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| Kurunagala toaday - Picture by http://savari.co |
Poojawaliya (Poojaawaliya) claims a great place among the ancient books written
in Lanka. Poojawaliya is a text
which is rich in details of Buddhism. The discoveries presented by Poojawaliya
can be considered as facts which can be used to prove the Buddhist heritage
in ancient Sri Lanka. These haven't been analyzed in a proper manner up to this
date and hence their presence had been restricted to their origins i.e. the
books. Although these books were referred in the field of higher education, a proper
analysis is not given for the historical incidents highlighted in these books. Now,
we are living in a period where the free and independent Buddhist way of
thinking is not practiced even by the Buddhist monks. As a result of this, it
can commonly be seen the dialogs developed against the heritage of the Buddha
in the motherland.
The historical information highlighted by Poojawaliya claims
heritage of Buddha in the motherland. It reports the ancient and historical
information which is related to Sri Lanka. This is evident by the section found
in the chapter called Saadunaada Poojaa Kathaa in Poojawaliya.
The heading called "Desa vilokana nam kawarayath (what is meant by this
description of lands or areas)" coming under this chapter plays a role
with this regards. The explanation given for this is as follows.
"… and also to the front direction of this Bodhimandalaya[1] one may find the seven great cities such
as Hasthipuraya, Maathangaya, Sawweeraya, Sawraashathaya, Pundareekaya,
Kaalingaya and Suppaaraka and they are possessed with the mines of
gems" (Poojawaliya, Page 108).
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| Poojawaliya , Page 108 |
The names of the places found in
this section can be considered as a part of the heritage of Sri Lanka. Some of
the names listed here cannot be traced today due to effects of different
invasions. But, it does not mean that the other facts, evidences should be kept
aside. It is the responsibility to analyze the available facts and bring out
the truth.
It is a must to get
confirmed whether Hasthipuraya[2], the
city mentioned in this book, is a heritage of Sri Lanka. It is impossible to
find any room in India to trace a Hasthipuraya of this nature in its
vicinity. But, even to this date Kurunegala town is called Athugalpura[3]. This
name has come in to being not in the recent past. Even in the book called
'Historical Topography of Ancient and Medieval Ceylon - by C W Nicholas' Kurunegala
is known by the names such as 'Hasthigiripuraya'[4] or 'Hasthisailapuraya'.[5] In the
same book it says that The Great King Parakramabahu II had built a monastery or
a Vihara in Hathigiripuraya. (Page 125). According to this description
as well, it is evident that Hasthipuraya which is reported by Poojawaliya
is none other than Kurunegala. Even after this unique comparison, any
babbler who is possessed with an untrained mind and a tongue, who is not having
any interest in his motherland, nationality and the religion would not agree
with this disclose. It is nothing but a cheap thinking emerged from a sinful
mind. But, for a man with an analytical thinking, this piece of information
alone will be good enough for the great satisfaction in his mind.
Having said that, it should
be mentioned here that it’s a fortune of Lanka to have a son like Mr. R. L.
Brohier who did his best to disclose the hidden truth of the significance of Kurunegala
or Hasthipuraya. Whilst being a Surveyor General and spending all his
time on the studies of the irrigational works in Ceylon, we all, as Buddhists,
should be proud of his statement which safe guarded the heritage of the Buddha
in Lanka. We, then, should look in to his viewpoint. But, prior to that, our
consideration should be given to another important thing found in Poojawaliya.
That is, Poojawaliya reports that there were seven cities, including the
above mentioned Hasthipuraya, which produced ruwan (gold). It is
necessary to analyze the genuineness of this particular statement.
The book called 'Videshikayan
Dutu Puraana Lankawa, by D P Ponnamperuma - Ancient Lanka seen by the
foreigners' gives an answer for this. What is mentioned by Ibn Battuta[6] in this
book is as follows.
" …. after that we came
to the city called Kunaakar which is the kingdom of the great king of
the land. This city was built at a place called Ruwan Thanna[7] situated
in the valley between two mountains. It is called Ruwan Thanna as it
gives birth for Rathmini [8]" ('Videshikayan
Dutu Puraana Lankawa- page 140). According
this, it can very clearly be understood that when Ibn Battuta came to Lanka the
kingdom or the capital city of Lanka was Kunaakar or Kurunegala.
And also, Rathmini which is possessed in Ruwan Thanna is nothing
else but the gold itself.
According to "Mandhaaram
Pura Puwatha"[9],
a poetry book, there had been thousand villages in Lanka which produced
gold. (Page 2, 9 poems). Hence, many texts of this nature report that the Sri
Lanka in the ancient times had enjoyed gold in excess and it had brought glory
for the country. This poetry book "Mandhaaram Pura Puwatha" calls Kurunegala
as 'Athsel Puraya'[10].( Page
1, Poem 6).
