Geography of Early Buddhism c12.62.1

c12.62.1

In the Samantapāsādikā (commentary on the Vinaya-piṭaka), the Sāsanavaṃsa, the Mahābodhivaṃsa, the Dāṭhāvaṃsa, the Cūḷavaṃsa as well as the Sammohavinodani (the commentary on the Vibhaṅga) and the Manorathapūraṇī (the commentary on the Aṅguttara Nikāya) there are references to a large number of cetiyas of Ceylon. The shrine which was built on the spot where the Theras first alighted in Ceylon is called the Paṭhama cetiya,² which probably refers to a stūpa or dagoba. A pious Sāmaṇera once put three stone slabs to form steps to the courtyard of an ākāsa cetiya (sky shrine) which probably refers to a tree or stūpa shrine.³ The Buddha along with 500 Bhikkhus is said to have visited the Mahācetiya, Dīghavāpicetiya, and Kalyāṇī cetiya⁴ which probably refer to stūpa or vihāra shrines. The Thūpārāma cetiya which is a vihāra shrine still exists. The same authority refers to a cetiya near Anurādhapura where some Theras descended from the sky,⁵ as also to a golden cetiya built by prince Uttara.⁶ The golden shrine probably refers to a stūpa which in Ceylon came popularly to be known as a dagoba. The Kaṇṭaka cetiya was visited and circumambulated by Asoka before entering the city of Anurādhapura⁷; this cetiya in all probability refers to a stūpa or tree shrine round which there must have been a pradakṣiṇa (padakkhina) courtyard.