Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c6.18

c6.18

Ruvanveli Regarding the Ruvanveli Dāgaba the following is given, after a description of the Dagaba elaborate foundation‡ :— “Revered Lords,” said the Rāja to the priesthood, “for the beginning of the building of the great cētiya, I shall to-morrow lay the festival-brick of the edifice : let all our priesthood assemble there.” Accordingly next day “the Rāja proceeded to the site and seeing the assembled priesthood, bowed down with profound veneration; then “making offerings of fragrant garlands, he stationed himself in the centre, on the spot where the puṇṇaghaṭa (filled vessel, an auspicious emblem) was deposited with all honours.” He then “caused a minister of noble descent, well attired, to hold the end of a fine rod of silver that was fitted into a gold pivot,§ and began to make him walk round therewith along the prepared ground, with the intent to describe a great circle to mark the base of the cētiya. Thereupon a great thēra, of great spiritual power, by name Siddhattha, who had an insight into the future, dissuaded the King, saying to himself ‘The King is about to build a great thūpa indeed; so great that while it is yet incomplete he would die; moreover if the thūpa be a very great one it would be exceedingly hard to repair.’ The Rājā although anxious to build it of that size, by the advice of the priesthood . . . adopting the proposal of the thēra, described . . . a circle of moderate dimensions. The unwearied monarch placed in the centre eight golden and eight silver vases, and surrounded them with 1008 fresh vases * and with cloth in quantities of 108 pieces. He then caused eight excellent bricks to be placed separately (one in each of the eight quarters), and causing a minister who was selected and arrayed in every manner for that purpose, to take up one that was marked with divers signs of prosperity, he laid the first auspicious stone in the fine fragrant cement on the eastern quarter; and lo! when jessamine flowers were offered thereto the earth quaked. The other seven bricks also he had laid by seven state ministers, and had auspicious ceremonies performed over them.” Subsequently “the Rājā caused to be made of precious things an exquisitely beautiful bō-tree; the stem was of pure silver; its leaves glittered with gems. The faded leaves were of gold; its fruit and tender leaves were of coral. . . On an invaluable golden throne, erected on the east side of the bo-tree, the King placed a resplendent golden image of Buddha. The features and members of that image were represented in their several appropriate colours, in exquisitely resplendent gems. There stood (also) Mahā Brahma bearing the silver parasol of dominion; Sakka, the inaugurator, with his *vijayuttara* chank; Pañcasikha with his harp in his hand; Kāḷanāga, together with his band of singers and dancers; the hundred armed Māra mounted on his elephant and surrounded by his host of attendants. . . The various acts performed at the of the places at which (Buddha had tarried) for the seven times seven days (‘*satsatiya*,’ see Index) he most fully represented, as well as Brahma in the act of supplicating Buddha to expound his doctrines . . . the advance of Bimbisāra . . . the acceptance of the Jētavana temple . . . the discourses delivered in the Tāvatiṃsa heavens . . . the discourses addressed to Āḷavaka . . . his *parinibbāna* . . . many of the jātakas which were the best calculated to turn the hearts of his people to conversion, were also represented. He caused Buddha’s acts during his existence as Vessantara Rāja to be depicted in detail; as well as from the period of his descent from Tusitapura to his attaining Buddhahood at the foot of the bō-tree.”