Muthiyangana Raja Maha Viharaya (Sinhala: මුතියංගණ රජ මහා විහාරය) is a Buddhist temple situated in Badulla town in Sri Lanka. It is regarded as one of the Solosmasthana, the 16 sacred Buddhist places in the country
History
The origin of the Muthiyangana (or Mutingana) Viharaya is obscure as it is not mentioned in the main chronicles (Nicholas, 1963). However, historical evidence of the existence of this temple is found in several Pali Commentaries (Nicholas, 1963). According to the Samantapasadika of Buddhagosha Thera, Buddha consecrated this place during his third visit to Sri Lanka in the eighth year after his enlightenment (Priyadarshani & Gunasena, 2017). An Atuwa belonging to Majjhima Nikaya mentions that Arhat Maliyadeva performed a Sutra preaching at this place (Priyadarshani & Gunasena, 2017).
Local tradition
People believe that the Mukthaka Dhatu of the Buddha is enshrined in this Stupa (Priyadarshani & Gunasena, 2017). King Devanampiyatissa (250-210 B.C.) is said to have enlarged the Stupa and planted one of the 32 saplings of Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi tree at this site (Priyadarshani & Gunasena, 2017).
A protected site
The image house with ancient paintings in Muthiyangana Raja Maha Vihara
situated in Badulla in the Divisional
Secretary’s Division, Badulla is an archaeological protected monument, declared by a government Gazette notification published on 1 November 1999.
.Attribution
2) Main Gate at Muthiyangana Viharaya (IMG_0394edb) by Denish C is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
References
1) Nicholas, C. W., 1963. Historical topography of ancient and medieval
Ceylon. Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, New
Series (Vol VI). Special Number: Colombo. Royal Asiatic Society (Ceylon
Branch). p.47.
2) Priyadarshani, S.A.N.; Gunasena, I.P.P., 2017. Pauranika Sthana Ha Smaraka: Badulla Distrikkaya (In Sinhala). Department of Archaeology. ISBN: 955-9159-48-8. pp.41-42.
3) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. no: 948. 1 November 1999.
2) Priyadarshani, S.A.N.; Gunasena, I.P.P., 2017. Pauranika Sthana Ha Smaraka: Badulla Distrikkaya (In Sinhala). Department of Archaeology. ISBN: 955-9159-48-8. pp.41-42.
3) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. no: 948. 1 November 1999.
Location Map
This page was last updated on 4 June 2022
