Arahat Maha Kassapa Thera Tooth Relic Temple, Galapatha
The world's only relic of Arahant Maha Kassapa Thera
Arahant
Maha Kassapa Thera ( Arhat Maha Kashyapa) is considered to be a most
respected and reverenced disciple of the Lord Buddha almost as chief
disciples Arahant Sariputta and Maha Moggallana Theras. Pipphali Kassapa
was the earlier name of the Maha Kassapa Thera. It was only with Arahant
Maha Kassapa, that the Lord Buddha has exchanged his robes which shows
the high regard the Lord Buddha had on Maha Kassapa Thera. He was
born in Mahatittha of Maghada to a wealthy Brahmin Family whom were
almost as wealthy as a King's family. His parent's names were Brahmin
Kapila and Sumanadevi. He married Bhadda Kapilani of Sagala , just
to please his parents as it was their wish to see him married. Bhadda
Kapilani in turn married Pipphali Kassapa just to please her own parents.
With the mutual consent Pipphali and Bhadda agreed to lead a Brahmachari
or to be celibacy. Thus they lived for almost twelve years until both
agreed to renounce the worldly life to seek the truth by becoming
ascetics. Later Bhadda Kapilani also became an Arahanti once the Bhikkuni
ordination was established in the Buddhist Order.
Arahant
Maha Kassapa Thera observed the thirteen 'Dhutanga ' (austere vows
) through out his Bhikku life and was pronounced by the Lord Buddha
as the disciple excelled in Dhutangas in the Order. The Gauthama Buddha
had compared his abilities of Dhayanas (eight meditative absorptions
and the six supernormal knowledges (abhinna), which include Arahantship)
that with of Maha Kassapa Thera. This is a very special instant as
the Lord Buddha has not bestowed this honour on any other disciples.
Maha Kassapa Thera had seven of the thirty two ' Marks of a Great
Man ' which the Lord Buddha possessed so there had been a similarity
to Lord Buddha in his physical form also.
Three
months after the Parinirvana of the Lord Buddha, Arahant
Maha Kassapa Thera presided over the First Council with five hundred
Arahants comprising Arahants Ananda, Anuruddha, Upali and Purna Theras
as main participant disciples of the Lord Buddha which securely established
Dhamma and Vinaya of the Gauthama Buddha Order [ sasanaya]. Chief
disciples Arahant Sariputta and Maha Moggallana Theras passed away
before the Parinibbana of the Gauthama Buddha on the same year. It
is said that 30 years after the First Council, at the age of 120 years,
Arahant Maha Kassapa Thera entered Nibbana at Kukkutapada Mountain
at Rajgir.
The
tooth relic ( the canine tooth - 'Dantha Dhatu') of Arahant Maha Kassapa
Thera which is now at Bentara Galapatha Raja Maha Vihara Chetiya had
been fallen off while the Thera was alive and the Maha Sangha at that
time had venerably cared and protected it. Later it was brought to
Sri Lanka during the Anuradhapura era and had been there for some
time. Due to the invasions from enemy forces it had been brought to
the present temple at Galapatha, Bentara.
The
Bentara Galapatha Raja Maha Vihara has a well established history
dating back to the time of King Dutugemunu. His brother King Saddhatissa
(137- 119 BC) had built this temple and presented to the Maha Sangha.
This was called Galaturumula Temple at earlier times and many Arahants
had dwelled in this location at the time. King Parakramabahu the Second,
getting to know that a tooth relic of Arahant Maha Kassapa Thera is
there at Galapatha Raja Maha Vihara, had visited the temple and for
three days, venerated the Relic holding meritorious festivals at the
temple. The present Chetiya was first constructed by him and the Relic
was enshrined inside the Chetiya to protect it for the future from
possible foreign invasions which were frequent at the time.
The
Chronicle Mahavamsa states that King Sri Nissanka Malla had planted
coconut trees at a land and donated the coconut estate to the temple.
King Parakramabahu II also had established a coconut estate between
Bentota river and Kalu Ganga river and donated to the Maha Sangha.
This temple had been in a ruined status for several centuries due
to invasions and Devaduwa Sri Saddhabinanda Thera, a pupil of the
great Weliwita Asarana Sarana Saranankara Sangharaja Thera, re established
the ruined relic chetiya with the help of the nearby village people.
The last major renovation work at the present Vihara had been done
in 1959 according to the Description Plaque at the Viharaya.
The
Galapatha Raja Maha Vihara approach and Rock Inscriptions
Situated
in the Galle District, one can easily find the Galapatha Rajamaha
Viharaya by travelling along the Galle Road towards Galle, then passing
Bentota railway bridge and proceeding upto Kahabiliyakanda Junction.
Turning left and travelling along Elpitiya road [Bentara Raja Mawatha]
for about two miles will take you to this historical sacred temple.
The meaning of Raja Maha Vihara is ' The temple built by the King'.
The Galapatha Vihara Rock Inscription is situated at the front approach
of the temple lower terrace.
The
Courtyard, Stone Water Filter and Doorway carvings
The
ancient stone worked Doorway is a fine architectural feat and the
Granite water filter is a novel water engineering system of that day.
The stone steps are carved in the living rock and so does the granite
water filter.
The
Relic Stupa of Arahant Maha Kassapa Thera
The
Relic Stupa of Maha Kassapa Thera was first built during the rein
of King Parakramabahu II (1236-1270 AD) of Dambadeniya Kingdom. Prior
to that the relic was safe kept at the Temple. The last time this
stupa has undergone renovation is about 250 years back. Near the Stupa
terrace there is a huge stone slab used for offering flowers and oil
lamp lighting to the Relic stupa by buddhist devotees. There is a
fine Moonstone at the Temple entrance doorway from the stupa terrace
and a stone slab on stands for placing offerings to the stupa.
The
Main Temple with Buddha Images
The
Image house of the Gauthama Buddha has a large recumbent Buddha statue
and a seated Buddha statue with decorative wall and ceiling paintings.
The
Temple with Miniature Relic Stupa and Image House
This
temple also has a Image house of the Gauthama Buddha with a large
recumbent Buddha statue, a seated Buddha image and also a standing
Buddha image. A Makara torana with guardian deva statues are flanked
at the entrance doorway of the image house. There are two plaques
with the history of the temple inscribed in sinhala. A miniature stupa
enshrined with Lord Buddha relics found at a Buddha image's 'Siraspatha'
is placed inside this temple.
No comments:
Post a Comment