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In the city of Tissamamarama, there are 4 ancient stupas belonging to the Anuradhapura Era ara lying in a row. These are
- Sandagiri Stupa
- Tissamaharama Stupa
- Yatala Vehera &
- Menik Vehera
Out of these, the most worshiped and the largest is the Tissamaharama Stupa & according to ancient chronicles, this stupa was built by King Kavantissa who ruled Ruhuna in the 1st century BC. But there is also a belief that this stupa was initially built by regional King Mahanaga in the 3rd century BC and King Kavantissa probably enlarged the shrine.
Mahanaga is a brother of King Devanampiyatissa (250-210 BC ). History states that when Mahanaga was inspecting the construction of Walas Reservoir (වලස් වැව), the queen of Devanampiyatissa sent him a bowl of Mangos with the topmost one poisoned. She intended to kill Mahanaga to ensure the throne to her son after Devanampiyatissa. At that time the son was with his uncle at the tank and the child ate the poisoned mango and died on the spot. Fearing reprisal he took his pregnant wife and escaped to Ruhuna where he built up his regional kingdom surrounding the Magama area.
According to the chronicles, this stupa was enlarged by King Ilanaga (38-44) renovated by King Voharika Tissa (214-236), and again renovated by King Vijayabahu (1070-1110).
The more recent restoration work of this stupa began in 1858 due to the efforts of Wepathaira Sumana Thera, who rediscovered Thissmaharama Vihara after making a pilgrimage to the area. He built a hut in the vicinity of the stupa and started living there to supervise the restoration works by himself. It took 16 years to complete the renovation work of the Garbhaya, the semi-spherical part of the stupa which is 86 feet in height. But Wepathaira Sumana Thera could not complete the restoration of Thissmaharama stupa in his lifetime and after the death of Wepathaira Sumana Thera in 1873, Walpita Medhankara Thero, a monastic brother of Wepathaira Sumana Thera took over the renovation works. By 1895 Walpita Medhankara Thero managed to complete the restoration of Hatharaskotwa of the stupa and enshrined relics in it. The pinnacle of the stupa was ceremoniously placed in 1900 and work was finally completed in 1915.
It is said that an ill samanera called “Gauthama” in the Seelapassa Pirivena passed away and was conceived into Queen Viharamahadevi in this location who later became the great king Dutugemunu. It is also believed that Dutugemunu was born in this area.
The relic enshrined in this stupa is a subject of debate. According to popular belief, the fontal bone relic ( ලලාඨ ධාතු ) of Buddha was temporally enshrined in this stupa but later it was enshrined in the Seruwila Mangala Maha Chethiya . But a recent discovery of a pillar inscription in Kirinda, that the left tooth relic of Buddha (වම් යටි හකු දලදා ව) is enshrined in this stupa. Irrespective of the relics enshrined, the Tissamaharama stupa lies on the ground that Buddha himself visited with 500 Arhats during his 3rd visit to Sri Lanka. This site lies in the 8th position of the Solosmasthana (The Sixteen Buddhist Sacred Sites Hollowed by Buddha) in Sri Lanka.
Tissamaharama Stupa is the largest stupa in the Southern region of the country with a height of 156 feet and 550 feet in circumference.
Also See
- Solosmasthana – The Sixteen Buddhist Sacred Sites Hollowed by Buddha
Map of Tissamaharama Raja maha Viharaya
The map above also shows other places of interest within a approximately 20 km radius of the current site. Click on any of the markers and the info box to take you to information of these sites
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Travel Directions to Tissamaharama Raja maha Viharaya
| Route 01 from Colombo to Tissamaharama Raja maha Viharaya | Route 02 from Colombo to Tissamaharama Raja maha Viharaya |
| Though : Southern Expressway – Galle – Matara – Hambantota distance :270 km Travel time : 5 hours Driving directions : see on google map | Through : Awissawella – Ratnapura – Udawalawe – Thanamalwila distance : 225 km Travel time : 4.5 hours Driving Directions : see on google maps |
Tissamaharama Rajamaha Viharaya
The “Tissamaharama Chaitiya” becomes the oldest cenotaph of the civilization and culture of southern Sri Lanka from the reign of long Kavantissa who left an indelible impression on the Buddhist philosophy of ancient Sri Lanka.
