(Front Cover)

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Gautama Buddha was born in Hela Bima

The English translation of අප උපන් ෙම් ෙහළබිම බුදුන් උපන් ජන්බුද්වීපයයි

(This Helabima, where we were born, is Janbudveepa, the birth place of the Load Buddha)

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 Preface

The story finds here is an amazing story. It is not something had heard before, a story which is beyond
your imaginations. But this is the absolute truth. This is not a created story. Not a statement based on
assumptions either. Not an imaginary or an affectation without a proper foundation. This is the absolute
truth declared with a very clear mind.

It is guaranteed that you too will get the feeling as if you had seen the Buddha himself, will be overjoyed
when you realize that you too are born in this Janbudveepa and reading about it’s true story which is
the only island in this world where all the Buddhas attend to the sacred Enlightenment. That is nothing
but the absolute confidence, Saddha. All who follow Dhamma, who are born in a sacred island of this
nature, in a Madya Mandala where all the universal energies are centralized and in a time period that
the supermundane Buddha Dhamma is disclosed and preached, should read this true story as well.

It’s a fact known by everyone that for a long period of 1500 years in the history, this absolute truth was
covered up, Buddha Dhamma had gone through alterations and the path to Nirvana was closed up. It
should also be mentioned that a suitable environment with all the aspects is formed now in which the
truth can be revealed again, supermandane Buddha Dhamma can be preached to the ones who are
blessed in the world and path to Nirvana can be opened up. The absolute truth can never be forcefully
pressed up and kept forever by the lie, the falsehood, hypothesis, the norms and standards. According
to the cause and effect, Dharma Niyama, the absolute truth will be disclosed by someone in the real
time.

And we should realise that a group who do not accept even the absolute truth is also live with us. Once
who have gone in to visionary extreme ends due to raga, dosa and moha will never be able to see the
truth. The truth is not something pleased by them. We have to be compassionate towards them too.

The ones in that nature who read and listen to this story would violate and go against the limits of their
patience. That is also a Darmatha. These things happened even in the times of the Buddha. We should
not hate them. It is not necessary to be angry with them. It should be our genuine thoughts that one day
they too should realize the truth.

When this absolute truth is disclosed, it may be something not relevant for many people who have
become the extremists in gains & enjoyment, intoxicated in education & intellectual properties, who are
strong in positions & designations. Sometimes they will constantly attempt to change the truth to the
false. In displaying their powers, they may attempt to use their money to ‘buy’ the media. They would
go against the absolute truth, they would go against Gautama Buddha. They commit aryopavada, we
should realize that also.

Everybody is aware that this eon we live in is very close to an elimination of a Kalpa. The elimination of
concepts is one of the key things to be destroyed in the elimination of this Kalpa. In this process it is
certain that many mythical religious concepts which are highly praised and prevailed in the society also
will be eliminated. In the past, along with The Enlightenment of Gautama Buddha, elimination of the
concepts too was occurred. The disappearance of sixty two religious beliefs was occurred along with the
appearance of Buddha Dhamma. As it happened in the history, this definitive incident would happen in
the future as well, again and again. It’s a return. The elimination of the mythical religious concepts in
3
the elimination of this Kalpa in 2012 is something which cannot be stopped by any one or any modern
science. The absolute truth is revealed in this manner as its time for the intelligent people to focus on
themselves and need to realize the objective truth by giving up the religious concepts and need to step
on to the pathway of sublime Buddha Dhamma. In order to open up the pathway to Dhamma, ones who
do the unwholesome are destroyed by the effect of the Darmatha itself and now it is in progress. Hence
it’s time now for the exremistic concepts to be destroyed and the truth to be shined up in the world.

By revealing the truth based on the information in this book, It is not expected, in any way to hurt or
condemn any one and to make any inconvenience or unjust to anyone. And also by revealing this truth,
it’s not expected any personal gains, any publicity, any praise or any name or flame. Writing a book and
earning money is also not expected here. This is nothing but a definitive task fulfilling for the betterment
of the world.

This Hela Diva is the kingdom of Buddha. It is the island of the Dhamma, the virtues. Now, all the
necessaries such as a total purification and a taking off all the hindrances & limitations, required for that
kingdom of Buddha, the island of Dhamma, and also the island to be the world center for Dhamma
again, are in progress. When all these things come in to being and disclose with the effect of the truth
and the power of Darmatha, ones who genuinely want to walk on the path of Dhamma will be able to
achieve the freedom of Nirvana.

Meewanapalane Siri Dhammalankara Thero

Parama Nibbana Dharmayathanaya and Meditation Centre

Athukoralawaththa

Watareka

Padukka

2009.06.07

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 Translation

No any other story, than this, was so pleasing and fascinating in my life.

This is a word to word translation, except the foot notes,

nothing is changed from or added to the original text and

this work is based on the eight print of the original text released in March 2012.

Amal Meemanage

amalmeemanage@gmail.com\+94 777 686908\ December 2012

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 Contents Page No

1 The Enlightenment – Janbudveepa and Hela Diva. 07

2 Real places where universal energy is centralized. 12

3 Ashoka the Great and the kingdom of Buddha built by him. 15

4 Ancient Hela Diva as explained by Aaataanaata Sutta and Maha Samaya Sutta. 23

5 ‘Gautama Buddha came to Lanka for three times’, the real truth behind this 34
statement.

6 Main places to honor and pay homage in Deva Hela (Janbudveepa). 36

6.1 Lumbini, birth place of prince Sidduhat.

6.2 Buddagaya (Gaya Bodi).

6.3 Migadaya in Isipathana.

6.4 The city of Kusinara.

6.5 The city of Sawath and Devram Vehera

7 The languages used in Hela Diva in Buddha’s period. 52

8 Inscription technology and the culture of irrigation in the ancient Hela Diva. 54

9 The meaningful conclusion. 55

Index 58

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 1 The Enlightenment – Janbudveepa and Hela Diva.

The birth of prince Sidhuhath1, the sacred Enlightenment of Gothma Bosath 2and the parivirvana3 of the
Buddha were taken place in Janbudveepa. A long period like forty five years, Buddha Dhamma4 was
preached to the people in Janbudveepa. Janbudveepa (Jan+bud+deepa)5 is a three letter word in
Magadhi language 6 which gives the meaning that ‘It is the island where the Buddhas are born’.
According to the meaning of this Magadhi term, any particular noble person in this mother earth who
aspires to achieve this supermandane status called The Buddhahood7, he will get that great opportunity
only in this Janbudveepa. All the Buddhas attended in to the most supermandane Enlightenment in the
past and all the Buddhas who will attend to the most supermandane Enlightenment in the future in this
world, will select this sacred island as their birth place. This name Janbudveepa is not a name of a
particular place or a country. There is only, not many, place on earth which would be suitable for a birth
of a Buddha with the universal energy in its center. There is only one place of this nature where the
universal energy stands in its center. That place is called Madya Mandala8 in Janbudveepa. This great
human being, the noble man who aspires to achieve the supreme status called The Enlightenment
without any guidance of any teacher but only by self wisdom, should defiantly be born in Janbudveepa
and his sacred incident should occur at a particular place, under a particular Bo tree9 situated in the
Madya Mandala where the universal energies are centralized. This sacred Enlightenment itself is a
definitive phenomena planned according to Dhamma Niyaama10.

All the Buddhas from the time of Deepankara Buddha11 lived in this Badra Kalpa12, attended to their
sacred Enlightenments in this motherland called Janbudveepa. The very meaning of the word suggests
that this place is a deepa, an island. It cannot be a sub-continent or a continent. Because, a particular
place or a point called Madhya Mandala cannot be marked in a continent or in a sub-continent. The
universal energy will not be gathered or centralized in a place which is not a Madhya Mandala.

Hence, according to Dhamma Niyaama it is certain that there is only one single place in this whole world,
there is no any other place, where there is a special universal energy which enables a Buddha to attend

1
Siddhartha,Siddaththa,Sidduhath,Siduhat – Gautama Buddha’s name as a prince, prior to his Enlightenment.
2
Bosath or Bodhisatta" (Pāli language) was used by the Buddha to refer to himself both in his previous lives and as a young man
in his current life, prior to his enlightenment, in the period during which he was working towards his own liberation.
3
parinirvana or parinibbana of Buddha is the passing away of the Buddha.
4
The doctrine of the Buddha.
5
Jan is for birth, bud is for Buddha and deepaya is for the island.
6
Following note is an extract from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia to explain the understanding of the world about the
origination of Magadhi language.
“The Magahi language (Devanagari: मगह; also known as Magadhi, मगधी) is a language spoken in India. Magadhi Prakrit was
the ancestor of Magadhi, from which the latter's name derives. The ancestral language, Magadhi Prakrit, is believed to be the
language spoken by the Buddha, and the language of the ancient kingdom of Magadha. Magadhi is closely related to Bhojpuri
and Maithili, and these languages are sometimes referred to as a single language, Bihari. These languages, together with
several other related languages, are known as the Bihari languages, which form a sub-group of the Eastern Zone of Indo-Aryan
languages. Magadhi has approximately 18 million speakers.”
7
The Enlightenment or The Buddhahood.
8
The center point or the middle zone in Janbudveepa.
9
The Bodhi Tree, also known as Bo, was a large and very old sacred fig tree,Ficus religiosa.Bo is for Bodhi which is the
Enlightenment or the wisdom. As Buddha gained The Enlightenment under a fig tree, this variety of fig tree is called the Bo
Tree.
10
Principles of Dhamma. A natural phenomenon.
11
A name of a previous Buddha.
12
A world-period. An inconceivably long space of time. An eon.
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to his supreme status, The Enlightenment. By fulfilling Samathis Paramithas1, the Buddha develops the
universal energy within himself in a countless periods of this Samsara2 which then will be united with
the universal energy. This universal energy developed by him and the universal energy which had
already developed by the previous Buddhas will be together and be centralized in the Madhya Mandala
in Jambudveepa. The fulfillment of this process is called ‘Vivarana Ganeema’ in Sinhala language 3.

It should be highlighted that this particular magnificent place called Madhya Mandala in Janbudveepa,
as we call it in our day-today language, which is the center point of the world with good energies and
also the place of refuge for many Buddhas, is situated in the very center of a Dhamma Deepa4. Whiles
there is a Madhya Mandala in this world with centralized good universal energies, on the other side of
the world, there is an ending-point too with bad universal energies in its center. The western world calls
this The Bermuda Triangle5 and it has the bad universal energies in its center. These two places are
located in two different extremes. The ones who do the good, the nature will support them and the
ones who do the bad will be destroyed by the power of the nature, this is the nature of this phenomena.
Hence, it is clear that the universal energy too is two-fold, there are two extremes of it, namely, the
good and the bad.

It is no doubt that someone who can preciously understand the meaning of the word ‘Buddha’ in term
of Artha, Dharma, Nirukthi and Patibhaaga6, which has many different meanings and explanations in
general context, such as, power7 or virtues of Buddha, Buddha Dharma, Shakthi or energies of the
Buddha, Buddha Gnaana, Buddhanussathi8, way of Buddha etc, would not face any difficulties in
understanding the meaning of “Janbudveepa” as well.

“The power of the consciousness“ is the only energy source reasoned to create or to originate all the
Sankatha, all the Sankara (Sabbe Dhamma) in this world. Every being is in the process of generating this
power of consciousness on a continuous basis (punabbavothi). bu+uddha = Buddha means the total
eradication of the process of this re-generation, origination (or punabbavothi) of the energy source,
namely the power of consciousness. When the process of generating the power of consciousness is
totally taken off or eradicated the power of the wisdom will come in to the mind in full. It is the power
of wisdom called anuppado. Based on this Dharmatha9 only, Buddha explained it as “nibbaanan
anuppado”.

1
30 Perfections, the qualities leading to The Buddhahood. These qualities were developed and brought to maturity by the
Boddhisatta in his past existences.
2
Samsara or Sansara. According to Buddha Dhamma all the beings, a human being too, experience a journey of life. This very
life will not be the end or the start. It’s a circle. Until one eradicates the reasons to be-come, which is the thirst, he will live, die
and come back and die again, so and so forth. This whole process or the journey is called Samsara.
3
The Buddha in the present will announce or name another one, a Boddhisatta, as the next Buddha.
4
Island of Dhamma or island dedicated for Dhamma.
5
The Bermuda Triangle, also known as the Devil's Triangle, is a region in the western part of the North Atlantic Ocean where a
number of aircrafts and surface vessels are said to have disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Popular culture has
attributed these disappearances to the paranormal or activity by extra terrestrial beings.
6
Buddha enjoys four types of understanding: understanding of doctrine (Dharma), understanding of meaning (Artha),
understanding of grammar (Nirukti) and understanding of eloquence (Pratibhaana).
7
The word power does not use here as it is known by the western world. It does not mean any strength or miracles. But it
approximately means ‘the spiritual strength of Buddha’.
8
Meditation over the virtues of the Buddha.
9
Principles of Dhamma. A natural phenomena.
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The meaning of existence or living is the constant origination (or come in to being) of the characteristics
of raga, desha, moha1 in your own mind which are powered by the power of the consciousness. The
word bu+uddha means the total eradication of power of Sanbava 2 or the total eradication of the power
source (Bhava) or the total eradication of root of the origin of raga, desha and moha. This power of
origin will be originated no anywhere else, but only in the mind. Yatha bootha gaana darshana (or the
wisdom of seeing things as they are) is the realization that this power of origin should be totally
eradicated. The beings who constantly suffer due to the origin of raga, desha and moha can get a real
liberation or a constant relief only by the total eradication of these powers which generate these
defilements (Bhava). The Noble One who discovers this principle by his own insight and preaches it to
the world, will certainly attend to this supreme position in this Janbudveepa itself and will be called
Sammaa Sambuddha3.

Hence, the birth of a Lord Buddha, preaching Dhamma to the people in the world, re-becoming of
Buddha Dhamma and operation of the code of Dhamma over & over again, will occur only in an island
called Janbudveepa where there is one single Maddha Mandala. The true Darmatha4 was clearly stated
in the Tripitaka5 literature and Hela Wansa Katha6 written in the past. Now, the main question remains
for us to find the answer is that what was that island named “Janbudveepa” found even before the
Anuradhapura period, i.e. in the era of Buddha.

The three lettered name “Janbudveepa” found in the original use in Magadhi Prakrit language7, later,
has been translated in to Sinhala language as Dambadiva, the island of Damba trees8, by someone with
padaparama9 knowledge driven by the whole ignorance of the knowledge, and still is used with the
same wrong interpretations. It has to be firmly mentioned that in India – The Bharath Desha – any place
or any part of the Bharath Desha had never ever been used the names such as Janbudveepa or
Dambadiva across the whole history and in the whole of Indian history there had never been existed a
place by this name. During reign of Anuradhapura, 600 years after Buddha, some writers came from
India only started to use the name Janbudveepa in place of India. Bhikku Mahanama who wrote
Mahavamsa10 Pela Commentaries is also an Indian. The very original Mahavamsa was written in Hela
language. What Bhikku Mahanama did was translating the Hela Mahavamsa in to Pali language. It can
be seen that Bhikku Mahanama had used the name Janbudveepa in several places in Pali Mahavamsa
commentaries and it is correct. Bhikku Mahanama also described the word Janbudveepa as the island
where Buddha was born. This clearly says that Janbudveepa had commonly been used with the meaning
‘The island where Buddha was born’.

1
Raga-lust ,Desha- anger,Moha-delusion.
2
san (collection or being collected) + bava (origination,birth,come in to being)
3
Another name for Lord Buddha.
4
The natural phenomena,the natural order.
5
‘The Three Baskets’ is the name for the three main divisions of the Pali Canon: The Basket of Discipline (Vinaya Pitaka), The
Basket of Discourses (Sutta Pitaka) and The Basket of Philosophy (Abhidhamma Pitaka).
6
Historical records or chronicle written in Hela language. Hela is another name for Lanka. Lanka is called ‘The land of Hela
people or Helayos’. Helayos are the inhabitants of the country prior to King Vijaya, the Indian invader.
7
Magadhi Prakrit.
8
A tree bearing fruits.
9
'one for whom the words are the utmost attainment’, Whoever, though having learned much, speaking much, knowing many
things by heart, and discoursing much, has not penetrated the truth, such a man is called by that name.
10
The Great Chronicles.
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“Janbuddeepaa Idhaa Gathaa” mentioned in Pali Mahavamsa commentaries is true and correct. Those
days the name “Janbudveepa” was used for the area where Buddha was born, Deva Hela, which was in
another part of this same island called Hela1. The book called Lokopakaraya written in the Anuradapura
Anuradapura period says that this land of Hela had been divided in to four islands (Deepa), namely,
Janbudveepa, Uthuru Kuru Deepa, Apara Goyanaya and Poorva Videha. And also the capital city of
Yakkha Hela was named and used as Lankapura (Alakamandava). Even in the story of King Vijaya says
that those days Lankapura was the name of the capital city of Yakkha Hela. In the city of Lankapura,
with the support of King Vijaya, Kuveni2 assassinated eighty leaders of the Yakkha clan. Later, this
Lankapura kingdom was renamed as Anuradhapura kingdom. The names such as Lankapura and
Janbudveepa found in Pali Mahavamsa commentaries were used with wrong interpretations by some
writers and the ones who worked on atuwa, teekaa and tippani 3 in the latter stage. They had no any
clear idea or knowledge over the exact use of the word Janbudveepa and they, driven by assumptions,
used it as of a place in India. The original Hela Mahavamsa written in the very early part in the
Anuradhapura era with genuine details does not exist now. What is available now is just a commentary
in Pali which is written for that Hela Mahavamsa. This particular commentary was written 500 years
after the original Hela Mahavamsa, meaning, approximately 850 years after The Enlightenment of
Buddha. The birth place of the Buddha in Deva Hela (Janbudveepa), by this time, turned in to a place
covered by the jungle and had only few Aranya Senasanas4, Stupas & monasteries with few Bhikkus5
who still had the firm determination of going along on the path of Dhamma and they led extremely a
hard life. In the Anuradhapura era, sublime Buddha Dhamma came to an end and that place was taken
by the popular Buddhism. A large group of worldly thinking Bhikkus could be seen in the country. They
had very close relationships with the palace, accepted the alms only from the palace and had a luxury
life in seven story mansions. They were not interested in following the sublime Buddha Dhamma, but in
some beliefs and worldly customs in popular Buddhism which were organized and confirmed in the
latter stage. All the things such as the division between Nikayas6, the conflict between Abayagiri Vihara
and Mahavihara, the division of Bhikkus for and against the throne, the concepts of gods etc are not the
characteristics of the sublime Buddha Dhamma, but of the popular Buddhism. This situation became so
worse in the Polonnaruwa7 period. It can be noticed that ordinary Bhikkus completely changed the
sacred Buddha Dhamma and they highly praised the religious beliefs based on gods. But the noble
Bhikkus resided in the forests and monasteries in the areas like Thissamaharama, Sabaragamuwa &
Kegalle, worked for the protection of sublime Buddha Dhamma, followed the Dhamma and gained the
results in the supermandane path.

Hence, it is very certain that the name “Jambudveepa” given by the writer of the true story found in the
first Hela Mahavamsa, had been changed after 500 years by the commentaries. This gave a wrong
interpretation to this name and distorted the entire Hela history.

1
The island of Hela people. Another name for Lanka.
2
History says that this is a Yakkha queen; she fell in love with king Vijaya and supported him to kill her relations. She later
became the wife of king Vijaya.
3
atuwa are commentaries, tika and tippani were developed as sub-commentaries for atuwa.
4
A monastery in the forest.
5
Bhikkus or Sanga are the members of the Order.
6
The conflict among the sectors of the Order.
7
After the collapse of the throne of Anuradhapura, it got shifted to the city of Polonnaruwa.
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The biography of the Buddha, Buddha Dhamma, Tripitaka, Dhammapadha, Jaathaka Potha 1and most of
other related literature were also written in this Hela Deepa. That was in Hela language or Maagahi
Praakruthi language. Though the books written in Maagadhi language can be found in the period of King
Valagamba, books such as Hela Atuwa (Hela Commentaries in Hela language), Kurundi Atuwa (Kurundi
Commentaries), Budukali Atuwa (Budukali Commentaries), Maha Atta Katha (Great Atta Katha) &
Seehalatta Katha had been used in the Deva Hela, even prior to the Anuradhapura period. The history,
Mahavamsa, say that on his way to Anuradhapura from the city of Rajagaha2 (today it is Rajagala) in
Ampara in Hela Diva, great Arahant Mahinda Thero had taken the Budukali Commentaries written in
Hela language with him. The city of Rajagaha was the capital city of the kingdom Maghada in Deva Hela.
Many books in Maaghadi language too were written in this Hela Diva. Pela Dhamma originally written in
Maagahi language was modified later in to Pali language, Pali literature and Pali grammar. This
formation of Pali language occurred in the latter part in the Anuradhapura period. In the Polonnaruwa
period, Pali commentary books written by Bhikku Buddhagosha were used in plenty by the mass. A
language called Pali was not used by any country in any day across the history. It is not a dead language
too. It was a modified language. Maghadi Prakrutha (Prakrit) and Pali are not the same language.

