Ancient Footprints

Prabhash and his wife Desika on the ceremonial approach to the Mahiyangana stupa

Mother and son do homage to the Buddha  at the Mahiyangana stupa covering the simple  mound containing the first Buddhist relic - the topknot of his hair given by his own hand when visiting the indigenous people of the area in 588 b.c.

Not large but containing the most convincing relic of the Buddha in the land, the Thuparama dagoba in Anuradhapura was built in the third century b.c. to house Lord Gautama's collarbone.

Glowing in the fire of setting sun and red clay, the Jetavanaramaya dagoba was constructed  c 380 b.c.

One of the purest forms in world architecture is the Ruvanveliseya Dagoba in the ancient city of Anuradhapura. It was raised by King Dhutgemenu in second century b.c. and, at over 100 metres in height, it stood as the highest man-made construction after the great pyramid until the erection of St Peter's dome in Rome almost two millennia later. An apocalyptic expectation about the dagoba has grown up and can be read on a stele in front of the stupa. ( see below) 

This prophecy on a stele in front of the great Ruvanveliseya Dagoba in Anuradhapura promises a little known resurrection and dissolution of the physical remains of the Buddha timed for for the year 5000 of the buddhist era. This is no resurrection but rather the end of the last vestiges of Buddhism on this planet and possibly the time of the birth of the Maitreya or next world teacher. For any Christian disappointed that a correlation with the Second Coming contradicts that the event is  imminent can take heart that the Buddha halved the 5000 year bid when he allowed women into the order, assuming that the dharma would be lost at twice the rate. For the pessimist and the sexist that puts the dissolution much closer. Approximately 2015 a.d. So good news for the fundamentalists and glum news for the rest of us.

Two women pilgrims make obeisance at the foot of the great Ruvanveliseya Dagoba, which was the scene of great thanksgiving prayers at the end of the Tamil conflict, particularly when triumphant President Rajapaksa was equated with the builder  King Dhutugemenu.