Seruwawila Royal Buddhist Temple (Raja Maha Vihara)

An ancient Royal Patronage Buddhist Temple situated near the west side of Ullackalie Lagoon in Trincomalee district in the Eastern province of Sri Lanka.

Can reach there in several ways, from Trincomalee 44 km towards the south on the A-15 national roadway, and then B-347 (by B-347, 50 km) or the next road after the B-347 towards the south. From Kantale it is about 51 km on the B-10 roadway towards the east. From Polonnaruwa, it is about 121 km by the A-11 roadway towards the east and then the A-15 roadway towards the north. From Batticaloa just 97 km by A-15 strait towards the north.  

What is enshrined in the Stupa (Pagoda) - The sacred forehead relic of Lord Buddha.

History

The King Kawantissa of Ruhuna in the 2^nd century BC, received the sacred relic for his custody and patronage through the lineage of his royal ancestors.  By the wish of Lord Buddha the King brought the Relic from Magampura to the present premises at the border of ‘’Seru Lake’’ which is close to the Rock Cave ‘’Waraha’’ on the right bank of the Mahaweli River.

The records of ancient chronicles such as Pali Nȧlata Dhatuwansa, Jinakalamali, and Sinhala Dhatuwansa explain that The Lord Gauthama Buddha visited here with five hundred Arahath (enlightened) monks on his 3^rd visit to Sri Lanka in the 8^th year after becoming the Great Buddha hood. The Buddha has explained to his disciples of historical relations of the place, where the former three Buddha hoods of this eon Kukusandha, Konagama, and Kashayapa Buddha’s relics were enshrined here in Mangala Vihara. The Buddha and the 500 disciples sat down there in Samadhi positioned for some time and ordered to have his own relic here at the same place in the future. After the ending of Samadhi meditation Buddha has given orders to the Naga King ‘’Sumana’’ who came together with Buddha to bless and care the place. Since then King Sumana has started dwelling in the area with his huge force. Having heard the story, mother of the King Sumana ‘’Queen Indaka’’ of the Naga dynasty arrived here with her 12000 ladies of the Naga dynasty to support her son.

The story of the relic

Buddha passed into Nibbana after 45 years of Great salvation to billions of people. He took his last breath at the Sala Grove of King Malla of Kusinara. The Kings organized the cremation ceremony at the Grove lifting a sandalwood crematorium to keep the Buddha’s body. After the cremation, were able to collect eight Kurunis (kind of large bowl) of sacred relics.

Sometime later King Ajasatta, King Lechchavi, and five other Kings declared war against King Malla to acquire the sacred Relics of Buddha. Having heard the threat, the teacher of King Malla a Wiseman ‘’Dhrona’’ came across a plan to resist the situation in a peaceful decision by dividing Relics into eight portions. All the Kings were happy to share Sacred Relics and the sacred forehead Relic was in the portion of King Malla.

Later, Arahath Maha Kashapa Thero (Monk) comes to know the wish of Buddha Hood, and he explains his divine wish to King Malla, Shortly there going to emerge Mangala Maha Vihara in Lanka Dveepa on the right bank of the Mahaweli River patronage by King Kavantissa, therefore the forehead relic is needed to be enshrined to complete the mission. The King had no choice but to agree to the wish.  Then Maha Kashapa ordered his student Thero ‘’Mahananda’’ to carry the relic to the Mahavana Vihara at Visala Maha Nuwara where the Buddha visited his last journey. The Thero continued venerations and daily offerings until his last breath at the same temple. At his death, he demanded his fellow Thero  "Chandragupta" to continue venerations and daily offerings to Budha. Chandragupta Thero has taken the relic to Jethavana Vihara at Sevath Nuvara to continue the venerations and daily offerings where the Buddha spent time before Viasala Maha Nuwara. At the end of his life, Thero offers the rituals to his fellow Thera "Baddhasean" to continue the daily rituals. He took the relic to Isipatana Rama temple where Buddha preached the Damsak Pawathum Sutra* and then his fellow Thera "Jayasena" continued the rituals at Veluwana Ramaya Temple. Likewise his fellow Thera "Sangarakkita" continue to do the rituals at Poshita Ramaya in Kosamba Nuwara. At last, his fellow Thera "Mahadeva" took care of the relic for delivery to Lanka Dveepa.

At the time in Lanka Dveepa, the reign of King Devanampiyatissa and his younger brother Prince Mahanaga were ruling the area of Ruhuna from Magama as a sub-king. Thero Mahadeva arrived miraculously from the sky sitting down to the shades of Sal Tree on the Kukkuta Pawuva mountain at Hattota village in Magama. Having heard of the arrival of Thero village man "Mahakala" visited to venerate the relic and the Thero. He was delighted, venerated by heart, and performed pooja for the sacred relic. In the meantime, Sub-King Mahanaga was wowed to see the relic and organized a pageant to bring the relic into the palace. The King built a relic temple to deposit the relic near the palace and performed venerations and daily offerings very respectfully. After his reign, his son King Yatalatissa, his son King Gotabaya, and then his son King Kavantissa continued the veneration and pooja of the sacred relic accordingly.

