Isi Ramana Vihara

ඉසි රමණ විහර 

The area with natural rocks and filled with caves is known as Vessagiriya (1) now. In the ancient times this entire area was covered by one Academy of Science and today three places come under this place namely, Isurumuniya, Vessagiriya and Ranmasu Uyana.  It can be seen that the ancient and present writers had made an attempt to cover up the historical value of this place. The glorious history of Sri Lanka which would reveal the greatness of Sri Lanka to the world was suppressed in this manner and disclosing that is the main objective of this book.

In the ancient past the name of the place called Isurumuniya now was “Mega Giri” (2). The name used by the Indians for this was “Meru”. (3)  This had happened in this manner knowingly or unknowingly and it had made negative impacts on the history of Lanka. Anyone who considered this fault as true and correct did not realize the true history of the country. It was because “Mega” was written as “Meru” in the texts. Since it was weak in strength to realize this fault, a true incident in the history of Lanka was suppressed.

The book called “Anuradhapura Vihaaraaraama (4)  – The Viharas and monasteries in Anuradhapura” (page 43) says how Vessagiriya is interpreted in inscriptions and those inscriptions go as “ Isiramana Vihara”. The interpretation given for it is “Issara Samanaaramaya - The Samanaaraama in the past”. (5) According to the Mahavamsa (6) this is the place where the Prince Aritta and his followers had listened to the Dhamma from Arahant Mahinda Thero, entered in to the Order and lived. Following this incident this place had got this name.( Mahavamsa, Paragraph 20, Stanza 16).

In addition to the above mentioned inscription, there is another inscription which would help to identify Vessagiriya. “ Isurumuni Bo Upulwan Radmaha Vehera - ඉසුරුමුණි බෝ උපුල්වන් රද්මහ වෙහෙර  ” is a part of that inscription. According to this as well, it can be identified as a monastery in the Anuradhapura era. But, it is clearly seen that the term “ Isurumuni - ඉසුරුමුණි ” found in that had not been analyzed properly. 

Since it had been attempted to prove the meaning given in Mahavamsa alone, these false information had gone in to the history. Restricting the origination of the inscription in Vessagiriya from first century to the third century also had been a major reason for the history of Vessagiriya to be suppressed in this manner.

“Isi Ramana Vihara” does not mean “Issara Samanaaraamaya - The Samanaaraama in the past”. What it means is that “The place where the Sages dwelled and made love”(7). This is described in the inscriptions found in Vessagiriya itself. Identifying the Sages from the names mentioned in Vessagiriya is not difficult. The sleeping chamber itself found from this place would be a very strong proof to explain the status of luxurious living of those Sages. Hence, it can be understood that the ones in the past and in the present, being influenced by Mahavamsa, had attempted to build a false legend over the history of the Sages lived prior to the visit of Arahant Mahinda Thero and to suppressed their real story from the history.

In order to prove the original ownership of Vessagiriya, the term “Isurumuni”(8) was placed at the beginning of that inscription. Or in other words it depicts the prosperity of the Muni “Vishrawa”. In prior to the names which were given later to this place , the word “Isurumuni” suggests that there is root over the ownership of this place, suggest that it has a history and  it’s a place with historical values. The rocky creations found in this place are the legendry proofs to understand the prosperity and the well being of the Muni, the Sage.  

The luxurious life of Muni - Isurumuni Vihara

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1 - Vessagiriya is located few hundred meters left to the current Isurumuniya on the old Anuradhapura - Kurunegala road. This temple complex is located in and around 3 beautiful bolder formations spread across a large area in front of the Tissa Weva (The tank Tissa).

2 - Mega Giriya in Sinhala language.

3 - Meruwa in Sinhala language.

4 - Vihaaraaraama = Vihara + Aaraama (Arama) -  Vihara is considered as an outstanding type of architectural creation of ancient Lanka. The Vihra is also known by synonymous names such as Chaithya, Stupa, Thupa,Seya and Dagaba. Aaraama are the monasteries - These are well maintained gardens owned by wealth persons and given for the use of disciples of the Buddha. These are classic examples for the plots of land with utmost serene beauty, ideal for the use of the ones who lead an ascetic life. Lanka is full of these places and without knowing the reason driven to establish them, ‘treasure hunter’ destroy the ruins in them (specially Dagabas, statues of the Buddha and others) in their attempts in searching the ‘valubles’. Example - Jethavana Arama. Arama of Jetha, the garden belongs to Jetha.

5 - Issara Samanaaraamaya, in Sinhala language. ‘Issara’ is Sinhala language past or ancient, something belongs to the history. ‘Samanaa’ is ‘Sramana’ or the non-lay people or ‘Bhikkus’. ‘Aaraama’ are the monasteries.

6 - The great chronicles.

7 -  Isi Ramana Vihara- Isi (ඉසි) Ramana (රමණ) Vihara (විහර). ඉසි is for Rishi. The Irshi or Sages. රමණ is for making love. විහර is for dwelling or living.

8 - Isurumuni – Isuru (means the prestige or the prosperity in Sinhala language) + muni (means the Sage in Sinhala language).

{The English translation of  'ඉසි රමණ විහර' (Isi Ramana Vihara) - Part - III}

Translated by Amal Meemanage (amalmeemanage@gmail.com)