CHAPTER ONE 1 CHAPTER 01 1 HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE BUDDHIST PLACES OF WORSHIP IN SOUTHERN SRI LANKA. Buddhist religious places as many other religious, are manly influenced from it's philosophy, thinking and it's society. Therefore to understand the historic development of Buddhist religious places in Southern Sri Lanka have to examine the historical evidences in order to realise it's evolution and relationship with selected area of the country. 1.1 ORIGIN OF BUDDHIST RELIGIOUS COMPLEXES: 1.1.1 Sinhalese Buddhist civilisation. As for the historical evidences the establishment of Buddhism in Sri Lanka has been happened at the period of the King 'Devanampiyatissa'. Before that the ancient people who was living in the country has been compelled to worship to the natural things; such as Water, Fire, Wind, Thunder bolts, ...etc and believe as their god. At the period of the King 'Ashoka' was governing India, he tried to spread Buddhism not only their own country, but also to the other all-relative countries. As a result of that the King's own son of 'Arhath Mahinda Thera' with a group of devotees has been transported himself through the air and alighted on the top of the mount 'Mihintale'; situated at the ancient capital 'Anuradhapura'. In those days King 'Devanampiyatissa' was the ruler of Lanka at the 03rd century B.C. He met the apostle of Buddhism on the summit of the rock and soon became his first convert. According to the ancient administration of the country, the Island has divided in to three (3) parts named 'Ruhuna', 'Maya', 'Pihiti' ('Rajarata'). 'Anuradhapura' was the Capital of 'Rajarata'. Other than introducing Buddhism, people needed to facilitate religious centres or temples, which are reflecting Buddhist environment and Buddhist way of life, as in built. Therefore historical evidences says 'Arrhath Mahinda Thera' has preached about the eligible spaces for the devotees, according to the Buddhist doctrine, named 'Addayoga', 'Caves', 'Arma', 'Hammeeya', and 'Pasada'. Those special spaces for monks proposed to away from environmental disturbances, and better than been in forests as in preliminary periods. In order to Buddhism grow up all over the area 2 Kings have donated their large gardens to the priests and built up temples. With considering the demarcations confirmed by 'Arhath Mahinda'; on 'Mahameghawana' park, 'Mahavihara'complex has been taken to build up. Map of ancient Ceylon including main administrative centres Fig 1-1 Source - Ithihasava Lankawa saha Lokava (1934) DAVID HUSSY M. A. At the same time, because of the arrival of nun 'Sanghamitta', sister of 'Mahinda'; who brought a priceless gift of a sapling of the great 'Bodhi' Tree; to the country, from India, has been facilitated the Buddhist society also for woman. When the time passes royal were part and partial in several times to the upliftment of the religion. As a result of those gigantic 'Stupas' such as 'Ruwanweliseya', Monumental Buddha statues, beautifully landscaped monasteries and massive palaces, and the buildings like 'Lovamahapaya' has been created, apart from the firstly created small 'Stupas' such as 'Thuparama'. Then apart from the 'Mahavihara' complex the urban monasteries came in to practice due to several influences. Those are essentially suburban or provincial. Then the Buddhist temples have been spreader outstation from the 'Anyradhapura' City. 3 1.1.2 Development of Buddhism in Southern Province ('Rohana') As for the tradition the arrival of King 'Vijaya' to Sri Lanka, before 250 B.C. then settled down at the North - West region; and some of his companions had established their civilisation at the East - South corner of the country named 'Rohana'. It is doubtful whether there were one arrival of ancestors and other spreading or they arrived in several times. The area named 'Rohana' surrounded with the coastal line on one side, the rivers 'Kalu Ganga' and the 'Mahaweli' on other side. At the period of the King 'Devanampiyatissa' on 'Rajarata' 'Rohana' was an independence sub administration estate of the country. When the urban monasteries came in practice; Buddhism is spreader all over the country. As for the historic evidences; " King 'Devanampiyathissa's' queen needed to kill the king's brother named 'Mahanaga' who is the regent of the country. Because she expect her son as future king. But there was a wrong with her trick and 'Mahanaga' did not died. He was afraid and give up his own place and went to another area called 'Rohana'. 