Dighavapi

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Dighavapi is a Buddhist sacred shrine and an archaeological site in the Ampara District of Sri Lanka. It is pali form of sanskrit word Dirghavapi (दीर्घवापी) which means 'a large reservoir'. Vapi literally means a tank or Water reservoir. These Vapis were an important feature of the hydraulic civilization of ancient Lanka, and temples and cities were built around them. The importance of Dighavapi is connected with legends about visits to this site by the Buddha himself, and many allusions to Dighavapi in the ancient chronicles as well as in the Pali literature.

Location

Deegawapi is in in the Ampara District of Sri Lanka.Its Geographic coordinates are 07°17′07.0″N 81°47′47.7″E

Variants of name

History

As per historical records it dates back to the 3rd century BCE.

The Mahavamsa, an ancient chronicle written in the 5th century, and the Dipavamsa of an earlier date, contain a mixture of legend and historical facts. These chronicles state that the Buddha himself visited the village, and on the spot where he sat in meditation a cetiya was later erected [1].

The Dipavamsa and the important Pali work, the Samantha Pasaadika. (Ch i. v.89) also have allusions to Dighavapi. The chronicles also state that some of the early inhabitants of the region were Yakkhas, a group of people referred to even in the Ramayana, with genealogical links to the pre-Aryan 'Kirat' people of Northern India.[2]

While the likelihood of the Buddha having visited Dighavapi is remote, the attachment of such a legend to this site indicates the veneration given to it even in ancient times. In a pious legend connected with the Dighavapi cetiya (Dhajagga Paritta), it is said (in the Pali literary work Saararthapakaasani) that once a samanera (a novice monk), helping to plaster the Dighavapi cetiya, fell from the top. His colleagues shouted to him to recall the Dhajagga Pirita. He did so, and was miraculously saved.[3]

There are many ancient inscriptions in the area. In 1986 a gold leaf inscription 14 cm by 1.5 cm had been unearthed. The inscription had been deposited inside a reliquary made of thick gold sheets. The text of the inscription was as follows: "Hail. The stupa (reliquary) of King Mahitisa (Kannittha Tissa) son of King Naka ... etc.". King Kannittha Tissa reigned from 164-192 CE. Other sites in this area have been discussed recently by the archeological researches of several workers including E. Medhananda[4]

More detailed historical and lithographic records are available for the history of this region as a part of the Ruhuna kingdom, during the time of King Kavan-Tissa, the father of Duttagamani. In fact, in the 3rd century before CE, the area was known as the district of "Dighamandala", or Digaamadulla" in Sinhala. Duttagamani's brother, Tissa, governed it by the order of his father. Later, on the death of his father, he retired to Dighavapi with his mother and the elephant Kandula [5]. When he made peace with his brother, he was again sent there to look after the district and the Dighavapi region. After the re-conquest of the Pihiti rata (approximately today's Northern province), Tissa was again in charge of Dighavapi, for we find him being sent for from there at the time of Dutugamunu's death [6] Tissa (afterwards called Saddhatissa) founded the main Dighavapi-vihara, in connection with which he built a cetiya, to which he made valuable offerings [7] There are further historical allusion to Dighavapi in connection with the campaigns of king Parakramabahu I, in the 12th century [8]

In Mahavansa

  • Mahavansa/Chapter 24 tells....When the king had built sixty-four viharas and had lived just as many years he died then in that same place.' The queen took the king's body, brought it to the Tissamaharama in a covered car and told this to the brotherhood. When the prince Tissa heard this he came from Dighavapi, and when he himself had carried out with (due) care the funeral rites for his father, the powerful (prince) took his mother and the elephant Kandula with him and for fear of his brother went thence with all speed back to Dighavapi. To acquaint him with these matters the whole of the ministers, who had met together, sent a letter to Dutthagamni. He repaired to Guttahala and when he had placed outposts there he came to Mahagama and caused himself to be consecrated king. (here Gutta is prakrit form of Jutta or Jutta or Jatta)
  • Mahavansa/Chapter 24 tells.... But the prince Tissa, carried forth by the bhikkhus, went thence unrecognized' and came to Dighavapi. The prince said to the thera Godhagatta Tissa: `I have done ill, sir; I will make my peace with my brother'. (here Gatta is prakrat form of Jatta or Jat)

See also

References

  1. Mahavamsa (English translation and commentary by Geiger) Ch.i.78
  2. Ray Chawdhary, 'The Political History of India', Delhi and "Kirat Janakriti", 1951, Calcutta, ASB by Dr. S. K. Chatterjee. Page 92 )
  3. Sri Lanka Place-names website.
  4. E. Medhananda, Heritage of the East and the North (Yapa) 2002
  5. Mahavamsa (English translation and commentary by Geiger ).xxiv.2, 14f, 48
  6. Mahavamsa (English translation and commentary by Geiger ).xxxii.2
  7. Mahavamsa (English translation and commentary by Geiger ).xxxiii.9, 14)).
  8. Mahavamsa (English translation and commentary by Geiger), Chv.lxxiv.89; 98, 110, 180; lxxv.1, 10