Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya (කැලනිය රජමහා විහාරය)

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In the eighth year after attaining enlightenment, The Buddha visited the kingdom in Kelaniya (where the Kelaniya Temple now lies) on the invitation of the King Maniakkhika of the “Naga” (Cobra) tribe. The king had extended this invitation at the Buddha’s second visit to the country which was to settle a battle between the two “Naga” kings, Culodara and Mahodara over a gem-studded throne at Nagadeepa. King Maniakkhika who was the mother’s brother to the naga Mahodara had been present at Nagadeepa for the battle.

According to the chronicles the Buddha visited the Kelaniya with 500 bhikkhus and preached dharma to the King and his people on the spot where the temple stands today thus part of the Solosmasthana (16 holy sites which have been hallowed by Buddha). From Kalaniya the Buddha proceeded to the domain of the Deity Sumana Saman at the mountain of Samanthakuta now known as Sri Pada.

The Great Chronicle of Sri Lanka, Mahavamsa describes the Buddha’s visit to kalaniya

“In the third year after this, the naga-king Maniakkhika sought out the Saipbuddha and invited him, together with the brotherhood. In the eighth year after he had attained to buddhahood, when the Vanquisher was dwelling in Jetavana, the Master, set forth surrounded by five hundred bhikkhus, on the second day of the beautiful month of Vesäkha, at the full moon, and when the hour of the meal was announced the Vanquisher, prince of the wise, forthwith putting on his robe and taking his alms-bowl went to the Kalyani country, the habitation of Maniakkhika. Under a canopy decked with gems, raised upon the spot where (afterwards) the Kalyani cetiya was built, he took his place, together with the brotherhood of bhikkhus, upon a precious throne-seat. And, greatly rejoicing, the naga-king with his following served celestial food, both hard and soft, to the king of truth, the Conqueror, with his followers………..”
(Mahānāma et al., 1912)

On the place where the Buddha preached his sermons, a stupa was built enshrining a gem-studded throne seat on which the Buddha sat and other utensils that the Buddha used during his stay. Although this event took place in the 5th century BC, it is not clear who built the stupa. But according to chronicles, King Uttiya made renovations to this stupa in the 3rd century BCE, therefore this Stupa would have been built before that time. Thereafter many kings have extended and made additions to this temple over time, and during the Kingdom of Kotte in the 14th century, the Temple of Kelaniya was a highly developed place of worship.

With the arrival of Portuguese in 1505 the darkest era for the Buddhists in the Kotte Kingdom began. The Portuguese blinded by faith and greed for wealth plundered and destroyed the temples taking all valuables with them. Making maximum advantage of the internal conflicts at that time, the King of Kotte was forced to take refuge under their firepower.

In 1557 AD, The puppet king Dharmapala (who converted to a Christian in 1555) of Kotte Kingdom handed over the land with the fields and gardens, rents and services which had been dedicated to their use from Kelaniya Rajamaha Viharaya, its sister temple across the Kelani River, Kitsirimevan Rajamaha Viharaya and the 3 storied Dalada-Ge in Kotte which housed the Tooth Relic of Buddha to the Portuguese by a way of a sannasa to the Franciscans for the maintenance of the Christian colleges which they proposed to found in the country. St. Anna Church in Kelaniya, and St. Bartholomew Church on the southern bank where the Pas Mahal Paya stood, while the magnificent Dalada Maligawa (Temple of Tooth) of Kotte gave way to the Church of the Holy Saviour, the bell of which still lies at Kayman’s Gate (Pieris, 1913, pp 115,150).

According to a copy of a sannasa made in 1591, The original grant was made in 1557 which was reconfirmed by another sannas in 1562, 1591 and again in 1595. The sannasa of 1591 covers not only the above temples but all the Buddhist temples of his realm. (Pieris, 1914, pp 37-38)

In 1575, Portuguese captain Diogo de Melo, having defeated a battalion of Sinhala troops of Rajasinghe I at Wattala, moved on to Kelaniya. There, he commanded his men to plunder the temple. They succeeded in burning their abandoned camp and demolishing the grand temple, despite the villagers’ desperate efforts to defend the sacred site. Many villagers were driven into the river and drowned during the attack. (De Silva & Bell, 1916)

With the arrival of the Dutch in the 18th century, the restrictions were relaxed and Kalaniya was once again allowed to be worshipped. They even allowed the King of Kandy Kirthi Sri Rajasingha to develop the temple in 1767, perhaps to gain the goodwill of the Kandy king. Thus the reconstruction of the Vihara was undertaken by the then-chief incumbent Venerable Mapitigama Buddharakkhita Thero. he was provided with funds from the king’s treasury. In 1780, the king handed over the ownership of the temple along with all the land to the same Thero. (De Silva & Bell, 1916)

The next stage of development in the temple was in 1888 by Mrs Helena Wijewardana when she took over the task of renovation of the temple. The deteriorated paintings and paintings were restored by Solius Mendis, one of the greatest painters of the time. The renovation work took 20 years to complete.

