Preface
They are the places such as Vessagiriya, Mollikulama and Isigili Kanda. Another place is Pilikuththuwa. There are many places of this nature in Lanka. All most all these places had been dwelled by a great group of people in Heladiva even in prior to the period of Gautama Buddha. Later, these places were offered for the use of the Buddha and his disciples, the Maha Sanga. The owners of these caves who lived in Helabima in the ancient times had written very clearly about their offerings in the inscriptions.
In the ancient times, there had been a separate division for the security of these dwelling places of the Sages. A note on that matter is found in an inscription in Vessagiriya. A person call “Shona” had attached to this place as the main security officer and information related to him can be discovered from the inscriptions themselves. His relationship is related to Pilikuththuwa as well and hence it is evident that necessary arrangements had been taken for the security of the places dwelled by the Sages.
In choosing the places for kingdoms, the regions associated with the dwelling places of the Sages had been taken in to consideration. The Sages dwelled in Vessagiriya used Thisa Wewa for their needs of water. Thisa Wewa had been constructed and used for this purpose of Sages even from the very ancient times. Later, the kings had reconstructed these water reservoirs and given their names for them. Same thing had happened in Polonnaruwa as well. The Parakrama Samudra is not a property of King Parakramabahu himself. This place also had been dwelled by the Sages. King Parakramabahu improved the methodology used to supply water to these places which were dwelled by the Sages and that act itself elevated him to the throne. Hence it is evident that the establishment of the kingdoms in Lanka had been planned out following the dwelling places of the real owners of Lanka, the Sages.
These Sages are the great divine Munis and the best example to quote for that is the act of writing the Tripitaka in Lanka. The Dhamma preached by Lord Buddha at different places were summarized and formed in to lines by these Sages and by considering this act alone one can get an idea over the greatness of these Sages. One may come forward and say that writing of Dhamma was done by the great Arahants. But it’s a fact known by everybody that Arahants will not be involved in a worldly matter such as writing books. This great task was fulfilled by the Sages lived in Heladiva. But the world did not know about it as the respective authors who claim India as their origination did not want to be free from the conventional thinking of Indian Brahmins. These authors who were influenced by the Indian thinking of Brahmins, did not want to disclose this incident well to the outside world and limited it only to two stanzas.
The main objective of releasing this book is to discuss the great history in Heladive in the Pre - Buddhist era. And also to safe guard this great Heladiva from the parties such as Brahmins, Jatilas and Nigantas who deny it and do their best to prove their falsely thinking of Brahmins.
I would like to show my sincere gratitude to the former Vice Principal Mr. Thilaka Hapuaarachchi for support given by him in the checking the proofs, to Mr. Charuka Kumarapeli who worked on the computer graphics, photographs and other creative tasks such as the creation of the covers and also to the proprietor and the staff of the Lakimini Printers who rendered their best in printing this book.
Mukalangamuwe Panyananda Isthavira
Sri Jinendraramaya
Opatha
Kotugoda
Sri Lanka
2011.09.15
{The English translation of 'ඉසි රමණ විහර} - Part - I
Translated by Amal Meemanage (amalmeemanage@gmail.com)
Translated by Amal Meemanage (amalmeemanage@gmail.com)
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