WWW Virtual Library - Sri Lanka
Wewurukannala
Vihara
|
Wewurukannala Vihara temple |
15 miles east of Matara is the town of Dikwella, where there is one of the most extraordinary Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka. The Wewurukannala Vihara temple is dominated by an image of a seated Buddha. It is 160ft high, the largest statue in all of Sri Lanka and dates back to the time of King Rajadhi (1782 - 1798). The temple has three parts, the oldest being about 250 years old; however this is of no particular interest.
The next part has life size models of demons
and sinners shown in graphic detail. If you don't follow the path to
enlightenment this is what happens to you. Punishments include being drunken in
boiling cauldrons, swan in half, disemboweled and so on. Finally there is the
enormous seated Buddha that is as high as an eight storey building.
The temple walls show you the path towards
enlightenment by depicting hundreds of comic strip representations of events in
the Buddha's lives. Among one of the episodes is the Chulla Dhammapala Jataka.
It tells the story of how King Maha Prathapa of Varanasi on entering the palace
found the queen cuddling her seven month old child. After ignoring him the King
was left insulted so ordered that the prince be executed and the body be thrown
into the air. Several Jataka Stories are also amid the paintings, which where
selected for Vesak stamps in 1991. One depicts The Kattahari Jataka showing
Prince Kastavahana, son of King Brahmadatta resting with his entourage.
WWW Virtual Library - Sri Lanka