King Kavantissa in his old age been advised by the arahat Thero "ChullapindaPathika" brother of Queen Viharamaha Devi to deposit the relic where Buddha has wished on his visit to Lanaka Dveepa. 

King completed the Maha Mangala Stupa at the right place and delivered the sacred relic by Perahara via Digamadulla to Seruwawila. Regional Kings Sivaraja of Seru Nuwara, Mahanaga of Lona Nuwara, and Giri Abaya of Soma Nuwara have given patronage by supporting King Kavantissa to complete the mission to enshrine the forehead relic into the Maha Stupa. The temple named after the King as the  "Eastern Tissa Maha Rama", comprehensively emerged with a Bodhi Tree, Shrine room, and monastic complex, and continued as a major Buddhist temple on the Island. 

It says in the Buddhist books that King Kavantissa will be the father of future Maithree Bodhisattva a Wiseman "Subrahmana" and King's consort Queen Viharamaha Devi will be the mother of Bodhisattva "Brahmwathi" in the future.

As time passed, Sri Lanka was invaded by Chola, Pandiyans, Portuguese, and Dutch who continued to destroy many of the Buddhist temples including this sacred place. Huge destructions caused the civilians to move from the area to safe places leaving treasures behind, where the temple was abandoned for centuries letting the thick jungle cover all over. 

In the early 20^th century, Honourable "Gintota Sri Seelakanda" MahaNayaka Maha Thero of Dodandoowe Cylabimba Ramaya* is reading Buddhist Puskola Poth* in his Arama. He was astonished when he found Pali Nalata Dathuwansa & Sinhala Dathuwansa revealing the sacred relic of Buddha hood. Honorable Maha Thera called his favorite student "DhambagasAre Sumedhankara" and gave directions to take care of the sacred forehead relic. The student Thero followed the instruction of his teacher and departed for the journey in a steamship from the Galle harbor to Trincomalee in the Buddhist year 2464 (1921 CA), after arriving there he continued to walk up to the Seruvila through the thick jungle searching the Seruvila (lake) boundaries. After completing a life-threatening journey, he found the completely destroyed mountain in the thick jangle near Seru Lake which enshrined the forehead relic of Lord Buddha. He started clearing the jungle around and re-found temple premises for conservation. He brought people to the area reclaiming cultivating lands around the temple again in the surrounding area of Seruwawila. Development work has taken place and a new temple was completed with the help of all Sri Lankan people protecting the MahaStupa which enshrined the forehead relic of Lord Buddha. The prominent Buddhist Monk appointed as the Mahanayaka Thero of Sri Kalyanawansa MahaNikaya, in his old age passed his duty to his favorite student "Seruvila Saranikitti" Thera to keep the continuation of venerations, offerings, and development work of the temple and the area. After completing his mission he took his last breath in peace.

In years after, there began brutal attacks on the people of the Island by a monster killer terrorist leader Prabakaran in the North of Sri Lanka. Monster Killer and his brutal army have killed millions of innocent people around the country with the help of local and foreign conspiracies to destroy the country's peace process. Monster killer Velupillei Prabakaran became the Governor of the North and Eastern areas of this Island killing all people outside his race, people started moving from those areas to safe places. Paddy fields become muddy lands, jangle started growing, and the MahaStupa started to be abandoned again, meantime Thera Seruvila Saranikitti is working on a project to claim the site as a world heritage from UNESCO to protect the relic stupa by addressing people around the world, never afraid to terrorist threats continue to take care of the Maha Stuap, ready for scarifies himself for his master’s sake and the pure honour to the Lord Buddha’s sacred relic.

The leaders of the local Government intervened in to situation demanding Thero to leave the area for his life. He denied the request putting himself into the guardian protector of the Maha Stupa.

Velupillei Prabakaran came to a new decision of stopping the water supply to the area by closing the Mavil Aru water channel threatening all Sri Lankans again for a brutal attack. Seruvila Saranikitti stood up for a reaction walk up to the water supply gate to request terrorists to open the waterway but didn’t work out. Thero continues to sit down on the gateway until the terrorist opens the water supply to the village committing himself to the mouth of monsters.

President Mahinda Rajapakse’s decision was finalized after trying all kinds of peaceful negotiations to open the water supply to the village. The Government forces routed all brutal terrorists including the leader within 2 years and 10 months who have continued killing for the last 30 years on this Island.

The sacred relic came to a safe inside the Maha Stupa. The villages backing up slowly into normal life with the great vision of all people in Sri Lanka.

By Eranga Jayasinghe

Ref: I have taken this complete story from the rock inscription at the site in Sinhala Language, and translated it to English with the hope of doing the best to its valuable language.

The inscription was written by the retired Professor M W Vimal Vijerathne of Sinhala and the media department of the University of Jayawardenapura to fulfill the request done by the Honourable Mahanayake Seruvila Mangala Maha ViharaAdikari, Lecturer of Rathnapura National Education Centre ‘’Munhene Mettarama’’ Thera for compact story of the sacred forehead relic of Lord Buddha.

The cost of this inscription is borne by Palugama Edmond Perris Mr, Batepola Badhuhene Hemakumara Amarasekara Mr, and Mrs. Chandani Rathnayake of Indurana.