In order to take forward from this generation to the others and for the comfort in studying, the supreme
Budhha Dhamma preached by Buddha in Maaghadi Prakrit language, was arranged in the form of lines.
Buddha Dhamma arranged in a form of lines, later, was popular as Pela Dahama3. Later, based on the
general meanings, modified interpretations were given for this Pela Dahama and it was called Pali
language. All these happened, all these changes happened in this Hela Deepa itself, not anywhere else.
A language called Maghadi Prakrit was not used in any place in India any time. In the second half of the
Anuradhapura period, many Pali books were taken to India, translated in to Sanskrit and used in India.
Also it says that Pali scholars in Lanka had taught the Pali language in Indian universities (Ajantha and
Ellora). Some Indians had studied the Pali language in Lanka & in India and the books written in Hela
language had been translated in to Pali language. Master Buddhagosha and Bhikku Mahanama who
wrote the Vinaya Atuwa (Vinaya Commentaries) were among them. All of them learnt the Pali and Hela
language only from the Buddhist Bhikkhus lived in this Hela Deepa. Hence it is clear that Gautama
Buddha preached the Buddha Dhamma in Magahadi Language in a region called Deva Hela in this
country, in Janbudveepa. Lankapura was the capital city of Yakkha Hela (Uthuru Kuru Deepa).

1
Jaathaka Potha, Jaathaka Potha Wahanse or Pansiya Panak Jathaka Potha is named in that manner as this book contains
nearly 550 stories of the previous births of Gautama Buddha. Jathaka are ‘the births’. This is a master piece in Sinhalese
th
literature which was written in the 14 century during the reign of King Parakramabahu IV (1302-1326). The book contains full
of advisory tales which had gone to the very root of the lives of the Sinhala Buddhists and over thousanad years they had used
the book in shaping up, directing their lives on the path of Dhamma. The culture of the Sinhala Buddhists is such that people
apply the examples found in the stories of the book on the vicissitudes they face in their day today lives.
2
The city called Rajagaha.
3
Dhamma or the doctrine is arranged in the form of lines.
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 2 Real places where universal energy is centralized.

According to Maha PariNibbana Sutta, The Buddha himself addressed Ananada Thero and made a
statement as follows.

“ Chaththaari Maani Ananda

Saddhassa kulapuththassa
Dassaneeyaani,sanvejaneeyaani thaanaani
Katamaani chaththaari ”

1. Iddha Thathaagatho jaathothi Ananada

Saddhassa kulapuththassa
Dassaneeyaani,sanvejaneeyaani thaanaani

2. Iddha Thathaagatho anuthththaro samma sambodhi

Abhisambuddhothi Ananda
Saddhassa kulapuththassa
Dassaneeyaanan,sanvejaneeyaanan thaanan

3. Iddha Thathaagatho anuthththaran Dhammachakkan

Pavaththitanthi Ananda
Saddhassa kulapuththassa
Dassaneeyaanan,sanvejaneeyaanan thaanan

4. Iddha Thathaagatho anupaadhisesaaya,nibbhanadhaathuya

Parinibbuthoothi Ananda, sadhassa kulapuththassa
Dassaneeyaanan,sanvejaneeyaanan thaanan ”

The Gautama Buddha himself had addressed Ananada Thero and said that “Ananada, ones who seek
Nibbana, ones who are on the path of Dhamma, Kula Puthras who are devoted & want to be Dassanena
Sampanna, ones who want to be satisfied in thoughts and to achieve Samma Ditthi - to attend in to the
Sothapaththi1 stage through the path of Sothapaththi - there are four places to visit & to pay the
homage which will undoubtly assist and be assisted for the satisfaction in mind. Those four places are,

1. The birth place of prince Sidduhath.

2. The place where Gautama Buddha attended in to his supermandane Enlightenment.
3. The place where Gautama Buddha preached his very first sermon.
4. The place where Gautama Buddha attended to his parinibbana.

The devoted Kula Puthra is a special term used for the one who had listened to real Dhamma, directing
his life in the correct path of Buddha Dhamma and entered in to the path of Sothapanna. Someone who
had misled his life by rigid belief will not be having Saddha, the confidence. Since Buddha himself had
preached and praised these four sacred places, it is necessary to discover these four places properly and

1
‘stream - entry’ , the lowest of the 8 noble disciples (ariya – puggala).
12
understand the significance of them. The Buddha Shakthi 1 required to achieve supermundane fruitions
(Maga Pala or Marga Pala2) in the Supermundane Paths (Maga) is centralized only in the association of
these places. In the time that Buddha lived, there were many grate Arahants and these places were not
that much important. It is because the devoted Kula Puthras could see the Buddha, listen to his voice,
could experience Buddha spirit by themselves. But now a day, in order to get the real universal energy,
these places should be correctly identified, visited and paid the due respects.

In order to establish a group of devoted Kula Puthras it is necessary to identify, disclose, preach the
sublime Buddha Dhamma to the world. A genuine attempt to identify these places correctly and disclose
them to the world would certainly be a great task to the mankind and that will be an aid for these noble
ones to achieve the supermundane fruitions & attend in to Nirvana. It should also be mentioned that
this truth is revealed in this manner and not having any idea to hurt anyone or to get some benefits
enjoyed by them or to get anything else in return. In doing so, it is obvious to experience certain
disapprovals. But, one day without being frightened, this whole truth should be disclosed to the world.
The fear is a condition springs up in the ordinary mind. Today a majority of people who genuinely
follows the sublime Buddha Dhamma is established in this Hela Deepa. This sublime truth is revealed in
this manner to show and guide them on the correct path. In doing so, it should also be highlighted here
that nothing of any recognition, propaganda, glory or benefits are expected.

A very long period like 1500 years, these four places with sacred Buddha Shakthi were covered and
hidden by the effects of Dharmatha itself. It should be mentioned that alone with the disappearance of
these places in time, many people lost the noble opportunity of attending in to Nibbana. As a result of
the malformation and extinction of sacred Buddha Dhamma, not only these four key places, places like
Devram Vihara where Buddha lived for twenty years, the city of Rajagaha, Veluwana Vihara and also
many other sacred places which became so sacred due to Buddha’s presence with them, were
disappeared in time. With the cessation of the supreme Buddha Dhamma and its new formation as a
religious belief, Buddhism, made the devoted Kula Puthras rare and few. Ordinary followers who gave
priority for religious beliefs and faiths were common and plenty. As a result, these sacred places were
hidden off by the effect of the Dharmatha and in replacing them, some new places, models, came in to
being and they got established. That is the nature of the Dharmatha. In a period where there are no any
devoted Kulaputhras these sacred places will be disappeared and vanished by the effect of Dharmatha,
it’s the nature of Dharmatha.

Disclosing the presence of these places and letting the devoted Kula Puthras to pay their homage to
them is equally important as, in realizing Nibbana, it’s preaching the supreme Buddha Dhamma and
attending into a Anusasana Praathihaaraya3 through the preaching of “San”4. If someone wishes to
achieve the spiritual purification through the true disclose of Patichchasamuppaada Dhamma5Dvathaa
Dhamma6,Thipariwatta7 and Chathuraarya Sachcha Dhamma1, and to be united with the universal

1
Virtues of Buddha or the strength of the virtues of the Buddha.
2
Conveniently known as Marga-Pala, in Sinhalese. They are the stream-winner (Sotapanna), Once-Returner (Sakadagami),
Non-Returner (Anagami) and the Holy One (Arahant).
3
Making miracles through Anusasana , the admonitions.
4
Prounces as in Son.
5
Doctrine of the Conditional Genesis – The teaching of dependent origination or dependent arising.
6
The Dhamma which has plus and minus, good and bad.
7
A doctrine of Self, a doctrine which explains three main trances.
13
energies released by the previous Buddhas, it’s a must to visit and pay homage to these places.
Revealing this true knowledge only would be a great relief to the devoted Kula Puthras who genuinely
attempt to experience ‘a fruit’ of the path of Nibbana in this life itself. Even today, these sacred places
are well preserved to go and see them. The real intention or the expectation of revealing them is to
giving a trouble free opportunity to go and pay the due respects for these places by the ones who are
lucky enough to attend to Nirvana.

Due to some powerful Dharmatha, a long period of 1500 years, these sacred places were not known by
the world. It should clearly be understood that these places were replaced with different structural
models and people used to worship these new places. Since Buddha Shakthi or universal energy is not
found in these structural models located outside Janbudveepa, any respective power helping the people
to enable their spiritual purification cannot be experienced in these structural models. Hence,
throughout the history, the pilgrims who went to these places in search of Buddha Shakthi, universal
energy had lost the opportunity of experiencing that energy. Hence I decided to make this disclose now
as its time to find all these places correctly and declare their presence to the world. This decision was
driven purely by a genuine thought and I do not have any hidden agenda, not intending to get any
benefits or to condemning or dishonoring anyone else. This should be considered only as a genuine
course done towards the well being of the mankind.

Once its mentioned in a book of the most venerable Professor late Walpola Rahula once mentioned that
some Bhikkus lived in Anuradhapura in Anuradhapura period, were not possessed with any spiritual
real-understanding, yathaa bootha gnaana darashana, demonstrated by the sacred preachings of
Buddha, but just lead an artificial life. This is the time to draw the attention of today’s educated Bhikkus
and lay disciples on this statement again who consider Buddha Dhamma just as a faith. The ones in the
Order, who lead an artificial life, had gone to its extreme end now and because of that now it’s the real
time to reveal this truth.

1
The Four Noble Truths – They comprise the essence of Buddha's teachings,namely,The truth of suffering, The truth of the
cause of suffering, The truth of the end of suffering, and The truth of the path that leads to the end of suffering.
14
 3 Ashoka the great and the kingdom of Buddha built by him.

Everyone knows the true story of the eminent ruler in the Indian history, the emperor, the great King
Ashoka, building his kingdom of righteousness in the regions which came under his custody, after nearly
280 years of the parinirvana of Gautama Buddha. Another true story hidden in this story is covered by
the sands of time. In proving this, we can also use a lot of information of the book written on the Indian
history in Ashoka’s time by Professor A L Basham1 This book was published in English language. Later it
was translated in to Sinhala language too. Some details in the original English book have been missed
out in the Sinhala translation. It seems that, otherwise, the opinions of the translators too are taken in
to the book.

The emperor Ashoka came in to the throne in India by conquering the Greeks. First, the great king
Ashoka conquered the East India, West India and then North India, finally he turned towards the South
Indian region. Final and the bloodiest battles planned by him was the Kalinga war. The slain was in
thousands, a similar number of people were taken in to the prisons and finally he was able to stretch his
reign up to river Kaveri.

He heard and knew about the rich culture prevailed in Hela Diva and his armies were sent from Kalinga
to conquer Hela Diva. Though he sent the armies several times to Hela Diva, they could not even reach
Hela Diva.

By this time, Buddha Dhamma was well established in many parts of Hela Diva, Bhikkus could be seen
frequently even in South India. Buddha Dhamma was extended up to river Kaveri in South India. Asoka
the Great was able to know about Buddhist Bhikkus and also about principles of non-violence found in
Buddha Dhamma. After the battle in Kalinga, King Ashoka was exhausted and then a special incident
happened and that brought him a great mental relief and total change in his life. That is to see the
Bhikkus and to know about the principles of non-violence found in Buddha Dhamma. The emperor, by
this time, was able to know certain things about Hela Diva and Buddha Dhamma from the Bhikkus
themselves.

All the attempts he made to conquer Hela Diva using his armies were not successful. “I could conquer
this big land, Barath Desha, but not this very small land, what is the strength behind that?”, King Ashoka
asked from the Bhikkus.

The Bhikkus replied, “Oh great king, Janbudveepa is that island. It is a land of Buddha. It is Dhamma
prevails in that land. The land of Buddha cannot be conquered by the strength of the military force. And
it is then better to give up the idea of conquering Hela Diva by war”. The King Ashoka kept aside the idea
of a war against the island totally and came out with a new thought. That new thought was to building a
model kingdom of Buddha, a kingdom of Dhamma within his own land. With this idea, he ended up
ruling his kingdom by war and started to run the kingdom by the righteousness. Chandashoka - Ashoka
the fierce, became Dharmashoka – Ashoka of Dhamma.

1
Professor Arthur Llewellyn Basham (24 May 1914 – 27 January 1986) was a noted historian and ideologist and author of a
number of books.
15
Ashoka the Great then sent nine Purohithas1 to Hela Diva and they studied and reported to him on
things such as what is kingdom of Buddha? What is Janbudveepa?, What are the special places and
rituals & customs of the island?. They were further ordered to find out all the relevant facts and
information about the kingdom of Buddha and Janbudveepa (This is very clearly stated in the
Mahavamsa).

This helped the King Ashoka to find all the relevant information about Hela Diva, Janbudveepa, kingdom
of Buddha and Buddha Dhamma from his Purohithas. After finding out all the relevant information, the
great King Ashoka got a very strange idea to build an artificial kingdom of Buddha across his Indian
empire. Following this idea, in India too, he started building the models of the Viharas2, monasteries,
cities, all other religious places found in Janabudveepa in Hela Diva. Within a period of three years, his
commands came in to actions by building eighty four thousand dagabas, temples & monasteries across
the entire Indian empire and, not only that, some of these were named following their original names
found in Janbudveepa in Hela Diva. In addition to this, following the names of the sixteen janapadas3 in
Janbudveepa, he used those identical names for the janapadas built in India as well. He built special
monuments to commemorate the birth place of Gautama Buddha, the place of his Enlightenment, the
place where he had his first sermon and the place where he entered in to his parinirvana. Likewise, he
also built very special places found in Heladeepa such as Devram Vihara Jethavanarama4 Vihara,
Veluwana Vihara in the city of Rajagaha. That was not the end, Ashoka the Great appointed ministers of
Dhamma for the service of these monasteries and made arrangements to bring down Bhikkus from
Heladeepa.

And also the King Ashoka announced that the people in all the religious sectors in India can come and
reside in those model temples and monasteries. Replacing the supreme Buddha Dhamma prevailed all
these times in Hela Diva, the great King Ashoka could establish ‘Buddhisam’, which was a combination of
good principles in religions found in the ancient India, principles of Pancha Seela, 5 and some special
features & certain worldly non-violence principles found in the Buddha Dhamma in Hela Diva. The King
Ashoka spread out this new religion in his vast empire and sent out the missionaries to propaganda the
new religion in all the neighboring countries of India. He made arrangements for the third Dhamma
Sangayana6 also and got this ‘Buddhism’ well established in his empire. During his life time he could
spread out Buddhism to many countries in the east. The ultimate result of this action was that, the
supramandane Dhamma of Gautama Buddha of which Nirvana was the main objective, after 300 years
of time, came under the influence of religious concepts and started to spread out as Buddhism.

1
Chief advisers, chief priests to the king.
2
The vihara is considered as an outstanding type of architectural creation of ancient Lanka. The vihra is also known by
synonymous names such as chaithya, stupa, thupa,seya and dagaba.
3
solos maha janapada, the great sixteen cities or states.
4
Jethavana Arama. Arama of Jetha, the garden belongs to Jetha. These are well maintained gardens owned by very wealth
persons or given for the use of disciples of the Buddha. These gardens are classic examples for the plots of land with ulmost
serene beauty, ideal for the use of the ones who lead the ascetic life. Lanka is full of these places and without knowing the
reason driven to establish them, ‘treasure hunter’ destroy the ruins (specially dagabas and statues of the Buddha and others)
found in these places in their attempts in searching ‘valubles’.
5
The Five Precepts (Pali: pañca-sīlāni) constitute the basic Buddhist code of ethics, undertaken by lay followers of the Buddha in
the Theravada as well as in Mahayana traditions. The precepts in both traditions are essentially identical and are commitments
to abstain from harming living beings, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying and intoxication. Undertaking the five precepts is part
of both lay Buddhist initiation and regular lay Buddhist devotional practices.
6
The Council of Dhamma.
16
The history says that there had been more than twenty to thirty thousand Arahants who had followed
the supreme teachings of the Buddha in one part of Deva Hela (Janbudveepa where Buddha was born)
even at the time that Ashoka the Great established a kingdom of Buddha, kingdom of Dhamma in India
and made Buddhism the religion of the country. In this period too, the supermandane Buddha Dhamma
was existed in one part of Janbudveepa in Hela Diva and in another there lived a tribal community who
did not have any belief in any religion. That is the Yakka Hela. Those days in Janbudveepa in Hela Diva, in
Buddha’s time too, most of the people in the tribal communities like Yakka, Naaga, Kumbanda and
Ghandharva lived in this part in Hela Diva did not accept the teachings of the Buddha at all. Later, the
Indian King Vijaya killed the leaders of the Yakkha community and became the ruler of Yakkha Hela,
general citizens and the other kings who came after Vijaya did not have any interest in following Buddha
Dhamma. What Arahant Mahinda Thero and the great King Ashoka did was introducing the Buddhism to
the king of the Yakkha Hela and to the people of the Yakkha Hela who did not follow even Pacha Seela.
Hence its clearly stated in the history that even when the time Arahant Mahinda Thero and the great
King Ashoka introduced Buddhism to the kingdom of Anuradhapura, there had been thousands of
Arahants in many parts in Deva Hela in this very country. It should be highlighted that the most
venerable Arahant Mahinda Thero who is considered as the one who introduced Buddhism to Lanka and
also his sister Sanghamiththaa had come to the areas such as the city of Savath, city of Rajagaha where
the real teachings of the Buddha were practiced, had learnt the Buddha Dhamma from the great
Aranhaths and attended to the supermandane status. Venerable Arahant Mahinda Thero learnt Hela
language and Maaghadi language in this Deva Hela, not from anywhere else.

Even at the time that venerable Mahinda Thero and princess Sanghamiththaa came to Lanka from India,
Shakyan princes had ruled many Shakyan cities situated in the east, Central and Southern directions in
Hela Diva. King Kawanthissa, King Mahasena & King Abhaya and also many other known & un-known
kings had ruled the cities like Thissamaharama, Sithulpawwa, city of Rajagaha, city of Devdaha &
Kimbulwathpura situated in Janbudveepa in this Hela Diva itself. With the introduction of Buddhism to
the kingdom of Anuradhapura (Lankapura), the culture of hunting animals practiced in Anuradhapura
for all these times got changed. Gradually, a culture of cultivating paddy fields came into existence. The
history says that when the time Buddhism was introduced to Anuradhapura by Arahant Mahinda Thero,
even in the full moon Poya Day 1the ruler of Anuradhapura had gone on hunting with his fellow men.2
The influence of the group of intellectual men of eighteen casts who came to Anuradahpua from India
would have been a strong reason to change this culture from animal hunting in to the cultivation of
paddy. Due to the influence of this group, reign of Yakka in Anuradhapura came to an end, the reign of
Hela Diva got totally changed and not only the reign of Yakkaha Hela, even the Deva Hela, gradually
came under the control of Anuradhapura.