Kelani Viharaya is situated about 6 kilometres away from Colombo. It can be approached from the Colombo – Kandy Route and turned to Biyagama road at the 4th mile post.

Inscriptions of Kelaniya Rajamaha Viharaya

Inscription No. 1 is carved on the front face of a large granite slab. The slab was damaged during the destruction of the temple by the Portuguese in the 16th century, resulting in its fragmentation into half a dozen pieces. These pieces have since been reassembled. The original location of the inscription is unknown, and today it stands to the left of the stairs leading to the temple precincts.

The inscription consists of 32 lines, engraved on a smoothed surface measuring 5 feet 3 inches in height and 4 feet 8 inches in width. The lines are ruled, except for the first two. Overall, the writing is well-preserved.

The inscription is dated to the 11th day of the bright half of Navam, in the 19th year of the reign of Siri Sanga Bo Sri Parakramabahu, who ascended the throne in the Buddhist Era year 2051. This date corresponds to February-March 1527 CE, according to the traditional Ceylonese calculation based on the Parinirvana. (De Silva & Bell, 1916, p. 115)

The full translation of this inscription is as follows

Hail! On the eleventh day of the bright half of the month of Nawam, in the 19th year of the reign of His Imperial Majesty Srimat Siri Sanga Bo Sri Parakrama Bahu, Supreme Ruler of Tri Sinhala, (Ruhunu, Maya, Pihiti), Sovereign Lord of other Rajas, on whose lotus-feet have settled (like bees) jewels in the crowns of Kings of the neighbouring (countries) ; whose store of fame is bright as the beams of the moon ; who is adorned with delightful . . . . . . . qualities like unto gems ; who is an immaculate embryo Buddha ; and who ascended the throne of Lanka in the year 2051 of the Era of the omniscient and supreme Gautama Buddha, sovereign lord of the glorious and true doctrine (dharmma), who gladdens the three worlds (of gods, men, and Nagas), who is a tilaka ornament to the Royal race of Sakyas, and who is the sun of the universe and the giver of Nirvna, great, undying.

(The King) having reflected that the Vihara at Raja Maha Kelaniya was a holy spot where Buddha had vouchsafed to sit, to partake of food, and preach his doctrine, ascertained by inquiry what works of merit by way of repairs there were to be executed there at this time ; and having heard that the Chaitya and all other edifices were in ruins, allotted much (money for) expenditure from the Royal Palace, and assigned the task of causing the work to be done to the Gana-nayaka, and the Minister Parakrama Bahu Vijayakkonara. (They) had the plastering of the Chaitya, and other repairs, executed ; built a parapet wall of granite sixty cubits (in length) on the north ; and constructed the eastern flight of steps with a sanda-kada-pahana (moonstone) ; and thoroughly rebuilt the Samdhi-pilima-geya, the Na-pilima-geya, the Eastern Gate of the same Monastery and its flight of stone-steps, the minor Trivanka house, the Tel-katarageya, the vesikiliy (latrine) of the priesthood, and the Western Gate ; cleared the rubbish in the
Pas-mahal-paya, Sala-pilima-geya,’ Siwuru-da-geya and other structures; and repaired also various other dilapidations, and the like, in the Vihara.

After the complete accomplishment of these works, (the King), considering it desirable that His Majesty’s Royal name should be perpetuated in this Vihara, conferred on the Chief Priest of the Monastery, the title of Sri Rajaratna Piriwan Thera, and ordained that all who were in occupation of the lands of the Temple, (as well as) those who served in the elephant stables, the horse stables, the kitchen, hot-bath rooms, persons employed in various other occupations, Tamils and Sinhalese, and those who paid rent and owned land, should give (to the Temple) two pelas of paddy (measured) by the laha of 4 nelis for every amuna of sowing extent, and money payment at the rate of one panama for every ten coconut trees. (His Majesty) thus completed this meritorious work so that it may last so long as the sun and moon endure.

In obedience to the command delivered by His Majesty, seated upon the throne at the Royal Palace of Jayawardhana Kotte, in the midst of the Mudalivaru, that an inscription on stone should be made, in order that Kings and Chief Ministers and others in future ages may acquire merit by preserving and improving (the Temple), I, Sanhas Tiruvarahan Perumal, certify to the engraving and grant of this lithic record.

