Nainativu is one of the smallest inhabited islands in the Gulf of Mannar and is only about 35 miles from India. Merchants have long come here and the surrounding islands to buy the conch shells that are harvested in the warm shallow waters in the Gulf. The conch shell is of course essential for certain Hindu and Buddhist rituals and a particularly perfect specimen of one spiraling to the right can fetch an enormous price. Pilgrims have also been coming to Nainativu since about the 1st century CE to worship at its famous stupa. In the Mahavamsa the island is one of the sixteen sacred places and the Tamil Buddhist epic, Manimekala, mentions a gem studded throne and a stone with the Buddha’s footprints at Nagadipa which pilgrims from India used to come and worship. The heroine of the epic is described as wandering amongst the island’s 'long sandy dunes and lagoons’.
As the boat approaches the main jetty the pilgrim will see the distinctive red and white-striped walls of the Hindu temple. Although there has been a temple here for many centuries the present one is not old and is of no particular interest. However on either side of the side entrance to the temple there are two very ancient objects. On the left as you enter is a large stone with an inscription of Parakramabahu I on it. In the first part of this inscription the king says that foreigners coming into the country should enter only at Uraturai (Kayts) and that they should be helped if in need. This undoubtedly refers to merchants and pilgrims from India. The second part says what measures should be taken if ships carrying elephants or horses and merchant ships are wrecked. On the right of the entrance is a large life saver-shaped stone, an ancient anchor. Arab ships used to carry such anchors.
Less than half a kilometer down the road from the temple is Nagadipa Vihara marking the place where the Buddha is supposed to have stayed during his visit to the small island. On one side of the road is the Bodhi Tree and on the other is the silver painted stupa. There are two temples as well, one containing a bronze Buddha image donated by the Burmese government in 1956. Nothing at Nagadipa is of any aesthetic or historical interest, everything having been built in the 1950’s.
Source:http://www.buddhanet.net/sacred-island/nagadipa.html
Showing posts with label Nagadeepa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nagadeepa. Show all posts
Monday, July 26, 2010
Buddha's visit to Nagadeepa
As the historical records reveal the Buddha's second visit to Sri Lanka had taken place during the month of Bak more than two thousand five hundred and ninety years ago.
Nagadeepa Vihara
As mentioned in the Mahavamsa, in the fifth year (523 B.C) of Supreme Enlightenment, the Buddha had visited Nagadeepa in Lankadeepa (Sri Lanka) to settle a dispute between Mahodara and Chulodara -uncle and nephew who were at war with each other over a gem studded throne.
During the Buddha's stay Jethawana he saw in his Divine Eye the disaster about to take place in Nagadeepa and arrived there on Bak Amawaka Poya day (fifteen days prior to Bak Full Moon Poya Day).
History
Mahodara was then a mighty king in Nagadeepa (a Naga-kingdom in the ocean that covered five hundred `yojanas'. His younger sister, Thirachchika was married to a Naga King of the Vaddhamana mountain.
Chulodara was their son.
Thirachchika's father gave her one of his most valuable jewels- a gem-studded throne before his death.
Mahodara had been displeased with this from the beginning and his anger grew worse when the throne was owned by Thirachchika's son in the end. Mahodara decided to declare war against Chulodara, his nephew.
A Deva named Samiddhi Sumana who dwelt in Rajayatana tree (a Banyan tree) in Jethawana too had joined the Buddha during his visit to Nagadeepa, the Mahavamsa reveals.
The Deva in fact had uprooted the tree and had held it like a parasol over the Buddha! The Buddha had made no objections as he knew that the god had lived in Nagadeepa in one of his previous births. In an another birth he had seen Paccekabuddhas taking their meals under the same Kiripalu tree. The sight made him happy and he offered them leaves to cleanse their alms bowls.
The merit was strong enough for him to be born in the same tree in the Jetawana Garden as a god. The Buddha brought him to Lankadeepa together with the tree as he knew that the tour will benefit him immensely.
As the Buddha arrived in Nagadeepa the Nagas were about to declare war. The Buddha hovered there in mid-air above the venue and in order to alarm the Nagas called forth dread darkness over the battle-ground.
Next the Buddha had spread light abroad in order to comfort those who were in distress and anxiety.
The Nagas were overwhelmed by happiness to see the Buddha who was hovering in mid-air. They raised their hands and worshipped the Enlightened One. He then preached to the Nagas in order to make them understand the evils of hatred.
The Buddha narrated to them Jathaka stories like Karkoluka, Pandana, Latukika, Wattaka which showed the evils of hatred and the importance of living in harmony. Chulodara and Mahodara discarded their weapons , and offered the gem studded throne to the Buddha. The Enlightened one who was in mid-air then alighted on the earth and sat on the throne.
The Mahavamsa finely describes how the Nagas offered him dhana.
Thousands of Nagas established themselves in the three refuges (Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha) and in the moral precepts.
Naga king Maniakkhika of Kelaniya who was the uncle of Mahodara (mother's brother) too was among the ones who came to participate in the battle.