From the tenth year till the end of the reign, Ashoka the Great ruled his country based on the concepts
of kingdom of righteousness. It is very visible that the King Asoka did not want to believe in Nirvana

1
Poya or Poya Day is the name given to a Buddhist public holiday in Sri Lanka which occurs every full moon day. The Full moon
is important to Buddhists all around the world, who have adopted the Lunar Calendar for their religious observances. Owing to
the moon's fullness of size as well as its effulgence, the full moon day is treated as the most auspicious of the four lunar phases
occurring once every lunar month (29.5 days) and thus marked by a holiday. Every full moon day is known as a Poya in Sinhala;
this is when a practicing Buddhist visits the Temple for the rituals of worship. There are 12 or 13 Poyas per year. The term poya
is derived from the Pali and Sanskrit form uposatha (from upa + vas: to fast) primarily signifying "fast day". Generally shops and
businesses are closed on Poya Days, and the sale of alcohol and meat is forbidden.
2
Specially in poya days , Buddhists keep themselves away from acts like killing any living being.
17
administered by Gautama Buddha in the supermandane Dhamma and he never wanted to follow the
path of Dhamma. He never gave up what he believed so far, which is also the belief of the mass in India,
Hinduism based on the concepts of gods. Professor Basham clearly mentions that the king frequently
went on pilgrimages and that is to the religious places of Hindu Brahmins. Also it can be very clearly
seen that any Ashoka inscriptions do not contain any note of supermandane Buddha Dhamma, but they
carried frequent notes on religious concepts and divine prayers & rituals. Because of this, it’s a fact that
Ashoka The Great formed a kingdom of Buddha, a kingdom of Dhamma & also a model of Janbudveepa
in India only as a righteous mean of securing the power and the stability of his vast empire won by the
wars and also to establish a reign of Dhamma which will then not bring any further killings in the country.
He had no any knowledge and any confidence on Nirvana.

Buddha Dhamma very strongly helped the King Ashoka to end up all animal sacrifices, slaughtering of
innocent animals, numerous rituals date back to thousand years practiced by the Indian religions such as
Vedha, Shiva and Jainism and also to spread out the non-violence among his citizens.

Buddha Dhamma which was formed by a concept of King Ashoka, spread out in India and also in all
neighboring countries for a short period of time, at least. This Buddhism came to Anuradhapura also,
which was a part of the kingdom of the Yakkha tribe in Hela Diva. The next transformation was that the
supermandane Buddha Dhamma prevailed for years in Deva Hela - Janbudveepa - in Ruhuna, which
helped the people to attend to Nirvana, came to an end gradually. Finally, only its new form, the
Buddhism, became popular across Hela Diva. The supermandane Buddha Dhamma of which the main
aim is to direct people to Nirvana was not popular among the ordinary people. It is not an interesting
religious concept to the ordinary men and women. According to supermandane Buddha Dhamma there
isn’t a thing called happiness, Sukkha. It is just an illusion. We experience Dhukka1, suffering, only
because we go behind happiness, Sukkha. But according to the King Ashoka’s Buddhism formed with the
conjunction of concepts of gods, worldly religious concepts which aspire Nirvana only after enjoying
pleasure in divine worlds & in the human world came in to being2. The Buddhism was transformed in to
a worldly religion of the ordinary mass which praised the values of all the meritorious acts, ordinary
rituals aiming at the happiness in this world & in other divine worlds, and was popular among kings and
the businessmen also. Because of this, in later years, a particular religious Buddhist group came in to
being in this Hela Diva who works only for the worldly pleasures leaving the prime aim of supreme
Buddha Dhamma, Nirvana. This is the transformation experienced in the ancient times in Anuradhapura.

In this manner, nearly after 1000 years of parinibbana of Buddha, the supreme Dhamma which purely
aimed at Nirvana, taught by Gautama Buddha by rejecting nearly sixty religious beliefs existed in the
Deva Hela in Janbudveep, vanished forever from Hela Diva. People again started to practice religious
concepts and Buddha Dhamma was treated as nothing but a belief. It was mixed with religious concepts

1
The impermanence of life. The interpretation given for this in the common world is ‘suffering’ which is highly misleading,
harmful to Buddha Dhamma. Ones who do not have a thorough knowledge in Buddha Dhamma would come under the
impression that Buddha taught only about suffering(s) in life. But what the Buddha taught here is that the non- existence of
anything forever. This Dhamma suggests that nothing is permanent in this world, everything is subjected to change.
2
After any type of meritorious deed done by Sinhala Buddhists, for example a particular serman or an alms-giving which is a
part of the culture of Sinhala Buddhists, the monk(s) who headed the event will bless ( to transfer merits to the seen and
unseen beings) the auduiance that they would experience, in the event of the maturity of the deed they just performed, many
lives in the human world and also in the hevenly realms and finally realize the bliss in Nirvana. This is the pathetic consequence
of the influence made by popular Buddhisam on the sublime teachings of Buddha. In fact, Nirvana is not something to be
postponed and realize later in the future.
18
of gods and now it has passed nearly 1500 years. In the history of Hela Diva, Buddhism was accepted as
the religion of the kingdom in many eras. By this way, the sublime path taught by Gautama Buddha for
Nirvana, got disappeared. That is nature of the Darmatha.

There were mainly sixteen Sakyan states in Deva Hela known as Janbudveepa and it is the birth place of
the Buddha. The supreme Buddha Dhamma was in practice in most of these cities in Heladiva even in
the reign of King Ashoka. There were great Arahants as well as other noble ones who had attended in to
certain stages in the path of Nirvana. The supreme Buddha Dhamma was embraced by the many. Even
the members of the royal families in Hela Diva, discarded the wars, sacrificed all the royal comforts for
the happiness in Dhamma, wanted to experience the renunciation of lay life and, gradually, as a result of
this, the throne got fully affected. Generations of kings, queens and their descendants got extinct. Many
parts of the country came under the control of the new kingdom in Anuradhapura. Sometimes later, the
King Dhuttugamunu from a kingdom in Deva Hela conquered the kingdom of Anuradhapura too,
became the very first king to rule the entire Hela Diva under one flag. According to the history of Hela
Diva known to us, the great King Dhuttugamunu from Ruhuna was the very first king ruled all four parts
of Hela Diva under one throne.

Even at the time King Dhuttugamunu came in to the throne, supermandane Buddha Dhamma was still
prevailed in some kingdoms in Ruhuna in Deva Hela. But sooner after he came in to the throne, he too
was not escaped from the Indian influences and did his best for the success of Buddhisam. Hence, this
great land in Ruhuna, a heritage, the place blessed by nature which helped for the great Enlightenment
of Gautama Buddha and also all other Buddhas in the past, was gradually covered by the thick jungles.
Later, there wasn’t even one single human to be seen and it turned completely in to a great jungle.
Devram Vehera, city of Rajagaha & all other sacred places in Janbudveepa built in the past were covered
by the dense forests, even the names of them were forgotten and disappeared from people’s mind.

Although dagabas & monasteries built in Deva Hela were covered by the forest and forgotten in time,
the model kingdom of Buddha built in India by the great King Ashoka was not destroyed so soon.
Religious places found in that model kingdom of Buddha, later, were considered by the Hindus as their
religious places too. It is possible that many Indian and Lankan authors who wrote books in the kingdom
of Anuradapura knew about the model kingdom of Buddha built in India, but did not know about the
locations and the very original buildings made in Buddha’s time in Janbudveepa in Hela Diva. Because of
this very reason, all the authors from the time of Anuradhapura up to date, considered, and they meant
it too, the ruins in the secondly built model kingdom of Buddha by King Ashoka as Janbudveepa, but not
the ruins of the very original kingdom of Buddha in Hela Diva. These ruins in Hela Diva were not
destroyed due to the effect of Darmatha and anyone can see them even today.

In Buddha’s time, the name Janbudveepa was used for Deva Hela as it gave the meaning that ‘the island
where Buddha was born’ and later the authors and commentary writers of this country believed in that,
based on assumptions, it was the name given to India. They mentioned that in their books as well. Now,
this is the time to change this wrong interpretation about Janbudveepa and disclose the real truth to the
world. From the past up to date many people made certain attempts to reveal the truth about this
matter, but all of them had failed to do so. It is purely because of the fact that even today many people
strongly believe that Buddhism and Buddha Dhamma are the same. Actually speaking they do not know
Buddha Dhamma.
19
When it is started to preach the re-appeared supermandane Buddha Dhamma with the aim of guiding
the world to achieve Nirvana, misleading ideas & wrong interpretations which were prevailed for all this
times on ‘Janbudveepa’ & its history will be disappeared. Now it is the real time for the truth to come in
to being. It can actually be considered as a yuga mehewara, fulfilling a great task for the betterment of
all the beings.

Ashoka the Great built a model kingdom of Buddha1 in his empire, he was genuine and did not have any
idea to mislead anyone. King Ashoka never expected the world to believe that Buddha was born in India.
King Ashoka installed all his inscriptions only as a mean to commemorate those places. He merely
wanted to set up a mechanism by which he will be able to keep away any future wars and rule his vast
empire, conquered by war, with peace and harmony until his death. He was successful. But the authors
in Lanka, later, presented this idea to the world in a false way. This change, defacement was not done in
India.

In building these significant places of Janbudweepa in India, Ashoka the Great had not considered even
the distances among the said places. He just wanted to build these places across his empire. If he had
wished to mislead the people, he could have considered the actual distances as well.

The actual distance from the palace of Suddhodhana in the city of Kimbulwath to the city of Dewdaha,
prince Siddaththa’s birth place, in Janbudveepa in Hela Diva was nearly 40 - 50 km. In today’s context it
is from Dimbulagala to a place in Kundsale, Theldeniya. But the distance from the place identified first as
the city of Kapilawasthu in India to Lumbini in Nepal is nearly 3000 Kms (later this distance was
considered seriously by the present scholars and another new place had been identified and declared as
the city of Kapilavasthu). It is very impossible to come to the assumption that especially in a period
where advanced transportations were not common, a pregnant mother who expects her delivery at any
time had decided to go such a long distance to see her parents for her gab perahera. gab perahera was
a custom practiced in Lanka in the past as well as to the present day. Customs of this nature cannot be
seen in India. gab perahara is the visit made by a pregnant woman to her parents who expects her
delivery in the very near future2.

Likewise, the distance between the place identified as Buddhagaya today in India, and the place
identified as Isipathana where Buddha delivered his first sermon is nearly 450 Kms.

The distance of the walk that Gautama Buddha made in search of five ascetics from Hirivadunna in
Janbudveepa in Hela Diva, where Sri Maha Bodhi3 still stands legendry, to the real Isipathana (today this
place is called Isinbassagala4 in Madavachchiya) in Kaseerata5 is nearly 60 Kms. In the ancient times,
Gautama Buddha spent nearly 3 days to cover this distance. If he had walked a distance of 450 Kms,
then it would have been taken 20 days. But, what is known is that the Gautama Buddha realized The
Enlightenment in Wesak Poya Day6 , spent seven1 weeks there and at the end of the eighth week, in one

1
Buddha Rajja
2
Probably this could be her first visit to her parents’ house after her wedding. Prince Siddhathth’s mother, queen Maayaa too
followed this custom.
3
The sacred fig tree (Ficus religiosa) under which The Buddha attended to his enlightenment.
4
Isin (irsheen or rishis or seers) +bassa (came down from..) +gala (the rock or stretch of rocks) – the rock or the rocky area from
where the seers came down …
5
The kingdom called Kasee.
6
Buddhists believe that the Buddha realized The Enlightenment in the full moon day in May.
20
Esala Poya2, had preached Dhamma to the five ascetics at Isipathana. It is necessary to look in to these
matters not by the logical approach but by the perspective of Dhamma.

The distances from city of Visala to Kusinara and city of Rajagaha to city of Visala in Janbudveepa in the
ancient Hela Diva, and the distances of the these places marked in India today are beyond someone’s
imaginations. To get a true picture one can compare these facts as well. All the ones who go and had
already gone on pilgrimages in India had experienced this. (These places too are described in a chapter
to come).

The model kingdom of Buddha built by King Ashoka in India and the foundations of the buildings of the
first kingdom of Buddha built 300 years ago in Janbudveepa, here in Hela Diva, are still existing.
Someone who compares these ruins would see the following differences and that will be an aid for the
realization of the truth.

1. When one looks in to the available extraordinary ruins of different buildings and monasteries built by
the kings, the Counts, businessmen & rich people who lived in Buddha’s time in Janbudveepa in Hela
Diva, he would notice that the foundations of all these buildings are made by solid rock or seasoned rock
slates. And also would notice that all those slates are made using very advanced technology. People who
lived in Hela Diva in the ancient times had used seasoned rocks and this is something similar to making
granite using rocks in the present day. The rock slates & foundations of the ancient buildings available
even up to this date in areas like Ritigala, Hiriwadunna, Buddangala in Ampara, Rajagala, Nilagala,
Thiriyaaya and also in Budugala in Balangoda, areas in Kurugala, Sithulpawwa, Thissamaharamaya,
Maligavila, Kudumbigala, Muhudu Maha Viharaya, Kottiyaram Nuwara situated to the southern
direction of Seruwawila and Kataram Pura. Because of this one can imagine the development of this

1
Sath Sathiya. The General\traditional understanding of this is as follows.
First week: Under the bodhi tree - During the first week after Enlightenment, the Buddha sat under the bodhi tree, experiencing
the happiness of freedom and peace. Throughout the week, He sat in one posture, experiencing the Bliss of Emancipation
(Vimukthi Suva). Second week: Gazing at the bo tree - In gratitude to the tree that had sheltered Him during His struggle for
Buddhahood, the Buddha stood without moving His eyes as He meditated on the bodhi tree (Animisalochana Pooja), thus
teaching a great moral lesson to the world. Buddhists who follow this example pay their respects not only to the original bo tree,
but also other bo trees. Third week: Golden bridge - The Buddha saw through His mind's eye that the gods were not sure
whether He had attained Enlightenment, as the Buddha had not given up His temporary residence at the bo tree. To clear their
doubts, He created, by His psychic powers, a golden bridge in the air, and walked up and down it for a whole week. Fourth
week: In the jewelled chamber - The Buddha created a beautiful jewelled chamber (ratanaghara) and sitting inside it, meditated
on what was later known as the 'Detailed Teaching' (Abhidhamma). His mind and body were so purified that rays of six colours
came out of His body - blue, yellow, red, white, orange and a mixture of these five. Each colour represented one noble quality
of the Buddha: yellow for holiness, white for purity, blue for confidence, red for wisdom and orange for defeat of desire. The
mixed colour represented all these noble qualities. Today these six colours make up the Buddhist flag. Fifth week: With a
Brahmana and three girls - While meditating under the Ajapala banyan tree, the Buddha replied to a Brahmana, who came to
see Him, that one becomes a perfect Brahmana by one's deeds and not by birth. Three charming girls called Tanha, Rati and
Raga (the daughters of Mara) came to disturb His meditation. They danced around the Buddha and tried to distract Him, but
soon got tired and left Him alone. Sixth week: Under the muchalinda tree - The Buddha started meditating under a muchalinda
tree. It began to rain heavily and the huge Muchalinda Nagaraja (cobra king) came out and coiled his body seven times around
the Buddha to keep Him warm and placed his hood over the Buddha's head to protect Him from the rain. After seven days, the
rain stopped and the snake changed into a young man who paid his respects to the Buddha. Seventh week: Under the
Rajayatana tree - The Buddha meditated under the Rajayatana banyan tree. Two merchants, Tapassu and Bhalluka, came into
His presence and offered the Buddha rice cakes and honey.The Buddha told them some of what He had found in His
Enlightenment. These two merchants, by taking refuge in the Buddha and His Dhamma, became the first lay followers in the
Buddhist world. There was no Sangha (order of monks and nuns) then. They asked the Buddha for something sacred and the
Buddha wiped His head with His right hand and pulled out some hair to give them. These hair relics (Kesa Datu) were brought
home and enshrined by the merchants.(Source-‘ Variety’,How the Buddha spent the 'Sath Sathiya, S\Observer - 2006/05/14).
2
Esala is the Sinhala name given for the month of July. This is the full moon day in this month.
21
technology of using rocks in the ancient times. But only the bricks & tiles had been used for the buildings
of model kingdom of Buddha built by King Ashoka in India. In Buddha’s time, before the period of
Anuradhapura, bricks had not been used in Hela Diva.

2. It can very clearly be seen all the available ruins of all most all the buildings built in India by the great
King Ashoka, characteristics and the influence of Hindu culture, Hindu architecture or Greek architecture
can be seen very clearly. But the technology and characteristics of the foundations of all the buildings in
Buddha’s period in Hela Diva are peculiar to us, cannot be seen anywhere else in the world. The
architectural ruins found in Ritigla only will prove this. What we call Ritigala today are the ruins of
Devram Vehere built by the rich merchant, Sudhaththa (Anepidu) with his money. It is the Jethavana
Vihara where Gautama Buddha resided nearly twenty years. Hence, all the dagabas & monasteries
offered to Buddha & the Sanga1 by the kings, the Counts and wealthy merchants who lived in solos
maha janapadas in Dewa Hela which were known as Janbudveepa were not made by using bricks. Also
they were not possessed of any characteristics of Hindu or Greek cultural. But, most of the buildings and
monasteries built later, in the Anuradhapura period and thereafter, were influenced by the Hindu and
Greek architecture and they were made by using bricks. That is the era after the influence of India.

3. Sculpturing, worshipping the statues and making of statues could not be seen in Buddha’s period in
Janbudveepa, in ancient Hela Diva. Sculpturing and worshipping the statues came in to practice by an
influence of Greek. Sculpturing and making of altars were started in Lanka after the Anuradhapura
period by the activities of the craftsmen of eighteen casts who came from India. None of these were
found in the supremandane Buddha Dhamma. All these can be seen in Buddhism and Buddhist culture.
The people in the ancient Hela Diva paid their homage only to the secret footprint of the Buddha and to
the Asathu Bo tree.

4. It is necessary to place a note here on the amazing technology of seasoning rocks used for different
purposes in Janbudveepa in ancient Hela Diva. This had been a well advanced technology. Technologies
where stonemasons first break-up huge rocks, cutting out the slates from them were not seen here. And
it can also be seen that these rocky slates were used only for the constructions of buildings which had
religious values. The juice, extracted from three types of herbs taken from the jungle and grinded on a
particular proportion, was mixed with another juice extracted from three fruits taken again from the
jungle and this was finally used to season the rocks. This mixture was used to split the rock, to smoothen
it like soft clay and then to be used for molding for any structure and finally to make slates in different
shapes was an advanced methodology adopted in the past. It should be mentioned here that even the
Rishis2 in India of that day did not know about this advanced methodology.

If not for this advanced technology practiced in Buddha’s time in Hela Diva, it would have easily been
taken more than one thousand years to make hundreds of thousands of soft rock slates which are
spread out in 58 special locations today in a large area of 1000 acres in Ritigala. In the past, all these had
been made within a period of one or two years. Today all these are considered as a work of

1
Sangas or Bhikkus are the members of the Order, non-lay disciples of Buddha, ones who have renounciated the lay life and
entered in to path of Nirvana. They are known as Buddhist priests, especially in the western world.
2
The Sages.
22
Vishvakarma1. It is nothing but a demonstration of advanced technology used in Janbudveepa in the
past.

4 Ancient Hela Diva, as explained by Aaataanaata Sutta and Maha Samaya Sutta.

If Aaataanaata Sutta and Maha Samaya Sutta in Deeganikaya in Tripitaka, a sermon by Buddha himself,
are carefully studied, true & accurate more information about Siw Hela2 named as Janbudveepa where
Gautama Buddha resided and preached his Dhamma, can be discovered. Buddhists can read both these
sermons in the pirith potha3. And also they can listen to Aaataanaata Sutta every day from the radio.
Though these Suttas are heard on daily basis, accurate information about the history mentioned in
Magadhi terms, are not explained by any one up to now. Today has become the practice of learnt
Bhikkus also of hiding the real meaning of this Sutta claiming that Sutta is meant for chasing out the
demons and the spirits.

In order to get a clear picture over our history of Hela Diva, it is necessary to analyze the special
historical factors highlighted in both these Suttas found in the pirith potha which is available at every
house and listened to the chanting of the Sutta everyone on daily basis. It’s a great mistake to think that
these Suttas contain information about a group of some invisible powerful spirits such as demons &
Buthas 4 who are weird, miraculous and very extraordinary. Aataanaata Sutta is nothing but a Sutta
which is rich in true information and gives a very clear picture about the history of Heladive of Buddha’s
time.

Here, it is not expecting to re-write the entire Aataanati Sutta again which is written in Maagadhi
language in Tripitaka, but only certain important parts will be analyzed in details.

