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Visit to Sri Lanka by the Venerable Upatissa
16 February 2003 to 22 March 2003





The half moon stone located at the entrance of Shrineroom Anuradhapura





A beautiful tree at Peradineya Garden, Kandy





Sacred Bo-Tree, brought to Anuradhapura by Venerable Bhikkhumi Arahant Sanghamitta in 2324 BE from India after the passing away of the Buddha





The tooth relic of the Buddha is preserved in the sanctum. This view of the Sanctum is off the verandah.





The door of the sanctum





The whole view of the tooth relic temple, Kandy

Relic worship as practised by the followers of Gotama Buddha began with the proceedings connected with his funeral, when the relics of his cremated body were collected by the Brahmin named Drona and distributed among eight Kings in India.

The four Tooth Relics (i.e. the four teeth) together with the two collar bones and the frontal bone form the seven great relics of the Buddha. Out of these the most famous and highly venerated is the Tooth Relic which is traditionally belived to have been brought to Sri Lanka in the 4th Century A.C. and is presently housed in a beautiful palace in Kandy, the hill capital of the island.

Generally speaking, pilgrims are not permitted into the sacred room (sanctum), and when visiting monks are allowed in, they have to wear the broad yellow waist-band like the monks performing duties within. The upper lintel of the doorway of the sanctuary (inner palace, or the palace, or the abode) is decorated with an invented brass lotus; the threshold is covered with sheets of silver; the door frame is lavishly ornamented with precious material (ivory, gold, silver, inlaid gems, etc.) in the art typical the the hill country of the period.

Courtesy: Tooth Relic of the Buddha

Samadhi Buddha statue, Anuradhapura






A well-known Buddha statue, Veherena, South Sri Lanka



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