running water from the Naga Pokuna which is located further uphill. At one corner a conduit drained off the water.
The courtyard was supplied with water by cisterns and covered drains. Ruins of a pipe line and drains have been discovered in and around the refectory. They belonged to the well planned-pipe borne water scheme that supplied running water from the Naga Pokuna which is located further uphill. At one corner a conduit drained off the water.
Giribandha Chetiya - rare example of an excavated relic chamber
Farther east, above the refectory, are ruins of a small stupa, 27 m in circumference. It is called Grirbandha Chetiya. The ancient name has not been identified so far. It's mentioned as the "nameless dagaba" in some guidebooks. Except from the nice view to the north, there is not much to see at this heap of bricks today. For archaeologists, however, Giribandha Chetiya turned out to be an exciting discovery when they excavated it in 1951. It's one of the few stupas in Sri Lanka the chamber of which was opened. Although the grave goods turned out to have been stolen by treasure hunters, the excavation was revealing, as ancient paintings were found at the walls of the relic chamber. Except from Sigiriya's cloud maidens, paintings from the Anuradhapura period are extremely rare in Sri Lanka. In fact, the second and third best paitings from the first millennium are found in Mihintale, namely in the relic chamber of Giribandha Chetiya and at the southern Vahalkada of Kantaka Chetiya. Remnants of 28 painted figures could be identified inside the main chamber "nameless dagaba", although heads and upper parts of most of them are severely damaged due to the collapse of the ancient structure. Additional paintings in a second chamber further below are in a better state of prservation. They were restaured by the Archaeological department and are in display in Mihintale's small museum now.
Timbiri Pokuna - in Mihintale's quaint sanctuary
In between Giribandha Chetiya and main stairway is a small pond called Timbiri Pokuna, Timbiri being the name of a local tree species. It's one of the four Pokunas in the Mintale Kanda, second in size to Kaludiya Pokuna at the foot of the hills. In the evening deer can be seen coming from the woods to drink at this place. Macaque and Langur monkeys live in the forest, too. Kingfishers are often spotted near the pond. The biodiversity of this area is high, comprising Ayurvedic tree species such as Weera and Burutha and precious timber such as Ironwood and Ebony. The area of the Mihintale Hills is legally protected. Some say, it's the oldest wildlife sanctuary of the world, as the Mahavamsa records that the former hunting ground or the royals from Anuradhapura has been declared a wildlife conversation zone immediately after the introduction of Buddhism. In his first sermon to Tissa, Missionary Mahinda said that the king is the ruler and not the owner of the country, the true owners of which are the people and animals living in the country, and that one of the five principal commands for Buddhist layman is non-violence against all living beings, humans and animals alike. The story of the establishment of a wildlife conservation area by Monk Mahinda has some credibility, since hunting could not be permitted any longer in a forest dedicated to monks. Remember, that the Mahinda story of the Sri Lankan chronicles is closely interconnected with the rule of Emperor Ashoka in India, whose rock inscriptions are well known for having given orders to care for animals, as a principle of Dharma. Protecting animals and trees was a subject of the sermons preached by the Buddha. In the Vana Ropa Sutra, the Buddha recommended planting trees for the benefits of all beings. Thus, the Mihintale area became Sri Lanka's first sanctuary in the 3rd century B.C. It's said that a stone inscription found at Mihintale too confirms that the king did command the people living here not to kill animals or destroy trees in this area. Royal decrees establishing wildlife conservation zones are known from ancient Sri Lanka indeed, for example in decrees of Nissanka Malla in the 12th century.
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Mihintale stairways - more than 1000 steps
Visitors usually begin their Mihintale sightseeing tour at the foot of the hills, near the Museum. That's a perfect way to explore the sancturary of the Mihintale Kanda, as it starts as a pilgrimage climb. The first tourist attraction is the stairway in itself. It's picturesquely flanked by frangipani trees, known as "Araliya" in Sinhala. The flowers are favourite offerings of Buddhist pilgrims, as animal offerings are stictly forbidden in Buddhism. What's even more remarkable. the imposing wide flights of the stairway are ancient. In the Anuradhapura period, they served as meditation path for monks as well as pilgrimage way for laymen. Such a pathway is a symbolic spiritual ascent of the Buddhist monks. The ancient stairway os an integral part of the sacred area. Many forest monasteries in Sri Lanka have ancient meditation paths, since walking is one traditional way of meditation in Buddhism. The Buddha himself is believed to have walked up and down a golden bridge in the third week after his enlightenment. Of all ancient meditation paths in Sri Lanka, the stairways of Mihintale can claim to be the most elaborate one. Some of the steps are carved out of the rock, whereas most stairs are hewn granite slabs of enourmous sizes. The stairway was in a dilapidated condition a century ago, it has been restored, using the original slabs. The major part of the ancient stairway to the Meda Maluwa (Middle Terrace) is made up of of about 2000 granite slabs, arranged in four flights. Up to the highest point, the Et Vehera, the total number of steps is more than 1000.
