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Duruthu Poya Day Celebration in Kandy. – By Dr harold Gunatillake On January 25th this year, Sri Lanka celebrated the Duruthu Full Moon Poya Day. This festival falls on the first full moon in January, commemorating Gautama Buddha’s first visit to Sri Lanka. It is an important religious and historical event in Sri Lanka’s calendar, as it occurred in the ninth month after the Buddha attained Enlightenment. During his visit, the Buddha travelled to Mahiyanganaya in the Uva Province of Sri Lanka, where he gave sermons to two warring tribes to end their conflicts. The tribes listened to his teachings and stopped fighting with each other, and instead began to treat each other with respect. The local God, Sumana Saman, was impressed by the Buddha’s teachings and invited him to leave his sacred footprint on the peak of Samanala Mountain, which is now known as Adam’s Peak. To this day, ...

Jan 28, 2024 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, Dr harold Gunatillake Tagged Buddha, Buddhist people, Dalada Maligawa, Kandy, Samanala Mountain, Sri Lanka

Reporting from the spot at Kandy – By L.B.Senaratne The Cynosure of the first Kumbala Perahera was “Indi-Raja” flanked by Myan Raja and “Kamdula ” ( from Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihare ) in the ancient ritual of the Kandy Esala Ritual, which had 59 elephants and 15 of them were tuskers from the Sri Dalada Maligawa Tusker stables comencing from the 21st August 2023. It will continue till the 31st August and ends with the water cutting ceremony. The first Perhera which is termed “Kumbal” is the first of the series running for 12 days commencing at 7.10 in the night and running till around 11 p,m The ritual beginings with the sounding of a Cannon Boom from an ancient cannon, when the other Perahera’s from the Devales ( abode of three Gods, Sri Maha Vishnu, Natha, Kataragama and Goddess Pathini alligns itself to follow the Sri Dalda Maligawa Perhera which ...

Aug 23, 2023 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles Tagged Buddha, Indi-Raja, Kandy Esala Perahera, Kandy Esala Ritual, Kandyan Kingdom, Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihare, Kumbala Perahera, Miyan Raja, Pradeep Nilanga Dela, Sri Dalda Maligawa Perhera

“Girihandu Seya” – first Buddhist stupa? – By Arundathie Abeysinghe Girihandu Seya (“Seya” meaning stupa or dagoba) also known as “Nithupathpana Vihara” is an ancient Buddhist Temple in *Thiriyaya in *Trincomalee. Girihandu Seya is considered as the first Buddhist Stupa in Sri Lanka, believed to have been constructed by two seafaring merchants *Tapassu and *Bhalluka. Names of the two merchant bothers are recorded on a rock inscription in the temple premises. According to the inscription, Girihandu Seya was constructed by the guilds of merchants named “Trapassuka” and “Vallika”, Their names were written as “Tapassu” and “Bhalluka” in Sinhala chronicles. Situated on a small hillock near the sea coast, approximately 47 kilometers (29 miles) towards north of Trincomalee, the stupa of the Temple has been enlarged during the 8th century A.D. The Vatadage (literally meaning circular relic house or shrine) covers the stupa with concentric circles of stone pillars, almost similar ...

Aug 11, 2023 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, Arundathie Abeysinghe Tagged Arundathie Abeysinghe, Buddha, Girihandu Seya, Nithupathpana Vihara, Sri Lanka, Temple, Thiriyaya, Trincomalee

Avukana Buddha – A Magnificent Testament of Sri Lanka’s Buddhist Heritage – By Malsha – eLanka In the heart of Sri Lanka lies the awe-inspiring statue of Avukana Buddha, one of the country’s most revered Buddhist pilgrimage sites and a popular destination for tourists. Standing tall in the picturesque village of Avukana, near Kekirawa, the statue overlooks the ancient Kala Wewa reservoir, surrounded by a serene forested area. This strategic location was chosen to evoke a sense of grandeur and inspiration for all who visit. The Avukana Buddha is a remarkable sight, representing the standing Buddha with his right hand raised in a gesture of blessing, known as the Abhaya Mudra, symbolizing reassurance. Adorned with a beautifully carved Mandorla, a circular halo featuring intricate lotus petals and other motifs, the statue portrays a peaceful and smiling face with astonishing attention to detail. The most astonishing aspect of this statue is ...

