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the superstructure all collapsed. I consider this stone to be one of the most interesting in the City."

He did not know of a much more elaborate specimen, since discovered near the Outer Circular Road (see p. 130).

A little further south, still beside the road, is one of the curiously shaped medicine-boats," or sarcophagi, of which three are known at Anuradhapura; in this the rude outline of a human being is hollowed out of the stone. Down a side road to the left is the post office, formerly the resthouse, and beside it are the ruins of a large mahapali, or alms-hall, which is generally supposed to be that built by King Tissa II in the first century B.C. It was burnt down and reconstructed by Mahinda IV at the end of the tenth century A.D.

The most interesting feature remaining is the very perfect specimen of a stone boat or canoe lying along the east side. It is 44 feet 3 inches in length. There is no doubt as to the use of these great boats, they are distinctly described in the Mahawansa as a "receptacle shaped like a boat to hold rice," and are always found in connection with alms-halls. Usually there are two, a larger and smaller, standing at right angles to each other, but here there is only one remaining. This mahapali is noted in the records of many kings. When Silameghavana (A.D. 614) had killed his predecessor, he "entered the beautiful city of Anuradhapura, and when he had saluted the Order and the Bodhi, he rendered the honours

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that were due to the three thupas, and patronised the alms-hall. In a time of great scarcity he distributed milk-rice among the Order, mixed with ghee and honey, and supplied the monks with water-strainers also. He gave largely to the beggar, the wayfarer, and the mendicant, and by divers acts of charity gained their love. And being kind-hearted by nature, he even gave away cake-money among the children."

In the centre of the mahapali there is a floral altar with representation of the prints of Buddha's feet.

North of the post office, bounded by the Inner Circular Road on one side and by Abhayagiriya on the other, is a tract of ground crossed by numerous paths, but apt to be swampy and not altogether desirable unless the way is carefully chosen. In it lies Selchaitiya dagaba, now a small shapeless mound, with a few carved stones. It is still visited by pilgrims, as the little flags and blackened altars testify. It was built by King Lajji Tissa (119 B.C.), and has a reputation for sacredness.

The Inner Circular Road leads back to the bazaar, and to reach the hotel there are other roads below Ruanweli which can be taken if preferred.

CHAPTER IV

LANKARAMA DISTRICT: A WORLD OF MONKS

STARTING from Thuparama, a long road runs northward and finally bifurcates, one branch going to Jetawanarama and the other to Lankarama and neighbourhood. This is appropriately named the Y Road. The first part of it is not interesting; it is lined by plantain plantations and the only ruin is a small Hindu temple about half-way up on the west.

By the western branch Lankarama is soon reached. This small dilapidated dagaba is surrounded by tall slender pillars much like those of Thuparama, but only in three circles. They vary from 12 feet to 16 feet 8 inches in height. If they are examined, they will be seen to be all carved in one block, capital and column hewn together. A line of decoration runs round the head of the shaft, in the form of a looped and tasselled design, falling to a depth of 6 or 8 inches, and varying a little so as to become in some cases exactly like a fleur-de-lys. Above this rise the capitals showing bands of jovial little dwarfs or quaint lions. Palms and a temple-tree spring from the platform, finding root-hold between the granite blocks, and though destructive of the stonework, they certainly add to the picture as a picture.

"The dagaba, one of the Eight Sacred sites, has for years been allowed to remain in a dilapidated state, completely ruined on the north side where it has collapsed, without any effort on the part of the Buddhists to restore it, though such restoration would involve little expense and no technical difficulty" (1910-11 Report).

The real name of the dagaba is not known, but its sanctity and the fact that it so closely resembles Thuparama lead to the conclusion that it is one of the older buildings of the city.

All around, in its neighbourhood, are the remains of monasteries, besides several headless sedent Buddhas. A very little way beyond Lankarama, on the other side of the road, are many ruins well worth examining. The road curves a little, and just beyond the curve crosses a deep channel known in Cingalese as an ela, which is dry. At this point it is advisable, if driving, to leave any vehicle and send it on to wait at the junction of the Y Road and Outer Circular Road, and then on foot to plunge across the intervening strip of woodland.

Facing the road, plainly in view, are the remains of a large vihara, with well-preserved moulded platform, and a distinguishing mark in two immense upright stone slabs which flank the entrance. Here, what Mr. Bell has aptly described as the "five-of-cards" pattern common to so many of these monasteries may very readily be discerned. It is composed of a central temple or shrine in the middle of an open space, with four small shrines in the corners. The central shrine is usually a pilimagé, or image-house, and

the four smaller ones may be defined as chapels. These are all enclosed by the inner wall of the monastery, and outside lie the piriven, or monks' cells, more or less in number according to the size of the monastery; sometimes there is also a pansala, or refectory, and almost invariably a tank for water supply, with possibly small pokuna for use as rock-hewn baths or cisterns. There may also be in some monasteries a dagaba, and very often a "street," or what was once a covered verandah leading up to a porch. Here and there special distinctive features are found, such as, in this case, these curious upright slabs of stone, which are not quite like anything found elsewhere.

Facing this vihara, a little to the left and behind it, is a low hummock of rock, on the top of which are several incised drawings, a man fighting, an elephant, and some diagrams that look like geometrical illustrations, but may be maps (see p. 120). About an equal distance north of the vihara is a great mound or lump of earth built partly up with brick. This is not a dagaba.

"As there are no further clues to fix the object this commanding building served, it can only be surmised that it was the Priory or Chief Pansala for one or both monasteries, or possibly a House of Meditation common to the whole Sangharama in these western quarters." (1911-12 Report.)

At the back of it, behind another outcrop of rock, is a deeply cut bath with a little dressing

room.

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