Mani Naga Mandira - Quincunx
The monastic buildings at the foot of the Mihintale Hills, just beside the begin of the stairway, are a small Arama, "Arama" being the Pali word for Sanskrit "Ashrama". It's another word for monastery. But in the case of Mihintale and other large Viharas, it's just a term for a separate group of buildings. The group of five ancient buildings, named "Mani Naga Mandira", is separated from the surrounfings by an enclosure wall called Prakara in Southasian art. It's demarkating a sacred area. In this case, the Arama compound is a square if 40 m length. The Arama consists of a group of five square buildings. They are called Prasadas.Usually this term means "palace". But it's also a word for pavilions, as ancient unfortified palaces often were groups of pavilions in a garden. Only pillars and foundations survived, as they are constructed of stone. Remnants of Nagaraja guardian-stones and Makara-balustrades are still in situ. The roof of tiles and wooden shelters have disappeared. Presumably, the four Prasadas at the corners served as Kutis, cells inhabited by monks, whereas the central Prasada could have sheltered a statue, serving as an image house. Kutis are also called Parivenas. This is confusing, too, as "Parivena", like "Arama", can mean an entire monastery as well. The perfectly symmetrical arrangement of five buildings in a square with four marking the corners and one in the centre is called Quincunx in classical European architecture. The Latin term is also used in other parts of the world. The Pali term for a group of five structures is Panchavas. Panchavasas were one of the most important types of regularly arranged complexes in ancient Sinhalese architecture, whereas most ancient monasteries in Sri Lanka hat no symmetrical groundplan, because more and more buildings were added in the course of time.
Archaeological Museum - relic chamber of Giribandha Chetiya
A small museum displaying antiquities found from the sacred area is situated north to the Mihintale Kanda, halfway between ancient stairway and Mihintale main junction. The museum built in 1984 was modernized as part of the Mihintale Sacred Area Development Project launched on the direction of then President Mahinda Rajapaksa and reopened in 2012. As an Archaeological Museum, it's maintained by Sri Lanka's Department of Archaeology. The most interesting exhibit is the model of a relic chamber in the central axis of the main hall, just behind the entrance. It's a reconstruction of the excavated relic chamber of Giribandha Chetiya, see above. At the inner walls of the small chamber the said frescoes from the Anuradhapura period can be seen. Among the other archaeological artefacts on exhibition are bronze figurines of Hindu deities, ceramics such as a 9th century vasse imported from Persia and other metal tools and stone articles, ancient toilet stones and pipes of the ancient water conduit in the Mihintale Hills.
Vejja Sala - ancient Ayurvedic hospital of Mihintale
At the foot of the mountain, to the west of the museum, lie ruins of a hospital from the Anuradhapura period. Presumably, it was built by King Sena II (866-901 A.D.), as the chronicles mentions this important monarch founded a hospital at Chetiyapabbata, which is the ancient name of Mihintale. It's not entirely clear that this inscriptions refers to these specific ruins, because the existence of an earlier hospital had been recorded by the Chinese scholar Faxian (Fa- Hsien), who visited Lanka in the early 5th century A.D. However, what's clear is that these ruins where a hospital and that no other such complex survived in Mihintale. Within the ruins, there is also an inscription mentioning that it was a hospital, but not indicating the name of the king. The names for ancient hospital are "Veda Sala" or "Vejja Sala", meaning "knowlege hall". "Veda" is well known from the term "Ayurveda", which translates to "long-live knowledge". Indeed, what is called hospital today, was once a place for Ayurvedic treatments, of course. Another Pali term for ancient hospitals is "Aroga Sala", meaning "not-sick hall". The ground plan is well recognizable. The almost symmetrical complex consisted of 27 separate cells set in rows around a square courtyard. A narrow verandah ran all round their inner face. In the centre of the courtyard was a shrine, presumable an image hall once keeping a Buddha statue. The cells were the rooms for the patients. The almost square main complex measures 36 meters in length. A southern forecourt has two larger adjacent rooms, considered to be the doctor's rooms and reception. The entrance of this outer courtyard is a gatehouse on the southern side.
The most remarkable feature is a monolithic bath with a dug cavity in the shape of a human being, placed in the northeastern corner of the entire complex. It's this monolithic stone block that carries the inscription mentioned above. Although the purpose of the 60 cm deep cavity in human form is not certain, it was likely used for immersing patients in medicinal oil baths, as some circular stones used for grinding medical herbs were found nearby. This is the reason why the monolithic trough is refered to as "medicine boat" in guidebooks. A similar stone trough can be seen close to the Thuparama stupa in Anuradhapura inside a structure which is similar in layout. Blue clay urns excavated here and now on display in the Archaeological Museum of Mihintale testify trade links between ancient Persia and Sri Lanka.
Kaludiya Pokuna - monastic complex at the Dark Water Pond
One of the most enchanting places in and around Mihintale is Kaludiya Pokuna, which is situated at the western foot of the Mihintale Hills. The name "Kaludiya Pokuna" translates to "black pond" and refers to the dark waters of the small tank. Unlike other tanks, Kaludiya Pond appears to have been constructed for the beautification of the setting rather than for typical irrigation purposes. But this impression is slightly misleading. Though not irrigating paddy fields, the water of Kaludiya Pokuna run through moats to toilets and bathes of the ancient monastery. With a length of 220 m from north to south, Kaludiya Pokuna is the largest of the ponds in the sacred area of Mihintale.The western boundaries of the pond are constructed with imposing granite slabs.
This monastic complex may be the same as that referred to as Porodini in the Mihintale inscription of Mahinda IV. The British archaeologist Harry Charles Purvis Bell (1851-1937) assumed that the buildings of this area were a monastery called Hadayunha Parivena in the Chulavamsa. The chronicle reports it was built at Chetiyapabbata by a Sena Ilanga, a relative and general of King Kassapa IV, who reigned in the second decade of the 10th century. It's not entirely clear, if this was just an enlargement of the already existing monastery, the "Pabbatarama", or a distinct new monastery. "Hadayunha Parivena" or "Hadayunha Vihara" translates to "heart-warming monastery". This would be a telling name for Kaludiya Pokuna indeed, even in its ruined state today.