The boundaries to Raja Maha Kelaniya are, Wattala, Malsan-tota, Kuda Mabola, Galwalu-tota, Gongi-tota, Godaruba-gala galpotta, the stone pillar at Gosgona-sena, including Uruborwa veliyadda, Rammudu-ela, Kessa-ketu-gala, Wata-gala, Esala-paluwa, Pasuru-tota-etula, Diwiya-mulle-etula, Kurandole, the boundary pillar, and the great river (Kelani ganga),
(De Silva & Bell, 1916, pp. 156-158)

The 2nd inscription is again carved on a slab of stone and made in 1767, which is 240 years after the 1st inscription. This is very short and records the repairs by Atthadassi Thero and his pupil to the stupa, viharaya and an image of Kelaniya Rajamaha Viharaya.

The full translation of this 2nd inscription is as follows

On Thursday, the 15th day of the bright half of (the month) Vesak, in the illustrious year 2311 of Buddha, the vehera (dagaba), and the terraced enclosure of the vihraya (image-house) which were in ruins were repaired, and (the ceremony of) fitting eyes to a stone image was performed by Atthadassi Thera Sami, assisted by his pupil Mapitigama Samanera (novice monk.)
(De Silva & Bell, 1916, pp. 158)

The 3rd inscription discovered at the temple was made 12 years later in 1779, and consists of 23 lines of text. This describes the repairs to the Kelaniya Temple and its sister temple, Kitsirimevan Rajamaha Viharaya by Mapitigama Buddharakkhita Unnnse, incumbent of the Temple as successor of his guru
Atthadassi Thero.

The full translation of this 3rd inscription is as follows

Hail! Mapitigama Buddha-rakkhita Terunnanse who is marked by piety, zeal, good conduct and wise intentions, pupil of Dehigaspe Atthadassi Sami, having submitted to His Most Excellent Majesty, Lord of the illustrious Lanka, that the Kalyani Chaitya had fallen into ruin in as much as it is the pre-eminent spot where our great Buddha Gautama, the Lord of the glorious orthodox Law and sun of the whole world, alighted on coming through the air with a retinue of 500 passionless monks (Arhats), partook of the celestial food offered by Maninayana, Chief of the Nagas, and preached the doctrine had become ruined and dilapidated since a long time, (he) on Sunday, the 15th day of the bright half of (the month) Navam, in the year 2322 of the illustrious Buddhist Era, received from the Treasury, upon His Majesty‘s order, revenue of several thousands (of coin of the realm) to be expended, and a Royal sannasa granting annually twelve amunas of paddy from Minayangama.

After that order was made, by the expenditure of the money granted by His Most Excellent Majesty, and of ten laks (and) fifty thousand bricks, and one lak (and) fifty thousand amunas of slaked lime (supplied) by me (lit. us), I caused repairs to the dagaba to be effected; as also the repairs to the image-house, mandapas, dormitories, refectories, and preaching halls.

(The following are) the names of the lands and the fields gifted, with a view to provide for future offerings to this sacred place; fifteen kuruni of paddy sowing extent out of Bombuwala (situate) in this Kelaniya, two pelas (extent) of paddy out of Ambagaha-kumbura and two pelas (extent) of paddy out of Ritigaha-vela in the same village, a tithe (otu) of Oliya-mulla in Peliyagoda, twelve amunas (extent) of high and low lands allotted to the Vihara by the English Government, one and half amunas (extent) of Vira-ovita at Alujjama, five pelas (extent) of paddy of Kumbukgaha-vita at Pitiyegedara, fifteen kuruni (extent) of paddy of Wanabadaotu-liyadda at Doranagoda in Alutkuru Korale, the garden attached to this Vihara, Gangabodawatta, Panikkiya-watta (and) Ambagaha-watta.

Moreover, I also repaired and improved Kit-Sri-Mevan-Kelani Viharaya and Doranagoda Viharaya, which had been in ruins for a time. (Further) I ordered that the property herein referred to be improved.
(De Silva & Bell, 1916, pp. 158)

alternate names : Kalaniya Temple, Kelaniya Temple, Kalaniya Rajamaha Viharaya

References

De Silva, S. (1917). The Inscription at Kitsirimewan Kelani Vihara. The Ceylon Antiquary and Literary Register, III (Part II)(1917), 101–109.
De Silva, S., & Bell, H. C. P. (1916). Kelani Vihara and Its Inscriptions. The Ceylon Antiquary and Literary Register, I (Part III), 145–161.
Mahānāma, Geiger, W., & Bode, M. H. (1912). The Mahāvaṃsa or the Great Chronicle of Ceylon (Translated Into English). Henry Frowde – Oxford University Press.
Pieris, P. E. (1913). Ceylon, the Portuguese Era : Being a History of the Island for the Period, 1505-1658 (Vol. 1). Colombo Apothecaries.
Pieris, P. E. (1914). Ceylon, the Portuguese Era : Being a History of the Island for the Period, 1505-1658 (Vol. 2). Colombo Apothecaries.

Also See

Solosmasthana – The Sixteen Buddhist Sacred Sites

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