Jul 28, 2023 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, Malsha Madhuhansi Tagged ancient Sinhalese sculpture, Anuradhapura, Avukana Buddha, Buddha, Buddhist heritage, Buddhist pilgrimage sites, Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka's Buddhist Heritage

Detach fantasy from Dhamma for survival of Buddhism – By K K S Perera Nathasha: Annoying though; Thought-Provoking Source : dailymirror It’s difficult to disentangle religious hard truths from myth, or truth from lies.We have a tendency to “shoot the messenger,” –don’t be angry with the person who makes disrespectful expressions intended to offend or hurt you; instead look for the obscured message in it. Let the authorities conduct investigations to detect any violations of the law, and also expose any hidden agenda by interested parties in Nathasha’s‘Modabhimanaya’ [Fool’s Pride]. The terminology used in Nathasha’s script is irritating no doubt, but the unintended implicit ‘message,’“Detach Dhamma from Fiction,” is thought- provoking, and therefore it needs to be addressed with a positive mind. Unless we revise or delete outdated ‘divine manifestations’ that would prompt future Nathashas from staging comedic gigs, soon all of us would appear as ‘Fools with Pride’ There are ...

Jun 7, 2023 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles Tagged Buddha, Buddha Charithaya, Dhamma, Dr Rhys Davids, Nathasha, religious

Significance of Wesak – thrice-blessed day – By Arundathie Abeysinghe Wesak (also spelt Vesak) marks the Birth, the *Enlightenment and passing away of the Buddha. All these three significant events took place on a Full Moon *Poya Day in May. According to *Theravada tradition, the three most significant events in the life of the Buddha occurred on Wesak full moon Poya Day; birth of Prince Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha as a layman) in Lumbini in Nepal where Queen Mahamaya gave birth to him under the shelter of a Sal Tree (Shorea robusta) around 566 BCE. The second significant event was Siddhartha Gautama’s Enlightenment (supreme attainment as the Buddha). The third significant event was the Buddha’s Parinibbana (or *parinirvana) approximately 2500 years ago at *Kusinara. Buddha means the enlightened or awakened one. Buddhists do not believe in a single god who created the world. Wesak Day is celebrated by Buddhists, globally. ...

May 6, 2023 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, Arundathie Abeysinghe Tagged alms giving, Buddha, Buddhists, Dansalas, Poya Day in May, VESAK

A major festival in Sri Lanka ” Vesak “ – By Malsha – eLanka Vesak is a Buddhist festival that commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha. It is celebrated on the full moon day in the month of Vesakha (usually in May) in many countries around the world, including in South and Southeast Asia. The festival is typically observed by practicing Buddhists through acts of merit, such as making offerings at temples, performing acts of charity, and observing the eight precepts. In some countries, the festival is celebrated with parades, processions, and other public events. Vesak is an important holiday in Buddhism, as it marks significant milestones in the life of the Buddha and serves as a reminder of his teachings and their relevance to modern times. It is also a time for Buddhists to reflect on their own spiritual practice and to recommit to living a ...

Mar 29, 2023 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, Malsha Madhuhansi Tagged Buddha, Buddhist temples, Dansalas, Meditation, VESAK, Vesak Day Processions

Sacred Bodhi tree’s journey to Oz 2300 years in the making Source:-www.awe.gov.au In a cultural first for Australia, a sapling from a sacred tree revered by the world’s Buddhist community has been imported from Sri Lanka in what can only be described as a great biosecurity success story. Head of Biosecurity at the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Andrew Tongue, said the sapling is from the famous Bodhi tree (Ficus religiosa), under whose shade Buddha achieved enlightenment. “The specimen is a direct descendent of the original Bodhi tree in India, off which a branch was taken to Sri Lanka in 288BC,” Mr Tongue said. “As imported plants can carry a range of biosecurity risks, this sapling had to comply with our strict import conditions and will spend 12 months at our post entry quarantine (PEQ) facility. “These conditions help ensure the sapling is free of potentially dangerous plant ...

Aug 30, 2021 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles Tagged Andrew Tongue, Buddha, Department of Agriculture, Ficus religiosa, sacred tree, Water and the Environment

The halo: A symbol that spread around the world Courtesy- BBC- Matthew Wilson 24th June 2021 (https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20210623-the-halo-a-symbol-that-spread-around-the-world) (Image credit: Alamy) After first appearing in the religious art of ancient Iran, the disc halo migrated across cultures at an astonishing pace, aided by trade on the Silk Roads. Matt Wilson explores how a simple symbol connects Jesus, Buddha and Apollo. Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism and Greek mythology are usually regarded as utterly distinct religions, largely defined by their differences. But if you just look at them, you will see a symbol that connects them all – the halo. This aura around a holy figure’s head expresses their glory or divinity and can be seen in art across the world. There are many variants, including rayed haloes (like that on the Statue of Liberty) and flaming haloes (which feature in some Islamic Ottoman, Mughal and Persian art), but the most distinctive and ubiquitous is ...

Jun 25, 2021 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles Tagged Buddha, Christianity, Hinduism, Matt Wilson, The halo, Zoroastrianism