ANCIENT STUPAS IN SRI LANKA

 Stupa (Pagoda) as a structural form has been in existence for a long time,

in the East as well as in the West.

 In India, it developed into a structure very special to Buddhists, Hindus,

Jainas alike, and the construction of Buddhist stupas started while Buddha

was alive.

 Buddhist stupa is not a tomb, but a memorial which symbolizes the

supremacy of the Master and his Dhamma, or teachings.

 Dīghanikāya, Mahāparinibbānasutta/ Thūpārahasutta, Aṅguttaranikāya

27. "There are four persons, Ananda, who are worthy of a stupa. Who are those
four? A Tathagata, an Arahant, a Fully Enlightened One is worthy of a stupa; so
also is a Paccekabuddha, and a disciple of a Tathagata, and a universal monarch.

28-31. "And why, Ananda, is a Tathagata, an Arahant, a Fully Enlightened One

worthy of a stupa? Because, Ananda, at the thought: 'This is the stupa of that
Blessed One, Arahant, Fully Enlightened One!' the hearts of many people will be
calmed and made happy; and so calmed and with their minds established in faith
therein, at the breaking up of the body, after death, they will be reborn in a realm
of heavenly happiness. And so also at the thought: 'This is the stupa of that
Paccekabuddha!' or 'This is the stupa of a disciple of that Tathagata, Arahant,
Fully Enlightened One!' or 'This is the stupa of that righteous monarch who ruled
according to Dhamma!' — the hearts of many people are calmed and made happy;
and so calmed and with their minds established in faith therein, at the breaking
up of the body, after death, they will be reborn in a realm of heavenly happiness.
And it is because of this, Ananda, that these four persons are worthy of a stupa."

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 Buddhism came to Sri Lanka from India, during the third century BC,

when Emperor Asoka was ruling India and Devanampiya Tissa was the

king of Sri Lanka.

 Mahawamsa or the great chronicle of Ceylon, which is a written record of

the history of the country from the 6th Century BC, vividly records these

events and gives details of stupas constructed by the rulers of Sri Lanka.

 Thuparama built by King Devanampiya Tissa (307-267 B.C.) in the then

capital city of Anuradhapura, is considered the oldest stupa in Sri Lanka,

even though there are legends relating to two other stupas built during the

life of Buddha (623-543 BC). (Girihanduseya/ Mahiyangana)

 With the passage of time more stupas have been built by the kings.

Stupa Name Founder Period

King

Thuparama Devanapiya 3rd Century

Tissa BC

Tissamaharama Kavan Tissa 2nd Century BC

Mirisaveti Dutu Gemunu 161-137 BC

Ruwanveli Dutu Gemunu 161-137 BC

Abayagiri Valagamba 88 -76 BC

Jetavana Mahasena 269–296 AD

Kirirvehera Parakramabahu 1140-1173

AD
 Rankothvehera Nissanka 1174-1183 AD

Malla

Thuparama Stupa

 Thuparama was originally built with very modest size.

 Then, it is started the tradition of building mega stupas in Sri Lanka.

 It was followed by the Mirisaveti and then the Ruwanveli (Mahāthūpa).

 Ruwanveli Stupa, aptly called the Great Stupa because when it was built

there were no other shrines rivalling it in size not only in Sri Lanka but in

the whole of the Buddhist world, is the most revered stupa in Sri Lanka,

and is also the tallest (height 91.4 m) at present.

 Tissamaharama Stupa

Mirisaveti Stupa

 Ruwanveli was surpassed by Abayagiri, which attained a full height of

106.7 m, which in turn was overtaken by Jetavana.

 Jetavana, which attained a full height of 121.9 metres (400 ft), was at one

time the third tallest structure in the world, surpassed only by the two great

pyramids in Giza.
 Due to the failure of a part of its spire, its present height is 70.7 m above

the platform, but its volume of 233,000 cubic metres, still makes it the

largest brick structure in the world.

Ruwanveli Stupa

Abayagiri Stupa
 Jetavana Stupa

 The last mega stupa built by the kings (Nissankamalla) is Rankothvehera,

or the Golden Pinnacle Stupa, in Polonnaruwa, the medieval capital of Sri

Lanka.

 King Parakramabahu who reigned there was responsible for the

enlargement of many stupas built by his predecessors and his Kirivehera is

important due to the fact that it still retains the original brickwork and

plaster.

 Mirisaveti was enlarged several times by kings who came after Dutu

Gemunu, and its latest restoration was completed by the Sri Lankan

government in 1995.


Development of Miriseveti Stupa

Krirvehera Stupa
 The construction of mega stupas in Sri Lanka by the kings, which started

in the 3rd century BC, virtually came to an end in the 13th century AD, due

to the decline of the kingdoms as a result of warfare and foreign invasions.

 The great stupas gradually fell into decay and became shapeless

mounds due to neglect and actions of nature, and in some cases treasure

hunters.

 Architecturally, stupa is the most important Buddhist structure. Unlike a

pyramid, it is a solid structure, mostly made of bricks. Over the years

the shape of the Sri Lankan stupa has changed from the original Indian

form to a form of its own.

 Main components of the Sri Lankan stupa

(1,2,3-Basal rings, 4-Dome, 5-Square Chamber, 6-Cylinder/s, 7-Spire, 8-

Mineret, 9-Crystal)
 Maḷuva- elevated terrace or platform

 Pesā- cylindrical plinths or basal rings

 Garbha- dome

 Dātugarbha/ Hatareskoṭuva- relic chamber (a solid structure having a

square plan)

 Superstructure-)/ Devatākoṭuva (cylinder)/ Chatra (umbrella)/

Chatrāvalī (spire)/ kota (pinnacle)

 All these components, except the square chamber, are axisymmetric.

 Originally the components above the dome were similar to the Indian

form, and consisted of a hollow (square chamber), inside which there

was a column carrying one or more umbrellas.

 The umbrellas protected the stupa from rain when the stupa was of very

small size, but when the stupa became large the umbrellas became only

symbolic.

 In Sri Lanka by the 7th Century AD, this form has changed to the present

form having a solid square chamber, cylinders and a conical spire.

 Indian Form of Stupa

(1,2,3-Basal rings, 4-Railing, 5-Dome, 6-Square chamber(hollow), 7-

Umbrella)

 Originally when the stupas were of small size, devotees kept flowers and

other offerings on the basal rings, but as the stupas got bigger so did the

basal rings and separate structures with tables (āsana) to offer flowers

etc. were built.

 In some stupas the basal rings were added after the dome was built, and

in some they formed as the plinth for the dome.

 Some of the large stupas were also provided with projections called

vahalkadas or frontispieces. These, numbering one to four are placed at

cardinal points of the stūpa.

 The dome is the biggest component of a stupa and it contains the relics,

in a relic chamber, either at the level of the basal rings at the bottom, or

at the square chamber at the top.

 Several shapes have been used for the dome, and some examples are

given.

Stupa Shapes

(1-Bell, 2-Pot, 3-Bubble, 4-Paddy-heap, 5-Lotus, 6-Nelli fruit)

 The bell shape (ghanṭhākāra) is the most common and next comes the

bubble shape (bubbulākāra). The pot shape is called as ghaṭhākāra.

 The paddy-heap shape (dhānyākāra), having a gradient equal to the angle

of repose, is the most stable from a structural point of view, and the

ancient builders have used this shape for the colossal stupas they built.

 Domes of pot and lotus shapes (padmākāra) are rare and there are no

existing examples of the nelli fruit shape (āmalākāra).

 The shape of the dome of some stupas has changed from their original

form during repairs and enlargements which have taken place at later

times. For example, the Thuparama was originally constructed with a

paddy-heap shaped dome, which later took the shape of a bell.

Present Dome

Stupa Dome Height from Diameter

Shape Platform at Platform

(m) (m)

Thuparama Bell 19.2 18.0

Tissamaharama Pot 45.9 43.0

Mirisaveti Bubble 55.0 43.0

Ruwanveli Bubble 91.4 90.8

Abayagiri Paddy 73.0 99.1

heap

Jetavana Paddy 70.7 102.0

heap

Kirirvehera Bell 24.3 21.3

Rankothvehera Bell 61.0 56.7

Architectural details of the stupas

 Miniatures of stupas found in relic chambers give an idea of the old form

of the stupa.
 The square chamber at the top of the dome was hollow at ancient times,

and even after it became solid, its faces show railings.

 On top of the square chamber there are one or more cylinders, some

known as the abode of gods, having figures of deities.

 The conical spire, on the top of the cylinder is a solid, giving the

impression of a number of umbrellas put together, and at its top rests a

crystal set on a gilt minaret.

 Some of the small but important stupas, like the Thūpārāma, were found

on a raised platform with a circular plan, and enclosed within a circular

structure called the vatadage, with a roof.

 Concentric circles of stone pillars carried the wooden roof of the

structure, of which only some of the stone pillars remain at present.

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Thuparama Vatadage
 The large stupas sprang from a square stone-paved platform or an upper

terrace raised from the ground and bounded by a retaining wall, and

surrounded by a lower sand terrace at the ground level, also bounded by a

wall, as shown in the plan of Abayagiri stupa.

 Entrance gates and stone stairs are located at cardinal points, and the sand

terrace was used by processions, with elephants, which go round the stupa.