Contents
1.
Introduction
2.
The
Establishment of Anuradhapura Kingdom and Especial Kings at Anuradhapura Period.
3.
Scholarly
Buddhist Monks In Anuradhapura Period
4.
The
Scholarly Activities Of Monks Within The
Anuradhapura Period
5.
Conclusion
6.
Bibliography
Introduction
Anuradhapura
period and the monks scholarly activates is the main area which I am going to
clarify in this assignment. I have very good knowledge about Anuradhapura
period because I have done history when I was studying at Privena. Therefore,
this is proper area for me.
As
I have mention in contents, I would like to cover those areas, which are very
important and relevant to our subject. This assignment will be my effort to
highlight scholarly activities of monks. Especially Ven. Buddhaghosa,
Buddhadatta and Dhammapala were the main highlighted monks who work in
commentary. Tipitaka has written in Matale Anuvihara with the patronages
of king Walagamba (Vattagamini Abhaya).
These
are the main areas which, I hope to discuss thought my assignment.
The
Establishment of Anuradhapura Kingdom and Especial Kings at Anuradhapura Period.
Anuradhapura
kingdom is the first content, which I hope to introduce because before to enter
the monks scholarly activates at this period. After the arrival of Vijaya, his
minister name Anuradha build the Village called Anuradhapura. Later it
developed as the kingdom. King Pandukabhaya, the founder and first ruler of the
Anuradhapura Kingdom, fixed village boundaries in the country and established
an administration system by appointing village headmen. He constructed hermitages,
houses for the poor, cemeteries, and irrigation tanks. He brought a large
portion of the country under the control of the Anuradhapura Kingdom.
The
Buddhism arrival in the period of King Devanam Piya Tissa. This was period of
the establishment of Buddhism is Sri Lanka. However, it was not until the reign
of Dutthagamani (161–137 BC) that the whole country was unified under the
Anuradhapura Kingdom. There were numbers of Kings who ruled in Anuradhapura
period. Here I have mention main kings who were related to these topics. Therefore, these kings are very
special in Anuradhapura period.
1. King
Pandukabhaya
2. King
DevanampiyaTissa
3. King
Dutthagamini
4. King
Wattagamini Abhaya etc.
Scholarly
Buddhist Monks in Anuradhapura Period
When we talk about
scholarly monks in Anuradhapura period, the history goes back to the period of
King Devanam Piya Tissa period. This is
the period, which Buddhism was established by Arahant Maha Mahinda thero. Arahant Maha Mahinda was the first monk who came
to Sri Lanka and established Buddhism. After that, Buddhism spread fast and
many scholars’ monks came to Sri Lanka. Monks in Anuradhapura period can be
divided into main three groups
1. Mahavihara monks (Arahant Maha Mahinda thero)
2. Abhiyagiriya
monks (Kupiggalatissa thero by accepting personal temple)
3. Jetavana monks ( Dharmaruci monk)
Sri Lankan Scholar’s
monks who wrote Hela Atuwa which were famous in foreign countries too. Those
are “Maha
Atthakatha, kurundi Atthakatha, paccariya atthakatha, Sankhepa Atthakatha and
Andhaka Atthakatha.” As results of Scholarly services of Sri Lankan Buddhist
monks, many forigen monks came to Sri Lanka. Some of them are
1. Ven.Buddhadatta
2. Ven
Buddhaghosa
3. Ven
Dhammapala
4. Ven.Mahanama
5. Ven.Dhammaruci
etc.
There
were numbers of scholarly monks who has not mentioned their named in their
scholarly services. Then let we discuss the main services or scholarly
activities which has done by monks in Anuradhapura period.
The scholarly activities of monks
within the Anuradhapura period
As I have
mention earlier that Scholarly monks in Anuradhapura period can be divided in
to main three parts. Arahant Maha Mahinda was the first monk who came to Sri
Lanka and establishes Buddhism. After that, Buddhism spread fast and many scholars’
monks came to Sri Lanka.
Among
them the earliest and the most famous was the Mahāvihāra in the capital city of
Anuradhapura. It was this monastic establishment, which for over a thousand
years functioned as the citadel of Theravāda orthodoxy. It was here that the
earliest Buddhist commentaries in Sinhala had been preserved and it was also
here that in the 5th century C.E. they came to be translated into Pāli. Thus it
is the Mahāvihāra school of scriptural interpretation that we find embodied in
the extant Pāli commentaries and sub-commentaries whose authenticity is
accepted by all Therāvadins. Another monastery that came into equal prominence
was the Abhayagiri which arose some two hundred years later. It was less
conservative and was not averse to exposing itself to new developments in
Buddhist thought and practice. With its more open and liberal policy, it
encouraged the study of Mahāyāna doctrines while maintaining its Theravāda
identity. Both monasteries became the two great centers of Buddhist learning in
the Island, attracting scholars and students from other parts of Buddhist Asia
besides producing eminent men of letters. Another Buddhist monastery, which
ranked high as a seat of learning, was the Jetavana, which came on the scene in
the 4th century C.E. Although these three monasteries came within the pale of
Theravāda Buddhism there were differences among them on matters pertaining to
doctrinal interpretation and monastic practices. The three fraternities
associated with the three monasteries continued to maintain their identity up
to the 12th century C.E. when a unification of them was effected during the
reign of King Vijayabahu Ⅰ.
Sri Lankan Scholars who wrote Hela Atuwa which
were famous in foreign countries too. In the points, forms the scholarly
activities of Buddhist monks in Anuradhapura period can be mentioned as
following.
1.
Sinhala Buddhist monks had written
Atthakatha in Sinhala Language, which were famous in foreign countries too.
