Mahayana Square Stupa of Abhayagiriya

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Square-shaped stupas were popular in ancient times in countries such as Thailand, where Mahayana Buddhism was prevalent. Although Sri Lanka was predominantly a Theravada Buddhist country throughout its history, Mahayana Buddhism was spread in pockets but never took permanent root. There are 4 known square-shaped stupas in Sri Lanka. The most popular and well-known is the Sathmahal Prasadaya. The rest of the 3 stupas can be found in the ancient Anuradhapura kingdom, which is rarely visited by the pilgrims.

The largest of these stupas is Nakha Vehera. The other 2 belong to the Abhayagiriya Monastic Complex. One is the Prasada stupa which lies north of the Eth Pokuna. The other, which is this stupa, lies west of Eth Pokuna on the western border of the Abhayagiri Monastery in the area identified as the ancient “Vahadu Mula” among many other conserved structures, and is rarely visited by the average pilgrim.

This stupa is built on a raised platform with a brick wall. The stupa is square in shape with a side length of approximately 15 meters at the base. Steps are built on the western side to climb to the top. These steps are split into two sides halfway. A Siri Pathul Gala can be found on the right side of the stairs. The stupa has been restored up to about 3 meters. During the conservation of the stupa, a lead plaque belonging to the 7th to 9th centuries bearing a Mahayana mantra was discovered and deposited in the outer wall of the shrine.

The lead plaque was deposited in a small clay pot, which was about 10 cm high. The circumference of the mouth was 11 cm. The plaque was square with 21 cm per side and was rolled and then bent in two to fit into the pot. Various mantras and designs had been etched on both sides.

It has been found that such mantra sheets were enshrined in Mahayana stupas for protection from harm and perils. This is further supported by it being deposited on the edge of the limit of the stupa, the outer wall.

However, these stupas in the Abhayagiri Complex show the extent of the influence of Mahayana Buddhism in Sri Lanka during the late Anuradhapura period.

References

අභයගිරිය – ඇස්. බී. හෙට්ටිආරච්චි / ටී ජී. කුලතුංග – ශ්‍රී ලංකා සංස්කෘතික ත්‍රිකෝණය (1992)

Also See

Anuradhapura – The city of the God Kings
Solosmasthana – The Sixteen Buddhist Sacred Sites Hallowed by Buddha
Atamasthana – The Eight Sacred Sites in Anuradhapura

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Driving Directions to Prasada Stupa (Indikatu Seya) of Anuradhapura Abhayagiri Monastery

Colombo to Anuradhapura By Bus

Anuradhapura can be conveniently reached by bus, train, or private transport. Both air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned buses operate from the Colombo Fort Main Bus Station. In addition, luxury buses departing from various locations in Colombo travel via Anuradhapura to Vavuniya and Jaffna; these require advance online booking and generally operate overnight, arriving at their final destinations early in the morning.

Colombo to Anuradhapura By Train

Five daily trains operate from Colombo Fort Railway Station to Anuradhapura. Typically, the first train departs at 9.40 a.m. and the last at 8.30 p.m. The journey takes approximately four to five hours, depending on the number of stops made by the particular service.

Colombo to Anuradhapura By Car or Van

Anuradhapura can be accessed from Colombo via several routes, with the two primary corridors running through Puttalam and Kurunegala. The Puttalam route passes the scenic Wilpattu area. From Kurunegala, there are two main approaches: the more commonly used route via Dambulla and an alternative route via Galgamuwa. Among all options, the Kurunegala–Dambulla route (Route 2) is the most frequently used.

Route 01 from Colombo to Anuradhapura	Route 02 from Colombo to Anuradhapura
Through: Negombo – Chilaw – Puttalam Distance from Colombo: 210 km Travel time: 4.30-5.00 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps	Through: Negombo – Chilaw – Puttalam Distance from Colombo: 210 km Travel time: 4.30-5.00 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps.
Route 03 from Colombo to Anuradhapura	Route from Kandy to Anuradhapura
Through : Katunayake Expressway – Narammala – Wariyapola – Padeniya – Thambuthegama Distance from Colombo: 203 km Travel Time: 4.30-5.00 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps	Through: Katugastota – Matale – Dambulla Distance from Colombo: 136 km Travel Time: 3.5 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps