Mahiyangana Raja Maha Vihara

Mahiyangana Raja Maha Vihara is an ancient Buddhist temple in Mahiyangana, Sri Lanka. It is believed to be the place of Gautama Buddha's first visit to the country, and one of Solosmasthana; the 16 holy religious places in Sri Lanka.

According to the story, Prince Saman of the Deva tribe asked the Buddha for a sign of participation that could be high in reverence; so he was given a hair from the Buddha's head. The Prince recorded the hair symbol in the ancient Stupa of Mahiyangana. Thus Mahiyangana became the first Stupa built in Sri Lanka.

The Mahiyangana temple is a must visit because it boasts of religious and cultural richness and you can be a part of the traditional rituals performed by the people of the nearby villages.

History

When the Lord Buddha visited Sri Lanka for the first time nine months after his enlightenment. He said he went on this trip when he first saw that Buddhism would survive in Sri Lanka for more than 5,000 years. So he thought to fight against any evil forces and keep the way clear for the teachings of Buddhism to be spread.

At that time, as mentioned in the Mahavamsa, the people who lived there were Yakkas - demon worshipers and Nagas - snake worshipers. When the Buddha arrived in Mahiyangana the Yakkas gathered in a Garden called Mahanaga. When the Buddha came they were worried and asked the reason for this attack. He responded by performing a miracle before their eyes - sitting cross-legged in the air. Confused, they begged him to spare their lives, and asked them to listen to his speech. While staying on the place where the Mahiyangana Chaithya now stands, he preached to the Yakkas who were spiritually uplifted by listening to his teachings, and some of them became Sovan, Anagami, Sakadagami and Arhat. .

Later, Saman, a Yakka man who received Sovan and is now known as a god (Saman Deviyo), asked the Buddha for something they could respect when he left them to return. in his country. The Enlightened One gave him some of his hair which Samana kept in a small Stupa. Standing at a height of 10 feet (3m) it is the first Stupa built on the island.

Another thing that was added to this in the Stupa is the left hand bone of Buddha, recovered from his burial after he attained Parinirvana, and brought here by an Arahant named Sarabhu. The height of the Stupa was increased by 18 feet or 5.5m in order to improve the structure.

Since then the Stupa has been renovated and expanded by many rulers, including Dutthagamini (who raised the height of the Stupa to 120 feet), Sena II, Voharika Tissa, Vijayabahu I and Kirthi Sri Rajasinha. A new medal was also added as part of the recent restoration work carried out in the period 1953 - 1980. In fact, a crystal stone that now adorns the medal was a gift from Myanmar (Burma) and weight 14.5kg (32lbs).

History tells us that the prince Uddha Culabhaya, a cousin of the king Devanampiyatissa (307-267 BC), saw the cetiya, which expanded to a height of 45 ft. King Dutugemunu (161-137 BC), who launched his attack against the Dravidian. the king Elara alias Ellala, in fulfillment of his old dream, to save the country from the Tamil rule, left Rohana, with his magnificent army of elephants, horses, chariots and soldiers, and while passing through Guttahalaka (the Now Buttala) and the forest-clad Malayarata (high country), met in his first meeting at Alut-nuwara (Mahyangana).

When the king saw the devastation of the Mahiyangana cetiya that had suffered greatly in the attack of the enemy, he took steps to restore it, even if he was happy before the war. He raised the cetiya to a height of 120 ft., to cover the original, which we see today.

King Voharaka Tissa (204-236), who was very active in religious activities, renovated many viharas and cetiyas, including the Mahiyangana vihara, and built them on the 'catta' (parasol) in the cetiya with unbounded devotion. (Mhv. 36:33). After the reign of Sanghabodhi (246-248), we rarely find historical information about the Mahiyangana cetiya.

During his childhood, the prince Sanghabodhi, the son of Selbhaya, who lived in Mahiyangana, was given to his maternal uncle, the Maha Thera Nanda, the ruler of the Mahiyangana Vihara, to take care of. under this care, because the father of the prince. died when the child was 9 years old. As the child was presented to the Sangha under the bo-tree of the temple, he became known as Sanghabodhi. He, when he ascended the throne, did many things to protect the Mahiyangana cetiya from destruction.

King Sena II (850-885), not only paid his grants to the cetiya, but also set aside land for the vihara as a sign of gratitude. (Mhv. 51:74). King Kassapa IV (896-913) also set aside a village for the vihara to expand its location. (Mhv. 52:15). King Vijayabahu I (1058-1114), the founder of the kingdom of Polonnaruwa, seeing the poor condition of the cetiya, full of weeds and fauna, took steps to restore it, without allowing him to be worse.

King Viraparakrama Narendrasinha (the last Sinhala king of Sri Lanka), (1706-1739), also known as Kundasale Rajjuvuro (King of Kundasale), performed 'poojas' (sacrifices) at the cetiya, and was decorated with multi-colored flags and fragrant flowers. (Mhv. 97:28-30). King Kirti Sri Rajasinha (1747-1780), did many things to keep the cetiya in good condition and also built houses for the bhikkhus to spend their time in peace and meditation.

In 1851, the Ven. Iddamalgoda Dhammapala, the head of the Mahiyangana vihara, seeing the deplorable state of the cetiya, was very keen to restore it, and began the restoration work with enthusiasm. In 1873, the top part of the cetiya fell. In 1980, after many years of planning and hard work, a summit at the cetiya was in order, with the zeal and enthusiasm of Ven. Yatawatte Sri Candajothi Maha Thera of the Asgiriya Chapter, sponsored by Ven. Wattegama Sumangala Nayake Thera, Duniwila Nilame, Timbirigaspitiye Disawa and others.

On June 18, 1942, a conference was held at the Mahiyangana vihara, in the presence of Rt. Honorable Hon. D. S. Senanayake, Minister of Agriculture and Lands, who expressed his approval of the restoration of the damaged cetiya. For the purpose, a society was formed under the name Mahiyangana Vihara Vardhana Samitiya, led by the Hon. Minister. The foundation stone laying ceremony was held on September 24, 1953, in front of a large gathering.

The crystal-cut gem that adorns the pinnacle was a gift received from Myanmar (Burma), and it is the biggest of the kind of Sri Lanka, weighing 14.5 kg. (32 lbs). The cetiya was ceremonially opened on September 21, 1961, amidst a great concourse of devotees who flocked to witness the historic incident.

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