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The Ruwanwelisaya is
a stupa and
a
hemispherical
structure
containing
relics,
in Sri
Lanka,
considered
sacred
to
many Buddhists all
over
the
world.[1] Two
quarts
or
one
Drona
of
the
Gothama
Buddha's
relics
are
enshrined
which
is
the
largest
collection
of
his
relics
anywhere.[2] It
was
built
by King
Dutugemunu[3] c.
140
B.C.,
who
became
King
of
all
Sri
Lanka
after
a
war
in
which
the Chola King Elāra (Ellalan)
was
defeated.
It
is
also
known
as
"Mahathupa",
"Swarnamali
Chaitya",
"Suvarnamali
Mahaceti"
(in Pali)
and
"Rathnamali
Dagaba".
Ruwanweli
Maha
Seya
රුවන්වැලිසෑය

The
Ruwanwelisaya
Stupa
ReligionAffiliationTheravada BuddhismLocationCountrySri
Lanka


Location
in
Sri
Lanka
Geographic
coordinates8°21′0″N 80°23′47″EArchitectureFounderKing DutugamunuCompletedcirca
140
BC
This
is
one
of
the
"Solosmasthana"
(the
16
places
of
veneration)
and
the
"Atamasthana"
(the
8
places
of
veneration
in
the
ancient
sacred
city
of
Anuradhapura).
The
stupa
is
one
of
the
world's
tallest
ancient
monuments,
standing
at
103 m
(338 ft)
and
with
a
circumference
of
290 m
(951 ft).
The
original
stupa
had
been
about
55 m
(180 ft)
in
height
and
was
renovated
by
many
kings.[4]The Kaunghmudaw
Pagoda in Sagaing, Myanmar is
modelled
after
this
stupa.[5] The Mahavamsa contains
a
detailed
account
on
the
construction
and
the
opening
ceremony
of
the
stupa.
The
stupa
was
a
ruin
in
the
19th
century.
After
fundraising
efforts
by
a
Sinhalese bhikkhu,
it
was
renovated
in
the
early
20th
century.[6] The
Ruwanveli
Seya
Restoration
Society
was
founded
in
1902
and
the
final
crowning
of
the
stupa
took
place
on
17
June
1940.[6]
Contents
Buddha’s
RelicEdit
After
The
Buddha's
Mahaparinibbāna,
His
relics
were
enshrined
and
revered
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
Dutthagamini
(often
spelled
as
Dutugemunu)
who,
on
the
full-moon
day
of
the
month
of
Āsāḷha
(June–July),
under
the
constellation
of
‘‘Uttarāsāḷha’’,
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
Saṅgha
ordered
then
the
novice
Arahant
Soṇuttara,
who
was
gifted
with
the
six
supernormal
faculties,
to
procure
the
relics
from
Naga-Loka
realm,
which
Arahant
Soṇuttara
manages
to
visit
and
bring
and
offer
to
the
Sangha.
Then
king
Dutthagamini
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
‘‘koṭi’’
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.
In
the
Thupavamsa
numerous
types
of
beings
attended
the
enshrinement
of
the
relics
into
the
Mahathupa;
including
the
Naga
king
Mahakala
who
until
recently
guarded
them.
The
relics
were
to
be
placed
atop
a
golden
throne
crafted
by
Visvakarman
the
divine
artificer;
the
throne
brought
by
Indra.
Brahma
offers
his
invisible
umbrella
of
sovereignty,
with
the
king
Dutthagamani
offering
his
own.
The
arhat
Indagutta
creates
a
metal
canopy
over
the
universe,
so
that
Mara
will
not
interfere,
as
monks
chanted
the
Sutta
Pitaka
(the
Collection
of
Discourses
delivered
by
the
Buddha).
Dutthagamani
ceremoniously
enters
with
the
urn
atop
his
head;
but
as
he
is
about
to
place
the
urn
on
the
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