Aluviharaya Rock Cave Temple — Attraction in Central Province

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Home Things To Do MATALE ALU VIHARAYA

MATALE ALU VIHARAYA The Alu vihare Rock Temple (also called Matale Alu Viharaya) is a sacred Buddhist temple located in Aluvihare, Matale District of Sri Lanka. Surrounded by hills, the Alu vihara cave temple is situated 30 km north of Kandy on the Matale-Dambulla road.

The history of Aluvihare Rock Temple is traced back to the 3rd Century B.C to the reign of King Devanampiyatissa. It is believed that the King built the dagoba, planted the Bo sapling and founded the temple after the introduction of Buddhism to the country during his reign.

Aluvihare Rock Temple was the historic location where the oral teachings of Buddhism (Tripitaka), were written into Pali on palm leaves. In between the 100 - 89 Century BC, during the reign of King Walagamba, Sri Lanka underwent a famine known as 'Baminithiyasaya' for 12 years. There was also a South Indian invasion at the same time and the Buddhist monks of that era realized that these problems would be a danger to the existence of Buddha Sasana in the country. Under these conditions, memorizing and repeating the Dhamma (doctrine) was difficult. Due to the famine Buddhist monks did not receive sufficient alms and faced many difficulties, and they had to eat yams, roots and leaves of trees for their survival. A group of about 60 of them went to Malaya Rata, which is said to be the hilly area of the country. They managed to live on the banks of Mahaweli river under harsh conditions and survived for 12 years till the famine came to an end. King Walagamba who was overthrown by a rebellion during the invasion from South India, regained the throne by defeating the invaders after fourteen years.

The monks who left to India and to the hilly areas of Sri Lanka, during the difficult period, returned to Anuradhapura, and decided to transcribe the Tripiṭaka (philosophical doctrines of Buddhism) for the preservation and for the use of future generations. The monks selected Aluvihare Rock temple in Matale as the most suitable and secured place to carry out this important event. This transcription was carried out due to the fear that the doctrine would be lost during the upheaval caused by repeated South Indian invasions. It is said that 500 scholarly monks congregated at Aluvihare Rock temple to perform the difficult task of first reciting the doctrines and agreeing on an acceptable version before transcription. The entire transcription was done in books made of ola leaves, locally known as puskola poth. These books were made up from thick strips created from the leaves of either the palmyra or talipot palm and the doctrines were written down in Pali language. A metal stylus was used to inscribe the characters on the ola leaves.

The old library at Aluvihare Rock Temple, which had safely housed the volumes of this transcribed manuscripts for so many centuries, was totally destroyed during the Matale Rebellion in 1848. Many parts of the temple complex was destroyed too by this incident. The consequences of this disaster are still evident today at the temple premises. It took a long a time for the recompilation, as few generations of monks had to transcribe the Tripiṭaka again. The recompilation and transcription took a long time as only few monks were engaged in this painstaking task, and the first of the three “baskets of the law” was only completed in 1982.

Aluvihare Rock temple has many caves with ancient inscriptions. These caves enclose comparatively modern wall and ceiling paintings of interest, and impressive statues and images of Lord Buddha. The main cave of these, has a large reclining statue of the Buddha, together with standing and seated images. In the entrance-way of another cave with a reclining statue of the Buddha there are terrifying depictions of the hellish afterlife that awaits people who commits sins. One cave is dedicated to the revered Indian monk-scholar Buddhagosa, who is regarded as the greatest exponent and interpreter of the Pali...

Aluvihare Rock Temple was the historic location where the Pāli Canon was first written down completely in text on ola (palm) leaves. Many monastery caves, some of which exhibit frescoes are situated near this temple. In the 1st Century BC, during the reign of King Walagamba, Sri Lanka underwent a famine known as 'Baminithiyasaya' for 12 years. There was also a South Indian invasion at the same time and the Buddhist monks of that era realized that these problems would be a danger to the existence of Buddha Sasana in the country. Under these conditions, memorizing and repeating the Dhamma(doctrine) was difficult. Due to the famine Buddhist monks did not receive sufficient alms and faced many difficulties, and they had to eat yams, roots and leaves of trees for their survival. A group of about 60 of them went to Malaya Rata, which is said to be the hilly area of the country. They managed to live on the banks of Mahaweli river under harsh conditions and survived for 12 years till the famine came to an end. King Walagamba who was overthrown by a rebellion during the invasion from South India, regained the throne by defeating the invaders after fourteen years.

