Buddhist sites in Anuradhapura

Loha Pasada - The Brazen Palace

 

 

Creator : King Dutugemunu (Though in the same location, King Kavanthissa has earlier built a chapter house)

When : 161-137 BC (The monastery)

Highlights

  • When built, it was a magnificent nine-stored building which had thousand rooms

  • The original roof had copper tiles (Thus the name "Brazen Palace)The stupa was built enshrining the right collar-bone relic of the Buddha

  • Original building had thousand rooms !

  • Served as the Chapter House for the "Maha Vihara" monks.

  • In the centre of the palace, there had been a a magnificent pavilion . decorated with seven gems. To represent the Buddha (image building began much later in 1 century AD), there was a throne made of ivory which had a crystal seat. At the back of the seat, there had been a carving in to the ivory of the sun , moon and stars made of gold, silver nd pearls respectively. The great Chronicle goes as far as to say that this palace was so tall, it was even visible from the sea.

  • The various floors of the palace were dedicated to monks at different levels of achievement.

  • Very recent excavations and experiments carried out at the site of the Brazen Palace have provided evidence that at some point long time ago, the walls of this palace had palm wood and kitul wood and had painting engraved on the wood and that these paintings were destroyed by a fire

  1. Bottom level: Monks who were yet to achieve any special mind state levels.

  2. Second Level: Monks who were experts in the great religious text (Thripitaka)

  3. Third level: Monks who have obtained the "Sovan" mind state

  4. Fourth level: Monks who have obtained the "Sakrudagami" mind state

  5. Fifth level: Monks who have obtained the "Anahami" mind state

  6. Sixth level to Ninth level: Monks who have obtained the supreme "Arahat" mind state.

Historical glimpses

  • Sadly, fifteen years after it was built, this superb work of architecture was destroyed by a fire. It was then rebuilt by the great king's brother, King Saddhatissa to 7 floors.

  • Again, it was destroyed in a fire in 246-247 and was built by SriNaga II to five floors.

  • The palace underwent several reconstructions from time to time under several kings.

  • The last reconstruction was done by King Parakramabahu the great in the 12th century. The remains of which the visitor can see today.

  • The present ruins have 1600 pillars in a 40×40 grid

What to see....

  • The structure you see on the middle of the columns is a very recent construction of a chapter house to be used by the Sri Maha Bodhi order monks.

  • Well, for over a thousand years this was a splendid palace. The 1600 pillars would give the reader an estimate of the splendor it held in the 12th century reconstruction by Parakramabahu the great. One can only guess the magnificence of the palace during its first creation by King Dutugemunu. Radiating such splendor thousands of years ago, today the palace is nothing but a grid of columns that no body even visits to see and isn't this an living example of the teaching of the Buddha that everything changes?