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
Results 1-3 of 11
Page 64
... Thera - and Theri - gathas . Radhakrishnan ( 1946 p . 7 ) drew attention to the fact that a holy life is spent most rewardingly in peaceful and beautiful landscapes . Monasteries were frequently sited on the top of hills , and the ...
... Thera - and Theri - gathas . Radhakrishnan ( 1946 p . 7 ) drew attention to the fact that a holy life is spent most rewardingly in peaceful and beautiful landscapes . Monasteries were frequently sited on the top of hills , and the ...
Page 65
... Thera set the example of delivering his various discourses in the open air in the cool shade of the Nandana Gardens ( Mhv . ch.15 , v . 19. ) The presence of low asanas as well as high - level asanas in the western gardens of Sigiriya ...
... Thera set the example of delivering his various discourses in the open air in the cool shade of the Nandana Gardens ( Mhv . ch.15 , v . 19. ) The presence of low asanas as well as high - level asanas in the western gardens of Sigiriya ...
Page 150
... thera Dhammaruci who belonged to the Vajjiputra sect . He was a native of Palarama in South India . The new doctrines were immediately received at the Abhayagiri , and the thera Tissa ( Jr. ) himself assumed the name of thera Dhammaruci ...
... thera Dhammaruci who belonged to the Vajjiputra sect . He was a native of Palarama in South India . The new doctrines were immediately received at the Abhayagiri , and the thera Tissa ( Jr. ) himself assumed the name of thera Dhammaruci ...
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