Ruwanweli Maha Seya: Eleventh of Sixteen Sacred Places in Sri Lanka

Ruwanweli Maha Seya is the place which enshrines the largest amount of relics of the Blessed one in one place.

Significance of Ruwanweli Maha Seya

This is the meritorious land where Kakusanda, Konagamana and Kassapa Buddhas spent time with great Arahants.
Our Supreme Buddha on the third visit to Sri Lanka visited this place on the Vesak full moon poya day with 500 Arahants and spent time with the attainment of extinction and made this land even purer.
Our Arahant Mahinda offered white flowers to this place on the second day of his visit to Sri Lanka. The ground was shaken violently. The reason was that thousands of relics of Lord Buddha will be deposited in this land in the future.
As a result the place was there itself separated for that purpose (B.C. 236)
After 150 years King Dutugamunu united this island of Sri Lanka
After being throned as the king, on the seventh day itself he started constructing the Mirisawetiya stupa and the construction was finished within three years (The total cost for the stupa was 19 gold crores)
Thereafter a nine storey building was built for Bhikkus for fortnightly confession and recitation of Bhikku Patimokkha
This is also known as Lovamahapaya (Total cost was 30 gold crores)
The basal rings of Ruwanweli Maha Seya sank to the ground nine times when constructing.
Considering tomorrow is Asela full moon poya day ,all the construction work of the relic chamber was fully completed
Arahant Sumana Uththara went to Northern island and brought cloud coloured six stone slabs for the construction of the relic chamber
Using five of those stone slabs the relic chamber was built
The stone slab used for closing the upper part was kept outside
The facts about the amazing life of Supreme Buddha is carved beautifully inside this relic chamber
The Maha Bo tree was built using the gem called Indraneela. The seat or the platform of enlightenment and the Buddha statue was fully constructed using gold
The instance where Maha Brahma holding the Lascarin, Lord Sakkha holding the equipment called Sankaya and where Panchasika holding the harp and king Mahakala and even Mara with his army can be seen here.
A bed worth crores is built facing the head towards the bo tree
The seven weeks, invitation of Brahma, story about Baranas, acceptance of Veluvana monastery, the great eighty disciples, the twin miracle in Kapilavasthu, monastery in Jethavana, Dhamma sermon in Thavasa, the story about Kusinara, suppressing Alavaka, suppressing Angulimala, the parayana story
The occasion of distributing relics by Brahmin Dhrona
Many Jathaka stories are sculpted in gold
After completing the construction of relic chamber King invited Maha Sangha to bring the noble relics considering tomorrow is the Asela full moon poya

The story about bringing relics from Rama village to Naga world

The relics were brought on the Asela full moon poya day by Arahant Yonuththara
The king brought the relics to the relic chamber
On that occasion the relics leaped to the sky and a Buddha statue was created and twin miracle was also seen
Afterwards the relics formed a Buddha statue similar to the posture of Buddha Parinibbana. The ground has shaken violently on that occasion

How to Worship

When entering the stupa switch off phones and remove hats and shoes.
Avoid taking pictures of the Stupa.
Since most of the relics of our Supreme Buddha are enshrined in this Great Stupa, we should worship with the utmost respect and faith in the Noble Triple Gem and offer your life to the Triple Gem.
Worship the Stupa the moment you enter with the thought “Our Blessed One is right in front of me…”
If there are flowers, joss sticks, leaves or litter fallen, in the Sa Maluwa you can clean it.
You may make offerings such as water, flowers, incense sticks etc.
You can chant Pirith, meditate, and make a wholesome wish to be free from lust, anger and delusion and attain Nibbana in this Gautama Buddha’s Dispensation

Stanzas to worship Ruwanweliseya

සයිංසු යස්මිං සුගතස්ස ධාතු
නිම්මාය රංසුජ්ජල බුද්ධරූපං
තං ගාමිණී රාජ කතං නමාමි
සුවණ්ණමාලී වරථූපරාජං

Sayiṁsu yasmiṁ sugatassa dhatu
Nimmāya raṁsujjala Buddha rūpaṁ
Suvaṇṇamālīti patīta nāmaṁ
Vandāmahaṁ thupavaraṁ mahagghaṁ

With hands together on my forehead I venerate with much love and respect the Great Stupa Swarnamali, which enshrines one-eighth of the Buddha’s sacred bodily relics, forming the figure of the Buddha lying in repose and emanating rays of sixfold colour. My homage to the Great Stupa Swarnamali (Ruwanweli Maha Seya)!