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Decribing the bringing of the Bodhi Tree from India and the planting of it in Anuradhapura,the great Chronicle says:
"Thus
this king of trees-the bodhi tree -endowed with many wonders lasted in
the beautiful Mahamegha-grove in the island of Lanka bringing about the
welfare ot the people of Lanka and the progress of the faith".
After elder Mahinda's visit to this island bringing the message of the
Buddha in the year 250BC,the ruling king at the time,King Devanampiya
Tissa gave the necessary patronage for the development of the new faith
in SriLanka.Monks were ordained ,residential facilities were
provided,and the cetiyas built.On elder Mahinda'suggestion,King
Devanampiya Tissa despatched to the court of Emperor Asoka was pleased
to hear of the progress of the Buddhist activities in Srilanka.In order
to further encourage the spread of Buddhism he send his daughter
Sanghamitta to the island with a branch of a Sacred Bodhi obtain from
the main stem of the Bodhi tree in Bodhi GAya under which the Buddha
attained enlightenment.Different classes of artisans to perform various
services necessary for the Bodhi tree also accompained the sapling.They
embarked at Tamralipi and landed at Jambukola in srilanka.Sanghamitta
and her companions with the Bodhi tree were the received with due
honour by king Tissa.The king planted the Bodhi tree at the present site
of the Mahameghavana in the year 249BC.
The
bodhi tree is situated on a high terrace,21feet above the ground level
and consists of three levels.The terrace measures 71*57 feet.On the
ground terrace which is called the Valimaluwa are found the Parivara
Bodhis,the accompanying Bodhitrees,numbering fourty-one.They symbolize
the retinue monks of the Buddha.Some believe that these trees were
planted in order to protect the sacred tree which is on the uppermost
terrace.Recently a gilded railing referred to as Ranvata has been
erected around the Sacerd Tree.
Just as the
ancient kings,including Devanampiya Tissa,paid homage to the great bodhi
tree with his sovereignty over Srilanka,even today it is the duty of
the government in power to protect this most sacred object of
worship.There fore the tree is placed under the care of the National
Army as well as under the care of the Director of the Botanical garden
who tends to its health.The Bodhi Tree was subjected to vandalistic act
by a madman who attempted to fell it on the 30th of July 1929.He did cut
off a branch,an act that provoked the entire Buddhist world.
Devotees from all quarters of the country flock to the Bodhitree to pay
their homage expecting protection and well-bring.The full moon day of
the month of Undu-vap(December-January) an Anuradhapura is very special
because it was on that day that Theri Sanghamitta brought the Sacred
Bodhi from India to Sri Lanka. |
