Image title: Image House (Cave)

English text:

Image House (Cave)—This cave which had been used as a dwelling for the Sangha during the first monastic phase had been converted into an Image House during the second monastic phase after Kasyapa. There is evidence of a second drip-ledge beyond the original drip-ledge, and of paintings drawn on the plastered interior rock face. The inscription here belongs to the 3-1 centuries B.C. It says that 'Abhijjhiya', son of chieftain 'Tiri' donated this cave. The limestone statue of the Buddha in the cave with its head missing belongs, on iconographic features, to the 7-8 centuries A.D.

Sinhala text (not proofread):

පිළිමගෙය (පිළිම ලෙන)—මුල් ආරාමීය අවධියේදී සංඝාවාසයක් ලෙස ප්‍රයෝජනයට ගැණුනු මෙම ගල් ලෙන කාශ්‍යප යුගයෙන් පසුව එළඹී දෙවන ආරාමීය අවධියේදී පිළිමගෙයක් බවට පරිවර්තනය කර තිබේ. ඒ අනුව මෙහි මුල් කටාරමට ඉහළින් දෙවන කටාරමක් කොටා ඇතුළත බදාම ආලේප කොට සිතුවම් ඇඳ තිබූ බවට ද සාධක ඇත. මෙහි ඇති ශිලා ලේඛනය ක්‍රි.පු 3 - 1 සියවස් වලට අයත් වේ. ඉන් කියැවෙනුයේ 'තිරි’ නම් ප්‍රධානියාගේ පුත් වූ 'අභිය' නැමැත්තා විසින් මෙම ලෙන පූජා කරන ලද බවයි. මෙම ලෙන තුළ ඇති හුණුගලින් කළ, හිස සිදීගිය බුද්ධ ප්‍රතිමාව ක්‍රි.ව. 7 - 8 සියවස් වලට අයත් ලක්ෂණ පෙන්නුම් කරයි.

Transliteration:

piḷimageya (piḷima lena)—mul ārāmīya avadhiyēdī saṅghāvāsayak lesa prayōjanayaṭa gæṇunu mema gal lena kāśyapa yugayen pasuva eḷaḅī devana ārāmīya avadhiyēdī piḷimageyak bavaṭa parivartanaya kara tibē. ē anuva mehi mul kaṭāramaṭa ihaḷin devana kaṭāramak koṭā ætuḷata badāma ālēpa koṭa situvam ænda tibū bavaṭa da sādhaka æta. mehi æti śilā lēkhanaya kri.pu 3 - 1 siyavas valaṭa ayat vē. in kiyævenuyē 'tiri’ nam pradhāniyāgē put vū 'abhiya' næmættā visin mema lena pūjā karana lada bavayi. mema lena tuḷa æti huṇugalin kaḷa, hisa sidīgiya buddha pratimāva kri.va. 7 - 8 siyavas valaṭa ayat lakṣaṇa pennum karayi.

Transliteration:

pilimageya (pilima lena)—mul aramiya avadhiyedi sanghavasayak lesa prayojanayata ganunu mema gal lena kashyapa yugayen pasuva elaḅi devana aramiya avadhiyedi pilimageyak bavata parivartanaya kara tibe. e anuva mehi mul kataramata ihalin devana kataramak kota atulata badama alepa kota situvam anda tibu bavata da sadhaka ata. mehi ati shila lekhanaya kri.pu 3 - 1 siyavas valata ayat ve. in kiyavenuye 'tiri’ nam pradhaniyage put vu 'abhiya' namatta visin mema lena puja karana lada bavayi. mema lena tula ati hunugalin kala, hisa sidigiya buddha pratimava kri.va. 7 - 8 siyavas valata ayat lakshana pennum karayi.

Automated translation:

Idol Cave (Pilima Lena)—Used as a residence during the early monastic period, this stone cave was converted into an idol house during the second monastic period after the Kasyapa period. Accordingly, there is also evidence that a second trench was carved above the first trench, plastered inside and painted with paintings. The inscription here belongs to the 3rd - 1st centuries AD. It is said that this cave was offered by Abhiya, the son of the chief named 'Tiri'. The headless Buddha statue made of limestone in this cave dates back to AD. It shows features belonging to 7th - 8th centuries.

