Arrival of Buddhism and transformation of civilization

by Supun Perera

It was during the third century B.C. that "Anuradhagama" the present Anuradhapura became the traditional capital under the able leadership of King Pandukabaya.

The year exactly being 377 B.C., the sacred history chronicle "Mahavamsa" elaborates that the island was divided into three main principalities namely Rajarata, Ruhuna and Malayarata respectively.

Among them Rajarata has the precedence since it was concurred as the centralised kingdom and capital city was Anuradhapura. Ruhuna was the southern part of the island and Magama (the present Tissamaharama) was its capital city and Malayarata, was virtually a peaceful sector though it came in for recognition politically, in the sixth century A.D.

The founding of Anuradhapura as the capital city of Rajarata; the scene was set for the emergence of a kingdom. A question arises as to how did the name "Anuradhapura" be derived?. There are many stories to support this fact.

One story reveals the issue of ninety rulers (Kings) who have adorned this city as the capital during their respective tenure. Therefore it was known as "ANURAJADHANIPURA", and later to "ANURADHAPURA".

However; the name is probably derived from a constellation of stars called "ANURADHA". According to "Mahavamsa" the most sacred history chronicle clarifies that an Indian prince named Anuradha crossed over with five companions and founded the settlement way back in 500.B.C.

King Devanampiyatissa

The original citizens of the country are from the South Indian territory and it was believed that these immigrants have practised the Hinduism and worshipped numerous other Gods.

This was quite evident during the reign of king Pandukabaya when "JAINISM" was introduced to the country. It was during the reign of King Valagamba (Vattagamini Abaya 83 B.C. - 72 B.C.) that these "NIGANTAS" (Jain priests) who were occupying these temples were extradited to South India.

Similarly it was observed that these Nigantas never possessed noble qualities as far as their character was concerned. Whenever there had been a commotion in the country and especially in the kingdom of Anuradhapura among the Royal Families who had competed for the throne.

The Nigantas exploited this situation. It no difference to present day politics, and in return hey sneaked the information to South India and paved the way for an imminent alien (South Indian) invasion.

The reign of King Devanampiyatissa (believed to be 305 B.C. - 267 B.C.) in 275 B.C. saw the arrival and the introduction of Buddhism by Arahat Mahinda; the son of the Indian Emperor Dharmasoka.

The knowledge and the intelligence of the king convinced Arahat Mahinda to spread Buddhism to Anuradhapura kingdom and later to the entire country. Hence this opened a new era of civilisation and the people too marched many a mile in respect to their traditional culture.

In the prag civilisation it was apparent that the subjects should follow their leader, ruler or the chieftain with regard to the religion. It was not known whether King Devanampiyatissa was a practising Hindu or a Jain prior to his conversion to Buddhism.

However according to the history chronicles, it had been the spiritual benefits of Buddhism that tempted the king to embrace Buddhism.

With the intervention of a cultured religion the civilisation of the entire country had a notable uplift in the settlements which had a tremendous moral to the subjects of the country and to the future history of it.

The advent of Rev. Sangamitta the daughter of Emperor Dharmasoka; shortly after the departure of Arahat Mahinda laid a very firm and a solid foundation to Buddhism and its enriched culture. Rev. Sangamitta brought with her a sapling of the sacred "bo-tree" under which the Lord Buddha had contemplated at Buddha Gaya in the North Eastern part of the Indian subcontinent.

It is learned that on her way to Anuradhapura; Rev. Sangamitta had a stay over in "Tivakkabamunugama" (the present Tantirimale) and her arrival had sparkled with a grand welcome from the village leader named "TIVAKKA".

Besides the historic Degoba and the bo tree; one finds the dual postures of Lord Buddha in meditation (Samadhi Pilima) and vertical posture (Sathapena Pilima). It is still debatable that these Buddha statues carved on the surface of the rock belonged to the Anuradhapura or Polonnaruwa era.

However as you get closer to these statues you need to have a very closer look in order to make a feasible study of the same.

A detailed study and one could come to a conclusion that these stone carvings were quite different to the one you find in Polonnaruwa, but possess similarities to another amazing stone carving statue, SAMADHI PILIMA... in Anuradhapura.

Some of these stone carvings were left to be completed since one believes that it was compelled to be discontinued due to the fact that the country had underwent a political unrest or due to a South Indian invasion. Yet; these rock carvings; the remarkable skills of our forefathers, is the cynosure of the travellers eye which really needs special mention.

Religion and Civilization

The arrival of Buddhism made vast strides among the civilization in the country. It was admirably led by King Devanampiyatissa who by example embraced Buddhism by studying its spiritual values. As I mentioned earlier; the subjects too followed him and it reflected a significant turn around of events in the entire country.

As their chieftain (the Lord King) started adhering to its principles and its enriched culture, naturally the subjects followed the suit.

The political unrest and the instability of the rulers quietly disappeared from the kingdom and the royal families and their followers were guided by the monastic order (Maha Sangha). The basic concepts were evoked on them and gradually the entire nation achieved the desired results from which they have been starved over a period of time.

As the time passed by the king sought the advice whenever there was a crucial moment of his life or otherwise from the "sangha". Even when there was a rift in the royal families for the throne or an uprising of a rebellion among the subjects were entirely subsided since the monastic order played a pivotal role to overcome these situations.

Whilst studying the basic concepts of Buddhism the king, the royal family and its affiliates and the subjects of the country started respecting the Maha Sangha. The king understood the importance of the religion and therefore sacrificed most of his wealth for the uplift of it and also became the sole protector of the establishment and defending the same when there was an uprising or an alien invasion.

The subjects and the majority of the people trusted the king and supported this noble endeavour with the blessings of Buddhist religious leaders.

On account of this; the king and the royal families owed the maha sangha a large debt. Hence; many a monumental religious structure were erected by the successive rulers and the affiliates of royal families. Eventually these respective religious structures were blessed and ceremonially handed over to the monastic order and even todate these sacred monuments could be seen in the island under the purview of renowned Buddhist temples.

Buddhism also had two sectors of teaching. It is Theravada and Mahayana school respectively.

Arahat Mahinda introduced the teachings of Theravada Buddhism; which is very closer to the culture and to the routing life of the people; and Mahayana teachings and beliefs distinguished the fact that Lord Buddha happens to be a God and worshipped to images of Buddha and Bodhisatva.

Religion also had an impact towards the development of literature and even todate many renowned universities in the island have introduced numerous sacred Buddhist chronicles for their curriculum.