An Overview of Sri Lanka's Sacred Sites

Important Sacred Sites

Sri Lankans are proud of their sacred sites and classify them according to different types. One classic list is known as the Atamasthana, the list of ‘The Eight Sacred Places’.

The Atamasthana are:

  1. Sri Maha Bodhi

  2. Ruwanweli Stupa

  3. Thuparama Stupa

  4. Brazen Palace 

  5. Mirisaweti Stupa

  6. Abhayagiri Stupa

  7. Jetavanarama Stupa

  8. Lankarama or Lankaramaya Stupa

In addition to this list derived from the chronicles, we find more extensive lists as well. Sri Lankans still preserve a gatha, or song, in the Pali language, the Solosmasthana which describes 16 sacred places on the island. The Solomasthana list of sixteen places of worship in Sri Lanka is: 

  • Mahiyangana Raja Maha Vihara

  • Nagadeepa Purana Vihara

  • Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara

  • Sri Pada

  • Diva Guhava (Batatotalena Cave)

  • Deegavapi Raja Maha Vihara

  • Muthiyangana Raja Maha Vihara

  • Tissamaharama Raja Maha Vihara

  • Sri Maha Bodhi

  • Mirisawetiya Stupa

  • Ruwanweli Stupa

  • Thuparamaya Stupa

  • Abhayagiriya Stupa

  • Jetavanarama Stupa

  • Sela Cetiya

  • Kiri vehera

Many of these locations were said to have been visited by Shakyamuni Buddha on his three visits undertaken after his enlightenment. Others mark sacred sites adorned by previous Buddhist rulers to house important relics or to memorialize special occasions. Traditionally, pilgrims recite this gatha while simultaneously making offerings to Buddha images at these shrines. Unfortunately, following the decline of the ancient kingdoms of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, many of the Solosmasthana were abandoned. However, we can rejoice that in the 20th century, the monastic and lay sangha and the government began a sustained campaign to renovate and revive these ancient sites.

In our guide, we have indicated the sites that belong to the lists of the eight and the sixteen sacred site designations from the Theravada tradition. These are the sites most frequently mentioned in local guides to the island. For the sake of simplicity, we include an “A” in parentheses to mark those belonging to the list of eight, and an “S” to indicate those belonging to the list of sixteen. You will notice that half of the sites appear on both lists.

Getting to Sri Lanka

The largest and most frequented hub for arriving in Sri Lanka is Bandaranaike International Airport, about 33 kilometers from the capital of Colombo. Upon arrival, many tourists prefer to stay in the more laid-back beach area of Negombo, conveniently located next to the airport, to avoid the crowds and heavy traffic of Colombo. Thirty-seven airlines currently serve the airport. Terminal 1 is the current international terminal, built in 1967, which will soon be shifted to Terminal 2, the new international terminal expected to be completed in 2025.

Chronicling Buddhism's Entry into sri lanka

As pilgrims, we are immediately intrigued by the first verse of the earliest existing (3rd-4th c. CE) Sinhalese history, The Dipavamsa, (Chronicle of the Island). The anonymous author opens his text by announcing that he will begin with the report of the Buddha’s visits to the isle of Lanka. And then he continues to describe the arrival of the Buddha’s relics after his parinirvana as well as the coming of the bodhi tree branch. Thus, from the very beginning of the tale, we know to expect wondrous occurrences instead of a dull history focused solely on names and dates.

The chronicles of Sri Lanka remind us that the Buddha emphasized the value of sacred space by recalling the visits of previous buddhas. Moreover, we witness the Buddha personally dispensing hair relics in order that devotees will have physical supports for their offerings and practice. He graciously accepted the invitation to sacralize a location by sitting in meditation, thus marking a particular spot as a conduit for blessings. By imprinting his blessings for future generations, we can have confidence that we are still in the presence of the Buddha when we visit such sites. Similarly, when Mahinda, the son of the Indian emperor Ashoka, arrived in Lanka, he, too, traveled to these holy spots and blessed them with offerings as well as his practice. 

From the chronicles, we also learn that the close followers of the Buddha were indispensable in bringing more bodily relics, and in establishing and enlarging existing shrines. Such actions instruct us on the value placed on pilgrimage locations by key figures throughout both human and non-human history. Additionally, they encourage and inspire us to undertake a joyful pilgrimage. When we read these accounts, we observe that the early episodes describing Buddha visits feature many non-human actors. The Buddha interacts with demons of all classes, with nagas and with gods as well as humans. We witness the Buddha engaging in the enlightened activities of subduing and pacifying in order to resacralize the space and make it a place for humans to receive the Dharma. Thus, when we travel to the island, we can broaden our vision and recall the kindness of the Buddha as he interacts with various classes of beings.

Interacting With the Sites

We can joyfully participate in the long tradition of making offerings at the various shrines as we visit. We may hear and join in the recitation of a generalized offering verse:

"Vandami cetiyam sabbam sabbathanesu patitthitam, saririkadhatu mahabodhim buddharupam sakalam sada."

“I pay homage at all times to the stupas in every location, all the bodily relics, the Mahabodhi and the images of the Buddha.”

For example, extensive light offerings are made on auspicious occasions, particularly on full-moon days. On special occasions like Vesak Day, many pilgrims offer lights (dipa-puja or pahan-puja) to counter evil planetary influences. They purify themselves through ritual bathing and wear fresh, clean clothes to visit the shrines. Many offer specially prepared coconut oil, and wicks are prepared from clean, white, fresh cloth. On special days the inhabitants of entire villages or regions join together in lamp offering. For example, they may offer 84,000 lighted lamps in memory of the 84,000 elements of the Dharma (dhammakkhandha) comprising the Buddha's Teaching.

Pilgrims offering lights at sacred shrines is a ritual that dates back to ancient times in Sri Lanka. King Dutugemunu (2nd c. BCE) is recorded to have lit one thousand ghee-filled lamps with white wicks burning perpetually in twelve sacred places in Anuradhapura (Mahavamsa 32:37). Similarly, the chronicle relates that King Vasabha (1st c. CE) lit one thousand oil lamps at four stupas as well as at the Bodhi-tree (Mahavamsa 36:80). 

When pilgrims today offer lamps, they continue that legacy as they recite the following verse,

"Ghanasarappadittena dipena tamadamsina tilokadipam sambuddham pujayami tamonudan"

“With this light lit with camphor that dispells all darkness, I pay homage to the Enlightend One who is a lamp for the three worlds, the dispeller of darkness.”

In modern times, the lights are usually made of coconut oil, but the verse still reflects the ancient practice of offering the fragrant-smelling camphor. Camphor burning stands have been discovered at a number of stupas on the island, attesting to the popularity of this practice.

In addition to sacred sites associated with Shakyamuni and other buddhas, when we visit Sri Lanka we can also visit shrines of significance in both the Theravada and Mahayana Buddhist traditions. Thus, in our presentation, we aim for a more inclusive listing of pilgrimage locations from all traditions, many of which have been rediscovered in the past century. We now know, for example, that cult worship of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara as the healer of the sick and also protector of mariners was very popular in Sri Lanka, particularly in the 7th and 8th centuries CE. Seafaring merchants along the coasts erected statues of the bodhisattva and undertook pilgrimage to their shrines.