Part 4 - Buddha’s Visits to Sihala (Sri Lanka) and Nagadipa

Buddha’s First Visit to Sihala Island

(An account of the Buddha three visits to the Island of Sihala (Sri Lanka), in abridged form, as mentioned in Mahāvamsa, Vol. I.)

The Buddha observed the first vassa after attainment of Buddhahood in Isipatana, Migadaya, near Bārāṇasī. From thence, he proceeded to the forest of Uruvelā to emancipate the hermit Uruvelā by exhibition of miracles. At that time, the citizens of Anga and Magadha were going to pay their annual homage to the hermit with gifts. The hermit did not wish the Buddha to come to the great festival of offering. His thoughts were known to the Blessed One. So on that very day the Buddha went to Uttaraguru island to receive offering of food, and from thence He returned to the Anotatta lake to have His meal, and at night-fall (ninth month of Enlightenment) He went on to Sihala island.

His visit coincided with the conference of ogres held at a spot, which is the location of the garden of Mahānagavana of today, measuring three yojanas in length by one yojana in breadth in the central part of the island, along the shore of a river. The Buddha went to the place where the ogres were holding conference and while standing directly above their heads, on the spot where the Mahīyañgana Ceti stood today, caused heavy rain to fall and strong winds to blow and darkness to descend to frighten them.

Ogres were very much frightened and they beseeched the Buddha to grant them a place of refuge, free from danger. The Buddha consoled them by telling them that He would relieve them of their anxieties and troubles, if He was offered a place on the island to stay. Whereupon, they replied: “Lord of peace and tranquillity... we hereby offer You this very spot and we beseech You to give refuge to all our race on this island.”

The Buddha restored peace and calmed the fears of the ogres by causing the rain, storm and black-out to cease and descended to the earth and spreading a leather rug, sat on it. When the Buddha spread the leather-rug over the place, ogres ran away to escape from the unbearable heat emanating from the blazing carpet and took refuge in remote areas of the island. The Buddha caused the island of Giridipa to come close to Sihala to accommodate the restless ogres. Once all the ogres had settled there, He caused the island to move back to its original site.

The blazing leather-rug was removed as soon as the Sihala Island was rid of all ogres. Then all the good devas assembled on the island and held a conference among themselves. The Blessed One preached them the Dhamma with the result that crores of being realized the Four Noble Truths and countless number of devas took refuge in the Three Gems with strong faith.

Buddha gave a Handful of Hair to Mahā Sumana Deva at His Request

Mahā Sumana Deva, a resident of the Sumanakuta Mountain, attained sotāpatti by hearing the Dhamma at the conference, just mentioned above. He requested the Buddha for some memorable object of worship. The Buddha rubbed His head with His fingers to get a handful of hair and gave it to Mahā Sumana Deva. After that, the Buddha returned to Uruvelā forest.

Mahā Sumana Deva brought the handful of hair in a gold casket and kept it at a spot that was strewn with varieties of jewelleries; it was where Mahīyañgana Ceti is standing today.

The gold casket containing the handful of hair was enshrined in a small stupa built of amethyst.

In due course of time, the Venerable Sāriputta’s disciple, named Venerable Sarabhu, brought the neck-bone of the Buddha from a pile of sandal-wood fuel by his supernormal power to this place. He sanctified it by enshrining it in the original stupa of smaller dimension and raised its height to twelve cubits, assisted by a company of bhikkhus. The Venerable Sarabhu then returned after reconstruction of the stupa.

Years rolled by and Prince Uddha Culabhaya, younger brother of King Devānapiyatissa rebuilt the old stupa to a height of thirty cubits, enveloping the smaller ceti. Later, King Duṭhagamani again reconstructed that stupa making it eighty cubits high. Thus, Mahīyangana Ceti grew to a greater height by successive modification through the years.

This was Buddha’s first visit to the Island Sihala.

Buddha’s Visit to Nāgadipa Island

At a time when the Buddha was residing at Jetavana monastery in Savatthi, during the period of the fifth vassa, there was a battle being fought, involving huge armies for the possession of an emerald throne between Mahodara dragon king and his nephew, Culodara dragon prince. When the Buddha perceived this unhappy state of affairs, He woke up early and taking His robe and alms-bowl, He went to the theatre of war, which was the island of Nāgadipa, to save the nāgas from destruction.

Mahodara dragon king was a powerful king who claimed sovereignty over the nāga country, with an area of five hundred yojanas in that part of the ocean.

Mahodara dragon king gave away his sister, Kanha, in marriage with another dragon king who was ruling over the Vattamana mountain region. In due time, they produced a son named Culodara.

Culodara’s maternal grand mother gave her emerald throne to Culodara’s mother before her death. Consequently a war broke out over the possession of the throne between King Mahodara and his nephew Culodara. These inhabitants of the mountain region were also powerful rulers in their own region with their own big army.