In fact Maniakkhika had become established in Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha (three refuges) and in the moral precepts during the Buddha's first visit to Sri Lanka- to Mahiyangana. The Naga -king who was overwhelmed by the Buddha's power of compassion thanked him profusely for settling down the dispute which otherwise would cost millions of lives.
"The Compassion you showed is great". He told the Buddha. "Thatagatha, we would have all been consumed to ashes had not the Buddha intervened. May your compassion yet light also specially on me". Thus Maniakkika slowly revealed his intention of seeing the Buddha visiting his kingdom in Kelaniya if he intends to visit the country again. The Buddha remained silent and it indicated that he had accepted the invitation.
The Naga King then asked for an object of worship and as a result the Buddha gave over the Rajayathana tree and the gem studded throne to him to do homage. Historical records state that Maniakkikha planted the Rajayathana tree on that very spot as a sacred memorial.
"Since the Thathagatha has used these two, paying homage to them will bring about blessings and happiness" the Buddha had told the Nagas before returning to Jethawana on the same, Bak Amawaka poya day. Nagadeepa Stupa was constructed by Chulodara and Mahodara and it is still there in Nagadeepa in Jaffna district.
Source:www.sundayobserver.lk/
Nagadeepa Vihara
As mentioned in the Mahavamsa, in the fifth year (523 B.C) of Supreme Enlightenment, the Buddha had visited Nagadeepa in Lankadeepa (Sri Lanka) to settle a dispute between Mahodara and Chulodara -uncle and nephew who were at war with each other over a gem studded throne.
During the Buddha's stay Jethawana he saw in his Divine Eye the disaster about to take place in Nagadeepa and arrived there on Bak Amawaka Poya day (fifteen days prior to Bak Full Moon Poya Day).
History
Mahodara was then a mighty king in Nagadeepa (a Naga-kingdom in the ocean that covered five hundred `yojanas'. His younger sister, Thirachchika was married to a Naga King of the Vaddhamana mountain.
Chulodara was their son.
Thirachchika's father gave her one of his most valuable jewels- a gem-studded throne before his death.
Mahodara had been displeased with this from the beginning and his anger grew worse when the throne was owned by Thirachchika's son in the end. Mahodara decided to declare war against Chulodara, his nephew.
A Deva named Samiddhi Sumana who dwelt in Rajayatana tree (a Banyan tree) in Jethawana too had joined the Buddha during his visit to Nagadeepa, the Mahavamsa reveals.
The Deva in fact had uprooted the tree and had held it like a parasol over the Buddha! The Buddha had made no objections as he knew that the god had lived in Nagadeepa in one of his previous births. In an another birth he had seen Paccekabuddhas taking their meals under the same Kiripalu tree. The sight made him happy and he offered them leaves to cleanse their alms bowls.
The merit was strong enough for him to be born in the same tree in the Jetawana Garden as a god. The Buddha brought him to Lankadeepa together with the tree as he knew that the tour will benefit him immensely.
As the Buddha arrived in Nagadeepa the Nagas were about to declare war. The Buddha hovered there in mid-air above the venue and in order to alarm the Nagas called forth dread darkness over the battle-ground.
Next the Buddha had spread light abroad in order to comfort those who were in distress and anxiety.
The Nagas were overwhelmed by happiness to see the Buddha who was hovering in mid-air. They raised their hands and worshipped the Enlightened One. He then preached to the Nagas in order to make them understand the evils of hatred.
The Buddha narrated to them Jathaka stories like Karkoluka, Pandana, Latukika, Wattaka which showed the evils of hatred and the importance of living in harmony. Chulodara and Mahodara discarded their weapons , and offered the gem studded throne to the Buddha. The Enlightened one who was in mid-air then alighted on the earth and sat on the throne.
The Mahavamsa finely describes how the Nagas offered him dhana.
Thousands of Nagas established themselves in the three refuges (Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha) and in the moral precepts.
Naga king Maniakkhika of Kelaniya who was the uncle of Mahodara (mother's brother) too was among the ones who came to participate in the battle.
In fact Maniakkhika had become established in Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha (three refuges) and in the moral precepts during the Buddha's first visit to Sri Lanka- to Mahiyangana. The Naga -king who was overwhelmed by the Buddha's power of compassion thanked him profusely for settling down the dispute which otherwise would cost millions of lives.
"The Compassion you showed is great". He told the Buddha. "Thatagatha, we would have all been consumed to ashes had not the Buddha intervened. May your compassion yet light also specially on me". Thus Maniakkika slowly revealed his intention of seeing the Buddha visiting his kingdom in Kelaniya if he intends to visit the country again. The Buddha remained silent and it indicated that he had accepted the invitation.
The Naga King then asked for an object of worship and as a result the Buddha gave over the Rajayathana tree and the gem studded throne to him to do homage. Historical records state that Maniakkikha planted the Rajayathana tree on that very spot as a sacred memorial.
"Since the Thathagatha has used these two, paying homage to them will bring about blessings and happiness" the Buddha had told the Nagas before returning to Jethawana on the same, Bak Amawaka poya day. Nagadeepa Stupa was constructed by Chulodara and Mahodara and it is still there in Nagadeepa in Jaffna district.
Source:www.sundayobserver.lk/
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