26d: The Buddha’s visits to Śrī Laṅkā – 922
Cetiya is now situated and offered delicious celestial food to him and the
monastics with profound respect.
After teaching Maṇi-akkhika and all the Nāgas, the Buddha travelled through
the sky to the Sumanakūṭa hill and left an impression of his foot, in order that
future generations might hold it as a sacred place (
pāda-cetiya
). He went to the
base of the hill in the company of monastics to spend the day and proceeded to
Dīghavāpī.
During his sojourn at Dīghavāpī, he and the monastics enjoyed fruition-
attainment (
phala-samāpatti
) on the spot where the Dīghavāpī Cetiya is standing
today. This is one of the sacred places held in high reverence by the people from
the days of yore. From here, the Buddha proceeded to the Garden of Mahā
Meghavana.
On arrival at Meghavana garden, together with the 500 monastics, the Buddha
sat and enjoyed fruition-attainment together with the monastics. On the spot
where the Buddha sat a sapling of the original Mahā Bodhi tree was planted.
From there, they proceeded to the location of the Mahā Cetiya and together
they enjoyed fruition-attainment. Rising from this attainment, they proceeded to
the present location of Thūpārāma Cetiya and enjoyed fruition-attainment
together again.
Rising from this fruition-attainment, they went to Silā Cetiya, which still
[659]
stands today, and taught the Dhamma to all the Devas who happened to be
gathered there at that time. After which, together with his 500 monastics, the
Buddha returned to Jetavana monastery. These events marked the Buddha’s
third visit to Śrī Laṅkā, and so this concludes the account of the Buddha’s three
visits to Śrī Laṅkā.
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