A Sacred site of Sacrifice

犠牲の聖地

September 2012

2012 年 09 月

A large compound filled with trees, Buddhist shrines, statues and stupas, the Attanagalle Raja
Maha Viharaya is a place filled with history and folklore.

木、仏教寺院、彫像および仏塔でいっぱいの大きな複合物であるアッタナガッラ　ラジ
ャ　マハ　ヴィハーラヤは歴史と民間伝承に満ちた場所です。

Words Manori Wijesekera Photography Menaka Aravinda and Damith Wickramasinghe

言葉　マノーリ　ウィジェーセーカラ　写真　メーナカ　アラヴィンダ及びダミトゥ　
ウィクラマシンハ

Best known as the place where King Sri Sangabo beheaded himself as a sacrifice, the Royal
Temple at Attanagalle is one of ancient Sri Lanka's most famed sites.

シリ　サガボ王様が犠牲になった場所として最もよく知られているアッタナガッラの王
宮は、スリランカの最も有名な遺跡の一つです。

From a religious perspective, these temple grounds were the site to two great incidents. The first
was the act of sacrifice by King Sangabo, a Bodhisattva (a future Buddha) that fulfilled his Dana
Paramita (one of the ten perfections to be completed by a Bodhisattva to become a Buddha, or
an Awakened One). The second is that ｔ his was the temple where, during the reign of King
Upatissa (365-406 A.D.), one of the monks attained enlightenment.

宗教的な観点からは、これらの寺院の敷地は二つの大きな事件の発生場所でした。最初
は、ダーナ　パーラミター（仏様になるために菩薩によって完成されるべき十の完成の
うちの一つ、または目覚めた者）を成し遂げたサガボ王様、菩薩（未来の仏様）による
犠牲の行為だった。二つ目は、ウパティッサ王の治世中（紀元 365 - 406 年）に僧侶の
一人が悟りを開いた寺院であったということだ。

And so, during ancient times, both Kings and the common man would make pilgrimages to this
temple. It continues to be an extremely popular temple and can be filled to capacity on Buddhist
religious days. It is also a place for the local community to gather, and community events and
cultural functions are often held at the community hall and in the open garden spaces.

So plan your visit on a quieter day and you can explore some of the beautiful temple buildings at
your leisure. The 26 acres of land, and the historical buildings contained within, were declared a
sacred city in 1994. There are two roadways to reach the main temple compound, one with a
long staircase, the other through a gravel path. Walk under sun dappled trees among the sounds
of the chirping birds and the serenity of the place will enthrall you.
A few of the temple buildings were constructed during ancient times but they were badly
damaged during the reign of King Seethawaka Rajasinghe in the 17th Century. Almost all the
buildings you see in the temple compound today were rebuilt or newly constructed during the
Kandyan period.

Most notable among the ancient buildings is the Vatadage, believed to have been built by King
Gotabhaya in the third century, on the ground where he found King Sangabo's headless body.
Another ancient building on the site is the Dambadeniya Chaithya which was built by King
Parakramabahu II (who ruled during 1236 - 1270) in memory of his father. At the entrance steps
to this Chaithya, you will find two guard stones which are said to be from the Anuradhapura
period.

Keep an eye out for the ruins of the five-storey monastery building that once stood here.
Standing like silent sentinels to another era, several stone columns and carved stones are all that
remain of the grand building which was built as a donation by King Upatissa II in the Fourth
Century.

かつてここに立っていた五階建ての修道院の建物の廃墟を見張ってください。 別の時
代への静かな歩哨のように立って、いくつかの石造りの柱と彫刻された石はすべて 4 世
紀に King Upatissa II によって寄付として建てられた壮大な建物のままです。

You can immerse yourself in the story of King Sangabo (see text box) as you walk by the statue
located prominently in the centre of the temple compound, by a small stone pond (look for the
footprints in the rock, thought to be those of King Sangabo and his Queen, who found him after
his death). Visit the caves where he is once thought to have lived, the larger ponds and the tree-
covered pathways which he may have walked through (albeit when it was covered in thick
jungle).

小さな石の池のそばにある寺院の中心にある像のそばを歩くと、サガボ王様の物語（テ
キストボックスを参照）に浸れる（岩の足跡を見てください、死後、見つけた人が、彼
らはサガボ王様と彼の女王様のものであると思われた）。彼が住んでいたと思われてい
る洞窟、大きな池、彼が通り抜けたかもしれない木で覆われた道を訪れてください（と
はいえ、それが厚いジャングルで覆われていた時）。

There are many myths and folklore about this place, chief among them the stories of the many
priceless treasures that are said to be hidden within the ancient buildings by King Gotabhaya as
an act of seeking forgiveness for all his wrongdoing. Another popular tale is that of the cries of
King Sangabo's wife who searched for him in these jungles for nine days. These sounds are called
the "widow's wails" and people still say they can be heard through the trees when you walk
deep into the jungle.

この場所については多くの神話や民間伝承がありますが、その中にはゴーターバヤ王様
によって古代の建物の中に隠されていると言われている多くの貴重な宝物の物語があり
ます。もう一つの人気のある物語は 9 日間これらのジャングルの中でサガボ王様を捜し
た彼の妻の叫び声だ。 これらの音は「未亡人の嘆き」と呼ばれていますが、あなたは
ジャングルの奥深くまで歩いたとき、まだ木を通して聞こえると人々が言っている。

Walk through the cool temple buildings, where the story of King Sangabo and other Jataka
stories (stories of the Buddha) are found in colourful wall murals. This temple is also home to
many ancient ola-leaf manuscripts and ancient books, which can be seen on request. Several
giant stone statues, recently gifted by temples in China and Taiwan are also found at one end of
the compound.

サガボ王様の物語や他のジャータカ物語（仏様の物語）がカラフルな壁の壁画に見られ
る、涼しい寺院の建物を歩く。この寺院も要求に応じて見られる多くの古代オラ‐リー
フ原稿と古代の本の本拠地だ。 最近、中国や台湾の寺院から贈られたいくつかの巨大
な石像も、この化合物の一片端で見つかる。

A visit to the Attanagalla Raja Maha Viharaya is one which will give you more than a glimpse into
the ancient history of Sri Lanka, taking you back to a time of ancient Kingdoms, Palace intrigue
and a pious King.

アッタナガッラ　ラジャ　マハ　ヴィハーラヤへの訪問はスリランカの古代史を垣間見
る以上のものを与えられ、古代の王国、宮殿の陰謀と敬虔な王の時代に取り戻してくれ
る。