Sri Lankan Forest Tradition
Sri Lankan Forest Monks' Tradition claims a long history. As the oldest Theravada Buddhist country in the world, several forest traditions and lineages had been existed, disappeared and re-emerged circularly in Sri Lanka. The current forest traditions and lineages in Sri Lanka have been influenced by the Burmese and Thai traditions which descend from the ancient Indian and Sri Lankan traditions.[1][2][3]
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Historical background
Establishment of Buddhism in Sri Lanka
After the era of the Indian Emperor Asoka, India lost her place as the Theravada Buddhist center of the world. It is said that emperor Asoka and his advisor monks predicted this would happen and organized a Theravada Buddhist Mission to nine countries in Asia. As a result of this mission, the great arahant Mahinda who was the son of emperor Asoka was sent to Sri Lanka in order to establish Buddha Sasana (message of the Lord Buddha) with a group consisting of six arahants called Ittiya, Uttiya, Sambala, Bhaddasala, Novice Sumana (Sumana Samanera) and anagami layman Bhanduka (Bhanduka Upasaka).[4][5]
The King Devanampiya Tissa who was the king of Sri Lanka at that period met this group and accepted Buddhism and declared Buddhism as the state religion of Sri Lanka. The vice king Arittha who was the cousin of King Devanampiya Tissa was the first Buddhist monk of Sri Lanka who was called as arahant Upatissa.[6]
One year Later the emperor Asoka decided to send another group to Sri Lanka in order to establish a Buddhist Nuns' order (Bhikkhuni order) in Sri Lanka. The leader of this group was the daughter of the emperor Asoka who was the great arahant nun Sanghmitta. In addition, eighteen groups of technical people which were dedicated for Buddhist cultural works were sent with arahant Sanghamitta in order to strengthen the established Buddhist Lineage in Sri Lanka.[1]
Theravada Buddhism
Since the first days of the establishment of a Theravada Buddhist Lineage in Sri Lanka, it has remained the main tradition there. After the era of the great Indian emperor Asoka, Sri Lanka was the global epicenter of the Theravada tradition. The Pali Canon (Theravada Tripitaka), which was preserved and conveyed by memorization and recitation, was first written in Sri Lanka at the Aluvihara in Matale. Almost all the early commentaries of Dhamma (Attha Katha) were written in Sri Lanka. The popular commentary writer Bhiikku Buddhaghosa was able to translate Sri Lankan commentaries which had been written in Sinhala Language into the Pali Language during the Anuradhapura era.[7]
When other Theravada countries such as Siam (Thailand) and Ramanna (Part of Burma/Myanmar) lost their monastic lineage, Sri Lankan monks were sent to re-establish the Upasampada monks' lineage during the period of the Polonnaru Kingdom in Sri Lanka. Later, in the 17th century CE, the Upasampada Lineage had disappeared in Sri Lanka due to attacks and the subsequent domination of Western intruders. A novice monk, Weliwita Saranamkara, brought Upasampada from Siam (Thailand) and was able to reestablish the lineage in Sri Lanka. During the 18th century several monks were able to again bring new Upasampada lineages from Amarapura (a part of Burma/Myanmar) and Ramanna (a part of Burma/Myanmar).[8]
Today three main Theravada Nikayas (Lineages) such as Siam Niakaya, Amarapura Nikaya, Ramanna Nikaya are dominant in Sri Lanka: Siyam Nikaya is the lineage from Siam, Amarapura Nikaya is the lineage from Amarapura and the Ramanna Nikaya is the lineage from Ramanna.[9]
Ascetic forest traditions
In the early days, the forest traditions were affiliated either with the Great Monastery Mahavihara in Anuradhapura or with other main ancient monasteries such as Mihintale, Ritigala, Dimbulagala, Situlpawwa. Many ruins of ancient forest monasteries can be seen in the large forest areas of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Matale, Tissamaharama, Situlpawwa and Ruhuna. Sri Lanka was then the center of Theravada Buddhism as well as the forest tradition in the world. Currently the largest forest sect in Sri Lanka is the Sri Kalyani Yogashrama Samstha (Galduva Sect) of Rāmañña Nikāya of Amarapura–Rāmañña Nikāya. In addition, several other sects such as Vaturuvila, Polgasduva continue to have forest monasteries.[10][11]
Notable contemporary monks
Founder of Sri Lanka Ramanna Maha Nikaya in 1864 by bringing pure Upasampada from Ratnapunna Vihara in Burma and joining with group of monks who brought pure Upasampada from Kalyani Sima of forest monks at Hansavati Burma and Dhammayut NikayaThailand. His intention was to re-establish a pure vinaya lineage in Sri Lanka.