“ Evan me suthan ekan samayan bhagavaa

raajagahe viharathi gijjakoota pabbathe
athako chaththaaro mahaaraajaa
mahathiyaacha Yakkha senaaya
mahathiyaacha gandhabba senaaya
mahathiyaacha Naaga senaaya
mahathiyaacha kumbhanda senaaya”

One day when the Enlightened One, Gautama Buddha, resides in the monastery in rock called Gijjakoota
which is situated closer to the city of Rajagaha, four great kings of the Yakkha tribe mentioned here,
came to see the Buddha with their full armies. They had come to see the Buddha for a special discussion,
to say something special to the Buddha.

1
In Hinduism this is the architect of god. But here ‘a work of Vishvakarma’ means that it is great work or a miracle.
2
Four Hela.
3
Pirith is the Sinhala word for paritta (in Pali), which means protection. "It protects one from all directions", is the traditional
definition. This is the recitation or chanting of the words of the Buddha. Pirith potha is the book which contains pirith.
4
Ghosts, spirits. According to Buddha they are different creatures living under extremely poor conditions such as limitation of
food & drinks, clothing , shelter etc. They get in to worlds of this nature due to the evil acts performed by them in their past
lives. To overcome this situation, they expect humans, probably their own past relations who are human beings now, to do
meritorious acts and pass the merits on them.
23
When a ruler of a kingdom or a king goes to an area out of his kingdom for a special matter of this
nature, it was the custom in the ancient time to going there with his full armies.

Gijjakoota, the monastery of the rock, the city of Rajagaha where Buddha was living that time and also
the kingdom of Yakkha, all these were situated in one country, the island. It is very preciously mentioned
in this Sutta. But they were in two different administrative areas. The names of the four kings found in
the Sutta such as the king of Kuwera called “Wessawana”, the king of Gandharwa called Dhatharattha,
the king of the Naaga tribe called Viroopakkha and the king of Kumbandha called Viroolha are human
beings. All in the armies came with these kings are also human beings. They are human beings of each
tribe and not the invisible, unknown and extraordinary spirits.

The kings of the four tribes and also the armies came with them were human being who lived in
different kingdoms situated in different regions in this Hela Diva in the ancient time.

In the ancient times, Hela Diva was divided in to four different parts, namely, Yakkha Hela, Naaga Hela,
Kumbhanda Hela and Gaandharwa Hela. In addition to this there were sixteen Sakyan Janapadas in
Janbudweepa which came under Deva Hela. The city of Rajagaha mentioned here was in the Sakyan
state called Maghada in Dewa Hela.

In that night, four kings of the Yakkha tribe came to see the Buddha with bright lamps in hand. Like you
and me, all of them were human beings. They are our great great grand fathers. They were human
beings of a particular tribe lived in our own country in the past.

In the past Thun Helaya1 had three parts namely Deva Hela, Yakkha Hela and Naaga Hela. Yakkha,
Kumbandha and Gaandharwa were the three Yakkha tribal groups lived in Yakkha Hela. They had their
own kings. There was one main leader, one main ruler for the four tribes called Yakkha, Naaga,
Kumbandha and Gaandharwa. That was the great king, King Kuwera called Wesamuni reigned from the
city called Aataanaata. The center of administration and the house of the state of Yakkha Hela were
situated in the city of Aaataanaata. It was situated closer to Vilachchiya in Anuradhapura.

In the city of Aataanaataa, at this house of the state which is common to all these four kings of Yakkha
Hela mentioned in this Sutta, all the kings and the rulers resolved a commandment called Aataanaataa
enactment. These four great kings who made up this commandment came to the city of Rajagaha that
night to see Gautama Buddha and informed the Buddha about their commandment, the content of this
commandment, how they expect to execute it and the names of forty leaders of the four Yakkha tribes
who were empowered to execute this law etc.

King Wesamuni broadly explained the reason for the declaration of the commandment called
Aataanaataa to the Buddha.

Following Maghadi words explain it,

1 Saththihi bhanthe ulaaraa Yakkhaa bhagavatho appasannaa

Santhihi bhanthe ulaaraa Yakkhaa bhagavatho pasannaa

2 Saththihi bhanthe majkhadima Yakkhaa bhagavatho appasannaa

1
Thun Helaya( Three Helas) is another name for Lanka.
24
 Santhihi bhanthe majkhadima Yakkhaa bhagavatho pasannaa

3 Saththihi bhanthe neechaa Yakkhaa bhagavatho appasannaa

Santhihi bhanthe neechaa Yakkhaa bhagavatho pasannaa

Yebhuyeyna kho pana bhanthe Yakkha

appasnnaa yecha baghavatho

than kissa hethu

bhagavaahi bhanthe paanaathipaathaa veramaniyaa Dhamman desethi

adinnaadaanaa veramaniyaa Dhamman desethi

kaamwsu michchaachaaraa veramaniyaa Dhamman desethi

musaavaadaa veramaniyaa Dhamman desethi

suraameraya majjipamaa datthaanaa veramaniyaa Dhamman desethi

Yakkhaa appatvirathaa yecha

paanaathipaathaa, appatvirathaa, adinnaadaanaa appatvirathaa

appatvirathaa kaamwsu michchaachaaraa

appatvirathaa musaavaadaa

appatvirathaa suraameraya majjipamaa datthaanaa

“ the san than hothi appiyan amanaapan”

King Wesamuni spoke to Gautama Buddha. Thus,

“Oh, most venerable Sir, some powerful Yakkhas who live among our subjects in the Yakkaha tribe
respect the Buddha and his disciples with pleasant mind and thoughts, pay their homage to them. But
some are not so, they act in a manner of disturbing the disciples of Buddha with unpleasant mind and
thoughts.

Some of our own people with middle powers in the Yakkha tribe respect and treat the Buddha and his
disciples with pleasant mind and thoughts. But some people of Yakkha with middle powers act in an
unpleasant manner towards the Buddha and his disciples. It is a disturbance to the disciples of the
Buddha.

Further, some low and inferior people in the Yakkha tribe also treat the Buddha and his disciples with
honor and pleasant manner. But some low and inferior people of Yakkha tribe do not act in that manner.

25
There is a special reason for some of them to be interested in Buddha and some of them to be
unpleasant in Buddha.

Most venerable Sir, your disciples always preach the good about Pancha Seela. They advice the people
to follow Panch Seela. Your disciples preach our people not to harm animal life, not to steal from others
and not to take intoxicating drinks.
But, most venerable Sir, a majority in our tribal community goes for hunting, harms animal life, goes for
fishing and do it as a live hood. They are not worried about cultivating grains. They are not a group of
people who work in the paddy fields with the plough, manage waters and do animal husbandry for living.
They steal. Some of them are extremely vicious and may go to the extent of killing humans and eating
their flesh. They take intoxicating drinks. The people of this nature are not interested in Buddha
Dhamma preached by your disciples. They cannot follow that Dhamma. Some people in our Yakkha
tribe have inhumane qualities. They have the qualities which cannot be expected from human beings.
Hence, most venerable Sir, people of our Yakkha tribe having this kind of low qualities cannot be
controlled by the Dhamma preached by you or your disciples. The way of Dhamma does not suit for
them. They cannot understand the Dhamma.

In our king’s court situated in Yakka Hela in the city of Aataanaataa, we discussed all these things in
details and we resolved the following enactment in the king’s court. Most venerable Sir, we came here
in this manner to inform you the things we resolved. The great King Wesamuni requested in humbly
manner from The Enlightened One to spread out this information to his disciplines and ask them to act
accordingly.

“This is the enactment, the commandment of Aataanaataa”. King Wesamuni further informed the
Buddha that, in order to execute this commandment, he would appoint forty regional Yakkha leaders as
administrative officers who respect the disciples of the Buddha, who are interested in them and who
know Dhamma. These forty administrative leaders in the Yakkha tribe will safe guard the boundary lines
in the Deva Hela & Yakkha Hela, especially, places like Aranya Senasanas, caves, jungles, huge trees &
tree-shelters where the disciples of the Buddha practice mediation & the code of Dhamma. They are
given the required administrative authorities of the king to chase out the evil people in the Yakkha tribe
who kill men and eat flesh, also to secure the required safety of the disciples of the Buddha. The very
moment that any complaint goes to these regional leaders, they will act immediately, punish the
offenders and safe guard the disciples of the Buddha. If there is any trouble or inconvenience, please
inform them with a louder call.”

With regards to these facts there is a fable also in the Aataanaataa Sutta.

“ Seiyathaapi maarisa ranno maagassa

Vijithe chooraa, the newa ranno

Maagadhassa aadiyanthi na ranno maagadassa

purisakaanan aadiyanthi,the kho the maarisa

mahaa choraa, ranno maagadassa

awaruddha nama vuchchanthi

ewa mewa kho maarisa santhihi

26
amanussa chandaa rundaa rabhasaa

the newa mahaaraajaanan aadiyanthi”

King Wesamuni also informs Buddha that “ Me, the great ruler of the Yakkha Hela, irrespective of the
status, powers, relationships or any other reasons would punish all the members of Yakkha tribe within
our territory who do unwholesome acts, unfair things, steal and disturb the disciples of the Buddha of
Yakkha in the same way how the great king of Maghada, where the city of Rajagaha also coming under,
excessively punishes the robbers, the great robbers & the bandits irrespective of their status, ranks or
any other reasons.

Here, King Wesamuni takes the great king in Maghda as an example, as a fable. Maghada, ruled by a
Sakyan king of Maghada, was one of the sixteen states in the Deva Hela of which city of Rajagaha was
the capital city. The meaning of this is that the kingdom of Maghada was situated near the border of
Yakkha Hela.

When the time that the great King Wesamuni presented the Aaataanaataa enactment to the Buddha, he
had clearly explained certain things such as information of other three kings who came with him,
respective areas that they ruled, the directions of areas ruled by each king, citizens of these kings and
their way of life etc. This information is broadly explained from seventh stanza to the 31 stanza in the
Aataanaataa Sutta. This explains the kingdoms of Yakkha existed in Hela Diva in the ancient time and
also the directions of each kingdom. There is another Sutta in the Tripitaka which gives a lot of clear
information about this. That is the Mahaasamaya Sutta. Following the clear explanations of these two
Suttas, it is better to draw up a map on the ancient Hela Diva and explain this matter.(see the no 1 map
of Lanka).

According to the explanation given that day by the King Wesamuni, Siw Helas in the ancient Lanka are as
follows.

1. Gaandarva Hela

King of Gaandarva called King Dhatharatta ruled Gaandarva Hela and it was situated bordering to the
sea on the east direction of the city of Rajagaha. This kingdom wakes up with the sun rise in the north,
situated in the purimaa direction (east direction), and was dwelled by the people of Gaandarva tribe.
Fairly a large area came under Gaandarva Hela, stretching from the Thoppigala jungle to Batticaloa &
Ampara districts, as the names given in today’s context. This Yakkha Hela dwelled by the Gaandharva
tribe was situated on the east direction of Gijjakoota parvatha, where Buddha resided. Thoppigala was
the capital city of Yakkha Hela.

2. Kumbhaanda Hela

This kingdom, the dwelling place of Kumbhaanda tribe, was situated to the south of the city of Rajagaha
and ruled by King Viroolha. Here, people eat raw flesh & fish, are extremely barbarians who would skin
off humans and eat their flesh, kill animals for living, steal from others and take intoxicating drinks and
consist of dangerous robbers and bandits. Their qualities are not of human beings. So they behave as
demons.

Some parts in the districts such as Colombo, Kaluthara, Rathnapura & Galle, a large forestry area
including today’s Sinharaaja forest were coming under Kumbhanda Hela.

27
3. Naaga Hela

An area adjoining the great sea, situated on the west direction (pachchima disaa) to the city of Rajagaha
was Naaga Hela and ruled by King Viroopakkha. Their livelihood was fishing. Some people in the Naaga
tribe were in to trading in the sea as well. Villages and cities in the western coastal areas from Kalpitiya
to Galle, as they are named today, were mainly coming under the Naaga Hela. A place in between
Kelaniya & Negambo was the capital city and King Viroopakkha ruled his country from there. There had
been many regional kings of this kingdom of Naaga, the Tripitaka says. All the villages such as
Naagadeepa, Nainathiew and Nainamadama, as we call them today, were coming under Naaga Hela.
Even in some interior parts, there had been some small kingdoms ruled by kings of Naaga tribe. Betel1
was grown in Naagadeepa.

All the kings such as Choolodara, Mahaaudara, Maniakkhitha and Muchalinda ruled the different places
where people of Naaga tribe lived.

4. Yakkha Hela

The great King Wessawana was the ruler of Yakkha Hela. This great King of Yakkha tribe was the chief
leader of all other tribal kings as well. Hence, the great King Wessawana was the king for all four tribal
communities in the whole island, namely, Yakkha, Naaga, Kumbhaanda and Gaandarva. The city of
Aataanaataa was his centre of administration. Aalakamandawa (later Lankaapura) was a main city where
the great King Wessavana had his royal palace. The people of this country of Yakkha were a group who
did hunting, eating flesh and fish. As it was mentioned by the King Wesamuni, people in his county did
not cultivate paddy. They did not use the plough and cultivate paddy fields. They ate yams, different
leaves and grains gathered from the jungle. Mannar in Poonarin in Jaffna, districts like Anuradhapura,
Putthlam & Kurunegala and also some parts in the Kandy & Matale districts came under Yakkha Hela
and of which, in the ancient times, Aalakamandawa & Aataanaataa were the two main capital cities.
(See the map). In the past, all the places up to Alawwa in Kurunegala district were coming under Yakkha
Hela. Demon Alaw 2(Aalaw Yaka) was subjugated by Buddha in this place called Alawwa, as we call it
now. In the past this place too came under the reign of the great King Wesamuni. Uthuruku Divaina was
another name given for this Yakkha Hela. The city Aalakamandaa was in the place called
Mahavilachchiya or Vilachchiya today. In the past, the city of Aalakamanda was situated around a large
natural water reservoir. Later, the history says that King Vijaya came to Lanka, with the support given by
Kuveni, killed 80 princes of the Yakkha tribe and conquered the Yakkha Hela. What he captured was city
of Aalakamandaa. It was popular, that day, as Lankaapura3 as well. This city got this name, Lankaapura,
purely because of its beauty.

The King Wessavana brought it to the notice of Gautama Buddha that he had appointed forty regional
leaders of the Yakkha tribe who are capable enough to safe guard the boundaries of the Yakkha Hela,
also have the utmost faith & respect towards the disciple of the Buddha and would act accordingly.
Names of these forty leaders are also found in the Aataanaataa Sutta.

1
Betel or Bulath - is the leaf of a vine belonging to the Piperaceae family. It is valued both as a mild stimulant and for its
medicinal properties. Betel leaf is mostly consumed in Asia with or without tobacco, in an addictive psycho-stimulating and
euphoria-inducing formulation with adverse health effects. Betel leaves are used in many occasions in Sri Lankan culture and
people believe that they got Betel from Naa Lova, the world of Naa or Naga.
2
The word demon was used here as in its general use. Demons in English language are spirits, but not Yakkhas and can not be
used in place of the tribal group of Yakkhas found in Lanka. Presently in the common use word Yakkha is replaced with demon
which is totally wrong.
3
Lanka – beautiful, attractive. Pura – the city.
28
That day King Wessawana informed Gautama Buddha that he appointed these regional leaders of
Yakkha, namely, Indra, Soma,Waruna, Bhaaradwaja, Pajaapathi, Chandano, Kaama Settho, Kinnugandu,
Nigandu, Panaado, Opamanno, Dewasuthoo, Maathali, Chiththaseno, Gandhabbanalo, Raajaajanosabho,
Sathaagiro, Hemawatho, Punnako, Karathiyo, Gullo, Seewako, Muchalindo, Wessamiththo, Yugandharo,
Gopaalo, Suppagodho, Hirineththi, Mandiyo, Panchaalachancho, Aalawako, Pajjunno, Sumano, Sumukho,
Dadhimuko, Manimaanicharo, Deegho, Atho, Serissako to safe guard the boundaries, to stick on and to
execute the enactment of Aataanaataa.

Buddha carefully listened to all these and accepted the facts presented by King Wessavana. Later,
Buddha assembled all his four types of disciples, namely, Bhikkhu, Bhikkhuni, Upasaka & Upasika 1,
preached about this enactment of Aataanaata, methodology of it and all the names of the Yakkha
leaders appointed to safe guard it. Because of this, the Aataanaata commandment consented at by King
Wessavana at his court, later became a commandment of Buddha too.

Today, this is the reason for Aataanaataa Sutta to be appeared twice in the Pirith Potha and in Tripitaka
as well, the command of the king and the commandment of the Buddha.

The Aataanaata Sutta in this nature was preached to people. Its content is about people. All those tribal
people lived in this Hela Diva. Gautama Buddha too lived in this Deva Hela.

Now, Gijjakoota Parvatha2 and the city of Rajagaha, mentioned in Aataanaataa Sutta, where the
Buddha lived can be discovered from this Hela Diva itself.

The area stands like a circle of great rocks, namely, Rajagala, Nilgala, Buddhangala & Nuwaragala in the
districts like Ampara, Badulla and Monaragala in today’s context, came under the kingdom of Maghada.
Gijjakoota Parvatha too was situated in the same location of Veluvanaaraamaya which is closer to city of
Rajagaha. This was situated to a place closer to the capital city of the kingdom of Maghada. Earlier, a
large area like Uhana, Bakkiella, Gonaagalla, Mahaoya & Padhiyathalaawa in Ampara district today,
Bibila, Maddagama to Badulla, Meegahakiwla & Mahiyanganaya and Maddagama to Akkarapaththuwa
came under kingdom of Maghada. All the paddy fields which are cultivated today with the waters of
Galoya reservoir too came under this same kingdom. In Gautama Buddha’s time King Bimbisaara was
the emperor in Maghada. Later King Ajaasaththa came in to power. Hela Magadhi was the language
used here. All of these kings found in Tripitaka reigned in this Hela Diva. In any book, paper or document
written in India, names of these kings cannot be found.

Same as here, even in Maha Samaya Sutta, a very clear description on four Yakkha kingdoms, is given.

Until Buddhism was introduced to the capital city of Yakkha Hela in Anuradapura (to Lankapuar) by
Arahant Mahinda Thero, the kingdom of Anuradhapura was such that the state leader and the people
had the habit of going on hunting and killing animals in the wild. Arahant Mahinda Thero introduced
Buddhism to King Dewana Paa Thissa who was the leader of Lankaapura (Anuradapuar) by that time.
Arahant Mahinda Thero met King Tissa in a Poson Poya3 day. The Mahavamsa says that even in the
Poson Poya day forty thousand people had gone for hunting with their king to the wild. It is clear then
Arahant Mahinda Thero introduced Buddhism to the people in Yakkha tribe in Anuradapura and not to
the Sakyan people in the Deva Hela. Venerable Mahinda Thero brought the Buddhukeli Commentaries

1
Bhikkhu is an ordained male Buddhist monastic. Bhikkhuni is a female Buddhist monastic. Upasaka is a male lay Buddhist.
Upasika is female lay Buddhist.
2
The rock called Gijjakoota.
3
The full moon poya day in June. Buddhists consider this day as the day that Arahant Mahinda came to Sri Lanka from India and
introduced Buddhism to them. They commemorate this day with religious activities.
29
and Buddha Dhamma to Lankaapura (Anuradhapura then) from Janbudveepa. This is stated in
Mahavamsa as Jambudveepaa Idhaagatha Lankapura. This note is preciously correct. It was the sixteen
Sakyan states, including city of Sawath & city of Rajagaha, in Deva Hela was popular as true and real
Janbudveepa where Buddha was born. It is very clear that Arahant Mahinda Thero came to Janbudveepa
(the city of Rajagaha in Hela Diva) in search of supermandane Buddha Dhamma, learnt Buddha Dhamma
& Hela language there, attended to the Arahantship, first introduced Buddha Dhamma and later
Buddhism to non-Buddhist kingdom in Anuradapura. Arahant Mahinda Thero came to Janbudveepa and
learnt Buddha Dhamma in the city of Rajagaha. That was Rajagala in Ampara. The history says that after
the cremation of Arahant Mahinda Thero, the deposit of his ashes had been discovered from this place.
Because of this, what is mentioned in Mahavamsa, “ jajbuddeepaa idhaa gathaa Lankapura”, is true.
When the time Mahavamsa was written in Hela, Janbudveepa was in Rajagala in Ampara. Lankapura
was Mahavilachchi near Anuradapura. According to this, Bhikkuni Sangamiththa brought in the right
branch of the sacred Sri Maha Bodhi from Janbudveepa to Anuradhapura. That is also true. Hirivadunna
now was a place in Janbudveepa in the past. A branch of the Bo tree was taken from there to
Anuradhapura in a boat.

