by Tathālokā Bhikkhunī
January 2, 2024
Last stop before the final leg of the long journey.
This year's pilgrimage of the heart, following the great journey of the venerable arahant bhikkhunī Sanghamittā Therī with the Bhikkhunī Sangha and venerable Sri Mahā Bodhi tree, comes to its final resting place, before reaching their destination.
A side view of the temple building at Thanthirimale (Tantirimale) by Bhante Saddhajeewa. You can see Sanghamittā Therī on the lintel at the left.
This is Thanthirimale along the Malwattu Oya river.
From there they will follow the great ancient road (now lost other than remnants of the stone bridges) south and east into the capitol of what is now called the "sacred city," Anuradhapura.
Story telling.
I used to get chills when i heard the words "Anuradhapura," "Rohana," "Mihintale."
Not in a bad way, just a feeling of something very special.
When i finally had a chance to visit Sri Lanka for this first time in this life, I was already 20 years as a bhikkhunī and 30 in monastic life.
Our very kind hosts arranged for a pilgrimage to Anuradhapura, and on the second visit there, for a trip up north, to Dambukolapatuna (Jambukola-patthanu), the place of Sanghamittā Therī's arrival.
Along the drive there, suddenly a strange and compelling feeling called my eyes to the right, and i just caught a glimpse through the trees of a shining white stupa in the sunshine up on rock hill on an wide open expanse.
"What is that? - What is that place?"
Then i learned for the first time of Tantirimale, and its legendary connection to Sanghamittā Therī and her journey.
Still living there, planting on the top of a high rocky escarpment, a shining Bodhi tree, said to be the first Bodhi fruit of the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Sanghamittā Therī came bearing.
There was no time for a stop then, as we were on a tight schedule to be able to come and go on our day trip to the north.
But next time, my very kind hosts brought us back here, to Sanghamittā's rest.
A few of the photos here are from that special day.
Others are from the respective photographers on the Tantrimale and Thanthirimale Raja Maha Viharaya pages tagged here. Please look through the photos to get a sense of the awesome environs of this very special and ancient place.
I hope you enjoy them.
I feel happy to have one of our great ancient female arahantas on the lintel in the photo diary of this heart journey. Who would i rather place up on the lintel then such as she? - together with the Buddha, the arahant Sangha, and a leaf from the Sri Mahā Bodhi.
Left Saṅghamittā Mahātherī holding bowl with Bodhi tree sapling on the lintel of the temple at Tantrimale, "Sanghamittā's Rest". This photo is a closeup from the following photo of Nanda Wanninayaka's on the Tantirimale page.
Right Great arahat bhikkhunī Saṅghamittā Mahātherī holding bowl with Bodhi tree sapling on the lintel of the temple building at Tantrimale, "Sanghamittā's Rest". This photo is cropped from a photo of Nanda Wanninayaka's on the Tantirimale page.
Painting depicting Sanghamittā Therī's arrival by ship, journey, and arrival to the village of the Brahmin Tivanka at Thanthirimale (Tantrimale), where the first fruit of the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi tree was planted. The painting depicts the planting. This painting is inside the temple building at Tantirimale. Photo thanks to Nanda Wanninayaka's on the Tantirimale page.
