Tooth relic of the Buddha

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As a tooth relic of the Buddha ( Sinhala දළදා වහන්සේ , Tamil புனிதப்பல் , Pali danta dhātuya , English Relic of the tooth of Buddha ), several " cetiya " ( relics ) of Gautama Buddha are venerated in Sri Lanka and India .

history

In India

According to legends from Sri Lanka, the Buddha was cremated after his death in a pyre made of sandalwood near Kushinagar and his left canine tooth was stolen from the pyre by his disciple Khema . Khema gave it to King Brahmadatta . It was kept as a royal symbol in Brahmadatta's kingdom and in the city of Dantapuri (now Puri , Odisha ).

The idea developed that the owner of the tooth relic had a divine mandate to rule the land. The Dāṭhāvaṃsa tells of a war that was fought over the relic for 800 years. The conflicting parties were Guhasiva of Kalinga (କଳିଙ୍ଗ) and a king named Pandu .

In Sri Lanka

The Atadage was the seat of the Tooth Relic during the Polonnaruwa era.
Sri Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Tooth), Kandy , Sri Lanka .
The Shrine of the Tooth.

Legends tell that the Abhayagiri Vihāra (temple) was first designated as the keeper of the relic when the tooth was brought to Sri Lanka after the war in Kalinga. In the course of time, changing foreign powers threatened the country and the relic with invasions. For example, the King of Bago , Burma , offered the Portuguese £ 50,000 as a ransom for the tooth; at the same time became the seat of the kingdom from Anuradhapura to Polonnaruwa and later to Dambadeniya and other cities. With each change of location, a new shrine was built for the tooth. In the end he came to Kandy , where he is said to be to this day, in the Sri Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Tooth). However, the scholar Charles Boxer claims that the tooth "was publicly pounded into crumbs with a mortar and pestle by the Archbishop of Goa ". At that time the church wanted to destroy all objects of the native religions. No date is given, but such an event around 1550 is possible.

The relic was seen as a symbolic representation of the living Buddha and is therefore the justification for a number of sacrificial ceremonies, rituals and other ceremonies. The related celebrations are under the supervision of the two Mahanayaka of Malwatte, the Asgiriya Chapter Assembly and the Diyawadana Nilame of the Temple of the Tooth. This leadership has a hierarchy of officials and temple officials who conduct the services and rituals.

More tooth relics

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b The Buddha's Tooth . About.com . Retrieved May 12, 2013.
  2. ↑ a b Top 10 Religious Relics. In: Time April 19, 2010.
  3. ↑ Dhammakitti: The Daṭhávansa; or, The history of the tooth-relic of Gotama Buddha [by Dhammakitti]. Tr., With notes, by Mutu Coomára Swámy 1874.
  4. ↑ Charles R. Boxer "publicly pounded to smithereens with a mortar and pestle by the Archbishop of Goa." The Portuguese Seaborne mission from 1415 to 1825. London 1969: 74.
  5. ^ The Eight Great Temples in the Western Hills (Badachu) . china.org.cn. Retrieved May 12, 2013.
  6. ^ History: Fo Guang Year 32 . Fo Guang Shan Monastery. Archived from the original on January 30, 2013. Retrieved May 12, 2013.
  7. ^ Temple name: Engaku-ji . Rinzai-Obaku Zen. Retrieved May 12, 2013.
  8. ^ The History of the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple & Museum . Buddha Tooth Relic Temple. Retrieved May 12, 2013.
  9. ^ No April Fools': Followers Claim Rare Buddha's Tooth With Healing Powers Continues to Grow . NBC . Retrieved May 12, 2013.
  10. ^ The 10,000 Relics Collection . Bodhi Light International. Retrieved May 12, 2013.
  11. ↑ City information of Hyderabad, Nagarjunasagar, Nagarjunakonda, Warangal, Medak