There was a dryad, named Samiddhi Sumana Deity, living in a Linlun tree (Buchanania lati folia), near the arched entrance to Jetavana monastery. He accompanied the Blessed One all along the way to Nagadipa Island, carrying the Linlun tree as an umbrella, to protect the Blessed One from weather, with the permission of the Blessed One.

This will be further clarified: Samiddhi Sumana Deity was a human being living in Nagadipa Island in his previous existence. Once, he noticed a Paccekabuddha having His meal at the spot where Rajayatana Ceti (popularly known as Linlun ceti) is standing today. He offered the Paccekabuddha, out of reverence, a bunch of branches for use in washing and cleaning the bowl after His meal.

For this deed of merit, he became a dryad of the Linlun tree near the arched entrance to the garden of Jetavana, owned by Prince Jeta. The Linlun tree stood outside the monastery since the time of its construction.

The Buddha had brought Sumiddhi Sumana Deity together with the Linlun tree was for his own benefit and in the interest of the Island.

The Buddha, on arrival at the Island, sat in the middle of the site of war in the sky and caused complete darkness in the area to frighten the combatants in the battle. Then He caused the area to become bright and clear again to relieve the dragons of fear and anxiety. The dragons, on seeing Him, felt happy and rallied around Him and worshipped at His feet with profound respect.

When the Buddha preached them the Dhamma in the interest of peace and tranquillity, the two rival dragon kings were very much delighted and interested in the preaching, so much so that they made an offering of the emerald throne to Him by their mutual agreement.

Then the Buddha came down and sat on the throne and partook of the delicious food offered by the nāgas and preached to them the Dhamma again, with the result that eighty crores of nāgas, both of land and water, took refuge on the Three Gems with great faith.

Buddha’s Second Visit to Sihala Island

(A Request by Dragon King, Maniakkhika)

Maniakkhika, the dragon king of Kalayani region, a maternal uncle of Mahodara, also had arrived at Nagadipa Naga King Island to take part in the raging war. He had already taken refuge in the Three Gems at the time of the Buddha’s first visit to the Sihala Island. He made a solemn request to the Buddha: “Exalted Lord... you have, indeed, done a great deed of kindness to us by your exhortations. Had you not come to this place, we would have, by now, been reduced to ashes. Our ardent wish is that, out of compassion, you do an honour to the place of my dwelling, Kalayani, by your visit when you come to the Island of Sihala on the next occasion.”

The Buddha kept silent to signify His acceptance of the invitation.

Then the Blessed One urged them to build Rājayatana Ceti on that spot as a memorial to the happy occasion. He presented the Linlun tree and returned the emerald throne with instructions to hold them as sacred objects of veneration.

“Dragon lords.. these two objects should be held in high reverence as relics of my utensils, (Paribhoga Ceti) in your own interest and for your continued prosperity.”

The Buddha, after leaving those instructions, returned to Jetavana monastery of Savatthi. These events marked the second visit to the Island of Sihala by the Buddha.

Buddha’s Third Visit to Sihala Island

Three years later, Maniakkhika, the dragon king, went to Savatthi to invite the Buddha cordially to Sihala Island, while He was taking up residence at Jetavana monastery.

It was on a full moon day of Kasson (Vesakha), during the eighth year of Buddha’s attainment to Buddhahood (and one day after Maniakkhika’s arrival). The Buddha, on being informed of time for meal, put on His robe and went across to Sihala, together with five hundred bhikkhus.

Dragon King Maniakkhika, accompanied by his dragons, conducted the Buddha and His bhikkhus to a jewelled pandal near the site where Kalayani ceti is now situated and offered delicious food of the celestial world to Him and His bhikkhus with profound respect.

After preaching to Maniakkhika and all the dragons, the Buddha travelled through the sky to the Sumana hill and left an impression of His foot, in order that future generations might hold it as a sacred place (Pāda ceti). He went to the base of the hill in the company of bhikkhus to spend the day and proceeded to Dighavapi.

During His sojourn at Dighavapi, He and His bhikkhus enjoyed phala-samāpatti on the spot where Dighavapa Ceti is standing today. This is one of the sacred places held in high reverence by the people from the days of yore. From here, the Buddha proceeded to the Garden of Mahā Meghavana.

On arrival at Meghavana garden, together with His five hundred bhikkhus, the Buddha sat and enjoyed phala-samāpatti together with His bhikkhus. On the spot where the Buddha sat, a sapling of original Mahābodhi tree was planted.

From there, they proceeded to the location of Mahāceti and together they enjoyed phalasamāpatti. Rising from this samāpatti, they proceeded to the present location of Thupayon Ceti and enjoyed phala-samāpatti together again.

Rising from this phala-samāpatti, they went to Kyauk Ceti (Stone stupa), which still stands today, and preached the Dhamma to all the devas who happened to be gathered there at that time. After which, together with His five hundred bhikkhus, the Buddha returned to Jetavana monastery.

These events marked the Buddha’s third visit to Sihala Island. This is the account of Buddha’s three visits to Sihala Island.