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 44
... rock known as Mapagala ( Viceroy's Rock , ASCAR 1896 p . 9 ; ASCAR 1897 p.13 ) by way of the bund of the Sigiriya tank which is but a small part of the major irrigation work ( Maha - Sigiriya weva ) lying to the south of the Sigiriya rock ...
... rock known as Mapagala ( Viceroy's Rock , ASCAR 1896 p . 9 ; ASCAR 1897 p.13 ) by way of the bund of the Sigiriya tank which is but a small part of the major irrigation work ( Maha - Sigiriya weva ) lying to the south of the Sigiriya rock ...
Page 61
... Sigiriya rock are two areas enclosed by massive boundary walls or sima , the section to the east being more ... Sigiriya rock have hitherto been brought to light . The western entrance being the most elaborate was evidently the main gate ...
... Sigiriya rock are two areas enclosed by massive boundary walls or sima , the section to the east being more ... Sigiriya rock have hitherto been brought to light . The western entrance being the most elaborate was evidently the main gate ...
Page 66
... Sigiriya rock the paintings were originally done on a very large prepared surface area exposed to the elements whereas , generally , paintings adorn a wall or soffit of a building or a cave ( Bell 1897 ) . This expansive area from the ...
... Sigiriya rock the paintings were originally done on a very large prepared surface area exposed to the elements whereas , generally , paintings adorn a wall or soffit of a building or a cave ( Bell 1897 ) . This expansive area from the ...
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