බුද්ධකාලීන ශ්‍රී ලංකාව හෙවත් හෙළබිම පාලනය කළ පණිත නම් මහරජතුමා

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King Panitha who reigned in Helabima or Sri Lanka in Buddha's time

There isn't a single chronicle which reports that there was a great king who reigned Sri Lanka in Buddha's time. But, there are inscriptions which report a king who reigned Sri Lanka in Buddha's time,  this must be certainly be bringing a surprise to all of you. When something of this nature is not stated in the chronicles, it must be the utmost duty of the Archeological Department to reveal the truth. But, unfortunately, instead being worried over the said duty, respective authorities have worked to seal it up totally.

1035       {(.. the cave) of Panihitha treasurer of the great king and..}

                (Sinhala Shilalekhana Sangrahaya, Page 166)

What is mentioned above is the inscription which talks about this particular king and it the Sinhala translation of Professor Nandaseana Mudiyanse. It can be very clearly seen that Professor Senarath Paranavithana had changed the meaning of this inscription, in the process of the interpretation. Now, let's look in to the view point of the Archeological Department as well which was the cause of this interpretation.  For that, it is necessary to look in to the original inscription.

1035 (1) Maharajhaha Panita - badakarika parumaka - Sumanaha

(The cave) of the chief Sumana, officer in charge of the store-house of goods in deposit, of the great king (I.C. 81)  

The act of presenting the name of the great king 'Panita' as Pranihitha and also with an adjective to 'store-house in goods deposits' can be explained as a modification done for this inscription. Because of this, the name which could be used to recognize the great king reigned in Buddha's time was lost.

There is a statement describing this king in Pāli Balawatharaya written by Venerable Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Maha Nayaka Thero in 1882. This book reports that a  branch of the sacred Sri Maha Bodhi tree, in the time of the Buddha, had been taken in procession by a Bhikkuni called Shona and it had been planted by the great king Panitha at the Shakya Wansha Vihara.

Mahavamsa, the great chronicle, too states that branches of the sacred Bodhi tree had been planted by the respective kings living in the times of Kakusanda Buddha, Konagama Buddha and Kshyapa Buddha.Not only that, this had been taken in to the Dasamara Piritha in the Pirith Book as well. But, planting of a sacred Bodhi tree in this manner is not stated in Mahavamsa and Dasamara Piritha.

There is an inscription stating the kingship in Heladeepa. But that inscription does not carry any name. This inscription is found in the area of Mihinthale.

 (The cave of Mahanbika, the daughter of Dweeparaaja, is (given for) Sanga )

(Sinhala Shilalekhana Sangrahaya, Page 53)

Let's identify the name of the father, the king, of the daughter Mahabiya.

There is another inscription which is evident for this King Deepa to be a Maha Raja ( a great king).This can be proved by the inscription at the Korathota Vihara.

1103. (The cave of Mahabiya, (who is) the daughter of the great king, was given for the Sangas who did come and did not come from all four directions).

(Sinhala Shilalekhana Sangrahaya, 1103)

King Panitha can be identified well through the inscriptions found from many inscriptions in Sri Lanka. The authors of Indian influence such as the one of Mahavamsa did their best to destroy the history of Lanka. On key archeologist got the opportunity to bring light to chase out that darkness through the inscription, but he also did the same. Even to this date, it is visible that the students of that master are committed to safe guard the betterment of their teachers, but not the glory of the motherland, Sri Lanka.

(The cave of Abi Upaliya, who is the Chief Queen of the Great King Panitha)

(Sellipi Kiyaweemata Nohaki Apata Pahasu Kramayak, Page 26)

This inscription can be used to positively to identify King Panitha. This inscription proves, very positively, that Panitha is not Pranahitha.

This inscription can be considered as something did before he become the king. And his father also can be identified. HIs is a Parumaka called Viyaga.

Sumana had worked as the Ayaka parumaka of Abi Upalaya, the queen of the great king.

What  does this mean? It means that there had been a brother for King Panitha called Poornaka.

According to this inscription Nagasha was another brother of King Panitha. This inscription says that this brother of King Panitha called Nagasha had done an offering to the Buddha and the noble Sanga.  " Aparimitha Lokadathushe" is a term used for the Lord Buddha.

It's a chief called Pussadewa had worked as the Ayaka Parumaka of Panitha Maha Raja. This is mentioned in an inscription situated in Akurugodella in Sithulpawwa. That inscription is as follows.