One of the most picturesque cave buildings is the bathing house beneath a large boulder. It overhangs at a height of 4 meterst. The shelter of the dressing-room was partly built of granite slabs, some of them have been restored recently. A small bathing pokuna was just in front of it, it's now dried up. Though not far from the banks of Kaludiya Pokuna, the bathing pond and bathing house cave are situated a few meters below the level of the dark pond. Coming from the car park and entering the Kaludiya Pokuna complex through it's main gate, you will find this charming bathing house to the right.
Right from the beginning, Kaludiya Pokuna was a place for exertions of forest-dwelling monks, this is indicated by the presence of a double-platform, a typical feature of meditation monasteries from the late Anuradhapura period. It's situatet a little bit hidden to the southwest of the Kaludiya pond, not far from today's monk's cells. The double-platform, called Padhanagara in Pali, is a typical feature of forest monasteries of the Pamsukulika brotherhood. But it's not entirely clear that Kaludiya Pokuna was a Pamsukulika monastery indeed, as there is a stupa at the pond and stupa worship was alien to Pamsukulika monks. On the other hand, the stupa is outside the main gate, and this would be in accordance with Pamsukulika layouts. However, this type of architecture was introduced by other monastic orders, too. For example in Haththikuchchi, there is also a Padhanagara platform integrated in a complex that was definitely not a Pamsukulika monastery.
Rajagirilena - Cave Temple of The Royal Rock
One hill of Mihintale is set apart from the others, situated to the west of the main group of hills. It's called Rajagirilena Kanda, which translates to "Royal Rock Cave Hill". It's a rarely visited place and therefore a peaceful secluded cultural attraction of secenic beauty, although it is in only 400 m distance from the car park at Kaludiya Pokuna, just at the other side of the road. Below a boulder is a picturesque rock shelter about 50 m above the ground. A short climb up an ancient flight of rock-cut steps leads to a mountaon saddle where this main shrine room nestles. The brick construction is from a much later period. But the cave had been used as a dwelling in the earliest times of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Several cave inscriptions in very early forms of Brahmi letters were found here here. Remarkably, one inscription mentions a cave of a lay person. Another inscription from the 9th century indicates that Rajagirilena, like the main monastery of Mihintale, fell under the influence of Mahayana Buddhism in the late Anuradhapura period.
inscription in early Brahmi characters at the back entrance of the Rajagirilena shrine
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view from Rajagirilena to the area of Kaludiya Pokuna
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Indikatuseya - ruins of a Mahayanistic monastery in Mihintale
"Indikatu" means "thorn of a date" or "needle". The stupa is also known as Katuseya.
The Indikatuseya complex is easy to find, as it is located at the mainroad A9, halfway between the main junction of Mihintale and the Kaludiya Pokuna car park. The hospital complex mentioned above is in close distance of Indikatuseya. Not many foreign tourists stop at this excavation area, although the stupa is held in high esteem and frequently visited by locals, particularly by young couples and by drivers. Indikatuseya's buildings will not impress visitors by their size and there may be more enchanting places in Mihintale. However, exploring the complex is worth a stop. It's an entire monastery enclosed by Prakara stone walls. And some remnants are quite interesting.
The Indikatuseya complex is easy to find, as it is located at the mainroad A9, halfway between the main junction of Mihintale and the Kaludiya Pokuna car park. The hospital complex mentioned above is in close distance of Indikatuseya. Not many foreign tourists stop at this excavation area, although the stupa is held in high esteem and frequently visited by locals, particularly by young couples and by drivers. Indikatuseya's buildings will not impress visitors by their size and there may be more enchanting places in Mihintale. However, exploring the complex is worth a stop. It's an entire monastery enclosed by Prakara stone walls. And some remnants are quite interesting.
main dagaba of Indikatuseya monasteryIn fact, there are two stupas. The larger one is Indikatusaya in a narrow sense. It's a typical stupa structure, the dome is built on a raised square platform, access stairways are flanked by balustrades, with a plain moonstone in front of them. Though a terrace allowing circumambulation on e higher level is a concept known from many stupas of the Anuradhapura period, it differs from most other ancient stupas in Mihintale. The length of the platform is 13 meters and the height about 50 cm from ground level. The dome is partly covered with dressed granite stone.
The stupa of Indikatuseya is one of the few that were opened by the Archaeological Department. In contrast to most other dagabas in Sri Lanka, there were no ashes or other bodily remains enshrined in the relic chamber. Instead of relics of a dead saint, Sanskrit texts engraved in 31 copper plates were discovered in Indikatuseya. The Sinhala characters allowed to date them to the 8th or 9th century. The texts indicate that Indikatuseya was a Mahayanist monastery. Mahayanism, though considered heretic by the ancient Buddhist chronicles of Sri Lanka written by Theravadins, played an important role in Sri Lanka in the 3rd to 10th century, particularly in the art of the south of Sri Lanka. Besides Theravada teachings, it was part of the scholarship of two of the three main monasteries of Anuradhapura, namely Abhayagiri and Jetavanarama, whereas the chronicles were written by the rivalling Mahavihara. In the middle and late Anuradhapura period, Mihintale was associated with the Abhayagiri, as already mentioned. The Indikatuseya copper plate texts are not citations from the Holy Scriptures of Theravada Buddhism, the Tipitake. They are not known from classical Mahayana Sutras, either. However, the term "Bodhisattva", which is of utmost significance in Mahayana, occurs several times in the inscriptions. Another Mahayana characteristic is the sheer fact that texts instead of ashes and bones were enshrined in Indikatuseya. Bodily relics are called Saririka dhatu. In Mahayana Buddhism, depositing texts as Dharma dhatu was quite common. Dharma means the teachings of the path to salvation. In Mahayana doctrine, the Buddha is a supernatural being emanating to an earthly existence. There a three different bodies of a Buddha, the materialized form called Nirmana Kaya is an emanation of the spiritual form of a Buddha, which is called Sambogha Kaya. Each Buddha has an eternal Sambogha Kaya. However, the quintessenz of Buddhahood is one and the same in all Buddhas. And this shared highest form of an enlightened being is called Dharma Kaya, which translates to "teaching body". Thus, the teachings written down represent the highest body of a Buddha according to Mahayana doctrines. They can be held in even higher esteem than bodily relics by Mahayanists. The Saddarmaratnakaraya, a Sinhala literary work of the 14th century, also mentions this type of Chetiyas enshrining doctrinal books and calls them "Dharma Chaityas". 
