Baddhasima Prasada, Polonnaruwa

Baddhasima Prasada (Sinhala: බද්ධසීමා ප්‍රාසාදය) is a Uposathaghara (the chapter house) situated in the Ancient City of Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka. This is considered the largest Uposathaghara in Sri Lanka.

History

Baddhasima Prasada pillar inscriptions of King Nissankamalla

Baddhasima Prasada is the Uposathaghara that belongs to the Alahana Pirivena complex (Jayasuriya, 2016). This was used by Buddhist monks for the ceremony of confession and for the performance of various Sangha-Kammas. It is located on the highest terrace of the Alahana Pirivena complex (Jayasuriya, 2016).

According to the chronicle Mahawamsa, this was a twelve-storied building built by King Parakramabahu I (1153-1186 A.D.) for the ecclesiastical activities of the Buddhist monks (Wikramagamage, 2004).

Baddhasima Prasada pillar inscriptions of King Nissankamalla (1187-1196 A.D.)

Two pillars (one is broken) containing inscriptions of King Nissankamalla have been discovered from the Baddhasima Prasada premises (Ranawella, 2007). The inscriptions contain a repetition of some of Nissankamalla's acts as an introduction to the principal statement and the final clause states that the pavilion at the site was built after his return from the Indian campaign (Ranawella, 2007).

The building

The remaining pillars, brickworks, and flight of steps suggest that this was originally a storied building (Jayasuriya, 2016). The building consists of four terraces, viz; the uppermost terrace, the 2nd terrace, the 3rd terrace, and the lower terrace. On the uppermost terrace, a central platform, four stone pedestals, and Seema stones (boundary stones) are identified. The central platform is said to be used to place the relic casket while reading the Pratimoksha (code of disciplines) by four Buddhist monks seated on the stone pedestals facing the cardinal directions.

Two funerary Stupas which are believed to be the monuments of a king and queen are found built on a raised platform near the Baddhasima Prasada building (Jayasuriya, 2016).