'Mahanaga' was the kind of 'Rohana' and established Buddhism also there" 'Ithihasava Lankawa saha Lokava (p.132,133.1934) DAVID HUSSEY MA. Southern province also provided facilities for Buddhist temples. When considering the urban monasteries, Prof: Senaka Bandaranayaka expresses that "they are not to be found in their pure form within the strictly urban complexes of Anuradhapura or, as same as we can judge, the Southern capital, Thissamaharamaya". Sinhalese Monastic Architecture (p.69, 1974) Prof: BANDARANAYAKA S. He further explains that, they could be found in suburban or provincial areas of those cities. Even though 'Rohana' identified as a separate independence administrative area with considering the topographical Phenomena's, in ancient period; social, cultural and religious, it has parallelism with Northern area. Even though the basic conceptual features of the Buddhist religious places in Southern has relationship with Northern; could found some differentiate according to the system of arrangement of the spaces and the characteristics. According to the later administrative centres, Southern province has established with three districts named, Galle, Matara, Hambantota. So, the examination would go through mainly above three districts. 4 Present Administrative districts of Southern Province. Fig 1-2 Source - Lankawa ha Lokava (p.5,1956) RANAWAKA E. 1.2 HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT AND INFLUENCES OF OTHER BELIEVES: Other than the Buddhism there is several beliefs and religions came into existence. As for the tradition some of new adaptations and changes has been happened on Buddhist temples due to other influences. Some of them are Christian, Hindu, and Islamic influences. Apart from that according to the historical evidences, different types of thoughts and opinions called 'Mahayana', impacted with the existing Buddhist concept on the country named 'Theravada'. Because of above reasons, some of concepts, which come through the tradition, have been changed due to other 5 influences. Then changed the Buddhist form of practice. It resulted with some of changes on Buddhist built environment. Because of the influence of 'Mahayana', Sri Lanka has great development of arts and crafts of paintings, carvings and engravings, music, dancing, dramatics, etc, in Buddhist religious places. " The statue of god 'Natha' is a one, which has been included into some of Buddhist religious complexes, due to the rituals of 'Mahayana'; mentioning the offering of aspirant to be a Buddha, named •Bodhisathwa'". 'Ithihasa Katha Maraava' (P.53.1966) WIJAYASINGHE S. New adapted features are; god statues, moon stones, cobra figures, statues of mention as a protector ('Bahiraway, well carved exterior built up structure of 'Stupa' ('Wahalkada') ...etc. As for the tradition several deviations have been happened on Buddhist form of practice due to Hindu religion. Somarathna Wijayasinghe further expresses that, "the god statues named 'Brahma', 'Ishvara', 'Vishnu', ...etc also persuaded to settle on Buddhist religious complexes and even worship to them. God 'Vishnu' considered as a protector of Buddhism". 'Ithihasa Katha Marqava' (P.54,1966) WIJAYASINGHE S. According to his explanation, another Hindu influence is, the concept of congregational worship came in to Buddhist temples from their worshipping act of 'Puja'. It resulted the temples with large congregational halls. Other than those large ceremonial gateways on the entrance has been taken place even in the Buddhist temples. According to the several influence deviations has happened on the built environment of the Buddhist temples. But most probably they preserved the original concepts and the built forms while developing at longer period of time. 1.3 THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT. The qualitative environment of each religion is achieving according to their respective philosophies. Religious built environment is used to practice each philosophy. 6 According to the relevance philosophy, the built environment of the religious places also seems different from religion to religion. The built environment of the Buddhist temples is depending on the Buddhist philosophy. There are several circumstances on Buddhist philosophy, which are derived from the doctrine of Load Buddha. The built environment of the temples has been provided as suitable to achieve and understand the reality of the doctrine and it's philosophy. So, there are several concepts could be found in Buddhist temples use to achieve the Buddhist philosophy; architecturally in built forms. Hence those architectural concepts use to express the meaning of Buddhist philosophy in to the human's mind through the built environment. 1.3.1 The influence of Buddhist philosophy on the architectural Concepts. The architectural concepts are not only coming through the philosophy and the doctrine. It has moulded according to the social needs and the rituals also. The Buddhist social needs and Buddhist rituals also are the factors, which come through the philosophy. So, the architectural concepts