Pilikuttuwa – ancient forest monastery in Western Province
By Arundathie Abeysinghe
Situated off the beaten track, yet, located approximately 3.5 kilometers from Colomb-Kandy Road, Pilikuththuwa Raja Maha Vihara is an ancient Cave Temple situated in Pilikuththuwa, located in *Gampaha – Wathurugama Road.
“Pilikuttuwa”, often spelt “Pilikuththuwa” or “Pilikuttuva” is the most picturesque rock temple in Gampaha District and situated approximately 35 kilometers from commercial capital Colombo and Colombo International Airport.
Although, not a popular tourist destination, Pilikuttuwa is an enchanting place. The forest monastery known as “Pilikuththuwa Raja Maha Viharaya” or “Pilikuttuwa Rajamaha Vihara” is situated amidst a large forest in close proximity to Maligathenna Temple, the highest hill in Gampaha District.
The forest monastery is one of the temples with the highest number of ancient monastic rock caves in Sri Lanka. There are 99 monastic caves with ancient drip ledges (“kataram” in Sinhala), cut above the opening of the rock shelter to prevent rain water from flowing along the rock surface into the interior of the cave. Approximately, 80 drip-ledged caves have been marked with numbers.
According to locals, the monastery was founded by *King Walagamba. Only royal monasteries are entitled to bear the name “Rajamaha”, which translates as “king great”.
Archaeologists are of the view that several cave inscriptions inscribed in *Brahmi letters indicate that the Temple was founded by a king of the Anuradhapura Period.
One of the Brahmin inscriptions reads that the temple was donated to the “Sangha of all cardinal directions”, meaning those of the Buddhist order. Scholars are of the view that this is a formula used in inscriptions from pre-Christian centuries. Some inscriptions, at the site dating to the Anuradhapura Period, mention names of specific monks, the beneficiaries or names of lay people who were not kings.
The preaching hall (Dharma Salawa in Sinhala), constructed in 1910 is situated in close proximity to the entrance of the Temple. There are two *Bo trees in the temple premises known as “prince tree” and “princess tree”, as they are believed to have been planted by a royal prince and princess. There is an ancient stone pond, the Image House also known as “Shrine Room” with Buddha Images and a dagoba (stupa).
There is a cave temple transformed as an Image House during the Kandyan era and decorated with typical *Kandy era paintings. Caves in the Temple Complex have been converted as a shrine room in the recent past, for lay visitors to meditate in front of the Buddha Statues. The ceiling of the rock cave is also decorated with Kandyan era art of geometrically stylized lotus flowers. The large reclining Buddha Statue covered with a Kandyan style coating, although, scholars are of the view that the Buddha Statue dates to *Polonnaruwa era.
A unique feature of the Temple is Portuguese soldiers armed with swords who are apparently guarding the entrance to the shrine room, a feature rarely found in Buddhist Temples in Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile, paintings of *Jataka stories too indicate colonial influence as the characters depicted in them wear colonial costumes, instead of royal costumes.
Location: Situated approximately 35 kilometers from Colombo.
- Anuradhapura Kingdom – According to *Mahawaṃsa, Anuradhapura was founded by King Pandukabhaya in 437 BC and named in accordance with its capital city was the first established kingdom in ancient Sri Lanka. The kingdom’s authority extended throughout the island, although, several independent areas emerged from time to time.
- Bo Tree – Also known as Bodhi Tree is a specific sacred fig tree (Ficus religiosa) under which the Buddha had attained *Enlightenment at Bodh Gaya in Bihar, India.
- Brahmi inscriptions – The earliest writing system developed in India after the Indus script and considered as an influential writing system. All modern Indian scripts as well as several hundred scripts that are in South Asia, Southeast and East Asia are derived from Brahmi.
- Chola conquest – This was a military invasion of the Anuradhapura Kingdom by the Chola Empire of Southern India, one of the longest ruling dynasties in world history. Initially, the Anuradhapura Kingdom was invaded in 993 AD and absorbed it into the Chola Empire of Southern India.
- Enlightenment – In Buddhism, Enlightenment is when a Buddhist finds the truth about life and stops being reborn as he/she has reached *Nirvana.
- Gampaha – Situated to the north-east of the capital Colombo, it is the sixth largest urban area in Western Province. Formerly known as “Henarathgoda”, in Sinhala Gampaha means (literally), “Five Villages”. The five villages are known to be Ihalagama, Pahalagama, Medagama, Pattiyagama and Aluthgama. At present, the location of Pattiyagama is no longer located within the town limits of Gampaha and remains disputed.
- Jataka stories (tales) – A voluminous body of literature (550 past life stories of the Buddha) native to India based on the previous births of the Buddha. According to scholar Peter Skilling, this genre is “one of the oldest classes of Buddhist literature. Jataka tales illustrate the many lives, acts and spiritual practices that are required during the long path to Buddhahood (a title is commonly utilzed for Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, who is often simply known as “the Buddha”.
- King Walagamba (BC 104 – BC 103) – Also known as “Wattagamani Abhaya” and “Walagambahu”, he was a king of the *Anuradhapura Kingdom. Five months after his coronation as king, he was overthrown by a rebellion and an invasion from South India. Yet, he regained the throne by defeating the invaders after 14 years. Thus, in 89 BC, Walagamba regained the throne and ruled the country for twelve years until his death in 77 BC.
- Mahawamsa – “Great Chronicle” or “Great Dynasty” in Sinhala is the most significant work of Sri Lankan origin written in Pali Language. This Chronicle describes life and times of Sri Lankans from the arrival of Vijaya in 43 BC to the reign of King Mahasena from sixth century BC to fourth century AD. Culavamsa (lesser chronicle) covers the period from fourth century AD to British takeover of Sri Lanka in 1815. Mahawamsa consists of three parts covering a historical record of over two millennia. It is considered as the world’s longest unbroken historical record.
- Parinirvana – Commonly utilized to refer to as “nirvana” occurs upon the passing away of one who has attained Englitenment during his/her lifetime. Parinirvana implies a release from Saṃsāra (Pali/Sanskrit word that means “the world”, the concept of rebirth and cyclicality of all life, karma and rebirth).
- Polonnaruwa – The Kingdom of Polonnaruwa or the ancient city of Polonnaruwa (also known as Pulastipura) was the second capital of Sri Lanka for three centuries from 11th to 13th centuries. After the *Chola conquest of Anuradhapura Kingdom, the center of administration was shifted to Polonnaruwa until 1232. Polonnaruwa has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
