Asgiri Maha Viharaya (also called Asgiriya temple, Asgiriya Gedige) is a Buddhist monastery located in
Kandy
Kandy ( si, මහනුවර ''Mahanuwara'', ; ta, கண்டி Kandy, ) is a major city in Sri Lanka located in the Central Province. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills ...
,
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
. It is the headquarters of the Asgiriya chapter of
Siyam Nikaya
The Siam (also Siyamopali and Siyam) Nikaya is a monastic order within Sri Lankan Buddhism, founded by Upali Thera and located predominantly around the city of Kandy. It is so named because it originated within Thailand (formerly known in Sri Lan ...
, one of the two Buddhist monasteries that holds the custodianship of
sacred tooth relic
The relic of the tooth of Buddha (Pali ''danta dhātuya'') is venerated in Sri Lanka as a sacred cetiya relic of Lord Buddha, who is the founder of Buddhism, the fourth largest religion worldwide.
History The relic in India
According to Sri Lanka ...
of
Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a śramaṇa, wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.
According to Buddhist tradition, he was ...
kept in
Sri Dalada Maligawa
The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic or Sri Dalada Maligawa, ( si, ශ්රී දළදා මාළිගාව) is a Buddhist temple in Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is located in the royal palace complex of the former Kingdom of Kandy, which h ...
, Kandy. The chief incumbent of the Asgiri Maha Viharaya is the
Mahanayaka Mahanayaka (also spelled as Maha Nayaka, Maha Nayake) theros are high-ranking Buddhist monks who oversee and regulate the Buddhist clergy in Theravada Buddhist countries. The title ''Maha Nayaka'' translates to English as 'Great Leader' and it is c ...
thero of Asgiri chapter of Siyam nikaya, a leading Buddhist monastic fraternity in Sri Lanka. The present chief incumbent of Asgiri Maha Viharaya is Venerable
Warakagoda Sri Gnanarathana Thero
Warakagoda Gnanarathana Thero (born 18 March 1942) is a Sri Lankan Buddhist monk who is the present Mahanayaka Thero of the Asgiriya chapter of Siam Nikaya. He was appointed as the 22nd Mahanayake Thera of the Asgiriya Chapter on 7 April 2016, ...
. Asgiri Maha Vihara traces its origin from the Wanavasi sect of the Dimbulagala forest monastery of Polonnaruva. Currently, 565 Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka function under Asgiri Viharaya of Kandy.
History
Asgiri Maha Viharaya was founded by Commander Siriwardhana on the instructions of Parakramabahu IV of Kurunegala (1305-1335 A.D.). Situated north of the
Kandy Lake
Kandy Lake ( si, බෝගම්බර වැව/ කිරි මූද), also known as Kiri Muhuda or the Sea of Milk, is an artificial lake in the heart of the hill city of Kandy, Sri Lanka, built in 1807 by King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe next ...
, this temple is believed to be considerably older than the
Malwathu Maha Viharaya
Malwathu Maha Viharaya (also called Malwatta temple) is a Buddhist monastery located in Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is the headquarters of the Malwatta chapter of Siyam Nikaya and one of the two Buddhist monasteries that holds the custodianship of sacre ...
, the other monastic centre of the Siyam Nikaya. The original buildings were set up in the premises of present day
Trinity College Trinity College may refer to:
Australia
* Trinity Anglican College, an Anglican coeducational primary and secondary school in , New South Wales
* Trinity Catholic College, Auburn, a coeducational school in the inner-western suburbs of Sydney, New ...
. The Buddhist monks who took residence in this monastery were sent from Valasgala hermitage in
Yapahuwa
Yapahuwa (Sinhalese language : යාපහුව) was one of the ephemeral capitals of medieval Sri Lanka. The citadel of Yapahuwa lying midway between Kurunagala and Anuradhapura was built around a huge granite rock rising abruptly almost a ...
. The name Valasgala is translated into
Pali
Pali () is a Middle Indo-Aryan liturgical language native to the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist ''Pāli Canon'' or ''Tipiṭaka'' as well as the sacred language of ''Theravāda'' Buddhism ...
as "Acchagiri" and the present
Sinhalese
Sinhala may refer to:
* Something of or related to the Sinhalese people of Sri Lanka
* Sinhalese people
* Sinhala language, one of the three official languages used in Sri Lanka
* Sinhala script, a writing system for the Sinhala language
** Sinha ...
name Asgiri is derived from it. According to another legend Asgiri was named after queen Chandrawathie, the mother of king Wikramabahu who was cremated in the cremation ground of ''Adahana Maluva'' at Asgiriya. In the history of
Kandyan Kingdom
The Kingdom of Kandy was a monarchy on the island of Sri Lanka, located in the central and eastern portion of the island. It was founded in the late 15th century and endured until the early 19th century.
Initially a client kingdom of the Kin ...
many kings have contributed much for the development of Asgiri Viharaya. The monks of Asgiriya chapter have often safeguarded the Tooth Relic on behalf of the ruling monarch during troublesome times such as invasions and rebellions.
Asgiriya monastery consists of the "purana Viharaya" or the 'old temple', "Meda Pansala" or the 'middle temple', the "Aluth Viharaya" or the 'new temple' and the "Gedige Vihara". The middle temple known today as "Meda Pansala" was built by Meegastanne Dissawe of Dumbara in 1767 and the new temple was built by Pilimathalawe Dissawe a year later in 1768. Parana Viharaya or the old temple contains a serene statue of Buddha under a Makara Thorana (Dragon arch), and the interior is very similar to that of Gedige Viharaya. There are also two statues of deities "
Natha
Nath, also called Natha, are a Shaiva sub-tradition within Hinduism in India and Nepal. A medieval movement, it combined ideas from Buddhism, Shaivism and Yoga traditions in India.Saman" to the right and left side of the Buddha statue respectively. A new "Aluth Vihare" or the new temple was modified by Pilimathalawe Adhikaram, a son of Pilimathalawe Dissawe in 1801. Asgiri viharaya also consists of a recumbent Buddha statue carved out of Rock, which is thirty six feet in length and two 'poya-ge's, which are used as the assembly halls for the meetings of the monastic fraternity.
