Continuation from the previous article…
In the meantime, it is said, on the order of Sakra (a deity), a machine named “Walasanghati” was created by Vishwakarma (the deity of universal creativity) for the protection of the Stupa. In later time, the King Dharmasoka having recognized this great Stupa on the advice of a certain Buddhist monk took steps to get the support of Vishwakarma to break open the protective device “Walasanghati” and opened the stupa to find the golden scroll.
On carefully reading what it says on the scroll, the king was extremely happy to say “I was seen by great Arahant Maha Kassyapa Thero before”. True to this word the King brought all the relics out of the Stupa and erected eighty four thousand stupas all over the India.
The Mahavamsa states that at the time of erecting Thuparama, the bowl of alms used by the Buddha, in which sacred relics were filled, was also brought from the King Dharmasoka at the insistence of Sumana Samanera. The said portion of relics was brought from the reserve of holy relics used by the king for his personal veneration. The king Devanampiyathissa, with the holy relics obtained from the King Dharmashoka, built up stupas all over the island.
There enshrined a ‘drona’ of Buddha’s relics in the Ramagrama Stupa which was erected right on the river bank which resulted in vast damage to the Stupa especially by the rigors streams of the river. As a result the Stupa fell into the river together with the platform. The sacred relic-enshrined reliquary drifted along the river to the sea.
The Nagas of the Manjarika who saw the radiating casket, informed of this to the Maha Kela, the King of Manjarika Kingdom of Naga. On hearing the news, the Naga chiefdom, escorted by a large number of Nagas, immediately reached at the spot and paid due homage to the holy casket. The Naga King carried the casket on his head to the palace and built a special chamber studded with precious gemstones, gold and silver for the relics and dedicated for paying homage and veneration day in and day out.
According to Mahawamsa, when the work of the inner chamber for relics in the Ruwanweli Stupa came to close, King Dugugemunu sent a 16 years old Samanera (a novice monk) named Sonuththara, with six fold super natural powers, to the Kingdom of Nagas. This monk brought the relics casket back again from the Naga King amidst their strong protests.
The King Dutugemunu was ready to enshrine the relics so received in the Ruwanweli Maha Seya. At this time, the relic casket was opened miraculously and the holy relics sprung skyward and appeared an image of the Buddha in the sky as in Yama Maha Pelahara (the twin wonder). The King enshrined the said Drona full of sacred relics in the relics chamber of the Ruwanweli Maha Seya. At this moment, the serene ambience of the sacred area was rocked by a great tremor and series of other miraculous occurrences.
The Ruwanweli Maha Seya in Sri Lanka, erected by King Dutugemunu is known as the first ever stupa in which such a great number of relics staying alive. Therefore it is called “Maha Stupa”. The foundation laying ceremony of the Maha Seya (Maha Stupa) was attended by tens of thousands of Aahant Buddhist monks from the countries mainly from India and also from othe Asian countries. This detailed story on how the relics were brought from the Kindgom of Nagas and the construction of Maha Seya is well presented by the chronicles of Mahavamsa and Thupawamsa. The King Dutugemunu who enshrined the Buddha’s relics in the Mirisawetiya Maha Seya in Anuradhapura also enshrined his royal crest. It was stated in the history of Buddhism that the Buddha visited the Mirisawetiya and stayed at a moment in the contemplative posture along with five hundred numbers of great Arahant monks.
To be continued…
Written by Vipul Pathiranage in conversation with Dr. Damenda Porage, Chairman, The Buddhist Brotherhood
© Buddhist Brotherhood