second dagaba in the monastic complex of IndikatuseyaThe main complex of Indikatuseya is to the north of the stupa of the same name. Stupa and monastery are enclosed by separate prakara walls. The main complex has a second stupa of its own. Though even smaller in size, it's a quite remarkable building. Again, the dome is placed on an elevated terrace. But the dome itseld differs from all other stupas in Mihintale. Indeed, its shape is very uncommon in Sri Lanka. The dome is not hemispherical or in any other classical shape. Rather, it consists of several distinct layers some of which show the shape of petals. Although alien to ancient Sri Lanka, this composition and the petal motif are well-known from Southeast Asia, though from much more recent periods. It's not entirely clear whether this design was inspired by monks from other countries or later on inspired guests from Southeastasia who visited Sri Lanka in the Polonnaruwa period.
Five images houses are situated in proximity of the stupa. Some of them have guardian stones. Their Naga sculptures are of very small size, almost hidden in the grass now, but of excellent artistic quality and well preserved. Granite pots representing the Purnakalasha (see above, decorations of Kantaka Chetiya) stand on pillars on either side of the entrances. Tere are also remains of two ponds. A large monastic bathing pond has been fully restored recently. It is edged by typical ghats made of huge stone slabs. An ancient filtering system can be studied in front of the water supply spout. Walking around in this overgrown area, be aware, the Indikatuseya complex is still inhabited... for example by macaque monkeys and snakes. |
What is Mahayanism?Mahayana is considered to be one of the two or three major branches of Buddhism, Theravada being the predominent form of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand and Cambodia, whereas Mahayanism plays a more significant role in East Asia and Vietnam. Vajrayana, practiced in some East Asian schools and in all Tibetan sects, is sometimes counted as a third branch of Buddhism or as a ritual-oriented version of Mahayana. It would be misleading, to compare the relation of Theravada and Mahayana to the divisions between major Christian denominations such as Chalcedonian (Western) versus Non-Chalcedonian (Oriental) churches or Catholics and Protestants, as Mahayanists and Theravadins did not fight wars against each other. Even more suprising for Christians is that Mahayana, though considered heretical in ancient Sri Lankan chronicles, is not a group of Buddhists that separated from the other group. In a strict sense, Mahayanism is not a schism in Buddhism, as a schism by definition it the refusal of monks living at the same location to perform their rituals together. In contrast to such a shism, Mahayanists and Theravadins lived side by side in the same monasteries and did not constitute diverse lines of ordination. So what is the difference between the major Buddhist branches? Today, their ceremonies are distinct, but this is due to a lack of a central authority in Buddhism. Right from the beginning, the Buddhist order (Sangha), inheriting a "democratic" element of self-organization originating in early aristocratic republics of the Ganges region, was organized on a local base of self-ruling congregations, not under any supraregional clerical authority. This led to diverse traditions in different regions and is correlated with Mahayanism only in the second place. So again, what's the characteristic of the Mahayana branch? Originally, there were three major differences between Mahayanists and earlier schools of thought, all three of them being interrelated to one another. Firstly, the ultimate goal of spiritual development shifted. The traditional goal of Buddhism is enlightenement regarded as salvation from suffering. Persons attaining this status are called Arhats, at the time of deat death, they finally leave the circle of rebirths, the wheel of suffering existences. The ideal of Mahayanism is to become a Bodhisattva instead of an Arhat. A Bodhisattva is a being that will once become a Buddha. Theravada Buddhism too knows Bodhisattvas. Before attaining enlightenment, when he was a prince in Kapilavasthu and in his previous lives, the historical Buddha Gautama Shakyamuni was a Bodhisattva. Mettaya (Maitreya) is a Bodhisattva now and will become the next and final Buddha of our era according to Theravada belief. Thus, what's new in Mahayanism is not the belief in Bodhisattvas but their role. Secondly, the concept of a Bodhisattva slightly differs. Again, the difference can be traced back to to traditional Theravada teachings. There is a difference between enlightenment and the end of suffering. At the point of enlightenment, an Arhat terminates the collection of new Karma. However, his previous Karma is still efficient. The consequences of earlier Karma come to an end not before the enlightened being dies. This is why the Nirvana at the point of death is called Parinirvana, which translates to "final Nirvana". The crucial shift in Mahayanist thought is: This state of final Nirvana is only a secondary goal! A higher goal is to renounce from this advantage of an ultimate end of one's own suffering in favour of helping to end the suffering of others, this is to help them whenever they suffer and to contribute to led them find their way to salvation. That's the idea at the core of Mahayanism. The Mahayanist concept of the Bodhisattva is not that of a future enlightened being but of an already enlightened being that will reach final Nirvana later on, but only after all other fellow beings found salvation, too. Thus, a Bodhisattva is a universal helper. The original self-designation of Mahayanism was not "Mahayana", meaning "Large way", but "Bodhisattvayana", the "way of a Bodhisattva". In later forms of Mahayanism, namely in the Amithaba-religion, the idea