Skip to main content

Ambastala Dagaba – අම්බස්තල දාගැබ






 The picture is of Ambasthala Dagaba in Mihintale, with Mahaseya in the background.

 

A moderate climb of 1840 steps to the top of Mihintale mountain peak take you to the Ambasthala Dagoba on the mountain plane. It is a small stupa which is surrounded by stone pillars on which a wooden roof once stood upon known as "vatadage". Vatadage is a circular structure built around a stupa where a wooden roof was built on decorative stone pillars.

   This stupa has been converted to a  vatadage style stupa in the 2nd or 3rd century. Vatadage is a unique architectural style of ancient sri Lanka found in Buddhist religious sites. 

 

 

The Ambastala Dagoba is built on the spot  King Devanampiyatissa of Anuradhapura saw Buddhist monk Arhat Mahinda  for the very first time. Arhat Mahinda was standing on the "Aradanagala" peak with his group of emissaries,above the summit the king stood.   Arhat Mahinda, Emperor Ashoka's son, is the Buddhist missionary from northern India . In Sinhala Mihin-Thalé literally means the “plateau of Mihinda", the summit the Mahinda thero arrived.

 

The  historical meeting between monk Mahina and King Devanampiyatissa took place in 3rd century B.C., that is 2,329 years ago from today. This historical event introduced Buddhism to Sri Lanka on Ashoka Emperors request to officially inaugurate Buddhism in the country. Arhat  Mahinda checked kings intelligence through a series of a questions before converting him to a Buddhist. These questions related to the mango trees on the mountain plateau. The surrounding forest was full of mango trees. Ambas-Thalé means plateau of Amba. Mango trees are locally known as Amba. Therefore, Amastale dagoba means Mago tree stupa. Hence the name "Ambastala" was used for the Dagoba built on the spot the king first saw Arhat Mahinda on the mountain plateau. 

 

The much larger white stupa behind Ambastale stupa on a peak  close-by at the same summit is known as the "Mahaseya".  According to the chronicles this stupa was built enshrining the Buddhas hair relic between the eye brows ( called Urna Roma). Mahaseya summit  is very windy and once you reach the Mahaseya you get a breathtaking view if the surrounding greenery of the country as far as the city of Anuradhapura.

 

In the month of June the  focal point of the Poson festival is Mihintale temple. For the Pososn full moon Buddhists from across the country make their annual pilgrimage to Anuradhapura and Mihintale.

 

Captured August 2017.

Labels

Labels:
Location: Mihintale, Sri Lanka

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Attractions at Gangaramaya Temple

Gangaramaya Temple is located in NawamMawatha in Colombo 2, Sri Lanka.  Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala  Thero founded the temple in the early 19th century during the buddhist revival period. The temple is famous for the Navam Maha Perahara held annually in the month of March. Beautiful sunset can be witnessed at the Beira Wewa  section of the Gangaramaya temple with looming skyscrapers as the backdrop.  Perehera : Annual cultural pagent The temple is famous for the Navam Maha Perahara held annually in the month of March since 1978.  The Bo Tree and Stupa Located at the centre of the main temple is the sacred Bo tree, the Stupa and the Buddha statue. Parrots In the hall that is used for offerings and poojas the visitors can witness a flock of parrots. A sight not to be missed when visiting the temple. Relic Chamber The sacred relics of Buddha and his discipleArhat Seevali can bee seen and worshiped at the temple. the Sacred Buddha hair relics were donated by the Chittag...
Post a Comment
Read more

Aradana Gala:The rock of invitation

  Aradana Gala is where the Arhat Mahinda arrived from India.   Aradanagala is a  boulder on the summit of Mihintale mountain. This is from where Arhat Mahinda addressed king Devanampiyatissa for the first time. King was  hunting deer below the rock in the mango forest on the mountain plateau. Arhat Mahinda, the missionary and son of Emperor Ashoka of India, came to Mihintale to officially inaugurate Buddhism in the country in 263 B.C. Ashoka became an emperor  in India 218 years after Lord Buddha passed away. He converted to Buddhism  after seeing the mass deaths of Kalinga war which he won. Emperor Asoka promoted the spread of Buddhism across Asia.    The historical meeting of Monk Mahinda and the king 2,329 years back is commemorated annually in June on a full moon day by Buddhists across the country with Mihintale being the focal point. They make an annual pilgrimage to Mihintale summit and other historical locations i...
Post a Comment
Read more

Attractions in the ancient city of Anuradhapura : Abhaya Wewa ( අභය වැව )

  Abhaya Wewa in Anuradhapura was built by King Pandukabaya in 400B.C.  This is the first irrigation tank known  and recorded in the history of Sri Lanka. The Abhaya Wewa is located close to Ruwanweliseya in ancient city of Anuradhapura. The length  of the embankment is little more than one mile and covers 1235 acres of land filled with water. Captured 30 December 2019.
Post a Comment
Read more