The ones who were born in
Lanka with Indian origin[11] always
consider India as the holy land and it had been the birth place for all the
Buddhas. And also there is another group of scholars with Brahmin influence who
encourage this idea. For both these parties, the great engineer with Dutch
origin had given a great slap. This has been done by the great scholar Mr. R. L. Brohier
in his book called Ancient irrigation works in Ceylon which was
published for the first time in 1935.
"The
city called Kurunegala situated at the edge of Māyārata[12]
had been considered as the capital city for thirty five cities which were
governed by the kings even in the Sasanas[13]
of the Buddhas such as Kakusanda, Konaagama, Kashyapa and Gauthama" (Page 10)[14].
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Dr.
R. L. Brohier and and the cover page of Sinhalese translation of ' Ancient
Irrigation works in Ceylon'
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Analyzing the truth behind this statement
would certainly be a great honor for this great scholar, R. L. Brohier. The
evidence required to confirm this can be presented without any doubts. Dr. Sooriya
Gunasekara had attempted to disclose an inscription which was changed by the
Department of Archeology, it is as follows.
The original
inscription on the rock
BATHANAHUTHASHAKITHA
RANHA - ABAYANAGARIYANA
SHAGASHA
The reading done by the Department of Archeology
BATHAUPATHISHAHA ……..NAABAYA - NAGARIYANA SHAGASHA
A picture of
this inscription is shown in the book and hence it can be mentioned that the
reading done by the Department of Archeology is not correct. (Lanka
Ithihasaye Hela Yugaya[15],
page 105).
The King
Batha, the king Nahutha and the King Shakitha had reigned in the time of Kakusanda
Buddha. The city called Abaya which was situated in Ranagirimada
in Kurunegala is offered for Sanga (the monks) by the two great kings, Batha
Nahutha and Sahakitha. Out of these two, King Batha Nahutha
is the most senior king. This city called Abaya was built by King
Abaya who reigned in the time of Kakusanda Buddha. The story
depicted in Mahavamsa[16] is
proved by the inscription and it is presented as a significant incident. (This
incident has been taken from Seehalathtakatha Mahavamsa)[17]. This
city called Abaya can also be one of the cities in thirty five cities.
It was Dr. Jayarathna Pathiraarachchi, the great philosopher, historian and
explorer, who initiated in discovering the inscriptions related to Kakusanda
Buddha, Konaagama Buddha, Kashyapa Buddha and Gauthama Buddha".
These inscriptions discovered by him had helped to identify the real Buddhist
heritage prevailed in the ancient Lanka. Dr. Jayarathna Pathiraarachchi had discovered many inscriptions, one of them is
and
it had made more meaningful the viewpoint of the scholar Mr. R. L. Brohier. (Makkama
Saha Rawana Rajuge Sellipi, Page 79,80. - Makkama and the inscriptions of
King Rawana).
Dr. Sooriya Gunasekara and Dr. Jayantha
Pathiraarachchi
Anyone interested in knowing the details of the these eras of
Buddhas in the past can refer the book 'අපට අහිමි වූ
අපේ උරුමය' - 2 (The taking away of our own history from us - 2).
Venerable Mookalagamuwe Pannanada Thero
[1] The
area where the sacred Bodhi tree is situated
[2] Hasthi - the elephant, puraya - the
city or the town
[3] Athu
- the elephant, gal - the rock, pura - the city.
Kurunegala has got this name
for it following the colossal elephant shaped rock found in the middle of the
city
[4] Hasthigiripuraya.
Hasthi - the
elephant, giri - the rock, puraya - the city
[5] Hasthisailapuraya.
Hasthi - the
elephant, saila - the rock or rocky, puraya - the town
[7] Ruwan - the
gold. thanna - the valley
[8] Rathmini - the gold
[9] The report of the city of Mandharampura
[10] Athsel
Puraya - Ath - the elephant, sel- the rock, Puraya-
the city
[11] the ones who
are influenced in Indian thinking
[12] The country or the region called Maayaa
[13] Sasana is the order of Buddha. Here it means the time
period of these Buddhas.
[14] This is the translation given to the Sinhala
translation of this book - 'Lakdiva PUraathana Waarimarga'
[15] The closest translation for this would be The Era of Hela in the History of
Lanka
[16] The Great Chronicle
[17]
The chronicle of great commentaries in Sinhala
Translated by Amal Meemanage (amalmeemanage@gmail.com)
Translated by Amal Meemanage (amalmeemanage@gmail.com)