The monks who left to India and to the hilly areas of Sri Lanka, during the difficult period, returned to Anuradhapura, and decided to transcribe the Tripiṭaka (philosophical doctrines of Buddhism) for the preservation and for the use of future generations. The monks selected Aluvihare Rock temple in Matale as the most suitable and secured place to carry out this important event. This transcription was carried out due to the fear that the doctrine would be lost during the upheaval caused by repeated South Indian invasions.[5] It is said that 500 scholarly monks congregated at Aluvihare Rock temple to perform the difficult task of first reciting the doctrines and agreeing on an acceptable version before transcription. The entire transcription was done in books made of ola laves, locally known as puskola poth. These books were made up from thick strips created from the leaves of either the palmyra or talipot-palm and the doctrines were written down in Pali language. A metal stylus was used to inscribe the characters on the ola leaves.

The old library atof Aluvihare Rock Temple, which had safely housed the volumes of this transcribed manuscripts for so many centuries, was totally destroyed during theMatale Rebellion in 1848.[6] Many parts of the temple complex was destroyed too by this incident. The consequences of this disaster are still evident today at the temple premises. It took a long a time for the recompilation, as few generations of monks had to transcribe the Tripiṭaka again. The recompilation and transcription took a long time as only few monks were engaged in this painstaking task, and the first of the three “baskets of the law” was only completed in 1982.

Aluvihare Rock temple has many caves with ancient inscriptions. These caves enclose comparatively modern wall and ceiling paintings of interest, and impressive statues and images of Lord Buddha. The main cave of these, has a large reclining statue of the Buddha, together with standing and seated images. In the entrance-way of another cave with a reclining statue of the Buddha there are terrifying depictions of the hellish afterlife that awaits people who commits sins. One cave is dedicated to the revered Indian monk-scholarBuddhagosa,[7] who is regarded as the greatest exponent and interpreter of the Pali canonical scriptures. He resided at Anuradhapura during the 4th and 5th centuries and is supposed to have spent several years at the Matale Alu Viharaya to engage in his...

In 103 BC, King Vaţţagāmini Abhaya, popularly known as Valagambā, ascended the throne of Sri Lanka. After anointed king a young Brahamin named Tissa, in Rohana seat in Sri Lanka, led a rebel against the king. At the same time, Sri Lanka was invaded by seven South Indians (Damilas). Tissa the Brahamin and the seven Indian rebels sent the king a written massage concerning handing over of the parasol (symbol of kingly rank). The sagacious king sent a written message to Tissa Brahamin stating that the kingdom was his, therefore to conquer it. He fought a battle with invaders but he was defeated. Thereupon the South Indian invaders made war upon the king Valagambā and was forced to flee from Anurādhapura. The invasion caused a severe famine throughout the island. The famine became known as “Brahmana Tissa” famine. It devastated the whole country as people were unable to obtain any food and as a consequence many died. Large number of monks left Sri Lanka and sought shelter in India. Sacred shrines such as Thūpārāma and Mahā Thūpa (the colossal dāgaba in Anurādhapura built by King Dutugamunu) were left unattended and deserted.

Over the years it was overgrown with weeds and their precincts were grown over with vegetation. Some Arahant monks left Anurādhapura for the central hills in the island. Those monks who stayed back led a hard life and they preserved the teaching as enshrined in the Tipiţaka in oral form. While the South Indian armed forces ruled the country for twelve years, the king remained in hideouts in the dense jungle.

According to the Great Chronicles, Dīpavansa and Mahāvansa, the Fifth Buddhist Council convened at Aluvihāra because the Arahant monks saw the degradation of the Dhamma (Teaching). People at that time were not practicing the true Dhamma and so to preserve the true doctrine, (Geiger 1953: P 131) they held the Fifth Buddhist Council. Though the ancient sources like Dipavamsa and Mahavamsa are ambiguous on the notes concerning the ground, time, presidency, venue, participants, duration and its results regarding Aluvihāra Buddhist Council, Nikāya Sangrahaya, Asgiri Talpata record it at its best. Pujāwalie author is the first to give fresh and encouraging information much more than what the chronicles had recorded regarding the Aluvihāra council.

At the same time, a teacher from Pallavārāma monastery of Vajjiputtaka sect in India arrived here and became the teacher of Abhayagiri sect.

Theravāda, the Doctrines of the ‘Elders’ commenced and was propagated in Sri Lanka with the advent of Arahant Mahinda in the 3rd century BC. Theravādins preserved the Teaching with complete respect and dedication. The rise of the powerful Mahayāna or Abhayagiri sect, as how it had been called later in Sri Lanka, disturbed the Theravādins’ minds that it would strike root in the country. The great advisor monk of the king Valgambā, Kupikkala Tissa Mahā Thero, was excluded from Mahā Vihāra on a disciplinary action taken by the Mahā Theros in Anurādhapura. Bahalamahalu Tissa Thero and Mahadeliyātissa Thero, two disciples of Kupikkala Tissa Mahā Thero, disagreed with this action. In the first place, Bahalamahalu Tissa thero took five hundred monks with him and set out to Abhayagiri monastery and settled down there, marking out the first dissention in the Sri Lankan monastic...