HATRED IS NOT APPEASED BY HATRED BUT BY NON-HATRED
On Bak Full Moon Poya Day five years after Enlightenment, the Blessed One, Gautama Buddha visited Sri Lanka for the second time. The objective of this visit was to settle a dispute between two Naga groups–one led by Naga King Culodara and the other by his uncle Mahodara. Chulodara was the son of Mahodara’s sister. She was married to the ruler of the central hills of Sri Lanka. Mahodara was the ruler of maritime areas – Nagadipa –Nakativ. Mahodara’s father in his death bed had given a gem studded throne owned by him to Chulodara. Mahodara who was anxious to own this throne was not happy and wanted to own it by any means. Both sides were equally powerful having combatants in similar numbers. Consequently the struggle was likely to be a deadly one bringing disaster to both sides.
Buddha’s mission of peace
Gautama Buddha who was sojourning in Seweth Nuwara Jethavanaramaya saw the impending danger and with His divine eye decided to settle the dispute. The Enlightened One came to Nagadipa where both the Naga kings were up in arms with their followers. It is said that God Samuddi Sumana who was in a Kiripalu tree at the gate of the Devram Vehera had accompanied the Enlightened One holding the Kiripalu tree to provide shelter to Him.
Darkness to subjugate Nagas
The Buddha created an environment of darkness to subjugate the Nagas and after bringing them under His control preached the Dharma from the Kakalika Jathakaya which relates the circumstances under which an owl and a cuckoo became arch rivals and the Latukita Jathakaya in which the Bodhisattva was born as a snipe and saved the lives of a conflagration by observing satyaparamita–the strict observance of truth.
Hatred is not appeased by hatred
Buddha made the Nagas realize that hatred is never appeased by hatred. “Nahi verena verani, sammantida kadocanan; averenaca samandhi esa dhammo sanatano”. Hatred is not appeased by hatred: it is appeased by non-hatred. Buddha had explained in simple terms the ill effects of disputes, quarrels and wars. “Parecana vijananthi mayametta yamamahe, yeca tatta samanathi medhavo”. Those who quarrel do not realize that they perish. If they did realize that, the quarrels would appease.
The Enlightened One also explained the ill effects of avarice. “Thanhaya jayathi soko, thanhaya jayathi bhayan, thanhaya vippamuttassa, natti soko kuto bhayan”. Avarice leads to sorrow and fear. Those who have given up lust and avarice will be free from pain, fear and sorrow. This was what the Omniscient One made the Nagas realize. He was thus able to bring about reconciliation between the rival Naga groups. Neither Chol- odara nor Mahodara had any more desire to own the gem- studded throne.
An invitation by the Naga king
The Naga king of Kelaniya, King Maniakkhitha who had come to support his nephew Mahodara also embraced Buddhism and invited the Omniscient One to visit Kelaniya which the Buddha accepted. Thus the second visit of the Buddha to Sri Lanka paved the way for His third visit too. The Naga King Maniakkhitha, Mahodara and Chulodara belonged to three generations. This meant that the Nagas of three generations had embraced Buddhism during Buddha’s second visit to Sri Lanka.
Nakadiv (Nagadeepa)
During the early historical period the northern region of Sri Lanka was known as “Uttara Ratta” or Naga Deepa in Sinhalese. Nakadiv as mentioned in rock in- scriptions, is an island. The northern end of Sri Lanka is a peninsula separated from the mainland by a lagoon. It can be presumed that the area presently known as the Jaffna Peninsula had been known as Nakadiv or Nagadeepa.
Rajayatana
According to the Mahavansa the civilization in Sri Lanka had begun with the Buddha’s second visit. Naga kings who embraced Buddhism had built a shrine called “Rajayatana” at the place where the Buddha sat to preach the Dharma. According to chronicles this area was known as Naga Pattan during that time.
Jambukola – Dambakola
According to chronicles Prince Aritta who was the envoy sent by King Devanampiyatissa to Emperor Dharmasoka requesting him to send Arahant Sanghamitta Theri with the Sri Maha Bodhi had disembarked at Jambukola (Dambakola). Archaeologists are of opinion that the place called Sambuthurai (Jambuthurai) situated about three miles away from Kankesanthurai. Kiramale is the port referred to as Dambakola Patuna.
Gothamaluand Tisamalu
The ruins of an old monastery had been recovered from this area known as “Gothamalu”. According to the views expressed by archaeologists this was the place where one of the Attaphala of the Sri Maha Bodhi was planted. About ½ mile to the south of Sambuthurai there is a place called Tisamalu (Tissamaluwa). This is supposed to be the place where King Devanampiyatissa stayed in anticipation of Arahant Sanghamitta Theri who brought the Sri Maha Bodhi.
Samsuddhasana Sala Temple
According to the findings of some archaeologists this is the place from where King Devanampiyatissa stood looking towards the sea to have the first sight of the vessel in which the Sri Maha Bodhi was being brought to Sri Lanka. The place where the ruins were recovered is supposed to be the place where the Samuddhasana Sala temple stood.
Thiruadimalai
Near Jambukola there is another place called Thiruadimalai. [Thiruadimalai means Sri Pada.] Hindus perform certain religious rites at this place but there is reason to believe that this is one of the places where Buddha had placed His foot print. There is no legendary evidence to this effect but the Chinese pilgrim monk Fahisien in 411 A.D had made a note to the effect that there was a Sri Pada - Buddha foot print at a spot north of Anuradhapura.
Kandarodai
Ruins of Buddhist temples have been recovered from the village called Kandarodai in the Jaffna Peninsula. It is believed that this is the place where the Enlightened One preached the Dharma to the rival groups of Nagas led by Chulodara and Mahodara. Thelipola and Mallagama are two other places mentioned
in the Sinhala Nampotha– the book of Singhalese villages. These places are now known as Thelippalai and Mallakam where presumably there had been Buddhist temples and monasteries.
The Jaffna Peninsula - a Sinhala Buddhist settlement
There is evidence that there had been Buddhist temples, monasteries etc. all over the Jaffna Peninsula and that the Sinhala names of various places have been changed in the course of time for easy pronunciation by Tamils. The peninsula had been a Sinhala Buddhist settlement which had been destroyed by Tamils who migrated from South India. Sinhala rulers had endured the construction of temples for Hindu gods on the sites of Buddhist temples as they believed that Hindu gods including God Vishnu are Buddhists.
The above provide evidence that Nagadipa or Nakadiv sanctified by the second visit of the Omniscient One is not confined to the small island of Nainativ ruled by a regional Naga king. It was a kingdom in the north of Sri Lanka covering the whole of the Jaffna Peninsula. The description available in chronicles regarding the arrival of the Sri Maha Bodhi and the procession organized by King Devanampiyatissa to take the Sacred Bo tree to his capital, Anuradhapura is evidence that the whole of Sri Lanka had been a single unitary state with regional rulers in the north, south and the central hills.
Arahant Mahinda Maha Thera had given an account of Buddha’s second visit to Sri Lanka when the procession halted at Pacina Viharaya for breakfast. In the course of that description Arahant Mahinda Maha Thera had indicated that the place where the Exalted One set foot is situated some miles away towards Anuradhapura from Jambukola in Kankasanturai. Presumably, Arahant Mahinda Maha Thera had chosen this place for the procession to stop for breakfast because it is the place sanctified by the touch of the Enlightened One.