of beings that are universal helpers led to another way to salvation, one open to laymen in particular. The first way to salvation, just mentioned, is to become a Bodhisattva oneself, this is to become an enlightened being in a future live by collecting best Karma in the current life. An alternative way is to trust in the existence of already enlightened beings that they will help others on the way to salvation. This trust in grace is the core element of Pure Land Buddhism in China, Korea and Japan. Thirdly, the teachings of the Bodhisattva-way are found in separate collections of speeches claiming to be held by the historical Buddha. Sermons of the Buddha are called "sutras" (Pali: "suttas") in Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism alike. However, Mahayanists study more sutras than those of the Tipitaka canon used by Theravadins. Under a historical perspective, Mahayana Sutras - teaching for example the path of a Bodhisattva as a superior goal - are collections from later periods. However, Mahayanists believe they were originally tought by the historical Buddha himself, too, but not in public, only to beings that hand it down and later on make it known to those capable of understanding them. |
Nagaraja guardian stone in Mihintale's Indikatuseya complex
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newly restored monastic bath in the northeastern corner of the Indikatuseya premises
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Anubuddhu Mihindu Mahaseya - Sanchi Stupa copy
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Only one kilometer west of the main junction in the very centre of Mihintale town is a new dagaba which serves as a reminder of historical connections between Mihintale in Sri Lanka with Sanchi in India, the latter being the starting point and the latter the place of arrival of the missionary journey of Monk Mahinda, Mihintale being the Chetiyapabbata and Sanchi being the (or one) Chetiyagiri of Sri Lanka's ancient chronicles. The modern memorial stupa at the main road to Anuradhapura is called Anubuddhu Mihindu Mahaseya. It's not at all interesting for lovers of ancient art. But it's remarkable as a replica of the Sanchis stupa No. 1, which belongs to the World Heritage Site Sanchi in India's state of Madhya Pradesh. The Sanchi Stupa, situated outside the region of the historical Buddha's activities, is one of the oldest surviving large stupas of the world. It was originally constructed by Emperor Ashoka. Two centuries later on it was enlarged and embellished by the south and central Indian Andra (or Shatavahana) dynasty, that also supported the Buddhist Sangha. The present state of the Sanchi stupa is from this Shatavahana period of art. The stupa is famous for its carvings at the four entrance gates in the cardinal directions, which are from the said Shatavahana era. Anubuddhu Mihindi Mahaseya has copies of these gates, too. Such gates are called Toranas (etymoligical related to the English term "doors") in Indian sacred architecture. Obviously, They are stone imitations of earlier wooden gate constructions that of course did not survive from the prechristian era, the stone carvings correespondingly imitating earlier woodcarvings. Remarkably, later East Asian Dagobas, although some stone Toranas are also known from China, again replaced the stone gates to pagodas by wooden archways again, similar in style to the Sanchi Toranas. In Japan, they are known as "Torii". The Toranas of Anubuddhu Mihindu Mahaseya in Mihintale are made of cement and the depictions are not exact copies of the Sanchi carvings. However, the overall pattern of Anubuddhu Mihindu Mahaseya gives a quite good impression of how the famous Sanchi Stupa No. 1 with its excellent Toranas looks like.
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Location of Anubuddhu Mihindu Mahaseya in MihintaleMihintale's modern replica of India's Sanchi stupa is situated near the railway station, at the main road A12 to Anuradhapura, just opposite the park of Rajarata University. Anubuddhu Mihindu Mahaseya can be seen from the road. Be aware, the entrance gate to the temple ground is often closed. |
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Chetiyapabbata and Chetiyagiri
As already mentioned, the original name of Mihintale was Missakapabbata and it became known as Chetiyapabbata after introduction of Buddhism and constructing stupas on the Mihintale Kanda. Chetiyapabbata means "stupa hill". A hill is also called "giri" in many Indian languages. Thus, "Chetiyagiri " was another name for Mihintale. However, Chetiyagiri also refers to the area of Missionary Mahinda's hometown in central India. The Sri Lankan chronicles have it that Emperor Ashoka married a princess from Vidisha, the town close to the hill of Chetiyagiri, today known as World Heritage Site Sanchi. In a sense, the hill of Chetiyagiri alias Sanchi became the Buddhist acropolis of Vidisha, one of the oldest places of Buddhist worship in central India. A stupa was constructed on that mountain by Ashoka.
He also erected a pillar with an inscription which prohibits dissension in the order and decrees that monks and nuns responsible for schisma shall be disrobed. The pillar inscription of Sanchi (the text of this so-called Schism Edict is also known from the pillar at Sarnath) is of utmost importance for the history of Buddhism, as it provides evidence that emperor was engaged in organizing the Sangha, the Buddhist order, as it is recorded in Sri Lanka's Great Chronicle, the Mahavamsa, too. This is all the more remarkable, as according to its original Vinaya rules, the Sangha had been a self-organizing body, permitting no interferences of laymen. But Ashoka set an example that a king, althoug a layman, can serve as a protector of the unity of the Sangha. Future Buddhist kings particularly in Sri Lanka could refer to his example when reforming the Sangha.
