Restoration of the Mihindu Stupa

Tathālokā Therī

June 22, 2024

The newly-restored Mihindu Stupa sits just below the Stupa of the Buddha's relics on the Missaka Parvata hill at Minhintale. On the right next to the square of the harmika, you can see the temporary entrance and stairs used for the re-enshrinement of the relics. Screenshot image is from the livestreamed video..

Something very special happened this past June/Poson full moon that I wanted to share with you, so that you could know about it, and if you would, feel glad with me together.

Under the full moon light, on the Missaka Parvata hill in Mihintale, Sri Lanka, the several-years-long restoration of the Mihindu Stupa was [re]inaugurated, and the relics of great arahat Mahinda Thera were reenshrined.

To me, this was very special, gladdening the mind.

Years ago, visiting Sri Lanka, we came to the ancient "Sacred City" Anuradhapura on pilgrimage, and then to nearby Mihintale, remembered as the place of the introduction of the Buddha's teaching to Sri Lanka by the Arahat Thera Mahinda (Sanskrit: Mahendra) - back in the 3rd century BCE.

Entering the Mihintale town square, we saw a line of statues depicting the transmission of the Buddha's teaching from India to Sri Lanka, king to king from Indian emperor Devanampriyadarshi Samrat Ashoka to his friend Sri Lankan king Devanampiyatissa, and from Indian arahat bhikkhu and bhikkhunī Mahinda Thero and Sanghamittā Therī to the first arahat bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs of Sri Lanka Anulā Therī and Ariṭṭha Thero.

With the statues of great arahats Mahinda Thero and Sanghamittā Therī in the Mihintale town square, together with Ven. Karunikā Therī, 2017.

From a distance, at the ruins of the "Anula Devi Cetiya" we saw the pure white stupa at the top of Mihintale ("Mahinda's Hill"), the Missaka Parvata. Climbing the hill, we came to the, uncrowned, unmarked and unrestored, bare bricks form of the old Mihindu Seya (Mihindu Stupa). "Mihindu" is the Sinhalese form of the name of Arahant Thera Mahinda. I was surprised at that time, due to the enormous importance of these great Arahants to Theravāda Buddhism and Sri Lankan Buddhist heritage.

Pilgrimage, with Ven. Adhimutti Bhikkhuni from New Zealand and Ven. Bandarawela Dhammadharanī at the then-as-yet unexcavated Anulā Stupa aka Anula Devi Cetiya, looking across at the solitary form of one shining white stupa on the Missaka Parvata hill in Mihintale.

It was wonderful and so inspiring wandering through the old ruins and caves and rocky outcroppings in Mihintale, including visiting Mahinda Thero's meditation cave, and seeing modern Aranyavāsī monks still living extremely simply in the forest caves there. It was deeply moving to visit the old and overgrown Anula Tissa Pabbata monastery site (now excavated), and to visit the bare bricks of the provisionally restored Sanghamittā Stupa in Anuradhapura.

Pilgrimage, climbing up the long stone stairs to the then bare bricks of the Mihindu Stupa, with Ven. Karunikā Therī, 2017, Mihintale.

Three years ago, the venerable Kiribathgoda Ñāṇananda Thero, who i had met back in the winter of 2007-2008 in Bodhgaya, made a strong determination, together with his monastic community Mahamevnawa, with the grace of Mihintale Rajamaha Viharaya chief venerable Walawahangunawewa Dhammaratana Thero, to restore the Mihindu Stupa. The Mahamevnawa community has been a part of restoring several ancient Buddhist sites in Sri Lanka, this restoration of Buddhist heritage of early Buddhism and the ancient arahants being an important part of their mission and vision. I deeply remember the hours and days of chanting together with the monks of the Mahamevnawa community in Bodhgaya beneath the spreading boughs of the Sri Maha Bodhi Tree before the Bodhi Pallanke, the Buddha's seat of awakening, during the 2nd International Tipitaka Chanting in Buddhagaya.

Screenshot from video three years ago at the Mihindu Stupa, with Sangha gathered, and dedication made to restore the stupa.

Yesterday June 21st 2024, I watched the Shraddha TV livestreamed video of special Sangha gathering and chanting accompanying the re-interment of the relics, the "ධාතු නිධාන පුණ්‍යෝත්සවය" "dhātu nidhāna puṇyōtsavaya," within the restored Mihindu Seya, once again gleaming white and crowned with harmika and chatras, pinnacle and spire.

There is tangible and intangible heritage. Here in Mihintale, i felt both, in the ancient rocks and forms, in the grounds and the forest, in the pervasively tangible felt sense of the presence of the great arahantas, and the sense of the timeless and living heart of the realized Path of the Buddha.

Pathway to the Mihindu Stupa is lined with ancient boulders, holding stories of many enlightened beings following these paths.

I deeply appreciate all harmless, benevolent and deeply loving and kind dedicated care taken for the preservation of this heritage and its sharing with this generation and the next generations.

While the livestream i watched may no longer be available, i'm sure a curated form of the video is under preparation and will be released soon. Meanwhile, if you are interested dear reader, you can cut and paste "ධාතු නිධාන පුණ්‍යෝත්සවය" into your browser, to see photos of the stupa restoration and of the relics.

Namo Buddhāya! Namo Ratanattāya!

May the blessings of the great inspiration and great encouragement and good energy i've felt be shared with you and all beings who would like a share of these merits and blessings, with gladness. Sādhu! Sādhu! Sādhu!