Janbudveepa means the island where Buddha was born and all the future Buddhas will be born. In
Aataanaataa Sutta, King Wesamuni explains to Gautama Buddha that four Buddhas in the past had
been born here in Janbudveepa and the ancestors in King Wesamuni’s family had an unbroken custom
of paying homage to all those Buddhas. Its proved that this Hela Diva which is popular as Janbudveepa
has the universal energies which had help for the supreme Enlightenment of all the Buddhas in the past
and will help all the Buddhas in the future too.

30
31
32
33
5 ‘Gautama Buddha came to Lanka for three times’, the real truth behind this statement.

It’s a well known story that Gautama Buddha came three times to Lankapura from Janbudveepa from
where he attended to the supreme Enlightenment. This is very clearly mentioned in many historical
books, history of Buddhism and Mahavamsa Commentaries written by Bhikku Mahanama. But nothing
had been written about the Buddha, Buddha’s journey to Lanka and Janbudveepa in any Indian history
book, any document or any place in India. What is mentioned in the original Mahavamsa written in
Hela language that Buddha came to Lanka for three times is true. There is nothing to argue on that. The
mistake had happened after 300 years when this story was written in the Pali Mahavamsa
Commentaries which was written for the original Hela Mahavamsa. Those days in the time of the
Buddha, different Hela terms such as Lankapura – Aalakamandawa - Alankarapura were used for the
capital city of the great King Wesamuni in the kingdom of Yakkha Hela. Today we call Lanka for the all
three Helas, thun Hela. In the ancient times Hela Diva was Deva Hela, Yakkha Hela and Naaga Hela. In
the ancient times, Yakkha Hela and Naaga Hela came under one kingdom and eighteen Sakyan states in
Dewa Hela were taken as separate kingdoms.

Lankapura, the capital city of the kingdom of King Wessavana was situated in the areas like Vilachchiya
and Maha Vilachchiya, as they are called today. It had been a very magnificent city. Its beauty had been
highly praised in the Aataanaataa Sutta. Kingdom of Kuwera was another name given for it. Even when
the time King Vijaya came to Lanka, kings of the Yakkha tribe had ruled there. With the help given by
princess Kuveni of the Yakkha tribe, King Vijaya killed 80 leaders of the Yakkha tribe and conquered their
kingdom of which capital city was Lankapura.

King Vijaya came to Lankapura. Because of this kingdom of Yakkha was commonly known as the
kingdom of Lankapura.

There were sixteen of Sakyan states in Deva Hela and where Sakyan1 Buddha lived and attended to the
supreme Enlightenment was called “Janbudveepa” which had the meaning of ‘the land where Buddha
was born’ . “Janbudveepa” was the name commonly used for all the solos maha janapadas in Deva Hela.

Kelaniya, Nagadeepa, Mahiyangana and also the Samanala Adaviya, area where Sripada peak2 is
situated, were coming under the reign of the leaders of Yakkha tribe in the kingdom of Lankapura. Deva
Hela and Yakkha Hela were totally two different kingdoms in the ancient times. The administrative
systems also were totally different to each other. Kelaniya was a city reigned by the regional leaders of
Yakkha Hela and dwelled by the tribal community of Naaga. In the ancient times, travelling in
Janbudveepa from the city of Sawath or city of Rajagaha to Kelaniya in the same country in the west
coast was very difficult than travelling to a foreign land. In the ancient times proper roads, sub-roads or
bridges were not common and Gautama Buddha travelled to Kelaniya from Janbudveepa which was
situated in Hela Diva itself. Kelaniya was in the kingdom of Lankapura. Also Naagadeepa3 was in the
kingdom of Lankapura. The great forest Lakgala next to where Mahiyangana is located today also came
under the same kingdom of Yakkha. Today, the large forest area in Sri Pada was also a part of Lankapura
in the kingdom of Yakkha. The name of the regional King “Samana”, the ruler in the Sri Pada area, was
among the other names of the forty leaders found in Aataanaataa Sutta. Also the two regional leaders
whom that Buddha met on the road, like Hemawatha and Saathhagira, can also be found in the
Aataanaataa Sutta.

1
Buddha was born to the Sakyan clan.
2
In the present day, after the colonial era, this mountain is called Adam’s peak which is seriously wrong. Sri or Siri are the
synonymous used for Buddha. Pada means foot. The peak where the Buddha in-printed his sacred foot print is called Sripada
Peak.
3
Island of Naaga, island of Naaga tribe.
34
Regional leader of Naaga tribe like Choolodara, Mahodara and Maniakkhitha were partners in the
kingdom of Lankapura. To console a dispute between two regional kings in Kelaniya which came under
Lankapura, Gautama Buddha travelled from one place to another, in this Hela Deepa itself. It was from
Janbudveepa to Lankapura, earlier. It is Ampara to Kelaniya, now.

“Samana” was a regional ruler of Yakkaha tribe whose reign was in the area called Samanala, now it is
the Sri Pada area. He is a member in the kingdom of Yakkha itself. King “Samana” was the ruler for the
jungle area stretched from Sri Pada to Mahiyanganaya. Gautama Buddha’s visit to the reign of this King
“Samana” to subjugate of Yakkhas who disturbed the life of disciple of the Buddha, was also a journey
to this same Lankapura. That day, Buddha came to Lankapura from Janbudveepa. Buddha’s visit to
Nagadeepa was also from Janbudveepa. Naagadeepa was another area of Lankapura reigned by the
regional leaders of Naaga tribe. According to this, this story in Mahavamsa is absolutely correct. The
error was occurred when a Pali commentary was written to the original Hela Mahavamsa. This Pali
commentary was written 300 years after the original Mahavamsa. The author of this is also a person
called Bhikku Mahanama from India.

After 600 years of Buddha’s parinirvana, 300 years after Ashoka’s time, when the time this commentary
was written by Bhikku Mahanama, the model kingdom of Buddha built by emperor Ashoka in India,
would have been popular among the people. By this time the administrative strengths of the Sakyan
states in Hela Diva was very poor. Because of this, it can be seen that books had been written using the
name Janbudveepa in place of India. All these distortions were done by our own contemporary writers
in Anuradhapura period who wrote books and commentaries, but not the ones in India. In the ancient
times, in any book or any document written in India, even in any inscription of Ashoka, this name
“Janbudveepa” had not been used to any place in India. Hence, what had actually happened in the
history was that Gauthma Buddha had gone from one place known as Janbudveepa in Hela Diva itself,
where Gautama Buddha lived, to another place known as Lankapura again in the Hela Diva itself. All
three journeys to Lanka made by the Buddha happened in this manner.

It is very strongly proved by Aataanaataa Sutta, Mahaasamaya Sutta and also by the stories found in
Tripitaka such as the subjugation of Yakkha, subjugation of Alawaka, the story in the forest Paarileyya
etc that the majority of the Yakkha community lived in the Lankapura had not accepted Buddha
Dhamma and these tribal communities had made certain troubles to the disciples of the Buddha. These
stories are from Thripitaka itself, not the stories guessed and made by the ordinary people.

Day and night, for a very long period like forty five years, The Enlightened One travelled and preached
the Dhamma to the people who lived in sixteen states in Deva Hela, stretched from Jaffna, Mulathiw to
Thissmaharama & Mathara in Ruhuna. All these sixteen Sakyan Janapadas mentioned in Tripitaka were
situated in this Hela Diva itself, in “Janbudveepa” which was known as Deva Hela by the history.

In the history it can be seen that the name “Janbudveepa” had been used, later, for the artificial
kingdom of Buddha built by the great King Ashoka with eighty four thousand temples & monasteries. In
the period after the emperor Ashoka’s, this distortion was done only by the authors of this island who
wrote the history and the articles for the Buddhist literature, but not by the Indians.

There is a special thing to be mentioned again about this matter. That is, in this world we live in, the
universal energy given by the nature which is a must for a noble person who wishes to attend to this
supermandane position called the Enlightenment one day, will get it only at one place in whole world.
That is “The Madya Mandala in Janbudveepa”. This Madya Mandala is situated in the very center of a
monastic place in the sacred land, the island what we call Lanka. When Artha, Dharma, Nirukthi &
35
Pratibhaana are recited for Buddha Dhamma Artha, Dharma & Nirukthi of Janbudveepa have sprung up
and now it has been identifies as the birth island of Buddha.

6 Main places to honor and pay homage in Deva Hela (Janbudveepa).

6.1 Lumbini, birth place of prince Sidduhat

The place which was picked up by Ashoka the Great to mark the birth of Sidduhat was a place of
distance located within a mountain range in India. Today this place is a village called “Rumindai” and this
is a village in Nepal. This village has never ever been called Lumbini throughout the whole history. But
some of us had given the name Lumbini to this place. In this place there is a pillar installed by King
Ashoka. Based on the information of this, the inscription which was installed 300 years after the
parinirvana of Buddha, it was only the ordinary people claim that this was set up as a monument to
commemorate the birth of the Buddha. But not a single line out of ninety four words in this says that
Sidduhat’s birth had occurred in this place.

Even in the explanation about this place found in Ashokaawadaanaya1, a Sanskrit book written after
some times by an Indian author, it does not say that prince Sidduhat was born in this village called
Rumindai or the name Lumbini had been used for this place. What is written there is that King Ashoka
had come, honored and worshipped this place during the pilgrimages he made in his empire. It is clear
that in his visit, King Ashoka had granted a village and in order to commemorate that, this Ashoka
inscription had been installed there. The Ashokaawadaanaya says that in the ancient times Indian kings
had gone on worshiping Theertha, and Theertha were the ferries2 which were used to wash away the
sins. Indian history accepts that King Ashoka and King Shilaadithya had worshipped eight of such ferries
(Lalitha Visthara). It is very clear that King Ashoka had given the equality for all the religions in his
kingdom of virtue and even buildings were made accordingly. Then it is clear that King Ashoka had given
this name to one such Theertha place in his kingdom, what had been a pilgrim site by that time too, new
buildings had been made and erected a pillar to commemorate his visit, his pilgrimage to the said place.
Other than that there isn’t anything about the birth of Sidduhat in that letter, inscription. Basham, the
great historian, also confirms the same. Later, it can be seen in the history that Indian Hindu kings too,
for instance king Shilaadithya, Chinese Hung San3 had gone on pilgrimage and paid their homage to this
place.

Purohithas of King Ashoka may have heard The Enlightenment of the Buddha, but not the birth of
Sidduhat. Because of this in building temples and monasteries in India such as the Ashoka inscription at
the place called Rumindai, what mentioned there was that it had been installed to commemorate The
Enlightenment of the Buddha. They did not know about prince Siddartha. The real birth of Sidduhat
occurred in this Hela Diva at one Sal 4 grow situated near the city of Dewdaha which is one of the Sakyan
states in Deva Hela in Janbudveepa. Today, this place is identified as Bambaragala, a place near
Theldeniya. In the ancient times, the city of Dewdaha was situated where we find Kundasale and
Ganoruwa today. In the ancient times, the Sakyan Janapadas including the city of Dewdaha covered
many places near river Mahaveli in the up country. In the Sakka Panha Sutta in Tripitaka, Gautama
Buddha says that few years after his Enlightenment he had lived one year in a cave called Indasala, his
birth place near the Sal grow in Theldeniya. That garden of Sal, the Sal grow, had been changed in to

1
Narrative of Asoka.
2
Or it could be a pilgrim site, a place to worship.
3
The great Chinese traveler.
4
Sal or Shala tree, Shorea robusta, is a flowering tree belonging to the Dipterocarpaceae family.
36
Salwaththa and now it is Thalwaththa1 . Today this Indasala cave is known as Bambaragala. An
inscription found in Bambaragala says that Gautama Buddha had resided there. A Sutta called Panitha
Sutta had been preached here, but for some reason today this Sutta too had been taken off from the
Tripitaka. Prof. Paranavithana too has accepted that Buddha had lived here for a period of one year.
(INSCRIPTION OF CEYLON – VOL – 1.P.63).

In the very ancient time like 560 B.C., or in Buddha’s time, many inscriptions found in,

1. Dekundara
2. Kotaa Davu Hela
3. and Korawakgala

clearly say that even by that time there had been twelve thousand Arahants in the Sithula Pawwa
Vihara (Chiththa Pabbatha). ( INSCRIPTION OF CEYLON – VOL – 1 No 1035,1103,1104).

One can find this story also in the Pali Mahavamsa Commentaries written by Bhikku Mahanama. (This is
mentioned in Pali Mahavamsa, stanzas in chapter 24,8,9).

“Sanghan sannipaathai boopathi, dvaadaseththa sahassaathi Bhikku chithtala pabbathaa. Thatho

Thatho dvaadhasseva sahassaathi samaagamun”. Dvaadaseththa sahassaathi is 12,000. Chithtala
Pabbathaa is Sithulpawwa. This is the time that Gautama Buddha lived. This story is found in the very
original Hela Mahavamsa written either in Ruhuna or the city of Rajagaha.

Because the name “Gautama Shramana” 2 is very clearly stated in the above mentioned inscription in
Dekundara, and also in another 30 inscriptions, it is very clearly proved that caves had been arranged
and offered for the use of Gautama Shramana.

That day, King Suddodana reigned in the city of Kapilawasthu in Janbudveepa. The city of Kapilawasthu
in Hela Diva was situated in the area below Dimbulagala, in a very fertile and luxuriant area with paddy
fields cultivated with the waters of Maduru Oya. The kingdom of Sakyan which was reigned by King
Suddodana was situated on the east bank of river Mahaweli3 (it was Rohini in the ancient past). This
kingdom of Sakya, in the ancient time, was stretched for a large area from Maduru Oya, Mavial Aaru,
Seruvila and Ella Janapada. The other side of the river Mahaveli was the kingdom of Koliya, covering
areas like, as we call them now, Somawathi, Polonnaruwa and Kanthale. Two kingdoms, Sakya & Koliya,
had a battle over the waters of Rohini. This battle happened in the Mavial Aaru area and it was same as
the war experienced in the recent past.4 The waters of the river was the root cause for the battle. The
most recent battle over the waters of Mavil Aaru can be considered as a reoccurrence of the battle of
Sakya & Koliya. These are special incidents happen again and again in the history. They are incidents
which are scheduled to happen again and again across the history, i.e. the returns.

For the gab perahera, it says that queen Mahamaya had gone to the city of Devdaha from the city of
Kapilawastu. There was a route to the city of Devdaha from Dimbulagala, along on the bank of river
Mahaveli. After completing nearly 40 miles on this road one can reach Theldeniya. This distance can be

1
Sal Wanaya (Sal grow or Sal forest) -> Sal Uyana (garden of Sal) -> Sal Waththa (plantation of Sal) ->Tal Waththa
2
One who strives, wandering monk.
3
Longest river in Lanka.
4
Mavil Aru (Mother River) is a waterway that supplies water to some regions of eastern Lanka. The closure by the Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a separatist militant organization, of the sluice-gates of Mavil Aru on July 26, 2006, was a crucial
turning point in the Sri Lankan Civil War. With the initiation of 'Operation Watershed', the Sri Lanka Armed Forces undertook to
wipe out the LTTE.
37
followed by a pregnant mother, even by walking, who expects her baby in the very near future. But the
distance from the place marked today as the city of Kapilawasthu in India to the place marked as
Lumbini in Nepal is about 300 km. All of you should think, without being biased, whether this is a
practical distance for a pregnant lady to walk in.

gab perahera was a custom prevailed in this Hela Diva. That is the journey made by a pregnant mother
to see her parents who expects her child in the near future. This custom can be seen in Lanka even to
this date. But a custom of this nature cannot be seen in India. Hence, it is evident that the birth of
prince Sidduhat happened in “Janbudveepa” in Lanka in the ancient past, this place is known today as
Theldeniya - a place near Kundasale and is hidden in time. What is named today as Bambaragala Raja
Maha Vihara is nowhere else but Lumbini.

The direction to the Rajamaha Vihara in Bambaragala where prince Sidduhath was born is as follows:

One can come to Diggana junction after covering nearly 10 kms on the road which goes from
Mahanuwara to Mahiyangana. When he comes nearly 2 kms towards the Victoria Dam on the old
Theldeniya road, will find the road leading to Bambaragala Rajamaha Vihara in Vavagama. In the ancient
times, the road leads to kingdom of Kapilawasthu to the city of Dewdaha was named as Raja Mawatha.1
Today Bambaragala Rajamaha Vihara is situated near this Raja Mawatha. Even today, in the ground of
the Bambaragala Rajamaha Vihara one can see Sal trees which date back to thousand years. The birth of
prince Sidduhath was occurred here in this place. In the same grounds of this Vihara2, there is a cave
named Indasala Guha and engraved Magadhi Prakurtha letters found in this cave says that Gautama
Buddha had resided there in the 6th year of his Enlightenment. In the time that Buddha lived, Salumini
Saya3 which was built by enshrining a shawl used by the Buddha was situated on the mountain peak in
the grounds of Bambaragala Rajamaha Vihara.

6.2 Buddagaya (Gaya Bodi)

11 km away from the railway station in the Bihar state and 10 kms away from the river called Thaalgu,
there is a place, in India today that conventional Buddhists believe in, assume as Buddagaya. Sometimes
ago, Anagarika Darmapala 4 identified this place as the place where Gautama Buddha attended to his
supermandane Enlightenment and declared it to the world. Even today, one can see some buildings of
King Ashoka with Hindu & Greek traditions which he did for his model kingdom of Buddha and also a Bo
tree grown later to commemorate the Asathu Bo. And History also says that the first Bo tree what
emperor Ashoka got down from Hela Diva & planted there, during his time itself, had been destroyed by
one of his queens5 by piercing it with poisonous thorns.

The most sacred Asathu Bo tree which was the shelter for Gautama Buddha to attend to his
supermandane Enlightenment is something which will stand safely in the Madya Mandala in
Janbudveepa for five thousand years. It is not something to be destroyed by any earthquake, flood, fire,
and storm or by any human activity. As the sacred Buddha Dhamma will be secured five thousand years,
this Asathu Bo tree also will help the devoted Kula Puthras, who are fortunate to attend to Nirvana, to
become “Buddha” (to become Arahant Buddha) by conforming to the universal energies. This sacred
Bodhi tree will survive for another long period of time within this land of Hela.

1
Road of the king or The Royal street.
2
In today’s context Vihara is the place where Buddhist monks reside, the temple.
3
The stupa of the shawl. This could be a shawl, a robe or a wrapping cloth.
4
Anagarika Dharmapala (17 September 1864 - 29 April 1933) was a leading figure in Buddhism in the 20 century.
5
Queen Tissarakkhā.
38
The most sacred Hiriwadunna Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi
The most sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi where Gothama Sidhartha attended in to the supermandane Enlightenment
nearly 2600 years ago is still stands legendry in this manner. This sacred place is the Madya Mandala of the island
where Buddha was born in the ancient Hela Diva. Today, this place is on the very center point in the map of Lanka.
This is the Madya Mandala where universal energies are centerised.

Vajrasana
Vajrasana is protected by Darmatha and unsakenly positioned to the base of the sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi where
Gauthma Buddha attended in to the supermandane Enlightenment. This Vajrasana was made and fixed here in the
ancient past by King Muchalinda. It is mentioned in the inscription found in this place.

39
The sacred white Bo tree
In the month of Wesak this bud of white Bo springs up from the very place where Meheni Sangamiththa uprooted
a bud of Bo tree. This bud of Bo tree lives for seven weeks and later dies off. This picture of the sacred white Bo of
Hiriwadunna was taken on 17th May 2009. What is taken to the front cover of this book is also this sacred white
Bo tree.

At this place Just before The Enlightenment, Bosath Siduhath, after having the milk rice offered by maiden Sujatha
firmly determined by his powerful mental strength to float up his begging bowl in the river of Neranjana at this
place. This is the remaining of that big river of Neranjana where the begging bowl was floating up right. This part of
the river of Neranjana is still well secured.