Vidisha with the nearby Sanchi hill was a highly important place for the Ashokan Empire, as it was situated on the main trading and military route connecting the capital Pataliputra (modern Patna) at the River Ganges with the harbours at the western coast and with the region of Mysore in southern India, which was under the control of Emperor Ashoka, too. Vidisha and Sanchi situated halfway between Pataliputra and ancient Ujjain (near modern Indore), where Ashoka had been governor before inheriting the throne in Pataliputra, was the first significant stopover of this imperial road outside the Ganges Valley. Ujjain was the place where the routes to the west and south devided. All trading centres along those routes were inhabited by merchant castes favouring Buddhism and sponsoring monasteries in the vicinities of the cities. This steadily grwoing network of merchants as well as the unity of the pan-Indian Buddhist Order played a major role in forming the first united Indian Empire. In a sense, Sanchi alias Chetiyagiri marks the spread of Buddhism to areas outside its core region in the Ganges Valley, the first step of Buddhist world mission. One of its earliest and and most enduring results was the introduction of Buddhism in Sri Lanka at Mihintale alias Chetiyapabbata.
Sanchi alias Chetiyagiri in India has been held in high veneration by Buddhists from around the world, although it had not been a place visited by the Buddha. The third Sanchi stupa contained bone relics (Asthi Avashesh) of of Sariputra and Moggallana (also known as Mahamodgilya). Cunningham, who became the founder of the Archaeological Survey of India, unearthed two sandstone boxes with Brahmi inscriptions giving the names of these two chief disciples of the Buddha. The bone relics were taken to England. After the Mahabodhi Society established in Sri Lanka, then known as Ceylon, demanded that they be returned, some of the relics were sent back to South Asia. First, they were on public display in British Ceylon in 1947, which attracted large crowds of Sinhalese Buddhist. Finally, they were returned to Sanchi in India in 1952. Then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru himself replaced the relics in the third Sanchi stupa. The return of the relics to Sanchi was of highly symbolic significance. In a sense, it marked the reestablishment of the Buddhist religion in India, which was then advocated by the leader of the Dalits (outcasts) in India, B.R Ambedkar, who during a huge public ceremony converted to Buddhism in 1956, only a few weeks before he died. On the initiative of the Mahabodhi Society, a new temple was erected at the site of the third Sanchi stuoas and given the name known from Sri Lanka's ancient chronicles: Chetiyagiri Vihara. The relics of Sariputra and Mogollana are shown only once a year in Sanchi, an event that still attracts Buddhist devotees from many countries.
Wasammale - pond of Pandukabhaya and Kandyan rock paintings
Wasammale is a rarely visited rock in the jungle just 2 km to the north of Mihintale's town centre. Remnants of Kandyan paintings can be found in a rock shelter close to the highest point of this rugged environment. Regrettably, the frescos were further damaged in recent years. At the foot of the outcrop are two ponds of different sizes at different levels. They never dry out. One of them is said to be have a long underwater tunnel. It's believed to be the place where Pandukabhaya, the later king who then chose Anuradhapura as the capital, was bathing as a child when his uncles, making an attempt on his life, killed all the boys from the nearby village of Doramadalawa (called Dwaramandalaka in the chronicle), when they were bathing in this pond.
Wasammale turtleback rock near Mihintale
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Pandukabhaya's pond at Wasammale Rock
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Prince PandukabhayaThe story of Pandukabhaya, who became the first Sinhalese king ruling in Anuradhapura, is wrapped in legend. So the story goes: Pansuvasudeva, the newphew and successor of the first Sinhalese king, Vijaya, married a beautiful princess from India, who bore him ten sons and one daughter named Chitra. When a sage prophesied that Chitra would bear a son who would kill nine of his ten uncles, they asked King Panduvasudeva to kill her. But the oldest one, Abhaya, did not agree. Instead of being killed, she was held in captivity to prevent her from being met by any male being. However, one cousin managed to visit her and she gave birth to a Pandukabhaya. In order to save him from being killed by his uncles, he was exchanged with another woman's daughter born on the same day. The other woman brought Pandukabhaya to Doramadalawa. On the way, she met nine of Chitra's brothers who were hunting. They asked her to open the basket to check it but just in time were distracted by two boars sent by demons to protect the prince's life. After grandfather Panduvasudeva's death, uncle Abhaya became the new king. When Pandukabhaya was seven years old, the other nine uncles came to know rumours about a boy in Doramadalawa who seemed to be a royal. As they doubted that the girl brought up by their sister was indeed her own daughter, they sent soldiers to kill all boys in Doramadalawa when they were bathing in the pond. When they killed the boys, however, Pandukabhaya was hidden in a hollow trunk. Several years later again the uncles heard of a princely boy in Doramadalawa and another attempt to take his life failed. His mother, Princess Chitra, then decided to hide him the sixteen years old prince at a different place. She gave him to a Brahmin priest called Pandula. With the help of Pandula's son, he later on started a war against his uncles and killed one after another, except from Abhaya. |
from Mahavamsa chapt. 10"Now the boy was used to hide, by diving, in a certain hollow tree standing in the water and having the mouth of the hollow hidden under water, entering by the hollow, and when he had stayed long within he would come forth in the same way, and being again among the other boys, however much they questioned him, he would mislead them with evasive words.
On the day the (princes’) people came the boy with his clothes on dived into the water and stayed hidden in the hollow tree. When those men had counted the clothes and killed the other boys they went away and declared: `The boys have all been killed!’" cited from: http://mahavamsa.org/mahavamsa/original-version/10-consecrating-pandukabhaya/ |
Doramadelawa Temple - cave of Prince Pandukabhaya
A cave temple from the Kandyan period can be seen in the village of Mihintale, too. It's about five kilometers northeast of the town centre's main junction. According to the Mahavamsa, "Dvaramandala", called "Doramadalawa" in Sinhala, was a village near Chetiyapabbata, the Mihintale hills. Presumable the entire laymen area of today's Mihintale town outside of the monastic area was called "Dvaramandala" in ancient times. This word translates to "door-circle", meaning the surroundings as a gateway.