2.
As the results of that Ven.
Buddhadatta ,Buddhaghosa came to Sri Lanka in Mahavihara to learn about Sinhala
Atuwa and translated into Pali Atthakatha. Buddhaghosa has learn Sinhala atha
katha by the Ven. Sanghapala who has lived in Padhanaghara it has mention on
Mahavamsa and Visuddhimagrasanna. “MahaAtthakathanca mahapaccaremeva ca
–Kurundi cati tissopi sihala kattha ima Buddhamittohi namena vissutassa
yasassino vinayanussa dhirassa sutva therassa santike” [1]
3.
Buddhaghosa wrote Pali Atthakatha
which wrer transalatedfrom Sinhala Attha Katha. (“Apanetvana tatoham
sihalabhasayam manoramam Bhasa Tantinaya nucavikam aropento vigatadosam”)[2]
4.
The first book, which has written in
Pali Atthakatha, is Samantapasadika, Visiddhi magga is the best results of Ven
Buddhaghosa and it has written before the start of written Atthakatha.
According to the samantapasadika it highlighted that how much Vinaya was
important at that society. Buddhaghosa apologized for undertaking the write
Vinaya commentary.[3]
5.
As the results of that Pali language
become the international language, which was the best services of Mahavihara
monks.
6.
In the commentary to
the Kathāvatthu, which was compiled in the Anuradhapura period, for
instance, we find names of some eighteen schools of Buddhist though with an
identification of the specific doctrines for which each of them became well known.
7.
Later the King Walagamba period
monks faced difficulties period then they decided to written the oral Tripitaka
into written Books. At The King Walagamba period, Tipitaka was written in
Matale Anuviharaya. This is appreciate activities, which has done by
Anuradhapura period scholarly monks.
8.
Mahaniddesa was the book whom known
by Dussila monk but others have to get his contributes to complete written
Tipitka.
As a conclusion of this
topic that Ven.Walpola Rahula writing on the Anuradhapura period said,
"Freedom of discussion was an important feature highly esteemed. To be
humble and not to be proud of ones learning was regarded as sign of great
scholarship."
Some kings were scholars
themselves. Moggallana II was known as an intellectual and an incomparable poet
(asdrushya kaviyek). Buddhadasa wrote Sarartha Sangraha, a text on medicine.
Kassapa V wrote Dhampiya Atuva Getapadaya, a work that involved many sources.
Vijayabahu I translated the Dhammasangani to Sinhala. Parakramabahu VI composed
Ruvanmala, a lexicon for poets.
There was a steady output of
translations. Some Sinhala items were translated into Pall and then translated
back again into Sinhala as in the case of the Visuddimagga. Hatthavanagalla
vihara vamsa was translated into Sinhala twice in the 14th and 15th centuries.
A monk at Sihala vihara, Nagarjunikonda in South India, translated the
Sihalavatthu prakarana into Pali. The Sinhala adaptation of the Pali material
often included new material. They were not mechanical translations. However, G.
P. Malalasekera said that most important items were in Sinhala without Pali
translations.
Scholars knew Sanskrit as well as Pali and Sinhala. Several leading monks such as Vanaratna Sri Rahula and Gurulugomi were experts in Sanskrit. Maha Kassapa of Udumbaragiri wrote in Sanskrit. There were glossaries known as sanne and getapadaya respectively, which gave the Sinhala words for Pali and Sanskrit words. These glossaries were ornate compositions. There seem to have been dozens of these. Two examples are the Kutusika sanne and the Danipiya atuva getapadaya, which were written in the Anuradhapura period.
Scholars knew Sanskrit as well as Pali and Sinhala. Several leading monks such as Vanaratna Sri Rahula and Gurulugomi were experts in Sanskrit. Maha Kassapa of Udumbaragiri wrote in Sanskrit. There were glossaries known as sanne and getapadaya respectively, which gave the Sinhala words for Pali and Sanskrit words. These glossaries were ornate compositions. There seem to have been dozens of these. Two examples are the Kutusika sanne and the Danipiya atuva getapadaya, which were written in the Anuradhapura period.
Conclusion
As a conclusion I
would like to mention that Anuradhapura
period is the first period of establish
of Buddhism in Sri Lanka as well as numbers
of services has done by the monks. Vinaya has considered the main place at
Anuradhapura period because most commentators has written their books with
respecting the Vinaya.
At this time
MahaVihara was very famous because of their Sinhala comminatory. Ven.
Buddhadatta ,Ven.Buddhaghosa came to
Mahaviharaya and learn those Sinhala book as and translated into Pali language
which became international language.
Today we have Pali
written Tipitaka as results of Anuradhapura monks scholar activities.
Buddhist monasteries were
centres for learning and scholarship. The Buddhist tradition of reasoning
supported scholarship and learning. The Mahavihara, Tissamaharama,
Kaladighava-pidvara vihara and Kallagama Mandalarama were centres of
scholarship in the Anuradhapura period.
Bibliography
1. Basnayake,
H. T. (1986). Sri Lankan Monastic Architecture. Sri Satguru Publications.
2. Mendis,
Ranjan Chinthaka (1999). The Story of Anuradhapura. Lakshmi Mendis
3. Mendis,
Vernon L. B. (2000). The Rulers of Sri Lanka. S. Godage & Brothers
4. Blaze, L. E
(1995). The Story of Lanka. Asian Educational Services.
5. Ellawala,
H. (1969). Social Hostory of Early Ceylon. Department of Cultural Affairs.
7. History of
Buddhism in Ceylon
8. Early
history of Buddhism of Ceylon
9. Early
Buddhist Monarchism
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