Indian history itself gives true evidence on the story that King Ashoka the Great obtained a plant of the
Asathu Bo from Janbudveepa in Hela Diva and planted it at a place which is conventionally accepted
40
today as Buddagaya in India. The illustrations that exit up to date in the gateway of Sanchi Vihara, Sanchi
Thorana, which was built by King Ashoka with the aim of praising and showcasing his religious activities
to the outside world, clearly depict that the king welcomes the plant of Asathu Bo obtained from
Janbudveepa and grows it there. This story t has been engraved in the gateway of Sanchi during King
Ashoka’s time itself. Today it can be seen that it is attempted to misinterpret this incident as well.

Attending to the supermandane Enlightenment, not only by Gautama Buddha, but also by all the
supreme Buddhas in the past or all the supreme Buddhas in the future, can be done only at one single
place in this world. That place is the Madya Mandala in Janbudveepa (the birth place of the Buddha in
the island of Hela Diva) where virtuous universal energies can be found in its center. This place with
extreme charming beauty is a place situated permanently in the very center in this Hela Diva. One can
take a map of Lanka and mark the latitudes and longitudes in a way that the lines inter cross and check
out the very center point, that is HIriwadunna. Even today this most sacred Asathu Bo tree is well
secured and can be seen by anyone in the Madya Mandala of Hela Diva. (See the map). Even to this
date, this place is the exact middle point of Lanka.

Anyone who checks out this ancient sacred Asathu Bo tree, it could easily be understood that it is older
than 2700 years. When the time the Bosath Gautama1 came to this charming plot of land and looked for
a suitable tree for shelter, this great Asathu Bo tree may have grown well in suitable height and size. This
Bodi is purely set up by the Darmatha, and is not an artificial one made by somebody.

Today this place is called “Hiriwadunna”. In the past, this place was popular as “Himivadaunna”, the
place where Himi resided2 or “Siri vada unna” - the place where Siri resided, among the people in
Janbudveepa and for the easy pronunciation today, it is changed from Himivadaunna to Hiriwadunna.
One can reach this place even today by covering nearly one mile of walking distance to the west from
the 110 km post on the Badulla Hambarana road.

Anyone can visit this plot of land with extreme charming beauty of nature and is well secured up to date
as an archaeological reserve & as an Aranya Senasana. Many places related to the Enlightenment of
Gautama Buddha can be seen in this site, even today.

1. The sacred Asathu Bodhi tree ( Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi)

2. The Vajrasana (rocky seat) made by King Muchalinda for Gautama Bosath.

3. The shrub of Kusathana3 to be seen in the same land where Bo tree is situated. This Kusathana was
not grown there by someone.4 And this Kusa Thana grass is an endemic species to our country.

4. Ruwan Sakmana5, Sakmana made for Bosath Gautama (Sakman Maluwa).

5. The chamber made by King Muchalinda (in the Naaga tribe) for Gautama Buddha for the protection
from the heavy rain and rocky seat (the bed) made for sleeping.

1
The term “bosath or "bodhisatta" (Pāli language) was used by the Buddha to refer to himself in his previous lives and as a
young man in his current life, prior to his enlightenment, in the period during which he was working towards his own liberation.
2
Himivadaunna - Himi(The Buddha)+vadaunna(lived) -> Hiriwadunna.
3
Kusa grass, a type of grass with the wider blades\leaves which grows to an average height of 6-7 feet.
4
It says that someone offered Buddha some kusa grass. Buddha made a seat, a cushion under the Bo tree with them and used
it in the Enlightenment.
5
The pathway used for walking meditation.
41
6. Ajapal Nuga tree, the banyan tree, where the maiden Sujatha1 offered milk rice for Bosath Gautama.
The original banyan tree is dead now and a new banyan tree which got sprung up from the older one
exists there to this date.

7. The remaining part of the river of Neranjana, where Gautama Bosath sent his begging bowl upstream
with the determination to gain Enlightenment, It’s a miracle to see, still, a part of 200 meters of the river.

8. Many ruins of the monasteries made for Arahants, namely, Nadee Kaashpa, Gaya Kaashpa and
Uruwel Kaashapa (In memory of these three brothers one side of the Hiriwadunna village is still called
“Kassapa Gama, the village of Kassapa”.

History says that Gautama Buddha made a determination and sent his begging bowl floating upstream in
the river Neranjana. The village in the upper region (Ihaththawa) of Hiriwadunna, is still called
“Udangaawa” 2.” Udangaawa” (Uda+gan+aa) is a name given by the people lived in the past to
commemorate the floating of the begging bowl upstream in the river. Another village situated little bit
far from Hiriwadunna is still called “Maaminiyaawa”. This name was given with the meaning of “the
place where Maha Muni came”3. Maha Muni is Gautama Buddha. After The Enlightenment, the Buddha
must have gone to this village.

The elders in HIriwadunna village say, even now, that from the time of their ancestors, these names are
well preserved by the strength of Dharmatha. It should be mentioned that anyone can still go and see
the land with charming beauty and the sacred Sri Maha Bodhi tree which helped, sheltered Buddha in
his Enlightenment. This initial sacred Sri Maha Bodhi is protected by a very particular, invisible force. It
has no any fence made in gold.4 It should be mentioned that this invisible force, from the time that
Gautama Buddha gained his Enlightenment, lives and safe guards this place. Based on the incidents
happened in the recent past any one can imagine that this force is still alive and active around the
sacred Siri Maha Bodhi. What exactly happened in the past was that bringing the southern branch of
this Sri Maha Bodhi from Hiriwadunna to the city of Anuradhapura by Therini5 Sangamiththa. This is
stated in Mahavamsa too. The journey of the sacred Bo tree is written in Mahavamsa as “Janbudveepa
idhaa gatha Lankapura” in Maghadi language. In the ancient past what was meant by Janbudveepa is
nothing but this Hiriwadunna area which is the birth place of the Buddha. From this place, Therini
Sangamithra came through the river in a boat to Mahakanadarawa with an offshoot of this Bo tree
planted in a pathra6 and handed it to the King Devana Paa Tissa. A large river called Neranjana crossed
the neighboring place of Hiriwadunna Aranya Senasana, crossed the city of Sawath and met the sea in
the Kokilai lagoon. Today this large river has turned in to a small cannel (Hurulu Oya). This is because,
later, King Parakramabahu diverted the Aban ganga & Sudu ganga 7 in the Elahera area, waters of them
them were taken to Parakrama Samudra and also in the lower regions many large tanks such as
Hiriwadunna wewa, Hurulu wewa, Mahagal Kadawala wewa,Waahalkada wewa & Padawiya wewa
were built across the river. Today this large river has turned in to a water stream (Yaan Oya Hurulu Oya).
But earlier, even merchandise to the city of Sawath was transported in this river by the barges, boats
and small ships. Therini Sangamiththa too brought the southern branch of the sacred Sri Maha Bodhi in
a boat from Hiriwadunna to Anuradapura through this very river of Neranjana. That is Janbudveepa in
Hela Diva to Lankapura. Lankapura, later, was named as Anuradapura.

1
According to the traditional belief, Sujatha is a daughter of the headman, a rich person or a Count in the village.
2
Udangaawa -> Uda (upper ) + gan ( the river) +aa ( came or reached).
3
Maha Muni or The great sage. Maa(great)+miniyava(where muni came in to..).
4
Building a fence, probably gold plated, around the Bo trees in the temple is a very famous practice in the popular Buddhism.
5
Therini or Mehini are female members of the Order. At present they are commonly called as Buddhist nuns.
6
Begging bowl .
7
These are two rivers.
42
Nobody knows that even to this day, for some years, a miraculous thing happens near this sacred Jaya
Sri Maha Bodhi where Lord Buddha gained his Enlightenment. A sacred white Bodi is emerged exactly
from where the southern branch was uprooted and illuminated with Buddhuras1. A photograph of this
miraculous white bud of the Bo tree emerged from the sacred Bo tree in Hiriwadunna in Wesak full
moon Poya Day on 8th May 2009 is taken in to this book. (picture was taken on 17th May 2009). This bud
of the Bo tree lasts for seven weeks. Later, it will die off. The emerging of this white bud of the Bo tree
occurs exactly in the Wesak full moon Poya Day. Even the leaves of this sacred Sri Maha Bodhi have
special features which cannot be seen in any other Bo tree. Even today, leaves of this Sri Maha Bo tree
generate some rays, some illuminations. This Bo tree has features which cannot be seen any other Bo
tree. It can be proved, even scientifically, that this sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodi is the mother Bo tree of
the sacred Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradapura.

The maiden Sujatha offered milk rice to Gautama Bosat at the Ajapal Nuga tree2 which is situated closer
to this sacred Bo tree. This Nuga tree and also a 300-400 feet long remaining part of the river Neranjana,
in which the begging bowl was sent to float upstream, are well secured up to date in same grounds of
this Aranya Senasana, anyone can go and see them. The end of the upper region of this river is still a
village called “Udangaawa”. It is named so to give the meaning that “….came upstream of the river”.
What came upstream is the begging bowl put to the river for floating. In the past the ruler of the most
neighboring land was King Muchalinda. Name of King Muchalinda is mentioned in the Aataanaataa
Sutta as well. This king is from the Naaga tribe (and not a Naaga, a cobra)3. The stone chamber and the
stone seat (length 6.5 feet width 3 feet) made and offered to Buddha by King Muchalinda using the
highest technology prevailed to that date are still exist there. Earlier it was called Ruwan Geya4.

After The Enlightenment, the journey that the Buddha started to see the five ascetics to disclose his first
sermon, was begun from this Bo tree. Five ascetics, Yasa Kula Puthra5 and his friends were taken in to
the Order by the Buddha and came back to the Bo tree in a short period of time. The Buddha preached
Dhamma under this sacred Sri Maha Bodhi to the three Jatila6 brothers, namely, Nadee Kassapa, Gayaa
Kasspa & Uruwel Kassapa who lived in the village called Kassapa (village Kassapa still exists) which is
being bordered to this Sri Maha Bodi in Hiriwadunna. It is clear then that these three Jatila brothers &
their followers realized the supermundane fruitions of the Path (Marga Pala) and lived in the Aaranya
Senaasanas built in this place itself, Hiriwadunna. Even to this date, all the ruins of the ancient Aaranya
Sanaasanas are scattered all over in this 11 acre land with serene beauty. All these ruins are at least 300
years older than the Anuradapura period.

The pond known as Muchalinda Vila can still be seen to the west of the river Neranjana. What is seen by
the pilgrims going India today is just a monument of Buddhagaya built with bricks by Ashoka the Grate
after 300 years of Buddha. It is nothing but a dummy, a false structure. But all the aspects found in
Hiriwadunna were protected and secured by the Darmatha. The Buddha himself says, it’s clearly
mentioned in the Ariya Paryeshana Sutta, that its very pleasing the splendorous land & the sandy plain
near the beautiful river Neranjana, and also the neighboring village which provides the necessaries.
Anyone wishes to go to Hiriwadunna Aaranya Senaasana today, will be able see all these well preserved
sceneries with his own eyes without any mismatching to the praises given to them in the Ariya

1
Buddha Rashmi – illumination of Buddha’s body.
2
Nuga tree- Ficus benghalensis.
3
The seating Buddha coiled by a large cobra is a very famous statue, a painting found in Buddhist temples and it is made so
based on the misinterpretation of this story.
4
The house or the chamber of gems.
5
A young man from a rich family.
6
A type of ascetics wearing turbans.
43
Paryeshana Sutta. Following my own experience, it should be mentioned here that it exists an amazing
universal energy source in this place up to this date and it is ideal for an ascetic who practices the code
of Dhamma1, which had helped for all the Buddhas in the past to enjoy the samapaththi2 of the sublime
Arahantship and would still help to gain bliss of the samapaththi of Arahantship.

In order to prove that Gautama Buddha gained his supermandane Enlightenment here in this place, it is
not necessary to give examples and comparisons any more.

It should honestly be mentioned that there isn’t any other place in this world than this place where the
universal energy is centralized in this manner and this universal energy in this place can be used only by
the ones who follow the path of Dhamma. This sacred place was covered by the great jungles for all
these times, more than 1200 years, and nobody could find it. The reason for that also is nothing but the
effect of the Darmatha. It is due to effect of same Darmatha that emerging with the sublime Buddha
Dhamma, this place too got emerged.

The direction to where the sacred Hiriwadunna Sri Maha Bodhi is situated is as follows:

After covering nearly 20 kms from Dambulla on the Colombo- Trincomalee road, it has to be turned to
your left from the 110 km post and walked 1 km on the gravel road. If someone comes from Habarana
or Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, nearly 2 kms should be covered on the Habarana-Dabulla road and
turned to the right and after covering another km on the gravel road to see the Aranya Senasana where
the sacred Sri Maha Bodhi is resided. It is easy to reach this most sacred place by getting in to any bus
coming from Colombo which aims the destinations such as Polonnaruwa, Trincomalee, the sacred land
Somawathi, Kanthale, Hangurakgoda, Madhirigiriya, Kaduruwela, Dehiaththakandiya, Batticaloa and
getting down from Hiriwadunna. There are ruins scattered all around in a large Aranya Senasana ground
of 11 acres and all the places related to Sath Sathi can be observed even today.

6.3 Migadaya in Isipathana

The Load Gautama who gained the sublime Enlightenment in the Wesak Poya Day, who is the
supermandane Buddha, spent seven weeks near the sacred Sri Maha Bodhi tree and started to walk in
search of five ascetics who lived in a cave in Migadaya in Isipathana in Kasirata. Araya Paryeshana Sutta
has given information of this journey and the people met on the way to Isipathana.

King Asoka in India too wanted to mark this incident, he reserved a place called Isipathana and did the
constructions there. This is the period nearly 300 years after the Damsak Pawathum Sutta3. The distance
between the place which is called Gaya Bodhi and the place which is called Isipathana in India today is
about 400 kms. It would take at least 20 days to walk and cover this distance, in the ancient time.
According to the Ariya Paryeshana Sutta, Gautama Buddha attended in to his supermandane
Enlightenment in the Wesak full moon Poya Day under the sacred Sri Maha Bodhi and after nearly two
months of the Enlightenment, Damsak Pawathum Sutta was preached in Isipathna in the Esala Full
moon Poya Day. It says that the Buddha has spent almost seven weeks near the Bo tree. This suggests
that ones who wrote the history have done a mistake somewhere.

Answering all these issues is not difficult if someone takes in to consideration the distances of ancient
Janbudveepa (Hela Diva). Isipathana in the ancient Heladiwa is the place called “Isinbassa Gala”, even
today, situated near Madawachchiya on the Poonawa road. Areas like Vavniya, Mullathiw and Padaviya
1
Dammanudhamma patipada .
2
The fruits or the trance experience by an Arahanth.
3
Setting in motion the wheel of Dhamma.
44
were coming under Kasirata in the past. The capital of Kasirata was Varanaasi. Today it is called Vavniya.
In this place known as “Issinbassagala” today, all the things such as the large natural cave where the five
ascetics lived, the inscriptions engraved in the cave and the place where the Buddha preached Damsak
Pawathum Sutta to the five ascetics can still be seen. Those days the area to the west from Migadaya in
Issipathanaya was ruled by the regional Yakkha kings such as Saathaagira and Hemawatha. Both these
kings had met the Buddha that day, listened to Dhamma and they were so pleased by Dhamma, says
Aaraya Paryeshana Sutta. These two names, Saathagira and Hemawatha, are included in Aatanaata
Sutta among other names of the tribal leaders in Hela Diva. Even today this area is called Santhaana
Kanda1.

Now, the attention should be taken in to another important story found in Tripitaka. That is the story of
meeting two brother merchants called “Thapassu Bhalluka”, by Gautama Buddha on his way to
Issipathana from the sacred Sri Maha Bodi in HIriwadunna. They were met at a place on the road which
was in between Issipathana and Sri Maha Bodhi. Today it is at the Horowpathana Morawewa area near
Trincomalee. Thapassu and Balluka brothers got Kesa Daathu2 from the Lord Buddha as an object of
offerings. The Stupa built by these two brother merchants enshrining Kesa Daathu is popular by names
such as Girihadu Saya and Thiriyaya. These two places called Girihadu Saya and Thihariya are found in
Hela Diva, in the area in between Issipathana and Sri Maha Bodhi. A large no of ruins of buildings can
still be seen in this area.

Yasa Kula Putra and his fifty four friends followed Buddha Dhamma and realized the effects of Dhamma
in this very place called Kasirata. Based on this story, Gauthma Buddha started the missionary service of
Buddha Dhamma from this most sacred place called Issinbassagala (Isipathana) near Vavniya. Even up
to date, these places are closed and hidden by effects of the Darmatha. That is purely to see and pay
homage by the ones who follow the path of Dhamma.

Hisin Bassa Gala or Isipathana where the sages came down from

This Isipathana or the grounds of Issin Bassa Gala Raja Maha Vihara is the place where Gautama
Buddha, after the realization of the supermandane Dhamma, made his very first sermon to the five
disciples. Today there is a Raja Maha Vihara at this ground. When covering nearly 2 kms towards
Vavniya from Madavachchiya on the Mahanuwara- Jaffna road No 9, this sacred place is found on the
right side of the road.

1
The mountain of Santhana.
2
The hair lerics of the Buddha. Dhathu, in Sinhala language, means material remains of Buddha.
45
Migadaya in Isipathana
After two months period of the Enlightenment of Gautama Buddha, his very first sermon was preached here. That
was for the five ascetics or five disciples, paswaga mahanu. These five ascetics lived in this cave. Today this is place
near Madavachchiya known as Isinbassagala (Isin – Rishis or Sages, bassa – came down from, gala – the rock or the
plain of rocks). Later, this place too had been modified with walls.

6.4 The city of Kusinara

The parinirvana of Gautama Buddha, the cremation of the sacred body of the Buddha and also the
distribution of relics by Brahamin called Drona, all these happened at the city of Kusinara. Earlier this
city of Kusinara was situated in the country of King Malla. In order to commemorate the parinirvana of
the Buddha, King Ashoka too built a monument at a place called “Kaasiya” in India. One Stupa too was
built there. Later one Buddha statue was built as well.

The parinirvana of Gautama Buddha, the cremation of the sacred body of the Buddha and the
distribution of relics by the Brahmin called Drona, all these incidents happened here in this Hela Diva. In
the ancient times, the area stretched from Rajawaka Mahwalathanna in the lower region of Balangoda,
Uggal Kalthota Welioya to Sankapaala was coming under the kingdom of Malla. Today what we call as
“Budugala” Kuragala which is on Kalthota road in the lower region of Balangoda is where Gautama
Buddha entered in to parinirvana, the passing away. There are a large no of ruins in this area up to date.
All the monuments & inscriptions built by the kings of Malla and also the panchaavasa1 built to
commemorate the cremation of the Buddha too can be seen even up to date. Gautama Buddha entered
in to parinirvana in the city of Kusinara (in Budugala in Hela Diva), the cremation ceremony was set up
there itself and kings of Mallawa made all the necessary arrangements for this, the Maha Parinibbaana
Sutta says. The sacred relics that the kings of Mallawa got at the ceremony of distribution of relics by the
Brahamin called Drona was placed in a Dhathu Mandira2 built in the city of Kusinara (today it is the very
place called Budugala), arranged the relevant offerings and safe guarded it by the royal families of
Mallawa. The foundation of the first Dantha Dhathu Mandira 3 built in Hela Diva can still be seen at
Budugala in Balangoda (see the picture).

1
Five hermitages.
2
A house specially built to keep the relics.
3
House of tooth relic.
46
Prince Dantha and princess Hemamala were from this Helabima, born to the royal family of Mallawa and
did safe guard the sacred tooth relic. When the power of the kingdom of Mallawa was weak & poor and
Anuradhapura became a powerful kingdom, prince Dantha and princess Hemamala who were born in
this Hela Diva itself, secretly went and handed over the sacred tooth relic which they had kept hidden
and secured all this times, to the ruling king of Anuradhapura, King Kithsirimewan.

This story is found preciously in Mahavamsa Commentaries as well. That is the story of bringing the
sacred tooth relic from Janbudveepa to Lankapura by prince Dantha and princess Hemamala. Today’s
Budugala was the city of Kusinara in the past. The city of Kusinara was situated where Buddha was born,
in Janbudveepa in Hela Diva. Lankapura was the city of Anuradapura. Anyone interested in visiting the
large area of 15 acres called Budugala, ruins of the ancient buildings made by kings of Malla can still be
seen.