The Doramadalawa cave is one of the many places claiming to have been the hideout of Prince Pandukabhaya, when his uncles tried to trace him down. There is a recess in the rock just above the main entrance. Pandukahbaya is said to have placed a large gem in this niche. It was so big that is reflected the moon light, enabling the prince's weapons training in front of the cave during nighttime. Inside the cave, there is a small closed door. Locals believe there is a tunnel behind it once allowing Pandukabhaya to flee at any time.
The Doramadalawa cave is one of the many places claiming to have been the hideout of Prince Pandukabhaya, when his uncles tried to trace him down. There is a recess in the rock just above the main entrance. Pandukahbaya is said to have placed a large gem in this niche. It was so big that is reflected the moon light, enabling the prince's weapons training in front of the cave during nighttime. Inside the cave, there is a small closed door. Locals believe there is a tunnel behind it once allowing Pandukabhaya to flee at any time.
Many painted shrines of the Kandyan period like to be called "the second dambulla". The Doramadalawa temple is no exception. But although the paintings are in the Kandyan style, they are from the 20th century in the case of Doramadalawa and all statues are new and of low artistic quality. Nonetheless, it's a typical Sinhalese cave temple. A natural rock shelter was artificially converted to a closed cave room by building up an additional wall. Later on, a portico was added in front of that main shrine room.
The sleeping Buddha in the cave shrine of Doramadalawa can be circumambulated, what is unusual for recling statues.
The sleeping Buddha in the cave shrine of Doramadalawa can be circumambulated, what is unusual for recling statues.
Mahakanadarawa Wewa - Mihintale's crocodile lake
The name of the tank is an amalgamation of "Maha Kanadara Wewa", which means "Grand Kanadara Reservoir", "Kanadara" being the name of the river which is dammed her, which is the main triburory of the Malwathu Oya. The immensely long name of the lake is pronounced even shorter, because some of the seven "a" of the spelling are almost vanished in the spoken language, then the name of the lake sounds similar to "Mahakanderawa". The second last syllable is stressed.
Mahakanadarawa Wewa is one of the twenty largest tanks built during the Anuradhapura period. Construction work for those vastest reservoirs were initiated and supervised by kings. Medium sized dams and village tanks were built and operated by self-governing principalities and local communities. In contrast to most other "hydraulic cultures" in Asia, the ancient Sinhalese civilization was not under control of a centralised administration. In maintaining the highly sophisticated irrigation system of Sri Lanka, a state hierarchy was less efficient than coordination on a local level. This is the reason why the irrigation system was kept intact remarkably well even during times of foreign invasions or dynastic wars in Anuradhapure. However, irrigation projects of enourmous dimensions such as long-distance canals and huge dams required a larger scale of planning and working force which could only be organized by the royal court.
Mahakanadarawa Wewa is one of the twenty largest tanks built during the Anuradhapura period. Construction work for those vastest reservoirs were initiated and supervised by kings. Medium sized dams and village tanks were built and operated by self-governing principalities and local communities. In contrast to most other "hydraulic cultures" in Asia, the ancient Sinhalese civilization was not under control of a centralised administration. In maintaining the highly sophisticated irrigation system of Sri Lanka, a state hierarchy was less efficient than coordination on a local level. This is the reason why the irrigation system was kept intact remarkably well even during times of foreign invasions or dynastic wars in Anuradhapure. However, irrigation projects of enourmous dimensions such as long-distance canals and huge dams required a larger scale of planning and working force which could only be organized by the royal court.
The dam of the Mahakanadara Wewa near Mihintale is more than 3 km long. It is one of the many construction works of the famous and infamous King Mahasena, who is a kind of heretic on the throne in Sri Lankan history, because he favoured Mahayana Buddhism. "Kana Vapi" and "Kanadiyadora" were the original names of this reservoir.
King Mahasena's historical dam is at the northwestern side of the vast lake. The southern part of the reservoir is crossed by a modern causeway, which was constructed for the Anuradhapura-Trincomalee mainroad (A12 highway). This causeway is to the east of Mihintale, whereas the historical dam, situated in a very tranquil natural setting now, is only reachable by a side road from Mihintale in northern direction.
Locals also call the reservoir "Crocodile Lake". Indeed, Mahakanadarawa is a habitat of mugger crocodiles. Sometimes they can be seen sunbathing on one of the rock boulders close to the banks of the lake. During the dry period, the water level is much lower and more boulders protude, making the scenery more eyecatching. Occasionally, roaming elephants also appear at the lake, but on the northeastern bank, not at the dam.
King Mahasena's historical dam is at the northwestern side of the vast lake. The southern part of the reservoir is crossed by a modern causeway, which was constructed for the Anuradhapura-Trincomalee mainroad (A12 highway). This causeway is to the east of Mihintale, whereas the historical dam, situated in a very tranquil natural setting now, is only reachable by a side road from Mihintale in northern direction.
Locals also call the reservoir "Crocodile Lake". Indeed, Mahakanadarawa is a habitat of mugger crocodiles. Sometimes they can be seen sunbathing on one of the rock boulders close to the banks of the lake. During the dry period, the water level is much lower and more boulders protude, making the scenery more eyecatching. Occasionally, roaming elephants also appear at the lake, but on the northeastern bank, not at the dam.
The ancient temple at the Lake Mahakanadarawa belongs to the village of Kudagama. Its landmark is a new white Buddha statue. The oldest part is a cave once inhabited by an Arahant. Sri Lankan Buddhists believe that some monks were able to find enlightenment (thus becoming Arhats or Arahants) only in the very early period of Buddhism.
