Introduction
Pashana Pabbatha Viharaya in Punniyadi in Trincomalee (3rd to 4th centuries AD),
a magnificent Buddhist rock temple that existed 2000 years ago! Pashana Pabbatha
Viharaya in Punniyadi/Verugal (Kal-adi) which bears evidences of an existence of
a flourishing Sinhalese Buddhist civilization in the area about two millennia ago
is located 32 kms from the Seruvila Buddhist temple. The six inscriptions found
in the temple with Brahami letters make references of a sophiscated civilization
that flourished during the time with a network of banking systems and commercial
cities. The temple is located on a top of a rock with a commanding view of all the
directions. Atop the rock one can see a fascinating view of sea on the Southerly
direction and on other directions acres of paddy fields, scores of houses built
by NGOs for tsunami victims and the thick jungle that stretches for miles.
History
The six inscriptions on the rock are among the most important archeological ruins
found in the place. Three of them, located close to each other, are on the western
side of the rock on which the Stupa is located. Due to continuous treading on them
the script of them has started to erase. The forth inscription is on a rock below
with much worn out condition. The fifth and the sixth are on the rock behin The
first inscription among the first three is relatively clear though some letters
are worn out. It starts with words 'Amathe rakayame pahana pavatha vihara' and it
goes on to refer about an offering of gold coins. According to one of the inscriptions
this Buddhist temple/monastery has been built by king Mahadatika Mahanaga.( 9thto
21st BC). Number of inscriptions with this king's name has been found in several
places in the Eastern areas of the country located close to sea. The most striking
feature of the script written in the inscriptions in Pasana Pabbata Vihara is that
the king is referred asMahadatiyanaka maharaja while in the inscriptions found close
to sea he is referred as 'Naka Maharaja'. This is very clear evidence that this
temple is dated older than 2000 years. As per the inscription the king has made
the temple the beneficiary of water tenure from a nearby stream. The king has also
made temple's lands exempted from the land tenure which had been imposed on the
people in the area. An accompanying small inscription of the first inscription says
that the king Mahadatika Mahanaga has bought a land and offered to the Pasana Pabbbatha
temple.
The second inscription goes on to say that a minister named Rakhaya has offered
the interest he earned out of depositing five hundred gold coins in a bank. This
bank is appeared to have been linked with a commercial establishment. In Sri Lanka's
historical records, foremost among the inscriptions which bear the reference about
bank systems is the Thonigala inscription found written during the King Kithsirimevan
(299-327). However, the Punniyadi inscriptions are older dated.
The third inscription mentions about a commercial city named'Thadavita'. It had
a commercial centre named Manarama. It goes on to say that the King Mahasen(276-299)
has offered what he earned from the interest depositing paddy from his own fields
in a bank.
Another inscription says that what was earned from the interest depositing something
(It is not exactly clear what was deposited) in a bank in a commercial city named
Thubavatiya located east of the city was offered to the Mangala Chaittya(Mangala
Stupa). So it is clearthat the Stupa now in ruins in Pasana Pabbatha Viharaya in
Punniyadi was referred as Mangala Maha Chaittya.
The other inscription contains references that gold coins were offered to the temple
for meeting the expenses for alms for resident Buddhist monks. As per these inscriptions
it is clear that there had been major commercial cities in Seruvila area with a
flouring bank system. It has been proved that all the names mentioned in the inscriptions
are Sinhalese.
By judging all the details it can be summed up that the Pashana Pabbatha Viharaya
built in early centuries has evolved into a magnificent rock temple with many Buddhist
monks in residence. Archeologists are yet to read all the inscriptions which will
give us more details about this magnificent temple.
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