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Utility of Buddhist Sacred Relics to

Develop Peace in Ceylon with reference to the Nal a Dh tuva saāṭ ā ṃ

Dr. S. Vijitha Kumara

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Introduction•

Buddhism guides to develop inner peace as well associal peace• Buddhist cultural practices also support to develop both

inner and social peace• Worshiping relics is a practice related to Buddhist rituals• Ceylonese practiced it from pre-Mahinda era.

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Relics and Inner Peace•

acred relics of the Buddha symboli!ed the livingBuddha• "ll the Buddhist groups desired to obtain sacred relics• Buddhists attended to the relics and developed

Buddhanussati

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Relics and ocial Peace•

#he sacred relics symboli!ed the living Buddha lead toset up friendships among the di$erent Buddhist groups.• Possessor of the relic became the leader of the

Buddhists in Ceylon. %&al ta 'h tu(P tr 'h tu ('antaā ā ā ā ā'h tu)ā

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*istory of the &al adh tuāṭ ā•

Mahadeva #hera brought the &al a 'h tu to Ceylon.āṭ ā• It received by lay devotee Mah + la ā ā• ,ater on ing Mah n ga the brother of ingā ā

'ev nampiyatissa received this relic.ā• rom Mah n ga to /a la tissa0/a la tissa toā ā ṭā ṭā

1o h bhaya0 1o h bhaya to +ava atissa.ṭ ā ṭ ā ā ṇṇ

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#he Role of the &al adh tu ināṭ ā'eveloping peace

• +ava atissa was the ruler ofā ṇṇM gamaā

• *e was the Masterminder of the Warbetween 'u hag mi i and 2l raṭṭ ā ṇ ā

• Meantime3 1iry-city was ruled by"bhaya

• 'u hag mi i attracted to "bhayaṭṭ ā ṇ• "bhaya and soma escaped to eru City• eru-city was ruled by ing hiva

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The Reason for utilizingthe Nal adh tu?āṭ ā

•

+ava atissa +new thatā ṇṇhis sons will start the warwith 2lara.

• *e did not want to haveany e4tra war between hisneighboring +ings in outhern country before a war with 2lara

• *e brought &al adh tu toāṭ ā'ig ma ulla and employedā ḍprince addh tissa there toā

cultivate paddy.

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• &e4t3 he crossed,unugala%,oṇanagara)

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•

*e enshrined the relic at erucity and he e4panded his landfrom M gama to #rincomaleeā

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