Gal Palama - Mihintale's stone bridge
Wooden bridges from the Anuradhapura period, of course, have not survived. But remnants of some stone bridges from the first millennium can still be seen in Sri Lanka. Sometimes, stone instead of wood was used as construction material, because some bridges had to be solid enough to survive crossings of elephants. Remarkably, the ancient stone bridges of Sri Lanka are not arched bridges like in India. Rather, the Anuradhapura period stone bridges, called Gal Palamas in Sinhala, resemble wooden constructions, they are made of pillars and planks. This strange appearance may seem to be more similar to prehistoric megalith constructions, though the Sri Lankan Gal Palamas are younger and from historical times, of course.
The best specimen of a Gal Palama can be found near Mihintale, not far from the Mahakanadarawa. The 42 stone pillars, which are fixed on rocks in the riverbed, are up to 1.7 meters high, the bridge is 3 m wide, with seven parallel rows of stone beams paved accross the bridge. The slabs are of enourmous size, the largest being 2,4 m long and almost half a meter wide and thick. The total length of Mihintale's Gal Palama is 24 meters.
Mihindu Aranya Senasanaya - Banyan tree
A small temple called Mihindu Aranya Senasanaya (Mahinda Forest Hermitage) near the village of Kannatiya, halfway between Anuradhapura and Mihintale, is rarely visited by tourists, though its situated very close to the main road (A12 highway). Meditation classes of this forest hermitage can be joined by foreign guests, too. But there's an attraction at the temple that is well worth a break on a sightseeing tour. On the temple ground The largest and most artistically grown Banyan tree in the surroundings of Anuradhapura can be seen in the grove of the temple. Banyans are fig trees which begin their lives as epiphytes growing on another tree, strangling it more and more and finally withering it. New epiphyte tentacles growing from the crown downwards transform into new trunks after reaching the soil. Thus one Banyan tree can consist of many trunks with a single crown. Human beings can influence the shape of the cluster of trunks by tying the aerial roots with ropes. This happened in the case of the giant Banyan tree near Mihintale, in order to form a kind of courtyard surrounded by trunks. The Banyan tree of Mihindi Aranya Senasanaya became place of tree worship and meditation. Close to the tree is a dead straight path leading to a chapel with a human skeleton, a reminder of the way of all flesh. This was not yet a skeleton but a putrescent corpse when it was initially placed here two decades ago. The man had agreed to exhibit his dead body in this way, as a symbol of inevitable transitoriness of life, which is a core teaching of Buddhism.
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Poson Poya - Mihintale Festival
Poson Poya, the Fullmoon Festival Day usually celebrated in June, is held in commemoration of the arrival of Buddhism on the island. Festivals in Mihintale have a long tradition, as some of them are recorded in the ancient chronicles. A festival in honour of Missionary Mahinda was held by King Sirimeghavanna, also known as Kirthi Sri Meghavarna. The reign of this king in the early 4th century A.D. was also the period of the arrival of the Sacred Tooth Relic on the island. For Buddhists in present-day Sri Lanka, the hallowed day of Poson is second only to Vesak in terms of significance. Poson Poya is celebrated throughout the island. However, the major ceremonies take place in Mihintale and Anuradhapura, attracting pious pilgrims and even non-Buddhist Sri Lankan youth. Long lines of devotees, most of them dressed in white and without jewelry or make-up, climb to the Ambasthala Dagaba and Aradhana Gala. Plenty ot Poson Lanterns are flanking the pilgrimage sites of Mihintale illumintaing them in the evening. Many religious activities are organized during the Poson Fullmoon Day in Sri Lanka such as Dansala givings of free foods. In ancient times, alms for the monks and pilgrims were organised by the king and prisoners were released to mark the occasion. Be aware, during all Poson Festivals, the selling of alcohol is prohibited. It would be very impolite to drink alcohol on this holy day in Mihintale as a foreign visitor.
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How to explore Mihintale's attractions
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Most common sightseeing tours in Mihintale visit Ambasthala, which is the most sacred area, Kantaka Chetiya as the most ancient stupa with stone carvings, and Meda Maluwa, where the refectory and the Mihintale tablets are situated. This standard tour is a half-day excursion from Anuradhapura.
An extended half-day-tour in Mihintale can also visit the ruins of the ancient hospital and of the enchanting darkwater pond, Kaludiya Pokuna. Travellers who intend to see all major sites in the Mihintale Hills, including climbs to Aradhana Gala, Mihindu Guhawa and Et Verhera, as well as places in the surrounding plains, such as Indikatuseya and Archaeological Museum, should spend an entire day in Mihintale. Visiting all attractions mentioned on this page, also those to the north of the town centre such as Lake Mahakandarawa, stone bridge, Doramadalawa cave temple and Wasammale rock, will take one and a half days in Mihintale at least. |
Mihintale is located 12 km east of Anuradhapura
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First House Mihintale is conveniently situated between the town centre and the lake and the other attraction north of the town.
The easiest way to develop a suitable itinerary for your excursion to Mihintale is to let us know the length of time you intend to spend in this area and what are the places of interest that are of superior relevance for you. We can work out a personal itinerary for your sightseeing tour in Mihintale according to your specifications.
Please also let us know, if you prefer to reduce the number of stairway climbs or if walking up and down quite a lot is not too exhausting for you.
The easiest way to develop a suitable itinerary for your excursion to Mihintale is to let us know the length of time you intend to spend in this area and what are the places of interest that are of superior relevance for you. We can work out a personal itinerary for your sightseeing tour in Mihintale according to your specifications.
Please also let us know, if you prefer to reduce the number of stairway climbs or if walking up and down quite a lot is not too exhausting for you.