Tamil text (not proofread):

சிலைக்கூடம் (சிலைக் குகை)—ஆரம்ப ஆச்சிரம காலத்தில் பிக்குகள் விடுதியொன்றாக உபயோகிக்கப்பட்ட இக்கற்குகை காசியப்பன் காலத்தின் பின்பு தோற்றிய இரண்டாவது ஆச்சிரம காலத்தில் ஒரு சிலைக்குகையாக மாற்றியமைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. அதன்படி இதன் முதல் தொட்டிக்கு மேலாக மேலுமொரு தொட்டி வெட்டப்பட்டுச் சாந்து பூசப்பட்டு சிற்பங்கள் வரையப்பட்டிருந்தமைக்கான சான்றுகள் உள்ளன. இங்குள்ள கல்வெட்டுக்கள் கி.மு. 3-1 நூற்றாண்டுகளுக்குட்பட்டவையாகும். அதன் மூலம் சொல்லப்படுவது திரி என்னும் தலைவரின் மகனாகிய அபிக்திய என்பவரால் இச்சிலைக்குகை அன்பளிப்புச் செய்யப்பட்டதென்பதாகும். இக் குகைக்குள் சுண்ணாம்புக் கல்லினால் அமைக்கப்பட்டுள்ள தலை சேதமடைந்துள்ள பௌத்த சிலை கி.பி. 7-8 நூற்றாண்டுகளைச் சார்ந்ததென்ற அம்சங்களைக் காட்டுகின்றது.

Transliteration:

cilaikkūṭam (cilaik kukai)—ārampa āccirama kālattil pikkukaḷ viṭutiyoṉṟāka upayōkikkappaṭṭa ikkaṟkukai kāciyappaṉ kālattiṉ piṉpu tōṟṟiya iraṇṭāvatu āccirama kālattil oru cilaikkukaiyāka māṟṟiyamaikkappaṭṭuḷḷatu. ataṉpaṭi itaṉ mutal toṭṭikku mēlāka mēlumoru toṭṭi veṭṭappaṭṭuc cāntu pūcappaṭṭu ciṟpaṅkaḷ varaiyappaṭṭiruntamaikkāṉa cāṉṟukaḷ uḷḷaṉa. iṅkuḷḷa kalveṭṭukkaḷ ki.mu. 3-1 nūṟṟāṇṭukaḷukkuṭpaṭṭavaiyākum. ataṉ mūlam collappaṭuvatu tiri eṉṉum talaivariṉ makaṉākiya apiktiya eṉpavarāl iccilaikkukai aṉpaḷippuc ceyyappaṭṭateṉpatākum. ik kukaikkuḷ cuṇṇāmpuk kalliṉāl amaikkappaṭṭuḷḷa talai cētamaṭaintuḷḷa pautta cilai ki.pi. 7-8 nūṟṟāṇṭukaḷaic cārntateṉṟa amcaṅkaḷaik kāṭṭukiṉṟatu.

Transliteration:

silaikkudam (silaig kugai)—aramba achirama kalathil pikkugal viduthiyonraga upayogikkappatta ikkarkugai kasiyappan kalathin pinpu thorriya irandavathu achirama kalathil oru silaikkugaiyaga marriyamaikkappattullathu. athanpadi ithan muthal thottikku melaga melumoru thotti vettappattus santhu pusappattu sirpangal varaiyappattirunthamaikkana sanrugal ullana. ingulla kalvettukkal ki.mu. 3-1 nurrandugalukkudpattavaiyagum. athan mulam sollappaduvathu thiri ennum thalaivarin maganagiya apigthiya enpavaral ichilaikkugai anpalippus seyyappattathenpathagum. ig kugaikkul sunnambug kallinal amaikkappattulla thalai sethamadainthulla pautha silai ki.pi. 7-8 nurrandugalais sarnthathenra amsangalaig kattuginrathu.

Automated translation:

Sillakoodam (Idol Cave)—Used as a hostel for monks during the early Achirama period, it was converted into an idol cave during the Second Achirama period, which arose after the Kasyappan period. Accordingly, there is evidence that another tank was cut above the first tank, plastered with mortar and sculptured. The inscriptions here date back to B.C. 3-1 centuries old. It is said that this gift was made by Abhiktiya, the son of a chief named Tri. Inside this cave is a Buddhist statue with a damaged head made of limestone. It shows features belonging to 7-8 centuries.

Gallery information:

These photos are taken at the Sigiriya rock in Sri Lanka. This archaeological important site dates to the 2nd century BC when it functioned as a monastery. In the fifth century, King Kassapa I transferred the administrative centre from Anuradhapura to Sigiriya in order to  rule from there. The on-site museum displays various artifacts and paintings found at the Sigiriya rock.