As its explained in Maha Parinibbana Sutta Gautama Buddha came to the city of Vishala from the city of
Rajagaha, from there to the village called Beluva, then to the city of Paawaa, crossed the river and came
to the city of Kusinara, Buddha passed away there. In the past Veluwanaramaya in the city of Rajagaha
was situated at the place called Rajagala Thanna on the Nilgala road in Bibila. Buddha walked from there
to Bibila, to Maddagama & Monaragala and then finally to the city of Vishala trough Maligavila. Today
the city of Vishala cannot be seen. It is situated in a place near Kumbukan Oya in the center of the Yaala
Sanctuary. A large no of ruins can be seen there as well, even today. They are still covered by the thick
jungle. Today this place is identified as Kebiliththa Dewalana.

47
After the cremation ceremony of Gautama Buddha, this is the place where the Brahmin called Drona (Malla Rata)
distributed the sacred relics of The Enlightened One to the members of the royal families in Deva Hela. The relics
of the Enlightened One, including a sacred tooth relic, were placed in a dathu mandira here, a chamber of relics.
Today, though this dathu mandira has turned in to the ruins its majesty has not yet gone down in any way. What
was taken to Anuradapura by the prince Dantha and princess Hemamala is the tooth relic which was placed here.

Buddha came to village called Beluwa (Buththla) from city of Vishala, from there Buddha came to
Hambegamuwa through Athiliwewa which is situated in the lower region of Wallawaya. The area
covered by the thick jungle today is Hambegamuwa and it was called the city of Paawaa in the past. Lord
Buddha was sick and rested two three days on the road in between Athiliwewa and Hambegamuwa.
Those huge caves can be seen even today. Now, all these areas are covered by the thick jungles. It says
that the Buddha crossed the river in the city of Paawa and came to the city of Kusinara in the kingdom of
Malla kings. Today, the river that Buddha crossed is called Weli Oya, another spot in river Walawe. The
capital city of the kingdom of the Malla kings was the area called Rajawaka Mahawelathanna in
Balangoda. The place where Gautama Buddha passed away, Budugala, is situated nearly 5 miles down
from Mahawelathanna. Earlier it was a large village called Kusinara. Today it is called Budugala, kuragala.

The most significant four incidents in Buddha’s life such as the birth of prince Sidduhath, the
supermandane Enlightenment of Gautama Buddha, the very first sermon and the parinirvaana of
Buddha happened in Janbudveepa in this Hela Diva. What built by Asoka the Great in India in the
ancient times were just models of them. Today, Lankan Buddhists go to India to see and pay their
homage to these models, but not to the real places. This statement is not based on any assumptions and
this statement is made only after seen the truth. It is the real truth disclosed for the use of the dedicated
Kula Puthras.

Kusinara or Budugala where Gautama Buddha entered in to parinirvana

Budugala is situated in the Kalthota Divisional Secretariat in Rathnapura district. Balangoda to

Rathnapura, turning right from Balangoda and covering 30 kms on the Kalthota road, then again turning
to the right to cover 3 kms on the Diyavinna road is the direction to the Budugala Raja Maha Vihara.
48
Godakawela to Waligepola, covering nearly 5 kms after Diyawiththa on Waligepola to Kalthota road also
can be used to go to the Budugala Raja Maha Vihara. Another route to this place is the road leading to
Balangoda through Thanamalvila and Hambegamuwa.

The cave of Drona

The place which is known by this name even to this date is the place which was named in memory of the Brahmin
called Drona build to commemorate the incident of distribution of the sacred relics of Buddha. It can be seen very
clearly in the picture that this cave is modified today with new walls.

When Gautama Buddha attended to parinirvana in the ancient city of Kusinara (today its Budugala), the cremation
was done in this place itself (today its Budugala). The ruins of the sacred place built to commemorate it by the
regional rulers of the royal family of Mallawa can be seen even today.

49
6.5 The city of Sawath and Devram Vehera

The city of Sawath was the capital city of the kingdom of Kosol. The King Kosol of the kingdom of Kosal
was the contemporary ruler to Buddha. The kingdom of Kosol was the largest out of all Sakyan states in
Janbudveepa in Hela Diva, wealthy people lived there and the population in the kingdom was also high.
The Sakyan state of King Suddodana (including river Mahaveli) was situated to the east of it, Kingdoms
of Anga & Kasi were situated on the north, Yakkha Hela to the west was ruled by King Wesamuni, and to
the south it was the kingdom of Dewdha ruled by King Dewdaha. A large area covering Galenbinduwewa,
Hurulu Wewa, Pallugas Wewa and Ritigala was the wealthy city, Sawath. Earlier, river Neranjana was
flowing across the city of Sawath. Even to this date it flows down with a new name, Hurulu Oya and Yan
Oya. Many large areas such as Kanthale, Polonnaruwa, Kahatagasdigiliya and Padaviya were coming
under the kingdom of Kosol. In the ancient times River Neranjana was another large river like river
Mahaveli and carried out lot of waters. Presently this water does not flow in to this area. Building the
tanks1 across the upper regions of the river and diverting its waters to Minneriya Wewa in Elahara are
the reasons for this. That water still flows into all the tanks such as Girithale, Minneriya, Kawdulla and
Kanthale. Building Moragahakanda tank and letting that waters to flow again as it was is now in progress.
This too happens with the effect of Darmatha. The city of Sawath located near river Neranjana was one
main business city in the east. Small ships, boats and barges were used to transport the merchandise to
this city, even from foreign lands. Meheni Sangamithra used a small ship in this river when take in
procession a branch of Sri Maha Bodhi from Hirivadunna to Anuradhapura,. The Sakyan princess
Baddakachchaayana too came floating in this same river. That was in the period of King Panduwas. The
princess Baddakachchaayana and her eighteen brothers lived in these Sakyan states. King Paduwasdev
reigned from a capital city of Mahavilachchiya in Hela Diva in the kingdom of Yakkha.
Baddakachchaayana coming to Lankapura from Janbudveepa is a true story.

Wealthy people who lived in Janbudveepa in Hela Diva in the ancient times spent their wealth for
building monasteries & stupas such as Jethvanaramaya in the city of Savath, Poorwaramaya &
Goshitharamaya and offered them to Gautama Buddha and his disciples. Gautama Buddha, in the latter
part of his life, delivered his sermons and lived a long period like twenty years in Devram Vehera in
Jethavana which was built by Sudaththa, the count, the wealthy merchant. “Jetha” in Magadhi language
means “Na tree”.2 “Velu” was a name used for the Bamboo tree. Jethavana3 means a forest filled with
lot of Na trees.

Even today this Jethvana (Na forest) of 2000 acres is stretched over the mountain range called Ritigala
in Janbudveepa in Hela Diva. Na tress of 2500- 3000 years old, or more than that, can still be seen in the
grounds of Jethavana. Earlier this Jethavana was situated to the western boundary of the city of Sawath.
Now this Jetha Vana is called Ritigala forest reserve and protected by the National Archaeological
Department. It is still available the ruins and the foundations of many buildings of the marvelous
Devramvehera, built for Gautama Buddha by the Count Sudaththa (the Count Anepidu) spending a
massive amount 4of his wealth. Nearly one mile long beautiful pathway to Devramvehera made with
seasoned granites, large pond called Banda made for the supply of water for the use of Buddha & the
disciples, the Gandakili in Devramvehera offered for Buddha, the chamber of Ananda Thero5 found at
the same place, the Sakman Malu6, halls for alms-givings, halls for dispensing medications and also the

1
These are massive water reservoirs. A marvel of irrigation systems in ancient Lanka.
2
The Ironwood (Na Tree), botanically known as “Mesua Nagassarium”, is the National Tree of Lanka.
3
Vana means “the forest or the grow”.
4
It says that the amount is Asukotiya, literary it is eighty millions.
5
The last attendant of Buddha. In Buddha’s lay life, Ananda Thero was Buddha’s cousin. Ananda Thero served as the attendant
for the remaining 25 years of the Buddha's life.
6
Pathways specially made for walking mediations.
50
Damsaba Mandapa1 used by Gautama Buddha for sermons can be identified very clearly as ruins even
to this day. Apart from this, foundations of many more buildings which cannot be easily classified and
identified are also still found here. Some can be identified as chambers built for 500 Arahants lived in
Devramvehera that day.

One can think about the peculiarity behind this only by considering the rationale behind the incident of
giving the name Devramvehera to this Vehera built with lot of wealth by the Count Sudaththa. Someone
who observes the real nature of this marvelous & wonderful collection of buildings made almost three
hundred years before Ashoka’s period, would realize that they are master pieces which may vanquish
even the seven wonders in the world.

It is because of the effect of Darmatha that all these still exist and can be seen with our own eyes. If
these areas had not been covered by the thick jungle in the periods of Portugal, Dutch and British2 we
would have lost all these precious ruins found in these areas.

Ritigala
The ruins to be seen even to this date of the Devram Vihara (Jethavana Vihara) in the city of Sawath which was
3
built by the Count Sudaththa (The Count Anepidu. Gandakili , the halls for alms-givings and Damsabha Mandapa
and all other things of Devram Vihara where Gautama Buddha and also Ananda Thero lived for 20 years.

Apart from Devram Vehera, one can still observe the ruins of Poorawarama, Vihara of Meheni
Yashodara and some other Aaranya Senasanas situated near the Ritigala mountain area. Archaeologists
may not know that in the upper region of Jethavanarama, on the mountain top covering 5000 acres of
forest area called Ritigala Mountain, there are extremely large inscriptions written in Maagadhi Prakrit
language made in Buddha’s time. There are more than ten thousand letters in them, not less than that.
It is certain that no one has made an attempt to read them. It can also be seen that someone had tried
to destroy them. During the colonial times, someone who saw these inscriptions may have tried to break

1
Dam (the Dhamma) + saba (audience) +mandapa (flat form or a seat positioned at a higher level). The place where Buddha
had Dhamma discussions.
2
Portugal ( 1505-1658), Dutch (1658 -1798), British (1815-1948).
3
The personal chamber of the Buddha (also known as Gandhakutiya).
51
and take them away. But, because of great size and the effect of the Darmatha it had not been easy to
remove them from that place and they are still there.

It is the duty & the responsibility of the government and the ruling authorities to read & understand
what is written there and to get revealed the real history of Janbudveepa in Hela Diva in the past.
Ritigala is the most amazing place in Janbudveepa in Hela Diva in the ancient times. That beauty is still
there. It can be declared with confidence now that this great donor Sudaththa, who was honored as the
Count Anepidu, lived in the kingdom of Kosol in Janbudveepa in this Hela Diva, like you and I live
presently, but not in India.

Ashoka the Great, after hearing about the news of this amazing Devram Vehera built by the Count
Anepidu, had taken some attempts to build a Devram Vehera in his kingdom too. The dimensions & the
plan of the Gandakili of Buddha & all the other surrounding buildings found in the first Devramvehera in
Ritigala are identical to the foundations of the model Devramvehera in India. The main mismatching
which is unbelievable, is that seasoned solid rocks had been used for the foundations of Devramvehera
built in Buddha’s time in Ritigala. They are granites, in the modern context. Devramvehera of the great
King Ashoka had been made with bricks. Devramvehera built by Ashoka the Great after nearly 300 years
of Buddha’s time had been made with bricks following the Greek influences. It can be noticed that the
walls of Devramvehera in Ritigala had been made with sandal wood. In India, bricks had been used for
the walls. The pilgrims going to Dambadiva in India can go to Ritigala as well, compare these two
constructions and can clearly identify the differences of the first Janbudveepa and the Janbudveepa
model built later in India. This real truth should come out one day. Greek or Hindu influence can be seen
in all the building constructions and eight four thousand stupas & monasteries built in India in Ashoka’s
reign. There isn’t a major difference between the Hindu temples in India and the stupas and
monasteries built by Ashoka the Great. But all the constructions found in Buddha’s period, in
Janbudveepa, in Deva Hela, an architectural methodology which is unique only to us had been used.
These methodologies cannot be seen in any other country. The characteristics of the constructions in
Ashoka’s period in India and in Auradapura period in Lanka are the same. In Janbudveepa in Buddha’s
period, in Deva Hela, bricks had not been used for any single building. If any place is found with
constructions with bricks, then that is certainly a construction coming under either Anuradapura or
Polonnaruwa era. After the era of Buddha, this stone technology was disappeared from Hela Diva as
well.

7 The languages used in Hela Diva in Buddha’s period.

All the rulers in Hela Diva (Deva Hela) mainly used two languages.

1. Magadhi Prakruth language

2. Hela Basa (Hela Language)

As a whole, the language of the ordinary citizens in the entire Hela Diva was Hela Basa. Hela Basa had
been used as a spoken language and also as a written language. Hela Basa was used everywhere by
ordinary citizens, in the day today life and also in their trading activities.

Prakruth Magadhi language was a language of the great scholars. Magadhi language was used for
technology, science & craftsmanship and administration of the country. Magadhi language was used
commonly in the county of Magadha of which the city of Rajagaha was the capital city. The scholars,
rulers of the country, clergy, Brahmans and some Counts learnt and used the Magadhi language.
Everyone who used Maghadi language knew Hela Basa as well. The gap between Magadhi language and
Hela language was not that much great. Maghadi language was used to learn any particular skill &
52
knowledge or any science. It can be seen that the mass in the general public did not use the profound
Maghadi language.

Buddha used Maghadi language to teach Dhamma in all the sixteen states in Janbudveepa Hela Diva.
The Dhamma preached in Maghadi language was easily understood by the common people who used
Hela Basa as well. In the ancient times there lived scholars in Hela Diva who knew Hela Basa as well and
they present Artha, Dharma, Nirukthi 1and Patibhana for the intellectual Buddha Dhamma which was
taught in Maghadi language. Because of this, Buddha Dhamma preached in Magadhi language by
Gautama Buddha was analyzed during that period itself and Hela Commentaries were written for them.
Hela Basa was a written language, but not the Maghadi language. Because of this, within the same
period of time, Commentary writing (Attha katha)2 in Hela Basa was done for the Buddha Dhamma
preached by Gautama Buddha. In order to analyze and present explanations for the teachings of Buddha,
in the ancient times in Hela Bima, five Artha kathas written in Hela Basa had been used and they are
Hela Atuwa, Kurundi Atuwa, Budukali Atuwa, Seehala Attha Katha and Mahaatta Katha. All these Attha
Kathas were written on Buddha Dhamma preached by Gautama Buddha in Maghadi language. These
original Hela Atuwa could be seen even in the Anuradhapura period. The alphabet used for Magadhi
language and Hela Language was the same. There were no two different alphabets. Both these
languages used a methodology of Prakrit letters. But by this time, what used in India were the Brahmi
letters and the Sanskrit language. The ordinary citizens in India never used Maghadi language or Hela
Basa. Because of this, one can notice that there are certain differences between the letters used in
Lanka in the very old age in Helabima, which is the Buddha’s period even before Anuradhapura period,
and the letters used in Anurahapura after Ashoka’s period. The consequence of this were that the
inscriptions reader of the Anuradhapura period experienced difficulties in reading inscriptions written in
Buddha’s period in Hela Diva. But the pattern of the letters in Anuradapura period and Ashoka period
was very similar. This is because of the influence from India. In the ancient Hela Diva, rulers and some
scholars from Yakkha Hela where Yakkha & Naaga tribes lived knew both languages, Maghadi and Hela
Basa. Rulers of Yakkha tribe such as Saathaagira and Hemawatha could understand the Dhamma
preached by Gautama Buddha in Maghadi language. Even King Samana could understand Dhamma. And
also the great King Wessawana introduced the enactment of Aataanaataa to Gautama Buddha in
Magadhi language. Gautama Buddha preached the same to his disciples again in Magadhi language.

In the ancient times Arahant Mahinda Thero came to Hela Diva (Lanka), went to the capital city of
Rajagaha (Ampara) in the kingdom of Magada, learnt both Magadhi language & Hela Basa for few years,
took the Budu Kali Commentaries written in Hela Basa to Anuradhapura and preached Buddha Dhamma
to King Dewana Paathis in both Magadhi language & Hela Basa. This means that most of the people
lived in the kingdom of Anuradhapura too knew Hela Basa and Magadhi language very well. Gradually,
Helabasa became the language of the common man and Magadhi language became the language of the
intellectuals.

This Magadhi language used by the intellectuals in all the sixteen states in Hela Diva and also in Yakkha
Hela & Naaga Hela had never ever been a language to be used by any region or any kingdom in India. All
the languages prevailed in India that day were based on Sanskrit, but not Prakrit.

After preaching Dhamma by Gautama Buddha in Hela Diva, Dhamma spread out gradually to South
India and the regions like east Kerala. When Buddha Dhamma was spread out in this manner, Maghadi
language was used in the kingdoms in South and East India. As a result of this, books written in Hela Diva

1
Buddha enjoys four types of understanding: understanding of doctrine (Dharma), understanding of meaning (Artha),
understanding of grammar (Nirukti) and understanding of eloquence (Pratibhaana).
2
Atta Katha or Attha Katha or Artha Katha – the commentaries were written with the aim of explaining something in a simple
manner, to make easy the reader to understand certain difficult words.
53
in Magadhi and Hela languages were translated in to Indian languages. Indian universities too started
teaching Maghadi language and that is only after the spreading of Buddha Dhamma. Pela1 is not a
language. Pela Dhamma is nothing but the texts or passages of Buddha Dhamma in Magadhi language
which are in the form of lines or arranged into lines. Buddha Dhamma was presented in this manner, in
the form of lines, as it helps in easy reading by heart and registers in mind thoroughly. After 7 centuries,
in the latter part of Anuradhapura period, Pela Dhamma was transformed in to a language called Pali
and later modified it as a language with grammar. Pali language which is used and learnt at present is a
created, modified language and not the same Magadhi language used by Buddha to preach Dhamma.
There are many differences between these two. Artha, Dharma and Nirukthi can be presented for the
Magadhi terms which were used by the Buddha. Pali language has only customary meanings.

8 Inscription technology and the culture of irrigation in the ancient Hela Diva.

Inscriptions,epigraphies,methodologies of sculpturing & writing of Kataram 2 and methodology of

seasoning & using rocks found 300 years before the Anuradhapura era in Hela Diva, in Gautama
Buddha’s period, cannot be seen in any time any country in the world. The inscriptions done across Hela
Diva before the Anuradhapura period are discovered not in thousands, but in ten thousands and more.
Inscriptions, Kataram & other related things covered by the thick jungle and what need to be discovered
more are greater than what is discovered up to now.

Not a single inscription was found from any part in India until such time that King Ashoka installed 32
inscriptions. (other than what was discovered from Mohenjo Daro periods). It is very clear that all these
32 inscriptions by King Ashoka were done either by the masons from Lankan or on their instructions. It is
proved today that most of the things done with rocks in places like Sanchi, Wellora and Ajantha were
done in 4th, 5th, or 7th century. One single thing written on a rock cannot be found in Buddha’s period in
India. But in Lanka they were in great numbers. In this period, other than Ashoka inscriptions, Kataram
and letters engraved in caves cannot be found in India. But in Lanka, there are uncountable evidences in
all most all the villages where Kataram had been made in caves & caverns and offered them for the use
of Buddha and Maha Sanga. Discovering more than 30 inscriptions today with the name “Gothama
Samana” alone proves that more than 30 caves, engraved the letterings Gothamoshamana, had been
offered to Gautama Buddha himself. All these inscriptions had been done in Buddha’s time, prior to
Anuradhapura period. If someone considers only the large no of inscriptions found everywhere from
Mulathiv to Thissamaharama in Deva Hela and compares the facts such as the status of Hela Diva in the
past, other relevant sources, information in Tripitaka, it is not difficult to take a clear picture of the
existence of the kingdom of Buddha in the ancient Hela Diva. If someone hesitates to understand this
truth, based on the teachings of Buddha, he can be considered as a michaa drushtika3.

