-1 101 Z Buddhism reached Sri Lanka in the 3rd century BC, when a mission was sent by the Indian emperor Ashoka. On his conversion to Buddhism, the Sri Lankan king, Devanampiya Tissa, donated his royal pleasure garden to the mission. Here the first shrine, Thuparama, was built, later dwarfed by the huge Great Stupa (Mahathupa) built by the 1st century BC king Dutthagamani. Around these shrines grew Anuradhapura's first monastic complex, the Mahavihara ('Great Monastery'), home to many monks.
# Mahavihara zoom - opening PW
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#IW Devanampiya Tissa and Buddhism
10 101 X The hero king Dutthagamani in the 1st century BC built a nine storey tiered residential mansion for monks. According to the chronicles, Lohapasada was decorated with silver, coral and precious stones. Built of wood, all that now survives of it are the 16,000 granite pillars on which it was founded.
#Lohapasada
1 101 X Following his successful mission to Sri Lanka in 246 BC, the Buddhist holy man Mahinda was joined by his sister Sanghamitta who brought with her a cutting of the Mahabodhi tree under which Buddha had gained enlightenment. Successfully transplanted it is said still to survive, though its surrounding shrine has gone.
#Mahabodh
2 101 X At the heart of the first monastery, founded by King Devanampiya Tissa in the 3rd century BC, was built a stupa (relic mound), Thuparama, enshrining precious relics generously donated by the Indian emperor Ashoka: Buddha's right collar bone and his begging bowl. Rows of pillars around the stupa originally held up a wooden roof.
