Matale Alu Viharaya Alu Viharaya , popularly known as Aluvihare Rock Temple (Sinhala: මාතලේ අළු විහාරය) is a Buddhist temple situated in Matale in Matale District, Sri Lanka. It is widely known in the Buddhist world as the venue where the Fourth Buddhist Council was held in the 1st century B.C. (Abeyawardana, 2004). History The history of this site runs back to the pre-Christian era (Paranavitana, 1970). A few inscriptions written in the Early Brahmi Scripts are found engraved under the drip ledges of the caves of this site (Paranavitana, 1970). Aluvihare cave inscription of Sumana & Deva
Period: 3rd century B.C.-1st century A.D.
Script: Early Brahmi
Language: Old Sinhala
Transcript: (Upasaka)-Shumanaha.........Deva-teraha lene
Translation: The cave of the lay devotee Sumana and of the elder Deva.
Citation: Paranavitana, 1970. p.63.
As recorded in Sri Lankan chronicles and texts such as Pujavaliya (13th century ) and Asgiri Talpata (18th century), 500 Buddhist monks gathered at Alokalena or Alulena (…