A Parumaka called Sumana had worked as the treasurer for the Greta King Panitha. The term such as is attached to the name of Sumana , to introducing his name, to describe his relationship as a son of King Panitha.  The inscription for that is as follows.

The father-king mentioned here can be identified as King Panitha and Sumana is the noble person called God Sumana Saman. The term called Bagawatha found in this inscription is used for Buddha and it suggests that the period of this inscription can be taken as of Buddha's time. The inscription found in Bana Samanala confirms this further. The inscription found at the Samanala Peak is as follows.

A Parumaka called Damaraja had worked in the process of making the steps of the sacred footprint of the Buddha at Sri Pada Peak. That is why it is called Darmarajagala ( the peak or the mountain of Darmaraja) It can be seen in the inscription at Bowaththegala. The inscription numbered as 549 is an evidence for it. The name called Shumana found in this inscription has been changed as Gamana by the Archeological Department, but it can be seen as it is in the picture of its block (platelix). Finally, this proves that Parumaka Sumana is no one else, but God Sumana Saman.

Although the name of the great King Panitha has been removed from the texts\books, the letters engraved on the rock stand on the place where the noble person called King Panitha had reigned in Lanka in the time of Buddha. The Great King Panitha was the owner of the biggest shipping company in Lanka. The commander of it was a Parumaka King Gōtabhaya. After the death of the great King Panitha, King Gōtabhaya got all the possessions of the shipping company under his commands and was popular as Pugiyana (Shipping company) ( 662. Madukashaliya Pugiyana Lene Shagasha.  Professor Senarath Paranavithana had disappeared the picture plate of this inscription. It is understandable that driven by the intention that the world will know about this, he must have acted in this cheap manner. This teaches a very good lesion to all who have the interest in destroying the glory of the motherland.

The list of the books refered by Mookalangamuwe Pannananda

• Nethadutude
• Panitha Rajathuma ( Manuscript)
• Budhusarana ( 2008.02.20, 2008.03.21)
• Lanka Shilalekhana Sangrahaya 01
• Sinhala Shilalekhana Sangrahaya 01
• Sellipi Kiyaweemata Nohaki Apata Pahasu Kramayak

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Translated by Amal Meemanage (amalmeemanage@gmail.com) 

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What is the hidden history behind The Cave Vihara in Hennaanigala

What is the hidden history behind The Cave Vihara in Hennaanigala

Hennaanigla Cave Temple, Mahaoya, Sri Lanka

This unique colossal rock which resembles with the 8^th wonder in the world Sigiriya is situated within the Maduruoya National Park nearly 9 Kms from the Mahaoya junction on Maoya - Arannaganvila road. This historical place is considered as the location where the troops of the Great King Gamini Abaya (King Dutugamunu, as chronicles name him) had been gathered. In the past, this place had been known as Hennanegala, so it' only little changed had been added to the name.

According to Mr. C. W. Nicholas, the author of "Historical topography of Ancient and Medieval Ceylon" describes this place as the biggest cave, engraved with Kataram,  found in Sri Lanka. But, he had failed to highlight the significance of the place. According to a rock letter, there had a been a city called Kasaba Nagara and few some other villages, namely, Giritishagama, Karajinitishagama and Vilagama. "Nokapike" found in the inscription had not been declared as a village by Mr. Nicholas, but Mr. Mudiyanse had done so. There are two special symbols found in the inscription, the symbol of the kingdom and the other is a symbol of a fish.

The inscription is as follows.

A particular dynasty called Meenaasi which is not documented in the chronicles is indicated in Varigapoornika. Vargapoornika discloses a true history in Heladiva (Sri Lanka) which is not taken in to notice by the chronicles. These two symbols can be seen in many other inscriptions as well.

According to the inscriptions, Sumana who lived in the period of the Buddha had connections with the lineage found here. The inscriptions which have connections with Sumana, Damaraja, Mahatishaaya and Abisawera too carry these two symbols. 'Abisawera' mentioned here is Queen Viharamahadevi, the mother Queen of Great King Gamini Abaya. The archeologists say that this is the lineage of the Queen Viharamahadevi.

Above mentioned inscription reveals the fact that a pooja (an offering or a declaration) of cities and villages had been occurred by two ruling systems. Hence, the villages which carry the name of Tissa may be ruled by the father of Gamini Tissa. Other villages and the city may come under the ruling of the king in the central region.

