ANURADHAPURA CITY

Sri Maha Bodhiya

The ancient chronicle Mahavamsa's records that,

• Brought to Sri Lanka by Theri Sanghamitta
• In the year 238 BC
• At the 18th year of Empire Ashok's reign who is father of Sanghamitta 
• It is said that the right branch sapling of original  Bodhi tree was brought to here
• King DevanamPiyatissa received the Boghi Tree paying great veneration & honer and planted at the MahamegaVana with the assistance of  Maha Thera Mahinda, son of Empire Ashok
• There are unbroken records of Royal patronage given to protect the Boghi Tree in Aanuradhapura 
• There are many historic records found in Pali and Sinhala language
• Boghi Tree became the symbolic of political power among the Sinhalese king until the Tooth Relic brought here in 301 AD.
• The original Boghi Tree at Buddhgaya was destroyed by cutting completely during 34th year of Ashok's reign or the 15 years later after planted the sapling in Anuradhapura 
• This was done by young Queen Tisyarakasita who was jealous of the great attention shown by the King towards the Bodhi Tree
• King Ashok was the most distressed by the destruction of the tree and he built a ten feet high stone wall surrounding the new tree grew by its roots. 

Another destruction recorded by Chinese pilgrim Hiun Tsang in 7th century 

• His reports that an enemy of Buddhism has cut down the tree digging up to the very springs of the earth but couldn't get to the bottom of the roots, then he burnt it down 
• Some months later Purnavaram, the last of the lineage of Ashok bathed the tree with cow milk after which grew again.
• Hiun Tsang kept records of Mahabhodhi Monastery, a university  complex like Nalanda and Wikramashila which were founded by Sinhalese during the years between 4th and 14th centuries 

More records

• After Muslim invasions in the 11th century there was devastation of all Buddhist sites in India 
• All the Buddhist sites continue to be neglected until the Burmese King in 14th century  
• This King arranged repairs and restorations of the Buddhagaya and other Buddhist sites in the area 

18th and 19th Centuries

• A British national historian Sir Alexander Cunningham started excavation work at Buddhgaya
• His follower Director General of Archaeological Survey of India Sir John Marshall complete the excavation work and restored the temple premises in 1905
• That the site of the Boddhi Tree was located with assistance of the records of Chinese traveler Fa Hsien of the 5th century 
• Sir John Marshall obtained a Bo-sapling from Sri Mahabodhi Anuradapura and planed it at the same site of the original tree at Buddhagaya

Bodhi Tree in Thailand 

• In a Thai inscription of 1357 mentions arrival Buddha relic and branch of the Bodhi tree from Sri Lanka
• It was in 1347 during the reign of King Luthai Sinhala Sangha established Sukhothai, the first Kingdom of Thailand 
• In another inscription of 1359 describe the welcome accorded by the King Luthai to Sinhalese Mahasami Sangaraja (rev- Medhankara) and the temporary ordination received by the King 
• The other reference to the Bo-Tree founded during the reign of King Tilokaraja between 1441-1487 of Ayutthiya 
• Their record Jinakalamali explains that King has planted sapling from Anuradhapura at the Monastery in Chiangmai.
• The present name of the monastery complex is Mahabodhi Arama (Wat Set Yod-Thai)
• This was happened during King Parakramabahu vi of Kotte, Sri Lanka (1412-1467)
• Also there is record about a Sinhalese General of the King and he had rebuilt the shrine called Rajakuta in Chiangmai and deposited sacred Relic brought from Sri Lanka. 
• The General's name was Sinhalagotta 

Bodhi Tree in Laos 

• King Jayawarman Paramesvara of Cambodia in 1327 given his daughter in marriage to the ruler of Laos
• Marriage daughtet request her farther introduce Buddhism to her new family in Laos 
• King has sent his three Sinhalese Bhikkhu advises along with 3 Gold Buddha statures called Praban which was gifted to Cambodia 1056 Vijayabahu I during the reign in 1055-1110
• New Capital city of Laos was named after these statures as Luang Prabhang 
• The delegation had also taken a sapling from sacred Bo-Tree of Anuradhapura
• Sinhala tradition explains that this Bo-tree planing event taken very ceremonial in the New Capital of Laos
• Temple built next to the Bodhi-Tree is Wat Po Lanka ( the temple of the Sri Lanka Bodhi-Tree) which includes sacred relic Chaitiya and quarters for Buddhist monks 

Bodhi Tree in Cambodia 

• Cambodian King Poohea in 15th century established new Capital called Phnom Penh
• He built 5 Buddhist viharas in which all associated with Sri Lankan monks 
• All these monks from Mahanikaya Sri Lanka 
• There also have taken Golden statures of Buddha from Sri Lanka but record found for the Bo_tree
• There is another Bo-Tree found related to SriLanka taken from here in 19th century and planted in the Monastic complex of the Sangharaja of Dhammayut Nikaya

Bodhi Tree in Hwaii

• Planted in 1903 at Forster Botanical Gardens 
• As a result of connection between Mrs. Mary Mikahala Forster and Rev. Anagarika Dharmapala

By Eranga Jayasinghe 

*(ref: Thesundaytimes20-02-2011/writer is member of 2600 sambuddhattva Jayanthi presidential Steering Committee-no name given)

Pictures by self & Google image 

Thuparamaya

History

After arrival of Arahath Mihindu Thera the son of Empire Ashok, King DevanampiyaTissa built the first Seya enshrining the Collarbone Relic of the Lord Gauthama Buddha in his reign 247-207 BC. The King was advised by Arahath Mihindu Thera where Thera stepped on the site when his first visit to Anuradhapura from Mihintale by the air.

More deep details given in the chronicle Mahawamsa in which the stories goes back to the very beginning of this aeon. The earlier Buddha hoods Kakusandha, Konagama and Kashapa of this aeon have blessed the site at Samadhi for a while during their visits to the Anuradhapura.  It is said that there was a Seya here for each Buddha accordingly.

Water carrier of Lord Buddha Kakusandha, Waist belt of Lord Buddha Konagama and Bathing cloth of Lord Buddha Kashapa has been enshrined here at the same place for venerations.

During the Lanka visit of Lord Gauthma Buddha and his 500 disciples, Lord Buddha marked the land by blessing for continuation of the Buddhist tradition.

After finishing the construction work the ceremonial event took place to enshrined the Relic casket, there happened a miracle just before close up the relic chamber. The relic has jump up to sky for about 2 palm trees high performing  Yamaha Maha Pelahara,  shining flames lightening  the whole Island and the water spread all around confirming the prosperity throughout the Island.  

 Architectural & Constructional and Cultural back ground

At the first the Seya has constructed to have the shape of paddy heap and which was treated as the main relic Stupa in MahaVihara. The interest of the Stupa come down gradually after building of RuvanveliSeya. It has been renovated by several time by different Kings in which King Wasaba 67 -111 AD. has added a circle roof above the Seya erecting supporting  granite stone pillars around the Stupa creating  WataDhage concept might the best reconstruction done later time after its first construction.

Archaeological evidence revealed that TupaRama would have been a monastic complex which developed time to time. Ruins around the Seya are evidence that prove its monastic back ground. In 1862 completed the conservation reconstruction works and given it new shape which visible to a Bell like. 

By Eranga jayasinghe 

Ref: Inscription at the site / History books