Historians have revealed that the southern empire commenced with the reign of King “Mahanaga” from 307 B.C. to 267 B.C. followed by King Yatalatissa and Prince Gothabaya, his son. However, it is King Kavantissa who is considered as the pioneer architect of the development of the propagation of Buddhism through the construction of Tissamaharamaya along with 362 other chaitiyas which includes: Seruwila and Mahiyangana as well. Certain philosophers deduce that King Kavantissa is destined to be the father of Maithri Buddha in a future birth.
The “Tissamaharama Vansa” which is a chronicle that provides a detailed description of the chaitiya specifies that it was the site that had a presence of 12,000 Arahats that King Kavantissa decided to build the Tissamaharama Chaitiya. Around 500 Arahats have engaged in “Pala Samawatha” during the arrival of Lord Buddha. Therefore, Tissamaharamaya was to be the counterpart of the Anuradhapura chaitiyas in the South.
The chief incumbent of the Tissamaharama Sandagiri Chaitiya Hakmana Pannaloka Thera states that according to the chronicles, around 12,000 Arahats have lived in the Tissa area during the life and times of King Kavantissa who deposited the forehead relic (Lalata Dhatu) of the Buddha and in addition, four tooth relics in Tissa Chaitiya. Another similar venue where such an occurrence took place was the “Situlpawwa Chaitiya“ which is near the Tissa Chaitiya.
The chronicles also revealed that King Kavantissa had sought the blessings of Arahat Gothama in constructing Tissa Chaitiya and erected it on a square platform.
There are four main chaitiyas in the Tissamaharama complex. They are “Tissa Chaitiya” (which has taken the pride of place among the four) the “Yatala Vehera“, “Sandagiri Vehera“ and the “Menik Vehera“. The Tissa Vehera is located South East of the Tissa Wewa while Menik Vehera and the Yatala Vehera are near the lake on the Western Tank. Historians also debate that the present Yatala Vehera could be the de facto Tissa Chaitiya which the one referred to as the Tissa Chaitiya is the Naga Vehera and the Menik Vehera as the older Tissa Maha Vehera while others opine that the present Yatala Vehera is the older Tissa Maha vehera.
Despite divergent opinions on the Tissamaharama Chaitiya‘s existence, there has been firm evidence of the present chaitiya not being the one as constructed by King Kavantissa in the 2nd century BC. This is further justified by the rock inscriptions on the rock named “Etha-bendi Gala”.
Historians deduce that the superiority of a chaitiya lies in the nature of relics deposited in it. Even the stanzas have been prepared accordingly. The Buddhist belief until recent times has been that the forehead relic (“Lalata Dhathu”) has been placed in the Tissa Chaitiya, while the “Dhathu Vansa” states that the “Lalata Dhatu” has been deposited in the Seruwila Chaitiya in Trincomalee. However, the strong belief that the Lord Buddha’s forehead relic was placed in the Tissa Vehera is strongly due to a sentiment published in a devotional song two centuries ago.
A rock inscription that denoted an important piece of history was discovered by an investigations officer of the Department of Archaeology in 1960. The inscription goes on to state that King Kavantissa had deposited a tooth relic of Lord Buddha in the Tissa Chaitiya as well. The inscription explains in detail that the relic has been off the Buddha’s lower jaw and this had been around four centuries prior to the visit of Princess Hemamala and Dhantha Kumaru with the other tooth relics which were deposited in the Anuradhapura era. A further pillar inscription in this regard also states that another pillar inscription pertaining to Arahat Mahinda also exists belonging to 10 th century A.D. The inscription which is of a three-dimensional nature has on its first side, 27 lines that are one foot-five inches in length. The second side inscriptions are not at all clear and consist of 6 lines. It is believed that the third had been maliciously destructed.
