Buddhist Heritage of Sri Lanka

As a country, Sri Lanka has a very rich religious and cultural history dating back as far as 500 BC. According to chronicles, Lord Buddha visited the island three times to Mahiyanagaya, Nagadeepaya, and Kelaniya, respectively. Buddhism was later introduced to Sri Lanka somewhere in the 3rd century BC by Emperor Asoka of India who sent his son, Arahat Mahinda Thera as a messenger of Buddhism. He had arrived in the island during the reign of King Devanampiya Tissa who was residing at the capital city of Anuradhapura. Later, his sister Sangamitta Theraniya brought the Sri Maha Bo Tree, an offspring from the original Bo Tree in Buddha Gaya, India under which Lord Buddha attained enlightenment on a Full Moon Day in May. The Sri Maha Bo Tree is still alive and is the oldest historically chronicled tree in the world. The original tree in Buddha Gaya died and a sapling has been planted in its place.

After his cremation, The Sacred Tooth of Lord Gautama Buddha was originally preserved in Kalinga, India. The Kalinga King Guhasiva in the 4th century AD sent the tooth relic to Sri Lanka with Prince Danta and Princess Hemamala to prevent its possession by his enemies. The tooth relic was received by the then King Meghavanna in Anuradhapura and enshrined in a 3rd century holy edifice. The Scared Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha currently resides at the Temple of Tooth, Kandy. Buddhists from all over the world visit the temples at these locations year around in veneration of the Buddha, Dhamma and Sanga.