Alms Hall, Mihinthale, Sri Lanka, 247 BC

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https://www.facebook.com/philip.veerasingam/posts/2565254600153478

Stone rice bowl

Stone water cistern

Ancient Hospital, Mihinthale, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.

The entrance to the courtyard.

A hall with granite pillers.

A trough carved out of granite used to immerse a patient in medicinal oils.

Veda Sala ( Hospital Complex)

It was reported by Chinese mahayana buddhist priest "Fa- Hsien" who visited the cave in the 5th century that Mihinthalawa was home to over 2000 Buddhist monks at that time. To support that number of monks, Mihinthalawa should have been a complete monastery with all facilities for the resident monks. The complete Veda Sala or the hospital complex is one of these support facilities which can be still seen today.

The ruins of the present hospital is attributed to King Sena II (853-887 AD). But it is believed that there was a hospital at Mihinthalawa long before this building. The inner Chamber of the hospital is centred around a Buddha Shrine. Around it are the rooms for the patients. Each room entrance face the shrine and is about 10x10 feet in size. The corners have larger rooms and the medicinal trough is on the North-Eastern eastern room.

The southern side of the building is the outer court which contain the hot water and steam bath, a clinic, a medicine stores, the refectory and a grinding stone for grinding medicine.

 http://www.angelfire.com/planet/heritagesl/mihinthalawa/mihinthale.htm

Heinz E Müller-Dietz (Historia Hospitalium 1975) describes Mihintale Hospital as being perhaps the oldest in the world.(Wikipedia)

Mihinthale, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.

An old wall made of cut granite.

A water cistern made of stone.

A mango grove.

The story is told in the 'Mahawansa' the Pali Chronicle of the Kings of Sri Lanka, of an IQ test done on King Devanampiya Tissa, at this site which had a mango grove even in the 2nd Century BC. When the King passed the test conducted by the Venerable Thera Mahinda, he was considered fit to hear a preaching of the Buddha Dhamma (Buddhist Doctrine).

‘For the benefit of our readers, I quote Mahavamsa chapter XIV line 16:-

Arahat Mahinda – What is the name of this tree ?

King Devanampiyatissa – This tree is a mango tree.

AM – Is there yet another mango tree, besides this?

Are there any mango trees?

KD – Sir, there is this Mango tree

AM – Are there besides the other mango trees, which are not mango trees, yet other trees?

KD – there is this mango tree.

AM – Thou, has shrewd not Ruler of men, has thou kingsfolk o' king?

KD – There are many sir,

AM – Are there also some who are not thy kinsfolk?

KD – There are more of those than my kinsmen,

AM – Is there anyone besides the kingsfolk and others?

KD – There is myself

AM – Good, thus has gained shrewd wit’.

http://archives.dailynews.lk/2012/06/04/fea26.asp

Mihinthale, ruins of the 'Alms hall' for Buddhist Monks, 5th Century AD, Sri Lanka.

The ruins of the foundation of the 'Alms Hall'.

A water conduit made from stone.

A container carved in stone to contain boiled rice for distribution to Buddhist Monks.

A stone water cistern.

Kanthaka Chaithya, Mihinthale, Sri Lanka.

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Kanthaka Chathya, Mihinthale, Sri Lanka.

Kantaka Chethiya was renovated in 1930′s to the current status. When this stupa was discovered, it has been a just a mound of earth covered by various debris. This has been known as the Kiribadapavu Dagaba, Kiribat Vehera, or Giribhanda during this time. But a stone inscription found close by has identified the original name of this stupa as Kantaka Chethiya.

It is unknown who built this stupa but it is said that the King Lanjatissa (119-109 BC) has built a stone mantel built for this stupa. Therefore we can assume that the stupa was built prior to 119 BC. The present stupa is 425 feet in diameter and is about 40 feet high. This stupa is most popular for one of the most well preserved vahalkada which can be seen today.

http://amazinglanka.com/wp/kantaka-chethiya/

The caves at Mihinthale, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.

Caves used by Buddhist Monks in ancient times.

Stone stairway leading to the 'Kanthaka Chaithya'.

‘In the 3rd century BC, area of Mihinthalawa was a thick jungle area inhibited by wild animals and was a hunting ground reserved for the royals. All this changed in 250 BC when the son of the Indian Emperor Asoka, Mahinda Maha Thero arrived at the Missaka Pauwa to meet king Devamnampiyatissa for the first time and asked the famous questions to decide whether he is intelligent enough to understand the philosophy of the Buddha. Initially Mahinda Maha Thero’s residence, but later Mihinthale became a main centre for Theravada Buddhism. Mihinthale is a collection of four mountains each about 1000 feet in height. They are 1.    Mihinthalawa 2.    Ath Vehera mountain 3.    Anaikutti mountain 4.    Rajagiri Lena mountain Mihinthalawa is the main mountain and where the Aradhana gala (The rock of invitation) and the main Mahaseya stupa is situated’.

http://www.angelfire.com/planet/heritagesl/mihinthalawa/mihinthale.htm

A flower seller at the beginning of the ascent to Mihinthale.

'Mihinthale', Sri Lanka.

There was supposed to have been a grove of mango trees, close to the Mihinthale hillock in the plains surrounding Anuradhapura. The oral IQ test administered to King Devanampiya Tissa was based on the mango tree. The picture shows the place of the mango grove with some ancient ruins. The second picture shows the 'chaitya' on the Mihinthale hillock.