Every regional ruler reigned in Deva Hela arranged the caves found in their regions with Kataram, their
names were engraved to those caves and offered to Buddha and Maha Sanga. It should be very clearly
mentioned here that more than in Anuradhapura period, many caves with Kataram are found in
numbers from Ruhuna & eastern regions and all of them date back to Buddha’s period. Based on this, it
is proved that Gautama Buddha lived and preached Dhamma in the areas in Deva Hela in this Hela Diva.
Anyone who thinks that Buddha Dhamma was preached in India does not have the ability to present any
information of this nature which is so firm and rich. It is your duty to understand this truth and for that it
is necessary to read this information carefully, read other relevant texts, visit and exam the said places.
1
The line.
2
Methodology of carving the drip ledges of the rock as a mean to block the waters flowing on the rock surface and drippin
inside the cave. A roof is made under the Kataram, so the waters will flow on to the roof and would not go inside the cave.
3
One who fallows false ideas.
54
It is your duty to go and see these places which are fallen upon due to the blessings of the nations. The
definitive heritage that you get as someone born in Janbudveepa in Hela Diva is nothing but Buddha
Dhamma. The most supermandane Buddha Dhamma is found only here in this land of virtue, in the past
as well as now. Hence, heritage of Hela Diva is the most sacred Buddha Dhamma which will certainly be
the aid to achieve Nirvana.

The culture of irrigation

The culture of irrigation in the Buddha’s period in Hela Diva and how did that people lived whiles
maintaining a very close relationship with the tanks had been broadly explained in many Suttas in
Tripitaka. The ancient people who lived in Hela Diva managed waters and cultivated paddy fields with
the help of the plough. In many places in Tripitaka, Buddha had taken the tanks for examples.

But by this time tanks or a culture related to irrigation were not found in India. In Buddha’s ear in Hela
Diva, prior to Anuradapura and Polonnaruva periods, there had been a culture of irrigation and it could
be observed in all big and small villages in the east & Ruhuna. In Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa
periods the irrigation system which was developed is something peculiar to us, but not a culture of
irrigation brought to us from a foreign land. Even in the Buddha’s period, it was very developed here in
Hela Diva. The most ancient Sorowwa 1 discovered by the engineers who built Maduruoya Tank is a
classic example for this. This Sorowwa was built in the city of Kimbulwath in the reign of King Suddodana.
It is proved that the old Maduruoya Tank had been built more than 500 years before Anuradhapura
period.

9 The meaningful conclusion.

In the period that Buddha lived, 2600 years prior to this date, based on administrative authorities, this
Heladeepa had been divided preciously in to two.

1. Yaksha Heladeepa where tribes like Yaksha, Naga, Kumbhaanda and Gaandarva lived, of which
capital city was Alakamandava (Lankapura).

2. Janbudveepa, which was popular as Deva Hela where Aryan clan lived, in which sixteen states
were located.

It was in this Hela Diva that Sidduhath Gautama Bosath was born, Gautama Bosath attended in to
supermandane Enlightenment, preached Dhamma from his very first sermon for forty five years to this
world and finally attended in to parinirvana. In the past all these things happened in this Hela Diva
where you and I live and die.

The Tripitaka preciously says that four Buddhas in this Kalpa2 were born in this Janbudveepa itself. In the
time of Gautama Buddha Janbudveepa was called “Hela Diva”, in the period of Kakusanda Buddha it was
called “Ojadeepa”. In the time of Kashyapa Buddha it was “Mandadeepa”. This Janbudveepa was the
birth place for all the Buddhas from the time of Deepankara Buddha. There isn’t any other island in this
world other than this island, Hela Diva, what we call Sri Lanka now, where any man who aspires to
attend to the sacred position called Enlightenment can be achieved. It is because that the active
universal energies in this world are centralized in the Madya Mandala and it is situated in the center in
Sri Lanka. All the Buddhas who attend in to The Enlightenment can definitely get this energy only from

1
The sluice (Or Horowwa in Sinhala) is a master piece in the field of irrigation engineering in the ancient Lanka.
2
A world-period. An inconceivably long space of time. An eon.
55
the Madya Mandala situated in the very center in Janbudveepa in Sri Lanka. (See the map of Lanka). It’s
a constant that along with the disclose of this true Dhamma, ones who are born today in this Hela Diva
and also a particular group of lucky people who will be born for seven hundred years in the future, with
the effect of Buddha Shakthi 1,will be able to get the eternal relief from the suffering in Samsara, will get
the chance to realize Nirvana. You also should think that you too are a lucky person, “The most supreme
Buddha Dhamma” should be heard, it is necessary to step on to the path of Dhamma, should conform to
Buddha Shakthi and attend in to Nirvana. (To get further enhanced your knowledge you can read the
second version of this book).

Back Cover

The shrub of Kusathana - Gautama Buddha seated near the sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi on a seat made by
spreading eight handful of Kusathana on it. Kusathana used to arrange this seat is still available very close to the
Hiriwadunna Bo tree. They are not planted, grown there by someone else.

1
Energy or power of Buddha or spiritual power of the virtues of Buddha.

56
Back Cover

57
 Index

Aalakamandawa, 28, 34 Bhava, 9

Aalaw yaka, 28 Bhikkhu, 29
Aalawako, 29 Bhikkhuni, 29
Aataanaataa enactment, 24 Bhikku Mahanama, 9, 11, 34, 35, 37
Aban ganga, 42 Bhikkus, 10, 14, 15, 16, 22, 23
Abayagiri Vihara, 10 Bibila, 29, 47
Abhaya, 17 Bihar, 38
Ajaasaththa, 29 Bimbisaara, 29
Ajapal Nuga tree, 42, 43 bodhisatta, 41
Ajayntha, 54 Bodhisatta
Akkarapaththuwa, 29 Bosath, 7
Alaw, 28 bosath, 41
Alawwa, 28 Bosath Siduhath, 40
Ampara, 11, 21, 27, 29, 30, 35, 53 Brahmi, 53
Anagami, 13 Brahmins, 18
Anagarika Darmapala, 38 British, 51
Ananda, 12, 50, 51 Buddagaya, 6, 38, 41
Anepidu, 22, 50, 51, 52 Buddangala, 21
Anga, 50 Buddha Gnaana, 8
anuppado, 8 Buddha Rashmi, 43
Anuradhapura, 9, 10, 11, 14, 17, 18, 19, 22, 24, 28, 29, 35, Buddhagosha, 11
42, 44, 47, 50, 53, 54, 55 Buddhangala, 29
Apara Goyanaya, 10 Buddhanussathi, 8
Arahant Mahinda, 11, 17, 29, 53 Buddhisam, 16, 18, 19
Arahantship, 30, 44 Buddhuras, 43
Arama, 16 Budugala, 21, 46, 47, 48, 49
Aranya Senasanas, 10, 26 Budugala Raja Maha Vihara, 48
Ariya Paryeshana Sutta, 44 Budukali Atuwa, 11, 53
Artha, 8, 35, 53, 54 Buththla, 48
Artha kathas, 53 Chadashoka, 15
Asathu, 22, 38, 40, 41 chaithya, 16
Ashoka, 6, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 35, 36, 38, 40, 43, Chandano, 29
46, 51, 52, 53, 54 Chathuraarya Sachcha, 13
Ashokaawadaanaya, 36 Chiththa Pabbatha, 37
Athiliwewa, 48 Chiththaseno, 29
Atho, 29 Choolodara, 28, 35
Attha Kathas, 53 Colombo, 27, 44
Atuwa, 11, 53 Commentaries
Baddakachchaayana, 50 Pela,Pali, 9, 11, 29, 34, 37, 47, 53
Badra Kalpa Dadhimuko, 29
kalpa, 7 dagaba, 16
Bakkiella, 29 dagabas, 16, 19, 22
Balangoda, 21, 46, 48 Dambadiva, 9, 52
Bambaragala, 36, 38 Dammanudhamma patipada, 44
Bambaragala Rajamaha Vihara in Vavagama, 38 Damsabha Mandapa, 51
Batticaloa, 27, 44 Dantha Dhathu Mandira, 46
Beluva, 47 Darmatha, 3, 4, 9, 19, 39, 41, 43, 44, 45, 50, 51, 52
Bermuda Triangle, 8 dathu mandira, 48
Betel, 28 Deegho, 29
Bhaaradwaja, 29 deepa, 7, 24
Bharath Desha, 9 Deepankara Buddha, 7, 55

58
Dehiaththakandiya, 44 Gopaalo, 29
Dekundara Goshitharamaya, 50
inscription, 37 Gothama Samana, 54
Deva, 6, 10, 11, 17, 18, 19, 24, 26, 27, 29, 34, 35, 36, 48, 52, Gothamoshamana, 54
54, 55 Gullo, 29
Devram Vehera, 52 Hambegamuwa, 48, 49
Devram Vihara, 13, 16 Hangurakgoda, 44
Dewana Paa Thissa, 29 Hela, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23,
Dewana Paathis, 53 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42,
Dewasuthoo, 29 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 50, 52, 53, 54, 55
Dewram Vehera, 6, 19, 50, 51, 52 Hela Basa, 52, 53
Dewramvehera, 50, 51, 52 Hela Bima, 53
Dhamma Deepa, 8 Hela Diva
Dhammapadha, 11 Heladiva, 11, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 27, 29, 30, 34,
Dharma Niyama 35, 41, 45, 46, 50, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56
Dhamma Niyama, 3 Hemawatha, 34, 45, 53
Dharmashoka, 15 Hemawatho, 29
Dharmatha, 8, 13, 14, 42 Himi, 41
Dhatharatta, 27 Hirineththi, 29
Dhatharattha, 24 Hirivadunna, 20, 30, 50
Dhathu, 45, 46 Hiriwadunna, 21, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 56
Dhukka, 18 Hiriwadunna Aaranya Senaasana, 43
Dimbulagala, 20, 37 Hiriwadunna wewa, 42
Diyavinna, 48 Horowwa, 55
Diyawiththa, 49 Hung San, 36
Doctrine of the Conditional Genesis, 13 Hurulu Oya, 42, 50
dosa, 3 Hurulu wewa, 42
Drona, 46, 48, 49 Hurulu Wewa, 50
Dutch, 51 Ihaththawa, 42
Dvathaa Dhamma, 13 impermanence of life, 18
Ella Janapada, 37 Indasala cave, 37
Enlightenment, 3, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 16, 19, 20, 21, 30, 34, 35, India, 7, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 29, 34, 35,
36, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46, 48, 55 36, 38, 41, 43, 44, 46, 48, 52, 53, 54, 55
Esala Poya, 21 Indra, 29
Ficus religiosa, 7, 20 INSCRIPTION OF CEYLON, 37
Five Precepts, 16 Isinbassa Gala, 44
Gaandharwa, 24 Isinbassagala, 20, 46
gab perahera, 20, 37, 38 Isipathana, 6, 20, 44, 45, 46
Galenbinduwew, 50 Issin Bassa Gala Raja Maha Vihara, 45
Galle, 27, 28 Issinbassagala, 45
Gandakili, 51 Jaathaka Potha, 11
Gandhabbanalo, 29 Jaffna, 28, 35, 45
Gandhakutiya, 51 Jainism, 18
Gautama Buddha, 2, 3, 7, 11, 12, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, Jatila brothers, 43
24, 25, 28, 29, 30, 34, 35, 36, 37, 41, 42, 44, 45, 46, 47, Jetha, 16, 50
48, 49, 50, 53, 54, 55, 56 Jethavanarama Vihara, 16
Gautama Shramana, 37 Jethvana, 50
Gayaa Kasspa, 43 Kaama, 29
Ghandharva, 17 Kaasiya, 46
Gijjakoota Parvatha, 29 Kaduruwela, 44
Girihadu Saya, 45 Kahatagasdigiliya, 50
Girithale, 50 Kalinga, 15
Gonaagalla, 29 Kalpitiya, 28

59
Kalthota, 46, 48 Madya Mandala, 3, 7, 35, 38, 39, 41, 55
Kaluthara, 27 Maha Atta Katha, 11
Kandy, 28 Maha Muni, 42
Kanthale, 37, 44, 50 Mahaatta Katha, 53
Kapilawasthu, 20, 37, 38 Mahagal Kadawala wewa, 42
Karathiyo, 29 Mahakanadarawa, 42
Kaseerata, 20 Mahamaya, 37
Kasi, 50 Mahaoya, 29
Kassapa Gama, 42 Mahasena, 17
Kataram, 21, 54 Mahavamsa, 9, 10, 11, 16, 29, 34, 35, 37, 42, 47
Kataram Pura, 21 Mahavihara, 10
Kaveri, 15 Mahaweli, 37
Kawanthissa, 17 Mahiyanganaya, 29, 35
Kawdulla, 50 Mahodara, 35
Kebiliththa, 47 Maligavila, 21, 47
Kegalle, 10 Malla, 46, 47, 48
Kelaniya, 28, 34, 35 Malla Rata, 48
Kesa Daathu, 45 Mandiyo, 29
Kimbulwathpura, 17 Maniakkhitha, 28, 35
Kinnugandu, 29 Manimaanicharo, 29
Kithsirimewan, 47 Mannar, 28
Kokilai lagoon, 42 Marga Pala
Koliya, 37 Maga Pala, 13, 43
Korawakgala, 37 Mathale, 28
Kotaa Davu Hela, 37 Mavial Aaru, 37
Kottiyaram Nuwara, 21 Meegahakiwla, 29
Kudumbigala, 21 Mehini, 42
Kula Puthras, 12, 13, 38, 48 Mesua Nagassarium, 50
Kumbanda, 17 michaa drushtika, 54
Kumbhanda, 24, 27 Migadaya, 6, 44, 45, 46
Kumbukan Oya, 47 Minneriya, 50
Kundsale, 20 Minneriya Wewa, 50
Kurugala, 21 moha, 3, 9
Kurundi Atuwa, 11, 53 Mohenjo Daro, 54
Kurunegala, 28 Moragahakanda tank, 50
Kusa grass, 41 Muchalinda, 21, 28, 39, 41, 43
Kusathana, 41, 56 Muchalindo, 29
Kusinara, 6, 21, 46, 47, 48, 49 Muhudu Maha Viharaya, 21
Kuveni, 10, 28, 34 Na Tree, 50
Kuwera, 24, 34 Naaga
Lalitha Visthara, 36 naga, 17, 23, 24, 28, 34, 35, 41, 43, 53
Lankaapura, 28, 29 Nadee Kaashpa, 42
Lankapura, 10, 11, 17, 30, 34, 35, 42, 47, 50, 55 Nadee Kassapa, 43
Lokopakaraya, 10 Nagadeepa, 34, 35
LTTE, 37 Nainamadama, 28
Lumbini, 6, 20, 36, 38 Nainathiew, 28
Maaminiyaawa, 42 National Tree, 50
Maathali, 29 Negambo, 28
Madavachchiya, 20, 45, 46 Nepal, 20, 36, 38
Madawachchiya, 44 Neranjana, 40, 42, 43, 50
Maddagama, 29, 47 Nigandu, 29
Madhirigiriya, 44 Nikayas, 10
Maduru Oya, 37 Nilagala, 21

60
Nilgala, 29, 47 city, 11, 13, 16, 17, 19, 21, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30, 34, 37,
Nirukthi, 8, 35, 53, 54 47, 52, 53
Nirvana, 3, 4, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 38, 55, 56 Rajagala, 11, 21, 29, 30, 47
Nuwaragala, 29 Rajawaka Mahwalathanna, 46
Opamanno, 29 Rathnapura, 27, 48
Paarileyya, 35 rishis, 20
Paawaa, 47, 48 Ritigala, 21, 22, 50, 51, 52
Padawiya wewa, 42 river Walawe, 48
Padhiyathalaawa, 29 Rohini, 37
Pajaapathi, 29 Rumindai, 36
Pajjunno, 29 Ruwan Geya, 43
Pali Saathaagira, 45, 53
Pali language, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 23, 34, 35, 37, 54 Saathhagira, 34
Pallugas Wewa, 50 Sabaragamuwa, 10
Panaado, 29 Sakadagami, 13
pancha seela, 16, 26 Sakman Malu, 50
Panchaalachancho, 29 Sakman Maluwa, 41
panchaavasa, 46 Sakmana, 41
Panduwas, 50 Sakyan clan, 34
Parakra Samudra, 42 Sal, 36, 37, 38
Parakramabahu, 11, 42 Salwaththa, 37
Paranavithana, 37 Samana, 34, 35, 53
parinirvana Samanala, 34, 35
parinibbana, 7, 15, 16, 35, 36, 46, 48, 49, 55 Samanala Adaviya, 34
paswaga mahanu, 46 samapaththi, 44
pathra, 42 Samathis Paramithas, 8
Patibhaaga, 8 Samma Ditthi, 12
Patichchasamuppaada Dhamma, 13 Sammaa Sambuddha, 9
Pela Dhamma, 11, 54 Samsara, 8, 56
Pirith Sanbava, 9
paritta, 23, 29 Sanchi, 41, 54
Polonnaruwa, 10, 11, 37, 44, 50, 52, 55 Sanchi Thorana, 41
Poonarin, 28 Sanchi Vihara, 41
Poonawa road, 44 Sanga, 10, 22, 54
Poorawarama, 51 Sangayana, 16
Poorva Videha, 10 Sanghamiththaa, 17
Poorwaramaya, 50 Sankapaala, 46
Portugal, 51 Sankathas, 8
Poson Poya, 29 Sanskrit, 11, 17, 36, 53
Poya Day, 17, 20, 44 Santhaana Kanda, 45
Prakrit, 7, 9, 51, 53 Santhana, 45
Prince Dantha, 47 Sath Sathiya, 21
princess Hemamala, 47, 48 Sathaagiro, 29
punabbavothi, 8 Seehala Attha Katha, 53
Punnako, 29 Seehalatta Katha, 11
Purohithas, 16, 36 seers, 20
Putthlam, 28 Seewako, 29
queen Maayaa, 20 Serissako, 29
Raajaajanosabho, 29 Seruvila, 37
raga, 3, 9 Seruwawila, 21
Raja Mawatha, 38 Settho, 29
Rajagaha seya, 16
Shilaadithya, 36

61
Shiva, 18 Tissa, 29, 42
Shorea robusta, 36 Trincomalee, 44, 45
Siduhat, 7 Tripitaka, 9, 11, 23, 27, 28, 29, 35, 36, 45, 54, 55
Sinharaaja, 27 Udangaawa, 42, 43
Siri vada unna, 41 Uggal Kalthota, 46
Sithula Pawwa Vihara, 37 Uhana, 29
Sithulpawwa, 17, 21, 37 Upasaka, 29
solos maha janapada, 16 Upasika, 29
solos maha janapadas, 22, 34 Uruwel Kaashapa, 42
Soma, 29 Uruwel Kassapa, 43
Somawathi, 37, 44 Uthuru Kuru Deepa, 10, 11
Sorowwa, 55 Uthuruku Divaina, 28
Sotapanna, 13 Vajrasana, 39, 41
Sri Lankan Civil War, 37 Valagamba, 11
Sri Maha Bodhi, 20, 30, 39, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 50, 56 Vana, 50
Sripada peak, 34 Varanaasi, 45
stanzas, 37 Vavagama, 38
Stupas, 10 Vedha, 18
Suddodana, 37, 50, 55 Veluvanaaraamaya, 29
Sudhaththa, 22 Veluwana Vihara, 13, 16
Sudu ganga, 42 Victoria Dam, 38
Sujatha, 40, 42, 43 Viharas, 16
Sukkha, 18 Vijaya, 9, 10, 17, 28, 34
Sumano, 29 Vilachchiya, 24, 28, 34
Sumukho, 29 Viroolha, 24, 27
Suppagodho, 29 Viroopakkha, 24, 28
Sutta, 6, 9, 12, 23, 24, 26, 27, 29, 30, 34, 35, 36, 43, 44, 45, Vishala, 47, 48
47 Vishvakarma, 23
teekaa, 10 Vivarana Ganeema, 8
Thaalgu Waahalkada wewa, 42
river, 38 Waligepola, 49
Thalwaththa, 37 Walpola Rahula, 14
Thanamalvila, 49 Wansa Katha, 9
Thapassu Bhalluka, 45 Waruna, 29
The Four Noble Truths, 14 Welioya, 46
Theertha, 36 Wellora, 54
Theldeniya, 20, 36, 37, 38 Wesamuni, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 34, 50
Therini, 42 Wessamiththo, 29
Thipariwatta, 13 Wessawana, 24, 28, 29, 53
Thiriyaaya, 21 white Bo tree, 40
Thiriyaya, 45 Yaan Oya, 42
Thissamahaarama, 17 Yakka, 17, 26
Thissamaharama, 10, 54 Yakkha, 10, 11, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 34, 35, 45,
Thissamaharamaya, 21 50, 53
Thoppigala, 27 Yasa Kula Puthra, 43
Thun Helaya, 24 Yashodara, 51
thupa, 16 yuga mehewara, 20
tippani, 10 Yugandharo, 29

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