Adahana Maluwa
One of the other historically important sites standing in the Asgiri Maha Vihara premises is the "Adahana Maluwa" or the Royal Cremation Ground of Kandyan kingdom. The viharaya had three "maluwas" or terraces, Uda Maluwa (upper terrace), Meda Maluwa (centre terrace), Palle Maluwa (lower terrace). The cremation of the Royal family members were done at the Meda Maluwa, therefore the temple in the premises was known as the "Adahanamaluwa Gedige Viharaya". Adahana Maluva was the place where the bodies of the kings of Kandy and their family members were burned and their remains were buried. Historically, Adahanamaluwa Gedige is the second oldest structure in Kandy city and architecturally it has similarities to the structures of Natha devale, Kandy and
Gadaladeniya Vihara
Gadaladenyia Vihara ( si, ගඩලාදෙණිය විහාරය) (also known as Saddharmatilaka Vihara or Dharma Kirthi Viharaya) is an ancient Buddhist temple situated in Pilimathalawa, Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is located on Gadaladenyia Roa ...
in Uda Nuwara. During 1878-80 period, the railway line to
Matale
Matale ( Sinhala: මාතලේ, ta, மாத்தளை, translit=Māttaḷai) is the administrative capital city of the Matale District. It is the most urbanised and populated centre in the district. Matale is also the second largest muni ...
was constructed by the British colonial government. One of the tunnels of this railway line was constructed below the Adahana Maluva of Asgiri Vihara. The construction work of this tunnel destroyed the last remains of the tombs which were remaining in the Royal burial grounds.
Chief Incumbents
The following is a list of chief incumbents of Asgiri Maha Viharaya, Kandy who are also the Mahanayaka theros of Asgiriya chapter of Siyam Nikaya. Appointment of senior Buddhist monks to the Mahanayaka position in Sri Lanka began with the re-establishment of Upasampada higher ordination in 1753 on the initiatives taken by Sangharaja
Weliwita Sri Saranankara Thero
Weliwita Asaranasarana Sri Saranankara Sangharaja Thero (19 June 1698 – 18 July 1778) or popularly Weliwita Sri Saranankara Thero was a Buddhist monk, who was the last Sangharaja of Sri Lanka. He was the pioneer in the revival of Buddhism in Sr ...
during the reign of king
Kirti Sri Rajasinha of Kandy
Kirti Sri Rajasinha ( Sinhala: කීර්ති ශ්රී රාජසිංහ, Tamil: கீர்த்தி ஸ்ரீ ராஜசிங்கம்; 11 August 1747 – 2 January 1782) was the second Nayaka king of Kandy. He was ...
.
# Urulewatte Sri Dhamma Siddhi Thero (1753–1778) -
# Idawalugoda Sri Dhammapala Thero (1778–1807) -
# Pothuhera Sri Rathanapala Thero (1807–1815) -
# Mawathagama Sri Shobitha Thero (1815–1822) -
# Yatawatte Sri Chandajothi Thero (1822–1822) -
# Vacant (1822-1824)
# Yatanwala Sri Sunanda Thero (1824–1835) -
# Kotagama Sri Gunarathana Thero (1835–1845) -
# Vacant (1845-1849)
# Udumulle Sri Rathanajothi Thero (1849–1851) -
# Vacant (1851-1853)
# Yatawatte Sri Swarnajothi Thero (1853–1868) -
# Wattegama Sri Sumangala Thero (1869–1885) -
# Yatawatte Sri Chandajothi Thero (1886–1892) -
# Kapuliyadde Sri Piyadassi Thero (1893–1914) -
# Abagaswewe Sri Rathanajothi Thero (1914–1921) -
# Gunnepane Sri Saranankara Thero (1921–1929) -
# Mullegama Sri Gunarathana Thero (1929–1947) -
# Yatawatte Sri Dhammarathana Thero (1947–1966) -
# Udugama Sri Rathanapala Thero (1966–1970) -
# Godamune Sri Nagasena Dhammananda Thero - (1970–1975)
# Palipane Sri Chandananda Thero (1975–1999) -
#
Udugama Sri Buddharakkitha Thero
Udugama Sri Buddharakkitha Thero (17 March 1930 - 8 April 2015) was a Sri Lankan Buddhist monk, who was the 20th Mahanayaka of the Asgiriya chapter of Siyam Nikaya.Galagama Sri Aththadassi Thera
Galagama Sri Aththadassi Thera (11 January 1922 – 9 March 2016) was a Sri Lankan Buddhist monk who served as the 21st Mahanayaka of the Asgiriya Chapter of Siyam Nikaya.Warakagoda Sri Gnanarathana Thero
Warakagoda Gnanarathana Thero (born 18 March 1942) is a Sri Lankan Buddhist monk who is the present Mahanayaka Thero of the Asgiriya chapter of Siam Nikaya. He was appointed as the 22nd Mahanayake Thera of the Asgiriya Chapter on 7 April 2016, ...
(2016-) -
See also
*
Malwathu Maha Viharaya
Malwathu Maha Viharaya (also called Malwatta temple) is a Buddhist monastery located in Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is the headquarters of the Malwatta chapter of Siyam Nikaya and one of the two Buddhist monasteries that holds the custodianship of sacre ...