Sigiriya and Its Significance: A Mahayana-Theravada Buddhist MonasteryThe monumental complex of Sigiriya, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is located in the central province of Sri Lanka and traditionally has been deemed to be the capital and site of the palace of Kassapa I, 5th-6th century AD. Drawing on archaeological, literary, religious and cultural evidence from Sigiriya, and from Sri Lanka and India in general, Raja de Silva presents a brand new theory on the identity and function of the site. Casting doubt on earlier interpretations of the site as a palace or fortress, he suggests that Sigiriya was never the abode of a God King', but was a long-standing monastery built several centuries before the time of Kassapa. The paintings for which Sigiriya has long been famous are reinterpreted, not as ladies from Kassapa's court, but as representations of Tara, the most important goddess in Mahayana Buddhism to whom the building was dedicated. |
From inside the book
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Page 89
... Avalokitesvara with his lotus stem depicted in this Mahayana vihara . The female counterpart of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara ( 68 ) is the Bodhisattva Tara , with her lotus stalk , the greatest and most adored goddess of the Mahayana ...
... Avalokitesvara with his lotus stem depicted in this Mahayana vihara . The female counterpart of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara ( 68 ) is the Bodhisattva Tara , with her lotus stalk , the greatest and most adored goddess of the Mahayana ...
Page 104
... Avalokitesvara and Tara are all associated with the lotus . Tara , according to a Buddhist myth , is believed to have been born in the following manner : Avalokitesvara , out of compassion for suffering beings dropped a tear which ...
... Avalokitesvara and Tara are all associated with the lotus . Tara , according to a Buddhist myth , is believed to have been born in the following manner : Avalokitesvara , out of compassion for suffering beings dropped a tear which ...
Page 137
... Avalokitesvara ( 2 ) Mother of all the Buddhas ( 3 ) saviouress ; the earliest statue of Tara is dated to the 6th century AC . Godakumbure CE 1965. Asanaghara , in NA Jayawickrama ( ed ) Paranavitana felicitation volume . Colombo ...
... Avalokitesvara ( 2 ) Mother of all the Buddhas ( 3 ) saviouress ; the earliest statue of Tara is dated to the 6th century AC . Godakumbure CE 1965. Asanaghara , in NA Jayawickrama ( ed ) Paranavitana felicitation volume . Colombo ...
Contents
The literary record | 5 |
Archaeological evidence | 13 |
Literary light on ancient viharas | 63 |
Copyright | |
Common terms and phrases
abhaya-mudra Abhayagiri Ajanta Cave ancient Anuradhapura Approach Stairway apsaras Archaeological asana Avalokitesvara Bandaranayake Bell ASCAR Bell HCP Bhikkhu Bodhisattva brick Buddha Buddhist monasteries building built Bulathsinhala Ceylon chronicle clouds Colombo Conze Coomaraswamy Courtesy ASD Courtesy Studio dagoba dated deity dentils depicted Deraniyagala devotee Dhammaruci Dhatusena escarpment evidence excavated female figures flower fresco pockets gallery Geiger gesture Ghosh goddess Govt graffiti hand Hirakawa India inscription interpretation ISBN jataka JRAS(CB Kassapa king Ksitigarbha limestone lion lion-staircase house London lotus Mahavamsa Mahavihara Mahayana Mahayana-Theravada Mahayanist Malalasekera moats Moggallana monastic monks mudra Nagarjunakonda Northern Approach NOTE palace Pali Paranavitana Paranavitana 1956 period pleasure gardens Raja de Silva rampart record religious RH de Silva secular Sigiri Sigiriya paintings Sigiriya rock sima Sinhala sixth century AC southern Sri Lanka summit Tara terrace Thera Theravada Univ urna-loma vihara western escarpment western gardens western side Wijesekera Willson wingstone worship