There are several reasons to support this pooja as something special. This pooja had been done as a public pooja and based on the way of Buddhist, a relationship to the time of Buddha can be seen here. A special name of an individual cannot be seen, instead a collective name had been mentioned in the pooja. There is a probability where the father of Gamini Tissa can be named as Tissa as well. Hence, this inscription is evident for a poojaa (an offering of food and other essentials) made by the ones in the generation bearing the family name Tissa and also the people of the king of the central region for the Darmasena (the army\troops of Dhamma or the crowd of the great Bhikkus) who gathered to this Hennaanigala.

In getting a precise understanding over the Darmasena gathered at Hennaanigala, it is necessary to go for an interpretation of the ancient name used for this place. The term "Nokapika" places an important role here.  This cannot be a name of a village. "Alms giving and other things were done continuously as Kapasaru" is the meaning of it.

Hennaanigla Cave Temple, Mahaoya, Sri Lanka ( Line of chambers\rooms built (presently destroyed ) against the wall of the colossal rock.

" Hennanegala (fykAkfkA., - fy  kA  k fkA  .  , ) "

In understanding the truth of the hidden history disclosed by this term, it is a must to interpret this appellation.

It should be explained from y + w  (Ha+A) to y + M (Ha+Ē). The formula goes as follows.

y + w, y+ wd, y + we, y + wE, y + b, y + B, y + W, y + W! and y + t.

According to this formula y + t comes as fy (He - as in Hennanega). Now, let's take these separately and understand the meaning of the word fy (He).

In the Magadhi appellation code, fy (He) is used for Jaathi (the birth or coming in to being). Following the seeds of Kamma, a birth will be occurred from the Ninth sphere,is the meaning of this. For this birth a Nine will be joined with another Nine.

Hence, Nice will come in and be united as two forms - internal and external. Apo, Thejo, Vayo, Pathavi, Varna, Ghanda, Rasa, Oja are those externals in Nine. Rupa, Vedana, Sanna, Sankhara, Vinna, Naamarupa, Salayathana, Bhava and Jathi are the internals of this Nine. Here, in this process, the birth occurred by being united by two folds of Nine, becomes a Nine. This joining of Nine to Nine which depicts this birth is explained by "kk" (Nana).

The next letter, k, is used as k + ta. This formation of fka (Ne) will come under the tenth sphere and that is Jara (aging). The existence of Samsara (the circle of re-becoming of life) can be understood when it explained on the platform of Jara and Marana (Decaying and death). In this manner, it can be observed well the circle of Samsara - its crashing off, embracing in to it, experiencing its continuity.

Thipariwatta, Dwatha Dhamma and Niveema are included in the meanings of the names used for the ancient places which have connections with Buddha. Hence, the place called "Hennanegala" can be interpreted as the place where the Sena (the army, the crowd) of monks) gathered who had seen, experienced this Dharma and attended in to Nibbana, the ultimate fruition of the path of purification.

Chaithya or Dagabo at Hennanigala cave Vihara, Sri Lanka

The remaining frescoes of Hennaanigla Cave Temple, Mahaoya, Sri Lanka ( If no any actions to protect these priceless paintings are taken,it is certain that  they will vanish off within the very near future)

                                                                        
                                                                         Watch the video

Translated by Amal Meemanage (amalmeemanage@gmail.com) 

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හෙන්නානිගල ධර්මථාව කුමක්ද?

හෙන්නානිගල ධර්මථාව කුමක්ද?

Hennaanigla Cave Temple, Mahaoya, Sri Lanka

Hennaanigla Cave Temple, Mahaoya, Sri Lanka ( Line of chambers\rooms built (presently destroyed ) against the wall of the colossal rock.

 

 
 
 
 
 

The remaining frescoes of Hennaanigla Cave Temple, Mahaoya, Sri Lanka ( If no any actions to protect these priceless paintings are taken,it is certain that  they will vanish off with the very near future)

The remaining frescoes of Hennaanigla Cave Temple, Mahaoya, Sri Lanka ( If no any actions to protect these priceless paintings are taken,it is certain that  they will vanish off within the very near future)

The remaining frescoes of Hennaanigla Cave Temple, Mahaoya, Sri Lanka ( If no any actions to protect these priceless paintings are taken,it is certain that  they will vanish off with the very near future)

Watch the video

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