ruwanwalisaya

The Stupa is blessed

Arahant Cittasena placed a lump of fragrant resin in the east side upon the boundary line drawn around the Great Stūpa. Arahant Jayasena sprinkled scented water over it, and when, under the constellation of Uttarāsāëha, Supatiññhita, the minister for the festive ceremonies, placed bricks of gold together with lavish offerings over the scented water.

It is said that: the earth, all of two hundred seventy thousand yojanas, roared and quaked at that time.

He had through his sons, similarly, placed bricks of gold in the other seven sides of the Great Stupa. Afterwards, king Dutugemunu and the people there honoured with gifts the Arahants who were seated at the four quarters, and took themselves seats to hear a Dhamma talk delivered that day by the great Arahant Piyadassī.

Having heard it, forty thousand people became Arahants, forty thousand were established in the fruit of stream-entry (sotāpatti-phala), a thousand became once-returners (sakadāgamis), and a thousand became non-returners (anāgamis). Eighteen thousand monks and fourteen thousand nuns became Arahants.

[edit] Buddha's Relic

After The Buddha's Parinibbāna, His relics were enshrined and worshipped in stupas by Princes of eight countries two quarts in each country. The two quarts of relics that were enshrined in the village Rāmagāma were, according to The Buddha's determination, destined to be enshrined in the Great Stūpa Ruvanveli.King Dutugemunu who, on the full-moon day of the month of Āsāëha (June-July), under the constellation of Uttarāsāëha, would officiate in the ceremony for the enshrining of the relics in the Great Stūpa, worshipped the Sangha (Order of monks) on the day before the full-moon day, reminded them that tomorrow is the appointed day for the enshrining of the relics and requested them to give him the relics. The Saïgha ordered then the novice Arahant Soõuttara, who was gifted with the six supernormal faculties, to bring the relics, which Arahant Soõuttara manages to bring and offer to the Sangha.

Then king Dutugemunu received from the Sangha the Buddha's relics upon his head in a casket and departed from the golden pavilion in the midst of manifold offerings and honours made by gods and Brahmas. He circumambulated the relic-chamber three times, entered to it from the east, and when laid the relic-casket on a silver couch one koñi worth, that was arranged in the north side. An image of the Buddha was then, according to the Buddha's determination, created in the lion's reclining posture (sīhaseyya), and all the relics were enshrined within that image. When the enshrining of the relics in the Great Stūpa Ruvanveli was completed, the two novices Uttara and Sumana closed the relic-chamber with the stone-blocks that were previously hidden to be used as a lid.

"The relic-chamber shall not shake even by an earthquake; flowers such as jasmine that were offered on that day shall not wither till the end of Buddha Gotama's Dispensation; the lamps that were kindled with ghee-oil shall not be extinguished; the clay that was mixed with perfume and sandalwood shall not dry; even a single scratch shall not appear within the relic-chamber; stains shall not appear in any of the golden goods that were offered.' All this occurred by the determination-power of all Arahants present. They determined also that inimical persons should not be able to even see the relic-chamber. Furthermore, by order of king Dutugemunu, the people of Srī Lanka enshrined, along with many other objects such as golden and silver caskets, thousand more of the Buddha's relics over the relic-chamber."

[edit] The Great Stupa is constructed

When the unique Great Stūpa Ruvanveli was completed as far as the square turret 10, and while ninety-six koñis of Arahants were chanting protective suttas, the great king Dutugemunu who reigned in Srī Lanka for twenty-four years, had his record of meritorious deeds read and, while looking at the Great Stūpa, he died and was born as a divine king in the Tusita-heaven. His brother, the king Saddhatissa, completed the remaining work at the Great Stūpa and later was also born in the Tusita-heaven.

[edit] The Great King

During the Dispensation of the future Buddha Metteyya, king Dutugemunu will become the Buddha's chief disciple on His right side. King Saddhātissa will become the chief disciple on His left side. Kāvantissa and Vihāra Mahā- Devī will become the parents of the future Buddha Metteyya. Princess Anulā, the younger sister of king Kāvantissa, will become the chief Queen of the Bodhisatta Metteyya. Prince Saliya will become the son of the Bodhisatta Metteyya. Saõgha, king Dutugemu's Chancellor of the Exchequer, will become the chief attendant of the Buddha Metteyya. The Chancellor's daughter will become the chief she-attendant.