The rock inscriptions found in the 1960s have indicated that King Kavantissa constructed 36 mini chaityas prior to the Tissamaharama Chaitiya and therefore the name “Tissamaharamaya” arises from “Tisa-Ram-Rad-Maha Vehera” which provides weightage to the digits 36.
A series of four rock inscriptions and pillar inscriptions have been found within this complex venue of Buddhist worship according to historical values.
The Tissamaharama – Kirinde inscription states thus: “Sidhani Aparimitha Lokehi Buddha, Samenithi athama Parama Dulabhe, Saraghetha Pathe Anuthara Sathe, Maha Sarane Lokha vathe budha Nama Sayabhu…” of which the translation means, “There is no equal being to Lord Buddha in this world. It is very difficult or impossible to see the enlightened. The Lord Buddha provides the divine sight to all beings….”
The pillar inscription at Akuregoda between Sandagiri Vehera and the Akuregoda village lies another pillar inscription which is constructed in brick of 30 feet in height and nine feet in thickness which gives a detailed description of King Naga’s pursuit of absolving from craving.
It says “Sidham Yagedha Mase Baye Namang Saga Vadamane, Nama Michadittika jana Avathaye…” when translated means, “Fear is caused by craving. Isn’t craving a source of disillusionment. Cannot humans be extricated from both fear and craving? This is the pillar constructed by me, King Naga who has taken refuge in the Buddha to destroy human craving“.
However, the plaque inscription at the Tissamaharamaya Chaitiya, which is now in the Colombo Museum , states that a king named “Buddhadasa Shripala Mahanama Jettatissa” is described as giving alms to Buddhist monks. The translation of it means “I am hereby inscribing that I am providing 5000 robes to the Bhikkus at Magama Raja Maha Vihara, 4000 robes b the Tissa Chaitiya. I, as King Buddhadasa Shripala Mahanama Abayatissa, am following the directions of our king Chula….”
A further pillar inscription near the Sandagiri Vehera on the right of the Tissa Chaitiya states that King Vasanga had donated large sums of money to the monks living at the Tissamaharama Chaitiya so that they could purchase oil to light the lamp in the phoya-geya. It also states that the great grandson of King Tissa and son of King Abhaya – Prince Gamini had sold some of the paddy fields belonging to Royalty and gifted the funds to the priests to light the oil lamp at the uposthagaraya (chapter house)
Restoration
There had been series of renovations done to the stupa during the last century by a group of private persons through devotion (without any assistance from the Government) These restoration works were done even prior to the restoration works of the Ruwanveliseya.
However, even if what was added at the time of the restoration a centenary ago was completely evacuated then the brick work of them chaitiya would have surfaced totally.
Operational details stand at that point for the moment despite the chaitiya deteriorating fast. Restoration works have to be effected very fast, he added. The Director – General of the Department of Archaeology Dr. Siran Daraniyagala said “During early 19th century, a British Expert by the name of Henry Parker had illustrated the Tissamaharama Stupa in extremely dilapidated conditions and around 1850, a restoration society commenced the restoration works and completed them by the turn of the century.
Accordingly, what one sees today is a restored chaitiya, concealing the ancient stupa within it.
The first cracks of the chaitya appeared in the 1960s and they started expanding dramatically in the 1990s. The State Engineer Corporation, on the invitation of the Department of Archaeology commenced monitoring the cracks. Over the last few years, the cracks continued to expand.
The State Engineering Corporation’s view in collaboration with the Civil Engineering Department of the University of Peradeniya, after analysing the engineering aspects of cracking was that the stability of the stupa had been irrevocably affected. So, now a situation had arisen now and remedial action had to be taken, Dr. Deraniyagala asserted.