Puwakdandawe Paññānanda Maha Thera
Brought pure Upasampada from Hansavati Kalyani Sima of Burma and joined with the Ambagahawatte Indrasabhawara Gnanasami Maha Thera in order to establish Sri Lanka Ramanna Maha Nikaya. He was considered the pioneer of forest dwellers in Sri Lanka Ramanna Maha Nikaya. Some of his lineage's successor monks joined Sri Kalyani Yogasrama Samstha and some of them remain in Delduva sect of Sri Lanka Ramanna Maha Nikaya.
Vaturuvila Gnanananda MahaThera
Founder monk of Vaturuvila Vanavasa sect of Siyam Nikaya.
Being the founder of Sri Kalyani Yogasrama Samstha in 1951 as a reform movement during the Buddha Jayanti (B.E. 2500) festival years, his intention has been to protect the pure Vinaya lineage in Sri Lanka.
Matara Sri Nanarama Mahathera who is considered to be the father of the Sri Lankan modern forest meditation tradition, was a researcher of old Sri Lankan vipassana meditation methods and have been influenced by Burmese Mahasi Vipassana Method. Nauyane Ariyadhamma Maha Thera, Hikkaduve Dhammasila Mahathera, Migoda Sanghsobhana Thera and Greek Nyanadassana Maha Thera are several of his close students.
A student of late venerable Kadavedduve Jinavamsa Maha Thera (the founder of the Sri Kalyani Yogashrama Samstha) who was believed to be a having exceptional Mindfulness and restraint.
Notable contemporary Western monks
- Greek Nyanadassana Maha Thera
- American Bhikkhu Bodhi
Contemporary forest monasteries
Some of the widely known forest monasteries, among the large number of monasteries scattered throughout the island are listed below.[12]
Nimalawa Forest Monastery
One of the ancient forest monasteries where the arahant Dhammadinna was considered to be resided. It was re-established as the first forest monastery of Sri Kalyani Yogasrama Samstha in 1951 by Kadawedduwe Jinavamsa Maha Thera.[13]
Na Uyana Forest Monastery
Na Uyana Aranya is situated in the North Western Province and affiliated to Sri Kalyani Yogasrama Samstha and Pa-Auk Forest Monastery in Myanmar.[14]
Tanjantenna Forest Monastery
A solitary dwelling monastery, also known as Bhaddekavihari forest monastery, situated in Tanjantenna close to Balangoda, which serves as the central meeting place, sick ward and the Uposatha sima for the local and foreign monks dwell in nearby forests. Affiliated to Sri Kalyani Yogasrama Samstha.[15]
Kudumbigala Forest Monastery
An ancient monastery in Kumana forest sanctuary which is famous for its isolated environment and beautiful landscapes which was re-established by late Thambugala Anandasiri Mahathera.
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Solitary dwelling
Tanjantenna forest
A group of isolated caves and huts scattered throughout Balangoda forest areas in which both local and foreign monks reside and practice meditation. Tanjantenna Forest Monastery is considered to be the center of these kutis.
Caves and kutis in the forests
There are large number of isolated caves and cottages are to be seen in the forests scattered throughout the island where local and foreign meditating monks dwell.
References
- ^ a b Mahānāma (1993). The Mahāvaṃsa, Or, The Great Chronicle of Ceylon. Asian Educational Services. ISBN 9788120602182.
- ^ Parker, Henry (1981). Ancient Ceylon. Asian Educational Services. ISBN 9788120602083.
- ^ Prasopchingchana, Sarunya. "Buddhist Relationship between Sri Lanka and Thailand" (PDF).
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ "LankaWeb – Establishment of Buddha Sasana in Lanka by Arahat Mahinda". Retrieved 2018-08-27.
- ^ "LankaLibrary.com: The arrival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka". www.lankalibrary.com. Retrieved 2018-08-27.
- ^ "King Devanampiya Tissa". mahavamsa.org. 18 March 2010. Retrieved 2018-08-27.
- ^ "The Tripitaka committed to writing at Aluvihara". archives.sundayobserver.lk. Retrieved 2018-08-27.
- ^ "On the trail of a Thera and his Upasampada mission here | The Sunday Times Sri Lanka". www.sundaytimes.lk. Retrieved 2018-08-27.
- ^ Williams, Paul (2005). Buddhism: The early Buddhist schools and doctrinal history ; Theravāda doctrine. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9780415332286.
- ^ Knighton, W. (William) (1854). Forest life in Ceylon. University of California Libraries. London : Hurst and Blackett.
- ^ Freiberger, Oliver (2006-10-19). Asceticism and Its Critics: Historical Accounts and Comparative Perspectives. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199719013.
- ^ "Buddhist Forest Monasteries and Meditation Centres in Sri Lanka" (PDF).
- ^ "Nimalawa Aranya Senasanaya - Attractions near Leopard Corridor". www.leopardcorridor.com.
- ^ Aranya, Na Uyana. "Na Uyana Aranya". www.nauyana.org. Retrieved 2018-08-27.
- ^ "Bhaddeka Vihari". www.bhaddekavihari.org. Retrieved 2018-01-17.
- ^ "Panama Kudumbigala Monastery". December 19, 2013.
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